Parks and Recreation Committee

**Greenways Levy 5 Implementation:** Staff reported on the first year of the new ten-year levy, which includes revised spending guidelines with a new 15% allocation for climate resiliency projects and a 10% flexible category. The levy maintains previous priorities of 35% for acquisition, 20% for development, and 20% for maintenance, while adding the climate resiliency focus addressing community concerns about environmental sustainability. **Property Acquisition Strategy:** Discussion revealed the city maintains a proactive approach to land acquisition, using maps of target properties based on decades of program experience while also responding to opportunistic offers. Staff emphasized focusing on "missing links" in the trail system and noted recent process improvements including Strategic Initiatives Group involvement in property reviews. **Neighborhood Equity in Park Im…

**Parks Staff (Lane Potter, Nicole Oliver):** Presented comprehensive data demonstrating program success and transparency. Emphasized the engaged Greenways Advisory Committee's subcommittee work on trail connections, climate resiliency, equity, and community gardens. Noted staff are "close to half of the operations division" funded through greenways, indicating the levy's critical role in park system operations. **Council Member Stone:** Inquired about proactive property acquisition strategies and confirmed public access to annual reports through the city website. Asked about restriction…

**Lane Potter, on greenways funding scope:** "It's interesting to note on our last biennium, budget, park impact fees were almost 19 or 20% of our budget this year. For 2025. They're they make up just about 13% of the Parks Department budget." **Council Member Cotton, on program appreciation:** "What an amazing body of work that represents so much beauty and recreation and fun in our community that yeah, just really appreciative of this report and the good work." **Lane Potter, on acquisitio…

**New Climate Resiliency Category Established:** 2024 marked the first year of the 15% climate resiliency allocation in Greenways Levy 5, funding $1.24 million in environmental sustainability projects including shoreline enhancement and energy efficiency upgrades. **Stewardship Coordinator Position Added:** The city hired a new stewardship coordinator to better manage the community garden program, addressing previous capacity limitations. **Property Acquisition Process Enhanced:** The city n…

### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Committee met on May 5, 2025, to receive the annual report on the 2024 Greenways Program and Park Impact Fee Fund. The presentation highlighted accomplishments, revenue, expenditures, and future projects funded through these critical park funding mechanisms. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Greenways Levy:** A voter-approved property tax that funds park acquisition, development, maintenance, and climate resiliency projects in Bellingham. The current "Levy 5" is a 10-year levy that began in 2024. **Park Impact Fees (PIF):** Fees collected from new residential development to fund park improvements and acquisitions in the neighborhoods where development occurs. Must be spent within 10 years of collection. **Greenways Advisory Committee (GAC):** A nine-member volunteer committee that provides citizen recommendations on spending Greenways funds and advocates for strategic plan priorities. **Climate Resiliency Spending:** A new category in Levy 5 focused on reducing emissions and increasing climate resilience of city park properties and facilities. **Stewardship Program:** City program that coordinates volunteers, park ambassadors, and community gardens throughout the park system. **PROS Plan:** Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan that guides long-term planning for Bellingham's park system. **Levy 4 Carryover:** Approximately $12.4 million in unspent funds from the previous Greenways levy that carried forward to be spent under previous guidelines. **Neighborhood Balances:** Tracking system for park impact fees that ensures money collected from development in specific neighborhoods gets spent on park improvements in those same areas. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Parks & Recreation Committee Chair, Fourth Ward Council Member | | Hannah Stone | Committee Member, First Ward Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member, At-Large Council Member | | Lisa Anderson | Second Ward Council Member (non-committee guest) | | Nicole Oliver | Parks & Recreation Director | | Lane Potter | Parks Design & Development Manager | | Ray Delacour | Liaison between Greenways Advisory Committee and Parks & Recreation Advisory Board | ### Background Context Bellingham's park system is primarily funded through two mechanisms: the Greenways Levy a…