### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham's Committee of the Whole met on December 16, 2024, with the primary focus on an interim ordinance to eliminate parking minimums citywide in response to Mayor Lund's Executive Order 2024-02. The committee also renewed agreements for the GRACE program and discussed tenant protection ordinances. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Parking Minimums:** City regulations that require new developments to provide a specific number of parking spaces based on building type and size, often leading to oversupply and increased construction costs. **Interim Ordinance:** A temporary law that allows the city to test new policies for up to 12 months while gathering data and preparing permanent regulations. **Area Median Income (AMI):** The midpoint of income levels in a specific area, used to determine housing affordability targets. For Bellingham, 100% AMI for a household of four is approximately $106,000 annually. **Strong Towns:** An organization advocating for financially responsible city planning and governance, emphasizing the difference between complicated and complex systems. **Type VI Legislative Process:** A formal public review process for major municipal code changes that includes extensive community input and environmental review. **GRACE Program:** Ground Level Response and Coordinated Engagement program that provides intensive care coordination for frequent users of emergency response services. **Executive Session:** A closed meeting portion where council discusses sensitive legal, personnel, or real estate matters not open to public observation. **Middle Housing:** Housing types between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, such as duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Council President Pro Tempore, chairing the meeting | | Daniel Hammill | Council President, attending virtually | | Blake Lyon | Planning and Community Development Director | | Kurt Nabbefeld | Development Services Manager | | Chris Cook | Planner | | Forrest Longman | Deputy Administrator | | Jace Cotton | At-Large Council Member | | Hannah Stone | First Ward Council Member | | Michael Lilliquist | Sixth Ward Council Member | | Lisa Anderson | Fifth Ward Council Member | | Edwin "Skip" Williams | Fourth Ward Council Member | ### Background Context Bellingham faces a significant housing shortage, with production dropping from over 600 units annually in recent years to just 516 units as of December 2024. The city needs approximately 825 units per year to meet demand. Parking requirements, largely unchanged since 1969, can cost developers $30,000-60,000 per space and consume land that could otherwise be used for housing. Mayor Lund's Executive Order 2024-02 called for eliminating parking minimums as part of a broader strategy to expand housing options. The interim ordinance would make parking provision optional while maintaining design standards when parking is built. This approach has been tested in Bellingham's Old Town district and implemented by cities like Spokane, Minneapolis, and San Diego. ### What Happened — The Short Version The committee voted 5-1 to advance an interim ordinance eliminating parking minimums citywide, with Council Member Anderson opposed and Council Member Lilliquist abstaining. Planning Director Lyon explained that the ordinance allows market forces to determine parking needs rather than requiring arbitrary minimums. The committee also unanimously approved renewing the GRACE program agreement and held work sessions on tenant protection ordinances, with both items receiving additional discussion time for refinements. ### What to Watch Next • Public hearing on the parking ordinance scheduled for January 13, 2025 • Final council vote on parking reforms expected in late January 2025 • Middle housing regulations coming forward in early 2025 as part of the mayor's executive order • Tenant protection ordinances returning with revisions in January 2025 ---