### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council met on December 16, 2024, with Council President Pro Tempore Holly Huthman presiding as President Hammill attended remotely. The main focus was on major housing and infrastructure decisions, including a controversial interim ordinance to eliminate parking minimums citywide and various committee reports on ongoing city projects and fee adjustments. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Interim Ordinance:** A temporary law that takes immediate effect while the city collects community feedback and develops permanent regulations, in this case regarding parking requirements. **Parking Minimums:** City regulations requiring developers to provide a specific minimum number of parking spaces for new developments, which can increase housing costs and reduce available land for development. **Inclusionary Zoning:** A planning tool that requires or encourages developers to include affordable housing units within market-rate developments. **AMI (Area Median Income):** A statistical measure used to determine housing affordability levels, with affordable housing typically targeted at 60-80% of AMI. **Nitrogen Reduction:** Environmental process required at the Post Point Resource Recovery Plant to reduce harmful nutrient discharge into Puget Sound per state environmental regulations. **GRACE Program:** Ground Level Response and Coordinated Engagement program providing intensive care coordination for frequent emergency service users. **Land Value Capture:** Economic concept where public policy changes that increase property values are leveraged to fund public benefits like affordable housing. **Post Point Resource Recovery Plant:** Bellingham's wastewater treatment facility that processes sewage before discharging treated water into Bellingham Bay. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Holly Huthman | Council President Pro Tempore, presiding | | Dan Hammill | Council President (attended remotely) | | Kim Lund | Mayor | | Hannah Stone | Council Member, Public Works Committee Chair | | Skip Williams | Council Member, Parks & Recreation Committee Chair | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Council Member | | Blake Lyon | Planning and Community Development Director | | Nicole Oliver | Parks and Recreation Director | ### Background Context This meeting occurred during a critical period for Bellingham's housing crisis, with building permits dropping dramatically from 1,286 in 2011 to just 516 in 2024. The state has mandated cities increase housing production, leading to Mayor Lund's Executive Order 2024-02 directing the elimination of parking minimums to reduce development costs and increase housing supply. Meanwhile, the city faces significant infrastructure challenges, including required nitrogen reduction at its wastewater treatment plant and ongoing efforts to address homelessness through programs like GRACE. The council also dealt with landlord-tenant relations, working on ordinances to eliminate "junk fees" in rental agreements, reflecting broader concerns about housing affordability for both renters and buyers. ### What Happened — The Short Version The council approved several routine appointments and fee adjustments, then tackled the contentious interim ordinance eliminating parking minimums citywide. Council Member Lilliquist proposed an amendment to limit the elimination to only affordable housing developments and transit-oriented areas, but it failed 2-5. The main ordinance passed 6-1, with only Council Member Anderson voting no due to concerns about missing opportunities for inclusionary zoning requirements. The council also approved renewal of the GRACE program with Whatcom County, continued work on landlord-tenant fee regulations, and authorized a $300,000 property acquisition in the Lake Whatcom watershed. ### What to Watch Next - Public hearing on the parking minimums ordinance scheduled for January 13, 2025, with final vote that day - Continued development of landlord-tenant "junk fees" ordinance expected in January 2025 - Upcoming decisions on nitrogen reduction methods at Post Point treatment plant by end of 2025 - Council reorganization meeting in January to discuss procedural changes including public hearing timing ---