Parks and Recreation Committee

The committee addressed the necessity of nighttime construction for the Boulevard Park shoreline restoration project. Parks Director Nicole Oliver explained that the work must be performed during the lowest tides, which occur at night during the permitted construction window of August through February. The timing is driven by both environmental permitting requirements and the "fish window" - regulatory restrictions designed to protect fish habitat. The project addresses severe erosion damage from the 2021 storm season that forced the city to install hazard fencing and signage to protect park users. Oliver emphasized that the work cannot be precisely scheduled because it depends on both tidal condit…

No public testimony was provided during this committee meeting, as committee sessions generally do not include public comment periods. The only perspectives presented came from city staff advocating f…

**Nicole Oliver (Parks & Recreation Director), on project timing:** "The low tides are in the middle of the night, so the work needs to happen in the middle of the night, and we can't specify exactly when because it's both tide and weather dependent." **Nicole Oliver, on environmental constraints:** "We need to do this work at this time of year due to the agency requirements of the conditions of the permits." **Gina Austin (Parks Project Engineer), on construction sequencing:** "They build the…

After this meeting, the Parks and Recreation Department and its contractor have authorization to conduct nighttime construction work on the Boulevard Park shoreline restoration project. This removes a regulatory barrier that could have delayed or…

### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Committee met on November 18, 2024, to consider a noise variance request for the Boulevard Park Shoreline Enhancement Project. The committee unanimously approved allowing night work for construction activities that must occur during low tide periods between November 2024 and February 15, 2025. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Noise Variance:** A special permission that allows activities to exceed the city's normal noise limits during certain times or conditions, governed by Bellingham Municipal Code 10.24.120. **Intertidal Area:** The zone of the shoreline that is covered by water at high tide and exposed at low tide, where special environmental protections apply. **Fish Window:** A time period established by environmental agencies when in-water construction work is permitted to minimize impacts on fish spawning and migration, typically August through February. **Working in the Dry:** Construction term meaning work must be done when the area is not covered by water, which requires timing construction around low tides. **Ordinary High-Water Mark:** The line on the shore established by the fluctuations of water that is marked by physical characteristics like vegetation changes or debris lines. **Boulevard Park:** A waterfront city park in Bellingham that experienced significant shoreline erosion during the 2021 storm season, prompting this enhancement project. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Committee Chair, Fourth Ward Council Member | | Hannah Stone | Committee Member, First Ward Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member, At-Large Council Member | | Nicole Oliver | Parks and Recreation Director | | Gina Austin | Parks Project Engineer | ### Background Context Boulevard Park suffered significant shoreline erosion during the 2021 storm season, forcing the city to install hazard f…