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City-County Elected Officials Meeting for Growth Management Coordination

WHA-CON-SPC-2025-09-17 September 17, 2025 Committee of the Whole Whatcom County
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The September 17, 2025 City-County Elected Officials Meeting for Growth Management Coordination brought together representatives from Whatcom County and all seven incorporated cities to present their Urban Growth Area (UGA) proposals for the 2025 Comprehensive Plan update. Each jurisdiction presented detailed proposals for accommodating projected 22-year growth allocations established in an earlier multi-jurisdictional resolution, with most cities proposing boundary adjustments, zoning changes, and strategies to comply with new state housing mandates. Bellingham led presentations with the most comprehensive proposal, removing approximately 1,300 acres from environmentally constrained areas while implementing middle housing reforms throughout existing residential zones under House Bill 1110. The city emphasized urban village development and acknowledged significant gaps in affordable housing production that zoning alone cannot address. Smaller cities like Sumas and Everson face unique challenges including flood vulnerability and agricultural land conversion. Sumas presented an ambitious westward expansion to move development away from flood-prone areas following devastating 2021 flooding, while Everson proposed net additions to agricultural land through strategic UGA boundary adjustments. Several jurisdictions highlighted implementation challenges with the state's Housing for All planning tool, which produced housing unit projections that planners described as unrealistic. Cities universally struggled to meet lower-income housing targets without significant subsidies and nonprofit partnerships. The meeting revealed coordinated regional thinking around industrial development, with multiple jurisdictions referencing recent port industrial land studies and the need for manufacturing-ready sites. However, questions emerged about regional coordination of transportation impacts and climate goals as growth spreads across multiple jurisdictions.

This was a presentation-only meeting with no formal votes taken. Each jurisdiction presented their UGA proposals for discussion, with final adoption expected through individual comprehensive plan processes in late 2025. **Bellingham UGA Proposal:** Remove 1,300 acres from environmentally constrained areas (airport vicinity, Lake Whatcom watershed), implement middle housing citywide, expand urban village capacity to accommodate 30,000 additional residents and 19,000 jobs. **Blaine UGA Proposal:** Net reduction of 33 acres through swap process contingent on November 2025 ballot measure, rezone 263 acres to manufacturing, establish new West Blaine UGA reserve. **Everson UGA Proposal:** Add 70 acres while removing 65 acres, with net addition of 31 acres back to agric…

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**Middle Housing Implementation:** Cities are grappling with House Bill 1110 requirements to allow middle housing types throughout residential zones. Bellingham is converting all single-family zones to "residential low" allowing up to six units per lot, while smaller cities are taking more incremental approaches. The policy represents a fundamental shift from single-family/multifamily zoning to a spectrum of housing types. **Housing for All Income Levels:** House Bill 1220 requires cities to plan for housing across all income bands, but jurisdictions universally reported gaps in lower-income categories. The state's planning tool produced projections that planners called unrealistic, with some cities allocated more housing units than population growth would support. Cities emphasized that zoning changes alone cannot produce affordable housing without subsidies and nonprofit partnerships. **Flood Vulnerability and Climate Adaptation:** Sumas presented the starkest example of climate adaptation planning, proposing westward expansion specifi…
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**Whatcom County Planning Staff (Matt Ahmed):** Facilitated presentations and noted that county has developed proposals for Cherry Point, Birch Bay, and Columbia Valley unincorporated areas in addition to city proposals. **City Planning Directors:** Universally emphasized challenges with state housing mandates and planning tools, while supportin…
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**Chris Behe (Bellingham), on affordable housing gaps:** "The forms can be built under the regulations. It's just how do we move them out of this market rate category into the subsidized category and get the amount that we fully need within those those lower income ranges." **Alex Wenger (Blaine), on ballot measure uncertainty:** "We can't actively advocate for voting 1 way or the other using city resources. But, but we can say, get out and vote." **Alexandra (Everson), on agricultural land …
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**December 10 or 17, 2025:** Next City-County Growth Management Coordination meeting (date to be determined) **October 9, 2025:** Blaine Planning Commission consideration of revised UGA proposal **November 4, 2025:** Blaine ballot measure on de-annexation critical to UGA swap propo…

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**Regional Coordination:** Meeting demonstrated unprecedented coordination between jurisdictions on growth planning, with cities referencing shared industrial development strategies and similar approaches to state housing mandates. **Climate Adaptation Integration:** Sumas's flood-driven expansion proposal represents new integration of climate vulnerability into growth management planning, potentially setting precedent for other jurisdictions. **Agricultural Land Policy:** Multiple cities proposed payment-in-lieu mechanisms for…
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# Mapping the Future: Cities and County Chart Growth Paths at Coordination Summit The September 17th City-County Elected Officials Meeting for Growth Management Coordination convened at Ferndale City Hall Annex with a clear mission: to present and review urban growth area proposals that will shape development patterns across Whatcom County for the next two decades. The special meeting brought together elected officials and planning staff from all seven municipalities plus county representatives to examine comprehensive plans that must comply with state mandates while addressing local needs. Mayor Greg Hanson of Ferndale opened the session, noting the alphabetical presentation order that would take participants through each jurisdiction's vision for accommodating allocated growth of population, housing, and jobs through 2045. The meeting's focus on growth management coordination reflects requirements under Washington's Growth Management Act and newer housing legislation that requires cities to plan for housing across all income levels. ## Bellingham's Strategic Boundary Adjustments Chris Behe, Bellingham's Planning and Community Development director, led off with the largest jurisdiction's proposal, which centers on strategic boundary reductions rather than expansion. Bellingham proposes removing nearly 1,300 acres from its urban growth area while maintaining capacity to accommodate 30,000 new residents and 18,400 housing units. "We are proposing to remove those from the urban growth area and put them in urban growth area reserve status for this coming planning period out of recognition that we are not likely to annex beyond the airport in this planning period," Behe explained, referring to industrial and commercial zones north and west of Bellingham International Airport that face environmental constraints and complex ownership patterns involving state, tribal, and port properties. The proposal also removes areas within the Lake Whatcom watershed from the growth boundary, acknowledging Bellingham's priority for protecting its drinking water source. "To align with Bellingham's priority for protection of Lake Whatcom as our drinking water source, we felt it was more appropriate to remove those from the growth boundary," Behe said, noting these areas were downzoned to rural densities years ago and have minimal development capacity. Bellingham's plan relies heavily on its established urban villages, which will accommodate 30-40 percent of new housing ca…
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### Meeting Overview This was a special joint meeting between Whatcom County and all seven incorporated cities to discuss Urban Growth Area (UGA) proposals and Growth Management Act coordination. Each jurisdiction presented their 22-year growth allocation proposals, including population, housing, and employment projections through 2045. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Urban Growth Area (UGA):** Designated boundaries where urban development should occur over the next 20 years, with city utilities and services planned to be extended. **UGA Reserve:** Areas identified for potential future urban development beyond the current 20-year planning period, typically held for the next comprehensive plan update cycle. **Growth Management Act (GMA):** Washington State law requiring counties and cities to coordinate growth planning and concentrate development in urban areas while protecting rural and resource lands. **House Bill 1110:** State legislation requiring cities to allow "middle housing" types (duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes) in single-family zones. **House Bill 1220:** State law requiring jurisdictions to plan for housing across all income levels, particularly below 80% of area median income (AMI). **Land Capacity Analysis:** Technical study determining how much population, housing, and employment can be accommodated within proposed UGA boundaries given zoning and environmental constraints. **Multi-jurisdictional Resolution:** Agreement passed earlier in 2025 establishing growth allocations for each jurisdiction based on technical projections. **Critical Areas:** Environmentally sensitive lands including wetlands, floodplains, aquifer recharge areas, and steep slopes that limit development capacity. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Greg Hanson | Mayor, City of Ferndale (meeting chair) | | Eric Porter | Mayor Pro Tempore, City of Ferndale | | Richard Mays | City of Blaine representative | | Hannah Stone | Bellingham City Council | | Donovan | Whatcom County Council | | Chris Behe | City of Bellingham Planning Director | | Alex Wenger | City of Blaine | | Alexandra | City Planner, City of Everson | | Mike Cervone | Community Development Director, City of F…
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Land Use & Planning Housing Government Operations HB 1110 HB 1220 City Of Bellingham City Of Blaine City Of Everson City Of Ferndale City Of Lynden City Of Nooksack City Of Sumas Port Of Bellingham Western Washington University Whatcom County Alex Wenger Carson Cortez Chris Behe Eric Porter Greg Hanson Hannah Stone Heidi Goody Matt Ahmed Mike Cervone Richard Mays Affordable Housing Agricultural Preservation Climate Adaptation Comprehensive Planning Economic Development Flood Management Growth Management Act Infrastructure Land Use Policy Middle Housing Regional Coordination Urban Growth Areas