Bellingham City Council - Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee

The Bellingham City Council's Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee unanimously approved an experimental ordinance granting the Public Works Director authority to temporarily close downtown alleys on recommendation from the Police Chief to disrupt entrenched drug dealing activity. The measure, designated AB 24867, passed 3-0 and will advance to the full City Council for final consideration. The proposal targets specific downtown alleys where data shows concentrated criminal activity, with 108 violent incidents and 342 drug-related calls in just a three-block section during 2025, including 89 overdoses. The city spent $185,000 of its $234,000 annual downtown cleaning budget on just two alley sections, with over $40,000 already spent in early 2026 on the same areas. Deputy Administrator Forrest Longman characterized the initiative as an "experimental, targeted, and temporary measure" designed to provide respite to downtown businesses and employees facing dangerous conditions while creating space for crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) improvements like enhanced lighting and security cameras. The ordinance would make unauthorized entry a misdemeanor but staff emphasized their hope to issue zero citations through education and deterrence rather than prosecution. Committee members acknowledged this represents a short-term intervention within a broader strategy that includes the mobile opioid treatment center, Way Station services, community court programs, and $15 million in housing services funding. The discussion revealed tension between enforcement approaches and service provision, with officials emphasizing their focus on disrupting predatory drug dealing rather than criminalizing substance use disorder or homelessness.