### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Committee of the Whole met on January 27, 2025, for 1 hour and 49 minutes to discuss the city's comprehensive plan update, restructure council committees, and address council assignments to various boards and commissions. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Comprehensive Plan:** A long-term planning document that guides a city's development over 20 years, addressing land use, housing, transportation, and other community priorities. **Urban Growth Area (UGA):** Designated areas where urban development is encouraged and where cities can expand their boundaries to accommodate future growth. **Middle Housing:** Housing types between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, such as duplexes, townhomes, and small apartment buildings. **Transit-Oriented Development (TOD):** Development designed around transit stations to encourage use of public transportation and create walkable communities. **Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):** A document analyzing potential environmental effects of proposed development alternatives. **Urban Villages:** Designated areas within the city that are planned for higher-density, mixed-use development with walkable amenities. **Growth Management Act:** Washington State law requiring cities and counties to plan for population growth while protecting natural resources and farmland. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Council President, Committee Chair | | Hannah Stone | Council Member, First Ward (attended virtually) | | Daniel Hammill | Council Member, Third Ward | | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Council Member, Fourth Ward | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member, Fifth Ward | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member, Sixth Ward | | Jace Cotton | Council Member, At-Large | | Chris Behee | Planning & Community Development Long Range Division Manager | | Blake Lyon | Planning & Community Development Director | | Kim Lund | Mayor | ### Background Context Bellingham is updating its comprehensive plan for the first time in a decade, a process required by state law. The city must accommodate significant growth over the next 20 years - approximately 30,000 new residents - while addressing housing affordability, climate change, and infrastructure needs. This comprehensive plan will guide development decisions through 2045 and must comply with new state requirements for housing production and climate action. The council also restructured its committee system, dissolving the Climate Action Committee and creating a new Finance and Budget Committee to address the city's structural budget deficit. This reflects both the integration of climate work throughout city operations and the urgent need for enhanced financial oversight. ### What Happened — The Short Version Staff presented an extensive update on the Bellingham Plan, showing 18 months of community engagement with nearly 10,000 survey responses and 1,000 open house participants. The plan proposes accommodating 30,310 new residents and 18,390 new housing units by 2045, requiring new infrastructure and potential urban growth area expansions. Council members discussed urban village opportunities in areas like Cordata and emphasized coordination with the county on zoning for future development. The council unanimously voted to dissolve the Climate Action Committee and create a Finance and Budget Committee, with Lisa Anderson as chair. They also reorganized board and commission assignments, with Hannah Stone taking on Sustainable Connections and Downtown Bellingham Partnership roles. In old business, the council approved sending a letter supporting state rent stabilization legislation, continuing their advocacy on housing affordability. They also discussed creating formal policies for council involvement in state lobbying efforts. ### What to Watch Next - Planning Commission review of draft plan chapters begins in February - County Council decision on growth allocation expected January 28 - Draft Environmental Impact Statement release anticipated in coming months - Final comprehensive plan adoption scheduled for fall 2025 - Development of new council lobbying participation policies ---