Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-GRN-2025-03-06 ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee met on March 6, 2025, to discuss their annual report planning and receive an extensive briefing on community survey results and open house feedback for the Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) Plan update. The committee also learned about the comprehensive inventory and assessment process that will guide the city's parks planning for the next 20 years. ### Key Terms and Concepts **PROS Plan:** Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan - a 20-year comprehensive planning document required by the state that guides how Bellingham develops, maintains, and operates its parks system. **Greenways Levy:** A voter-approved funding mechanism that generated $9.3 million in 2024 for park acquisition, development, stewardship, and community gardens in Bellingham. **Level of Service:** A planning metric used to measure how well parks and recreation facilities serve the community, often calculated as acres of parkland per 1,000 residents or accessibility within a 10-minute walk. **Social Vulnerability Index:** A demographic analysis tool that identifies communities with higher needs for services and infrastructure, used in this context to ensure equitable distribution of parks and trails. **Walk Model:** A GIS-based analysis that maps how accessible parks and trails are to residents on foot, ensuring people can reach green space within a reasonable walking distance. **Growth Management Act (GMA):** State legislation that requires cities to plan for population growth while protecting natural resources, which influences how trail maps and park requirements are incorporated into development rules. **Urban Growth Area:** The designated boundary around Bellingham where urban development is planned to occur over the next 20 years. **Tree Canopy Cover:** The percentage of land area covered by tree crowns, an important metric for urban forestry and climate resilience planning. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Peter | Parks Department Staff/Meeting Facilitator | | Daniel Probst | Community Member, Project Lead for Bellingham Mount Baker Trail | | Ray Dellecker | Greenways Committee Member (attending online) | | David Stalheim | Greenways Committee Member (attending online) | | Dina | Greenways Committee Applicant | | Kate | Referenced former committee member | | Scott | Referenced former committee member | ### Background Context The Greenways Advisory Committee is tasked with advising on trail development and connectivity while the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board focuses on the broader PROS Plan. This division of labor emerged from recent organizational changes to streamline the planning process. The city is simultaneously updating both its PROS Plan (every 6 years) and participating in Whatcom County's comprehensive plan update, creating opportunities for better regional coordination on trail systems. The community survey received an unprecedented 2,000 responses, indicating high public interest in parks planning. However, demographic analysis revealed gaps in Latino community participation (2.5% vs. 9% of city population), leading to partnership with Vamos for targeted outreach. The timing is critical because trail maps must be properly referenced in planning documents to have regulatory force for new development. ### What Happened — The Short Version The meeting began with an update that the long-awaited Sandwich Crest property purchase will close the next day, completing a multi-year acquisition process. Staff reported that two vacant committee positions have three applicants and should be filled by April or May. A community member urged coordination between the city's PROS Plan update and the county's comprehensive plan update to ensure trail planning aligns across jurisdictions. The bulk of the meeting focused on reviewing results from community outreach. Two open houses in February drew about 80-85 people total, with interactive activities allowing residents to share priorities. A comprehensive community survey received about 2,000 responses - more than any previous parks survey. Key findings included strong support for maintaining existing facilities, developing new trail connections, and addressing safety concerns. People ranked forested parks and improved aquatic facilities as top development priorities. Staff outlined an ambitious inventory process that will analyze everything from playground equipment to tree canopy coverage across five geographic zones rather than the traditional 26 neighborhoods. This data will inform recommendations for the next 20 years of parks development. The committee will review draft goals and policies at the April meeting, with a complete draft chapter expected in May. ### What to Watch Next - April meeting will feature draft goals and policies for the PROS Plan, plus initial inventory results - May meeting should include a complete draft chapter to review - April 21 City Council meeting will receive the annual Greenways report - April 5 community workshop with Vamos to engage Latino residents in the planning process ---