Real Briefings
The Whatcom County Council's Planning and Development Committee convened for a brief 7-minute meeting on Tuesday morning, January 28, 2025, in the County Courthouse chambers. Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas presided over the hybrid meeting with committee members Todd Donovan and Jon Scanlon in attendance. Council members Barry Buchanan and Kaylee Galloway were also present as observers.
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# Building Height Relief for Lummi Island: A Brief Committee Discussion
## Meeting Overview
The Whatcom County Council's Planning and Development Committee convened for a brief 7-minute meeting on Tuesday morning, January 28, 2025, in the County Courthouse chambers. Committee Chair Ben Elenbaas presided over the hybrid meeting with committee members Todd Donovan and Jon Scanlon in attendance. Council members Barry Buchanan and Kaylee Galloway were also present as observers.
The single agenda item was a discussion of proposed amendments to Whatcom County's zoning code that would increase building height limits on Lummi Island. The discussion was procedural in nature, preparing for a public hearing scheduled for that evening where the full council would consider the ordinance. What made this brief committee session notable was its focus on a unique zoning challenge faced by residents of Lummi Island, where current height restrictions have proven more limiting than anywhere else in the coun…
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### Meeting Overview
The Whatcom County Council Planning and Development Committee met on January 28, 2025, to discuss proposed zoning code changes specific to Lummi Island. The committee reviewed amendments that would increase maximum building heights in the Rural Residential Island (RRI) zone from 24 feet to either 25 feet (within 100 feet of shoreline) or 30 feet (beyond that zone).
### Key Terms and Concepts
**Rural Residential Island (RRI):** A unique zoning designation used only on the northern half of Lummi Island, currently with the lowest maximum residential building height in Whatcom County at 24 feet.
**Building Height Measurement:** In shoreline areas, measured from average existing grade to highest point of structure; outside shoreline, measured from average finished grade to average roof height.
**Fire Flow Requirement:** A water pressure and volume standard needed for firefighting, currently required for rural residential structures over 4,000 square feet, proposed to also apply to RRI structures over 25 feet regardless of size.
**Setback Requirement:** A planning tool requiring buildings to be set back one foot for every foot of height over 25 feet, helping reduce visual and shadow impacts on neighboring properties.
**Lummi Island Sub-area Plan:** Planning documents from 1979 and 2009 that identified water supply as the limiting factor for fire insurance rating and noted wildland fire hazards due to steep terrain and limited access.
### Key People at This Meeting
| Name | Role / Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Ben Elenbaas | Committee Chair, County Council Member |
| Todd Donovan | Committee Member, County Council Member |
| Jon Scanlon | Committee Mem…
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