City of Bellingham Design Review Board

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-DRB-2025-01-21 ### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Design Review Board met on January 21, 2025, to review early design guidance for two residential development projects. The board welcomed new member Robert Wright and bid farewell to outgoing member David Heck, whose term expires January 25th. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Design Review Board (DRB):** A city board that reviews building designs in specific districts to ensure they meet community design standards and intent statements. **Design Intent Statements:** Ten specific criteria used to evaluate whether proposed buildings fit well with their neighborhood character, prioritize pedestrians, and meet quality design standards. **Early Design Guidance:** The preliminary stage of design review where applicants present basic building concepts and receive feedback before submitting detailed applications. **Urban Village Residential Transition:** A zoning designation in downtown Bellingham that allows higher-density housing while requiring design compatibility with surrounding residential areas. **Old Town Design Review District:** A special zoning area near Bellingham's waterfront that requires design review to preserve the historic character and industrial heritage of the neighborhood. **Departure:** A formal request to modify or reduce specific code requirements, such as parking minimums or commercial space depth, when the standard rule doesn't fit the project. **Usable Open Space:** Required outdoor space for residents, which can include decks, courtyards, or community areas - projects need 100 square feet per unit plus 10% of the total site. **Street Trees:** Trees planted in the right-of-way between the sidewalk and street, required by city code to provide pedestrian comfort and neighborhood character. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Ryan Van Straten | Design Review Board Chair | | David Heck | Outgoing Design Review Board Member | | Robert Wright | New Design Review Board Member | | Maggie Bates | Design Review Board Member | | Kobe Jones | Design Review Board Member | | Emmy Schurr | City Project Planner | | Sarah Ullman | City Project Planner | | Jack Bloss | ABT Consulting, representing 1915 D Street project | | Andrew Krzysiek | Servus Architects, architect for 1915 D Street | | Ellen Lowy | Mercy Housing, Associate Director | | Jason Tran | Rundberg Architects, architect for Old Town Senior Housing | | Heidi Wasson | Logie Art Museum, public commenter | ### Background Context Both projects reflect Bellingham's housing crisis and policy changes. Just days before this meeting, City Council eliminated parking minimums for all new development citywide, effective January 28th, 2025. This major policy shift aims to reduce housing costs and encourage transit use, but it also changes how developers design sites and buildings. The first project at 1915 D Street represents the type of "missing middle" housing Bellingham needs - apartments in residential neighborhoods near downtown. The second project addresses another critical need: affordable senior housing. Mercy Housing, a nonprofit developer, previously built the successful 83-unit Millworks Family Housing and is now focused on seniors earning between roughly $600-950/month. Both projects are in areas experiencing rapid change. The D Street area is transitioning from single-family to multifamily housing, while Old Town is being revitalized as part of the broader waterfront redevelopment. The Design Review Board's job is ensuring this growth respects neighborhood character while meeting modern needs. ### What Happened — The Short Version The board reviewed two apartment projects. For the first project on D Street, they liked the overall design but had concerns about the corner entrance looking disconnected from the floors above, and worried that the building sits too close to the sidewalk without enough landscaping buffer. They asked for more design unity and better use of the limited space between building and sidewalk. For the Old Town senior housing project, the board was very supportive. The developers need three departures from normal rules - less commercial space depth, a transformer room that reduces commercial frontage, and shorter rain cover. The board approved all three requests, understanding they're necessary due to site constraints and the building's specific use as senior housing rather than retail. The board appreciated both teams' presentations and saw both projects as meeting community needs. The main message: keep refining the designs to better fit their neighborhoods. ### What to Watch Next • Both projects will return for formal design review applications with much more detailed plans • The D Street project may explore setting back portions of the building or improving landscaping solutions • The Old Town project will develop more detailed materials and window patterns, plus coordinate with the adjacent Lighthouse Mission building • City Council's new parking policy takes effect January 28th, potentially affecting both projects if they resubmit ---