# Planning Commission Meeting Briefing **Duration:** 1h 2m --- ## Module 1: Meeting Overview and Metadata **Meeting Details:** - **Date/Time:** August 21, 2025, 6:00 PM - **Location:** City Council Chambers, City of Bellingham - **Meeting Type:** Planning Commission Work Session - **Duration:** 1h 2m - **Chair:** Mike [Last name not specified in transcript] - **Staff Present:** Elizabeth Erickson (Planning), Sydney Prestack (Planning), Dylan Kasper (Public Works), Brent Baldwin (Public Works), Mike Wilson (Public Works) **Commission Members Present:** - Daniel Bloemker - Jed Ballew - Mike Estes - Rose Lathrop - Jerry Richmond - Russell Whidbee - Lisa Marx (joined via Zoom) **Meeting Focus:** Work session on Bellingham Plan Comprehensive Plan update, specifically discussing reference documents and implementation plans incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan. **Key Agenda Items:** 1. Public comment period 2. Presentation on reference documents for the Bellingham Plan 3. Discussion of Capital Facilities Plan 4. Discussion of Multimodal Transportation Plan 5. Overview of upcoming process timeline --- ## Module 2: Key Agenda Items and Decisions **Primary Agenda Focus:** Work session on the Bellingham Plan Comprehensive Plan update, specifically addressing how reference documents are incorporated into the plan. **Major Discussion Topics:** 1. **Reference Documents Integration** - Distinction between documents adopted as part of comprehensive plan vs. useful reference links - Type 6 process requirements for adopted documents - Annual update procedures 2. **Capital Facilities Plan** - Consolidation of facilities and services information - Six-year capital improvement plan integration - 20-year facilities needs assessment - Funding source analysis and enterprise fund structures 3. **Multimodal Transportation Plan** - Growth Management Act compliance requirements - Multimodal level of service framework - Concurrency service areas and person trips available calculations - Transportation funding shortfall analysis **Decisions Made:** - Staff recommendation to hold off on adopting two plans (Police Strategic Plan and Whatcom Museum Strategic Plan) until updated versions available in 2026 - Approval to rename several urban village plans for consistency - Addition of new reference documents including Barkley Urban Village Plan, updated Water System Plan, Libraries Facilities Master Plan, and ADA Transition Plan **Process Timeline Confirmed:** - Final Environmental Impact Statement release: Next few days - Full plan package release: Late next week - Public hearing: September 18, 2025 - Additional Planning Commission session: September 25, 2025 - City Council consideration: November 2025 - Adoption deadline: End of 2025 --- ## Module 3: Policy Discussions and Positions **Transportation Policy Framework:** *Multimodal Concurrency Approach* - Bellingham identified as one of first cities in Washington to plan multimodal concurrency - State now requiring all cities to plan multi-modally for first time - Person Trips Available (PTA) calculation system balances development demand with infrastructure capacity *Mode Shift Goals* - Target reductions in single-occupant vehicle use for work commuting - Projections through 2036 and 2045 for various transportation modes - Work-from-home treated as projection rather than goal due to economic development implications **Environmental Justice Considerations:** *Public Comment on Housing Near Freeways* - Miles Silverman raised concern about residential high-density zoning within 1000 feet of I-5 in Birchwood neighborhood - Suggested commercial zoning instead of residential near freeway for environmental health reasons - No formal response or action taken during meeting **Funding and Development Policy:** *Impact Fees and Development* - Transportation impact fees approximately 10% of city transportation funding - Developer credit opportunities for broader transportation system improvements - Potential reductions for developments near transit lines (7% reduction for properties near 15-20 minute WTA service) *Parking Policy Integration* - Current interim ordinance on parking minimums expires early 2026 - Staff indicated holistic approach needed - reducing parking must be coupled with increased transit and walkability options - Future Planning Commission sessions planned to address permanent parking regulations **Growth Management Compliance:** - Capital facilities and transportation plans designed to meet GMA requirements - 20-year planning horizon with specific infrastructure needs identification - Coordination requirements with regional entities including Whatcom County and WSDOT --- ## Module 4: Community Input and Public Participation **Public Comment Period:** One public comment received during general comment period. **Public Comment Details:** *Environmental Justice Concern - Miles Silverman (Cordada Neighborhood)* - **Issue Raised:** High-density residential zoning too close to I-5 freeway - **Specific Location:** Birchwood neighborhood, west of Meridian, south of I-5 - **Request:** Rezone area within 1000 feet of freeway from residential to commercial - **Rationale:** Environmental health concerns about people sleeping directly next to freeway - **Additional Context:** Supported higher density use of current golf course area but preferred non-residential uses closest to freeway - **Commission Response:** No immediate response; comment noted for record **Upcoming Public Participation:** - **Public Hearing Scheduled:** September 18, 2025 - **Email List:** 4,000 people on project-specific email list - **Notification Methods:** - Herald newspaper legal notices - Neighborhood association distribution - Engage Bellingham website posting - Direct email to project subscribers - **Testimony Options:** In-person, online, or written testimony via BellinghamPlan@cob.org **Previous Community Engagement:** - Open houses held in previous year with funding source education diagrams - Ongoing Engage Bellingham website for project information - Multiple Planning Commission work sessions throughout spring and late winter **Access and Accommodation:** - Hybrid meeting format (in-person and virtual) - ADA compliance measures available - Multiple phone and online access options provided --- ## Module 5: Land Use and Zoning Matters **Comprehensive Plan Update Structure:** *Document Organization* - Main Bellingham Plan document with high-level goals and policies - Reference documents adopted by reference with full comprehensive plan weight - Useful reference links without adoption (easier to update) *Reference Document Categories* - **Adopted Plans:** Require Type 6 amendment process for changes - **Reference Links:** Can be updated administratively without public hearing process **Zoning and Development Issues:** *Urban Village Plan Updates* - Addition of Barkley Urban Village Plan (recently Council-approved) - Renaming of existing urban village plans for consistency - Retirement of neighborhood plans from comprehensive plan adoption *Environmental Justice Zoning Concern* - Public comment identified potential conflict between high-density residential zoning and environmental health near I-5 corridor - No immediate action proposed but concern documented **Infrastructure and Growth Coordination:** *Capital Facilities Planning* - 20-year facilities needs assessment integrated with annual six-year capital improvement planning - Coordination between development impact and infrastructure capacity - Enterprise fund structure separating utility revenues from general city operations *Transportation Concurrency* - Concurrency Service Areas (CSA) system tracks infrastructure completeness - Person Trips Available calculations prevent system failure - Development impact balanced against infrastructure improvements **Implementation Document Integration:** - Pedestrian Master Plan (updated ~every 10 years) - Bicycle Master Plan - Parks Plan (to be updated as "Growth Plan" in 2026) - Various utility master plans (water, sewer, stormwater) - Institutional master plans for colleges and universities **Future Land Use Coordination:** - Urban Growth Area Reserve planning for north side expansion - Coordination with school district facilities planning - Integration with regional transportation modeling through Whatcom Council of Governments --- ## Module 6: Financial and Budgetary Information **City Revenue Structure Overview:** *Major Revenue Sources (from largest to smallest):* - Utility charges for services (enterprise fund - restricted use) - Interfund charges for services (internal department transfers) - Property taxes (8% of city budget) - State/federal grants - Development impact fees - Real estate excise tax - Various smaller sources *Enterprise Fund Structure:* - Utilities operate as closed-loop business model - Service fees must be used for utility improvements and maintenance - Development impact fees restricted to utility extensions for new development - Cannot use utility revenues for general city operations **Capital Facilities Funding:** *Six-Year Capital Improvement Plan:* - $156 million budgeted for 2025 - Subsequent years significantly lower due to budget process limitations - Updated annually through City Council budget adoption - Exempt from annual comprehensive plan amendment restrictions *20-Year Facilities Planning:* - High-level project identification with dollar sign estimates ($, $$, $$$) - Categories include city buildings, parks projects, utilities, transportation - Designed to inform annual budget prioritization process **Transportation Funding Analysis:** *20-Year Transportation Funding:* - Significant funding shortfall projected over 20-year period - Multiple funding sources identified including grants, impact fees, transportation benefit districts - Shortfall represents 20-year cumulative gap, not annual shortage *Impact Fee Structure:* - Transportation impact fees approximately 10% of city transportation funding - Reduction opportunities for transit-accessible developments (7% reduction near frequent bus service) - Credit system for developers providing broader system improvements *Funding Strategies for Shortfall:* - Grant applications - Impact fee updates - Transportation benefit district consideration - Project prioritization - Potential speed camera revenue (safety-driven, not revenue-driven) **Budget Process Integration:** - Annual budget process updates six-year capital plan - 20-year facilities plan informs budget prioritization - Capital facilities plan updated through annual comprehensive plan amendment process - Coordination between long-range planning and annual fiscal planning **Development Finance Coordination:** - Developer impact fees tied to person trips created calculations - Credit opportunities for system-wide improvements (e.g., James Street extension) - Location-based fee reductions for transit-accessible developments - Integration with concurrency management system --- ## Module 7: Environmental and Sustainability Topics **Environmental Justice Concerns:** *Freeway Proximity Housing* - Public comment raised environmental health concerns about high-density residential zoning near I-5 - 1,000-foot buffer zone suggested between freeway and residential uses - Commercial zoning proposed as alternative for areas directly adjacent to freeway - Issue affects Birchwood neighborhood area west of Meridian, south of I-5 **Transportation Environmental Impact:** *Mode Shift Environmental Goals* - Reduction targets for single-occupant vehicle commuting - Promotion of walking, biking, transit, and multi-occupant vehicle use - Work-from-home acknowledged for greenhouse gas reduction benefits - 2036 and 2045 projection targets established *Regional Environmental Coordination* - County-wide Environmental Impact Statement guiding growth planning - Travel demand modeling based on Whatcom Council of Governments regional analysis - Multiple growth alternatives analyzed for environmental impact - Selected scenario balances growth with reduced transportation system strain **Infrastructure Environmental Considerations:** *Stormwater Management* - Stormwater plan included as reference document - Enterprise fund structure ensures stormwater fees used for system improvements - Integration with development impact assessment *Utility System Environmental Planning* - Water system plan updates addressing growth and conservation - Sewer plan updates scheduled for next year - Wastewater conveyance plan provides interim guidance for Urban Growth Area reserve **Growth Management Environmental Framework:** - 20-year comprehensive planning horizon requires environmental impact assessment - Capital facilities planning must demonstrate ability to serve projected growth - Concurrency requirements prevent infrastructure overload - Multimodal transportation planning reduces per-capita vehicle dependence **Sustainability Integration:** - Transportation demand management strategies included in main plan document - Micro-mobility planning policies for scooters and bike-sharing - Parking policy changes designed to support alternative transportation modes - Regional coordination on greenhouse gas reduction through transportation choices **Climate Adaptation Planning:** - Infrastructure planning incorporates long-term capacity needs - 20-year planning horizon allows for climate-resilient infrastructure investments - Enterprise fund structure provides dedicated funding for climate-adaptive utility improvements --- ## Module 8: Transportation and Infrastructure **Multimodal Transportation Framework:** *Comprehensive Transportation Planning Structure* - Bellingham Plan provides overarching goals and policies - Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans serve as implementation documents - Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) updated annually - Transportation Report on Annual Mobility (TRAM) provides ongoing performance monitoring *Growth Management Act Compliance* - Department of Commerce checklist requirements fulfilled - Transportation Demand Management strategies included in main plan - ADA Transition Plan completed ahead of schedule - Arterial street network mapping includes existing and proposed routes **Multimodal Level of Service System:** *Concurrency Service Area Framework* - City divided into Concurrency Service Areas (CSAs) - Each CSA tracked for transportation network completeness - Network completeness includes sidewalks, bikeways, multi-use trails, transit service, vehicle capacity - Person Trips Available (PTA) calculated based on network completeness in each CSA *Development Impact Management* - New development reduces Person Trips Available in affected CSA - System prevents PTA from reaching zero (system failure) - Infrastructure improvements added to maintain adequate PTA levels - Annual TIP updates ensure concurrency compliance **Transportation Infrastructure Inventory:** *Required State Mapping* - Arterial street network (existing and proposed) - Proposed routes enable developer requirement for street improvements - Future street planning guides development review process *Regional Coordination Requirements* - Whatcom County coordination - State highway system integration - Western Washington regional planning - Cascadia corridor considerations - Project-specific coordination (example: WSDOT Meridian improvements) **Funding and Implementation:** *Transportation Funding Sources* - Transportation fund (majority of funding) - Impact fees (approximately 10% of city funding) - State and federal grants - Transportation Benefit District potential - Speed camera revenue possibility (safety-focused) *20-Year Funding Analysis* - Significant funding shortfall projected - Shortfall represents cumulative 20-year gap - Multiple strategies identified to address shortfall - Grant applications and impact fee updates prioritized **Performance Monitoring Systems:** *Data Collection Challenges* - Vehicle traffic counting well-established on arterials - Bicycle and pedestrian counting limited but expanding - Holly Street cameras recently installed for multimodal counting - Local data collection preferred over Census American Community Survey reliance *Mode Shift Tracking* - Current reliance on Census data for baseline - Goals established for various transportation modes - Work commute trips primary measurement focus - Future expansion of local data collection planned **Development Integration:** - Transportation Impact Fee calculations include mode and location adjustments - 7% fee reduction for developments near frequent transit (15-20 minute WTA service) - Developer credit system for broader transportation improvements - James Street extension example of developer-provided regional improvement --- ## Module 9: Intergovernmental Relations and Regional Planning **Regional Planning Coordination:** *Whatcom County Relationships* - County-wide Environmental Impact Statement guiding local planning - Travel demand modeling through Whatcom Council of Governments - Shared growth projections and transportation forecasting - Urban Growth Area reserve planning for northside expansion *State Government Coordination* - Growth Management Act compliance requirements - Department of Commerce oversight and checklist requirements - State highway system coordination with WSDOT - RCW (Revised Code of Washington) mandate compliance *Federal Requirements Integration* - Consolidated Plan for affordable housing (5-year federal cycle) - Assessment of Fair Housing federal requirements - Federal grant funding coordination - ADA Transition Plan federal compliance **Institutional Partnerships:** *Educational Institution Planning* - College and university master plan coordination - Western Washington University development impact considerations - School district facilities planning integration - Student housing and transportation demand coordination *Utility and Service Coordination* - Whatcom Transit Authority service planning - Regional water and sewer system coordination - Stormwater management regional impacts - Emergency services and police coordination **Implementation Document Integration:** *Existing Regional Plans* - Short Line Master Program coordination - Parks planning regional recreation coordination - Library system regional service area planning - Museum strategic planning community integration *Future Coordination Requirements* - 2026 annual docket process for updated regional plans - Police strategic plan updates incorporating regional law enforcement coordination - Sewer plan updates requiring regional system coordination - Parks "Growth Plan" development with regional recreation planning **Intergovernmental Process Management:** *Type 6 Amendment Process* - Planning Commission public hearing requirements - City Council public hearing requirements - Regional notification and coordination requirements - State and county review processes for comprehensive plan amendments *Annual Update Coordination* - Transportation Improvement Program regional coordination - Capital facilities planning regional impact assessment - Budget process integration with regional funding sources - Concurrent planning cycle coordination with county and neighboring jurisdictions **Development Review Coordination:** - Regional development impact assessment - Shared infrastructure cost allocation - Regional transportation concurrency coordination - Multi-jurisdictional project review processes **Long-term Regional Planning:** - 20-year comprehensive plan coordination - Regional growth projection alignment - Shared infrastructure investment planning - Climate adaptation regional coordination --- ## Module 10: Next Steps and Follow-up Actions **Immediate Timeline (Next Few Weeks):** *Final Environmental Impact Statement Release* - Expected within next few days from Whatcom County - Will trigger full plan package preparation - SEPA determination from city's CEPA official to follow *Full Plan Package Release* - Expected late next week (late August/early September 2025) - Will include complete Bellingham Plan document - Draft ordinance for adoption included - All reference documents and supporting materials - Commission advised to set aside time for comprehensive review **September Planning Commission Sessions:** *Public Hearing - September 18, 2025* - Formal public hearing on Bellingham Plan - Public testimony (in-person, online, written) - Commission discussion following public input - No formal recommendation expected same evening *Follow-up Session - September 25, 2025* - Additional discussion opportunity post-public hearing - Potential formal recommendation to City Council - May extend to October if additional time needed - Final decision on recommendation timing based on public hearing volume and complexity **City Council Process (Fall 2025):** *Council Consideration Timeline* - Planning Commission recommendation forwarded to City Council - City Council public hearing planned for November 2025 - Council discussion and deliberation process - Target adoption by end of 2025 to meet Growth Management Act deadline **Upcoming Planning Commission Work (Fall 2025/Early 2026):** *October Code Amendments* - Co-living housing amendments (state mandate compliance) - Type 6 process for housing-related code updates - Additional amendments identified in Committee of the Whole presentation August 11 *Parking Regulations Development* - Current interim ordinance expires early 2026 - Permanent parking regulations development - Integration with transportation and development policy - Holistic approach connecting parking, transit, and walkability *2026 Annual Docket Planning* - Police Strategic Plan update (currently outdated) - Whatcom Museum Strategic Plan (complete rewrite planned) - Sewer Plan update (scheduled for next year) - Parks "Growth Plan" (replacing current Parks Plan chapter) **Long-term Implementation Actions:** *Reference Document Updates* - Type 6 process required for adopted reference document changes - Annual docket process for systematic updates - Budget cycle integration for capital facilities planning - Coordination with regional planning cycles *Performance Monitoring Establishment* - Transportation data collection system expansion - Multimodal counting infrastructure development - Mode shift goal tracking implementation - Annual reporting through TRAM process **Community Engagement Continuation:** - 4,000-person email list maintenance and updates - Engage Bellingham website content updates - Neighborhood association coordination - Public participation in ongoing implementation **Staff Work Program:** - Final document preparation and quality review - Legal review of adoption ordinance - Environmental compliance documentation - Regional coordination for implementation planning