City of Bellingham Design Review Board

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-DRB-2025-02-18 ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Design Review Board met on February 18, 2025, with only two board members present (insufficient for a quorum), to receive a presentation on the Bellingham Plan 2025 Comprehensive Plan Update. City staff presented key changes to the community design chapter and sought feedback on how new state legislation will affect design review processes. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Comprehensive Plan:** A state-required 20-year planning document updated every 10 years that contains goals and policies directing city development, investment, and programs. Bellingham's plan must be adopted by the end of 2025. **Growth Management Act:** A 1990 Washington state law requiring cities to plan for and accommodate projected population growth through comprehensive planning, with about 15 statewide goals covering land use, housing, transportation, and more. **House Bill 1293 (Streamlining Design Review):** New state legislation requiring design standards to be "clear and objective" rather than subjective, and limiting design review to only one public meeting. This directly threatens the current role of design review boards. **House Bill 1110 (Middle Housing):** State legislation requiring cities to allow at least 4 units per residential lot, with the restriction that single-family housing standards cannot be more strict than middle housing standards. **Middle Housing:** Housing types between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, including duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, townhomes, and cottage clusters. **Clear and Objective Standards:** Measurable, specific design requirements that eliminate subjective interpretation. Contrasts with current design guidelines that allow board discretion and interpretation. **Urban Villages:** Designated areas in Bellingham planned for higher density development with distinct character and identity, connected by transit corridors. **Design Review Board (DRB):** A volunteer board that reviews development projects for design quality and compliance with community design goals. Their future role is uncertain under new state legislation. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Ryan Van Straten | Chair, Design Review Board | | Robert Wright | Design Review Board Member | | Anya Gedrath | Project Planner, City Long Range Planning Team | | Fiona Starr | Administrative Staff | | Chris Cook | Planning Department Staff | | Kathy Bell | Planning Department Staff | ### Background Context Washington State has passed several housing-related bills requiring cities to streamline development processes and increase housing production. The most significant for design review is HB 1293, which mandates that design standards must be "clear and objective" rather than subjective, and limits design review to one public meeting. This represents a fundamental shift from the current system where design review boards exercise discretion in interpreting design guidelines. Bellingham is updating its comprehensive plan for 2025-2045, projecting Whatcom County will grow by about 60,000 people to 293,000 by 2045. The city has been working on this update since July 2023 through extensive community engagement. Mayor Lund issued a housing executive order directing immediate action to increase housing opportunities, including removing parking requirements citywide and streamlining design review processes. The tension between maintaining community design quality and meeting state requirements for faster, more objective development approval processes creates significant uncertainty for the future of design review in Bellingham. ### What Happened — The Short Version City planners presented the Bellingham Plan update to the Design Review Board, focusing on changes to the community design chapter. The biggest change involves new state rules requiring design standards to be "clear and objective" rather than subjective, which could eliminate the need for design review boards entirely. The presentation covered how the comprehensive plan works, the community engagement process, and the five new design goals: community identity, streets as places, site and building design, natural features and open space, and historic preservation. Staff explained they're still figuring out what the new state rules mean for design review processes. Board members expressed concern about potentially losing their role while acknowledging the value of faster, more predictable development timelines. They discussed whether design review could become voluntary or incentive-based rather than required. The conversation highlighted tension between maintaining design quality and speeding up housing production. ### What to Watch Next • Planning Commission will discuss the community design chapter on March 6, 2025 • City must implement streamlined design review within 6 months of comprehensive plan adoption (expected by end of 2025) • Interim design review ordinance may be developed before final comprehensive plan adoption ---