Planning Commission
The Whatcom County Planning Commission held a special meeting on December 16, 2025, to conduct a public hearing and work session on Chapter 2: Land Use of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update. Despite ongoing flood recovery efforts throughout the county, commissioners worked through numerous amendments and ultimately approved the chapter with four votes in favor and two against. The meeting addressed key housing and development issues, including urban growth area policies, tree canopy protection, regulatory impacts on housing costs, and tribal land use concerns. The Commission considered 13 formal motions during the work session, passing 8 and rejecting 5. Commissioner Hansen was particularly active, making 7 motions that focused on environmental protection and land use restrictions. The most significant actions included adding a new policy requiring staff to assess regulatory impacts on housing costs, promoting tree canopy preservation outside riparian areas, and adding the Lummi Island Ferry to essential public facilities. The Commission also approved technical amendments to tribal land ownership descriptions and climate-related definitions. Public comment centered heavily on housing affordability challenges, with real estate agent Brian Gass arguing that government planning departments have become "the number one place for things to not happen" regarding housing development. Property owners advocated for bringing three Birch Bay properties into the urban growth area, while trail advocates pushed for better mapping of recreational corridors. The Commission also approved appendices to the comprehensive plan with corrected climate-related definitions.
**Chapter 2: Land Use** - PASSED 4-2 (Van Dalen, Dunne, Barton, Moceri voting yes; Jefferson, Hansen voting no) - Staff recommendation: Approve as drafted - Action: Preliminary approval with amendments to move to County Council **Policy 2D-11 (Housing Costs)** - PASSED 4-1-1 (Dunne, Moceri, Van Dalen, Barton voting yes; Hansen voting no; Jefferson abstaining) - Creates new policy requiring assessment of regulatory impacts on housing costs - Implements Charter Commission requirements for measuring regulatory effects **Tree Canopy Preservation Policy 2RR-4** - PASSED 6-0 unanimously - Promotes preservation of tree canopy areas outside riparian zones - Non-regulatory approach using incentives rather than mandates **Lummi Island Ferry Addition** - PASSED 5-0-1 (Hansen, Moceri, …
**January Final Public Hearing:** All comprehensive plan chapters will return to the Planning Commission for final review and recommendation to County Council. **Thursday Housing Element Meeting:** Planning Commission will review the housing element of the comprehensive plan update. **County Council Review:** Chapter 2 will proceed to County Council with the Planning Commission's amendments and 4-2 recommendation. **UGA Review Process:** Cities and county st…