📋 Committee Meeting
Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee
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Meeting Summary
The February meeting of Bellingham's Greenways Advisory Committee marked a significant transition, with outgoing Chair Kate and member Scott attending their final meetings before term expirations. The session focused primarily on three major briefings that will shape the city's parks and recreation landscape over the coming years: Mayor Kim Lund's presentation on citywide advisory group reforms, comprehensive updates on the Bellingham Plan process, and detailed discussion of the Parks, Recreation & Open Space (PROS) Plan community engagement strategy.
Mayor Lund outlined new standardized approaches for all city advisory groups, including universal reapplication requirements when terms expire and enhanced efforts to diversify membership. The initiative aims to reduce barriers to participation while ensuring more equitable representation across Bellingham's neighborhoods and communities. This change directly affects the Greenways committee as members transition out and new appointments are made.
City Planner Anya provided an extensive overview of the Bellingham Plan comprehensive update, now in Phase 4 after three years of community engagement that generated thousands of survey responses and extensive public input. The plan proposes 11 chapters including three new sections on climate, civic practices, and community well-being. Parks and recreation policies will be distributed across multiple chapters while consolidating into a dedicated Parks chapter scheduled for Planning Commission review in May 2025.
Parks staff Peter Lantz presented the PROS Plan community engagement strategy, which will run parallel to the Bellingham Plan process through 2025. The approach includes ongoing community surveys, public meetings at pavilions, stakeholder listening sessions, and targeted outreach to underrepresented communities. The plan aims to establish 20-year priorities for parks, trails, and recreational facilities while maintaining alignment with the comprehensive planning timeline.
Committee member Michael Fear from Walk a Million Trees delivered passionate public testimony urging more aggressive invasive species control in Greenways corridors, specifically targeting English ivy removal that threatens forest health. Fear emphasized the need for measurable, actionable policies beyond general invasive removal language in planning documents.
Study Guide
## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE
**Meeting ID:** BEL-GRN-2025-02-06
A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context.
### Meeting Overview
The Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee met on February 6, 2025, to discuss the integration of the Parks Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan with the comprehensive Bellingham Plan update, receive operations updates, and review the public engagement strategy for the PROS Plan.
### Key Terms and Concepts
**Greenways Advisory Committee:** A city advisory board that provides guidance on parks, trails, and open space issues in Bellingham. The committee helps plan and prioritize recreational amenities funded through the Greenways levy.
**PROS Plan:** Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan - a 20-year planning document that will be separated into two parts: goals and policies integrated into the comprehensive Bellingham Plan, and technical implementation details as a standalone document.
**Bellingham Plan:** The comprehensive plan update happening citywide, covering 11 chapters including housing, transportation, climate, and parks. Required to be updated every 10 years under state law.
**Growth Management Act:** State legislation requiring cities to plan for projected population growth and allocate housing, jobs, and infrastructure accordingly. Bellingham must plan for 30,000 new residents over the next 20 years.
**Middle Housing Legislation (House Bill 1110):** State requirement allowing at least 4 housing units per lot in every residential area, which must be implemented within 6 months of comprehensive plan adoption.
**Community Gardens:** City-operated garden plots for residents to grow food, overseen by new staff member Mackenzie Kilroy. The program has dedicated funding for improvements.
**Urban Growth Areas (UGAs):** Designated zones where cities can expand to accommodate projected population growth, requiring adequate infrastructure like water, sewer, police, and fire services.
**Type 6 Legislative Process:** The formal adoption process for comprehensive plan updates, requiring public hearings and city council approval.
### Key People at This Meeting
| Name | Role / Affiliation |
|---|---|
| Kate (Chair) | Greenways Advisory Committee Chair (last meeting before term end) |
| Scott | Greenways Advisory Committee member (absent, final term) |
| Sarah | Greenways Advisory Committee member (reappointed through 2028) |
| Neil | Greenways Advisory Committee member |
| Kelsey | Greenways Advisory Committee member |
| Mayor Kim Lund | Mayor of Bellingham |
| Skip Williams | Bellingham City Council member |
| Freya Fredenberg | Acting Supervisor, Park Stewardship Program |
| Mackenzie Kilroy | New Parks staff member overseeing community gardens |
| Anya | City planner working on Bellingham Plan update |
| Peter Lane | Parks department staff |
| Michael Fear | Walk a Million Trees project representative (public comment) |
### Background Context
This meeting occurred during a critical transition period for both the Greenways Advisory Committee and city planning. Two long-serving committee members (Kate and Scott) are ending their terms, while the city undertakes its most comprehensive planning update in decades.
The Bellingham Plan represents a coordinated effort to address state-mandated growth requirements while maintaining community character. The decision to separate the PROS Plan into goals/policies (in the comprehensive plan) and implementation details (standalone document) reflects a new approach to reduce duplication and create clearer connections between different city planning efforts.
Bellingham must accommodate significant growth - 30,000 new residents, 18,000+ housing units, and 19,000+ jobs over 20 years - while preserving its extensive park and trail system funded through the dedicated Greenways levy. This creates tensions between development and environmental preservation that the planning process must address.
### What Happened — The Short Version
The committee received three major presentations. Mayor Kim Lund discussed citywide efforts to standardize advisory group processes, including requiring all members to reapply when terms expire to encourage diversity and reduce barriers to participation.
Parks staff introduced Mackenzie Kilroy, who will oversee community gardens and wetland mitigation projects. The stewardship program reported record volunteer turnout at recent events.
City planner Anya provided an extensive update on the Bellingham Plan, explaining how the parks chapter will be integrated and the timeline for public hearings. The plan addresses state growth requirements through four themes: more housing choice, sustainable growth, climate resilience, and "Bellingham for all."
Staff presented the PROS Plan public engagement strategy, including community surveys, open houses, and targeted outreach to underrepresented groups. The committee discussed challenges in reaching diverse communities and strategies for effective engagement.
The meeting highlighted ongoing tensions between housing development and tree preservation, with acknowledgment that high-level goals don't always provide clear guidance for specific situations.
### What to Watch Next
- Parks chapter draft release in April, with Planning Commission discussion in May
- PROS Plan community survey closes March 2nd
- Public open houses at Cordo Pavilion (February 13) and Fairhaven Pavilion (February 20)
- Planning Commission hearings on comprehensive plan chapters through summer
- Final Bellingham Plan adoption targeted for late 2025
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