December 8, 2025

Meeting Type: Regular City Council Meeting

Date: December 8, 2025, 7:00 PM

Location: Council Chambers, City Hall, 210 Lottie Street

All Council Members Present: Yes (7-0)

Executive Summary

The December 8th Bellingham City Council meeting marked a significant legislative session focused on housing policy implementation, budget adoption, and infrastructure improvements. The council swore in Judge Debra Lev and four council members, adopted the 2026 city budget, passed the comprehensive plan update, and reviewed the first-year progress of the mayor's housing executive order. Key housing ordinances advancing infill development, accessory dwelling units, and co-living were approved unanimously.

Major Policy Actions

Housing & Land Use (Multiple Ordinances Passed)

Comprehensive Plan 2025 Update - ADOPTED

• Action: Ordinance #2025-12-032 adopted (7-0)
• Significance: Major update to Bellingham's comprehensive plan after extensive public engagement
• Amendment Added: New Housing Policy H-10 to "explore creative solutions for creating permanent affordability and community wealth building such as community land trusts, limited equity cooperatives, resident-owned communities, and public development authorities"
• Context: This amendment was proposed by Council Member Lilliquist and addresses community wealth-building strategies that had been discussed in November but accidentally omitted from the final draft

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - EXPANDED

• Action: Ordinance #2025-12-035 adopted (7-0)
• Changes: Amendments to BMC Titles 20 and 21 regarding ADU regulations
• Impact: Makes it easier to build additional housing units on residential properties

Co-Living Legalization

• Action: Ordinance #2025-12-033 adopted (7-0)
• Changes: Allows co-living in multifamily zones; replaces "family" references with "household" throughout code
• Impact: Removes barriers to shared housing arrangements

Clear & Objective Design Standards

• Action: Interim Ordinance #2025-12-034 adopted (7-0)
• Scope: Establishes streamlined design standards citywide for infill housing, multifamily, commercial/mixed-use, and industrial development in urban villages
• Purpose: Simplifies and accelerates the design review process

Interim Zoning Extension

• Action: Extended for six additional months (Ordinance #2025-12-032)
• Coverage: Applies new development regulations to single-family and infill housing; allows infill housing in all residential zones except Lake Whatcom watershed

Budget & Finance

2026 Budget Adoption

• Action: Ordinance #2025-12-036 adopted (7-0)
• Note: Budget passed after previous closure of $10 million deficit through mayor's budget work
• Continuing Challenge: Budget faced new $4 million deficit from unanticipated expenses beyond city control

2025 Budget Amendment #3

Interfund Loans Authorized:

• $300,000 to Medic One Fund
• $200,000 to Workers Comp Fund
• $600,000 to Health Benefits Fund
• Total: Up to $1.1 million in interfund loans from General Fund
• Expected Draw on Reserves: Approximately $2 million (reduced from initial $4 million projection due to departments not spending full budgets)
• Note: These are loans expected to be repaid, not permanent expenditures

Housing Executive Order: One-Year Progress Report

Overview

Mayor Lund issued Executive Order 2024-02 in November 2024 to expand housing options. The Committee of the Whole received a comprehensive progress report.

Key Accomplishments (Year 1)

The report highlighted administrative and legislative actions taken to increase housing opportunity, including:

• Streamlined permitting processes
• Reduced regulatory barriers
• Updated zoning codes (actions reflected in ordinances passed at this meeting)
• Focus on increasing housing supply across all income levels

Developer Testimonials

• Talbot Team (Barkley area development): Presented examples of how executive order changes positively impacted their projects
• Rose Lathrop (Kulshan Community Land Trust): Shared how policy changes are enabling affordable housing development

Looking Forward

• Mayor emphasized this is "a long game" with results potentially taking many years
• Noted the city is "on the right track" with decisions and actions taken so far
• Described work as "essential for helping Bellingham to be better poised to be a Bellingham for all"
  
  

Infrastructure & Public Works

Community Streets Program - Year 1 Implementation

Presented by: Tim Holman (Assistant Director of Public Works - Transportation) and Shane Sullivan (City Transportation Engineer)

Program Overview:

• Resident-driven initiative addressing traffic concerns on residential streets
• Data-driven approach empowering residents to identify safety concerns
• Solutions range from low-cost neighborhood projects to traffic calming measures

2025 Results:

• Survey Response: Over 400 responses received
• Focus Area: Group A boundary
• Eligible Streets: 53 residential street areas identified
• Discrete Locations: Clustered into 20 locations
• All Studied: Budget allowed study of all 20 locations (capacity was 25)
• Note: 68% of responses concerned arterial streets (outside program scope); data preserved for future consideration
• Highest Concentration: Silver Beach area

Four Projects Approved for Implementation:

1. Tremont Avenue (Cordata Parkway to Meridian Street)
2. McGrath Road to McLeod Road (McLeod Road to Tree Farm Road)
3. Combined Project: Silver Beach Avenue and Sylvan Street
4. Peter Street (near Maryland)

Next Steps:

• Design work contract awarded to TKS Associates
• Implementation expected in 2026

Holly Street Bike Facility Study Update

Timeline:

• 2014: Identified in bike master plan
• 2023: Design work began
• Summer 2024: Pilot project implemented
• Summer 2025: Interim improvements installed
• Spring 2026: Alternatives analysis completion expected
• 2027: Construction anticipated

Scope:

• Design alternatives for improvements from Ellis to Broadway
• Six segments identified along corridor
• Addressing multiple pressure points and pinch points

Considerations:

• Balancing multiple uses: bikes, pedestrians, vehicles
• Parking removal in some areas vs. maintaining parking in others
• Potential extension of one-way traffic (Bay to Champion) to improve flow
• Reviewed by Transportation Commission

Focus: Increasing safety throughout corridor while accommodating diverse transportation needs

Bellingham Police Department Exterior Repairs

• Contract Awarded: Summit Construction Group (Bellingham)
• Amount: $1,504,200 (including Washington State sales/use tax)
• Engineer's Estimate: $1,475,860
• Scope: Correcting facade deficiencies allowing water intrusion; repairing internal hallway flooring
• Note: Project previously bid but rejected due to large discrepancy between engineer's estimate and bids; scope clarified and re-bid successfully
• Subject to: BMC 4.94 apprenticeship program requirements
• Vote: 7-0 approval

Forged Fiber 37 LLC Franchise Agreement

• Applicant: Forged Fiber 37 LLC (wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T Inc.)
• Purpose: Franchise to install, operate, and maintain fiber optic broadband network components in city rights-of-way
• Context: AT&T and Forged Fiber acquiring wholesale fiber assets from Lumen Technologies in Bellingham
• Term: 10 years (shorter than historical 20-25 year terms; reflects current norm)
• Bond Amount: $100,000 (double the normal rate due to company being new to Washington state)
• Status: Approved for first and second reading (7-0)

Meeting Logistics

• Meeting Duration: 7:00 PM - 8:52 PM (1 hour 52 minutes)
• Attendance: All seven council members present
• Spanish Interpretation: Available in-person (headsets) and via Zoom

Upcoming Public Hearings (December 15, 2025):

1. Resolution to relinquish surplus utility easement (403 N State St)
2. Resolution to relinquish two sewer main easements (801 Harris St and Padden Lagoon)

Votes Summary

• Unanimous (7-0) Votes: 20 actions
• Recusal: 1 (Council President Huthman on Lodging Tax budget due to music venue conflict)
• Dissenting Votes: 0

Ordinances Adopted:

• #2025-12-032 (Interim zoning extension)
• #2025-12-033 (Co-living allowance)
• #2025-12-034 (Clear & objective design standards)
• #2025-12-035 (ADU amendments)
• #2025-12-036 (2026 Budget)

Resolutions Adopted:

• #2025-30 (Bayview Cemetery fees)
• #2025-31 (Parks facility use fees)

Reference Links

• Meeting Video & Materials: cob.org
• Engage Bellingham (Civic Complex feedback): org
• Keep Washington Working Act Information: org/kww
• Public Comment Recordings: org/ccpubliccomment
• Border Policy Research Institute: (Western Washington University)

Document Prepared: December 8, 2025

Meeting Recording: Available at meetings.cob.org

Next Regular Meeting: December 15, 2025 (with two public hearings)