HomeComp Plans Bellingham › Facilities and Services
Bellingham · BEL-CP-2025 · Pages 60-71

Facilities and Services

The Facilities and Services chapter provides a framework for planning, funding, siting, and maintaining all public infrastructure, utilities, and civic buildings as Bellingham grows. It establishes concurrency requirements to ensure that adequate public facilities are available when new development is occupied, and requires new development to pay a proportional share of infrastructure costs. The chapter also addresses coordination with school districts, private utilities, and other public agencies to ensure comprehensive service provision across the city.

Capital Facilities Governance Economy Social Environment
Goals (7 total)
  • FS-A: Network Planning – Plan for and deliver an equitable, safe, cost-effective and reliable network of public facilities and services aligned with the City's growth strategy
  • FS-B: Sustainable Funding Strategy – Proactively plan and implement a sustainable funding strategy for anticipated capital facilities and service network needs
  • FS-C: Equitable Siting and Maintenance – Foster equitable, efficient, sustainable, and considerate siting and maintenance of public and private facilities
  • FS-D: City Buildings – Develop, maintain, and plan for the future needs of the City's buildings and equipment
  • FS-E: City Utilities – Plan for and implement a network of reliable City utilities to support the community's growing and shifting needs
  • FS-F: Private Utilities – Support a planned network of private utilities, systems, and other infrastructure that provide for community needs
  • FS-G: Other Public Facilities – Coordinate with and support the provision of other public facilities and infrastructure
Stronger Policy Language (29 policies)
  • FS-8: Implement a concurrency management system that assures that adequate public facilities and services are available at the time a development project is ready for occupancy.
  • FS-9: Require new development to install or pay its proportional share of the cost of new or improved public facilities and services that serve the subject development.
  • FS-12: To prioritize the financing of public facilities within projected funding capacities, adopt a six-year CIP and update the plan as part of the City's regular budgeting cycle.
  • FS-13: Prohibit new water and sewer utility extensions into the city's Urban Growth Area prior to annexation, unless approved by the City Council.
Aspirational / Monitoring Language (16 policies)
  • FS-2: Explore ways to utilize innovative technology while continuing to provide reliable and cost-effective utilities and services to community members.
  • FS-32: Encourage coordination between City departments, other public agencies, and public-serving organizations to efficiently utilize and share facilities and resources.
  • FS-39: Collaborate with community organizations and private utility providers to promote waste reduction and recycling efforts and reduce demand for new energy generation.
  • FS-40: Support new telecommunications technologies and periodically review and update regulations to provide reliable and modern service.

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