City of Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee

### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Greenways Advisory Committee met on December 5, 2025, to discuss trail mapping for the PROS (Parks, Recreation & Open Space) Plan and elect officers for 2026. The meeting focused heavily on citizen concerns about greenways levy funding being used for purposes not aligned with the original voter intent. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Greenways Levy:** A voter-approved funding mechanism first passed in 1989 to acquire and maintain natural areas, trails, and open space in Bellingham. The current levy generates millions for parks and recreation but has specific requirements for how funds can be spent. **PROS Plan:** The Parks, Recreation & Open Space Plan that guides the city's long-term vision for parks and recreation facilities. The committee was reviewing proposed trail mapping for inclusion in this plan. **Street Vacation:** A legal process where the city can sell unopened or unused public right-of-way to adjacent property owners. This requires technical review, public hearings, and City Council approval. **Urban Growth Area (UGA):** Areas outside the city limits but within the county that are planned for future city development and services. **Right-of-way:** Public property set aside for streets, utilities, or other public purposes, even if not currently developed or used. **Metropolitan Parks District:** An alternative funding model for parks that was mentioned as potentially replacing the greenways system. **Whatcom Land Trust:** A local nonprofit organization that acquires and manages conservation lands throughout Whatcom County. **Trail Mapping:** The process of identifying and officially designating future trail corridors in city planning documents to preserve opportunities for trail development. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kelsey | Greenways Advisory Committee Chair (stepping down) | | Peter | City Parks and Recreation Staff | | Lena | City Staff | | David | Greenways Advisory Committee Member | | Zach | Greenways Advisory Committee Vice Chair (elected as 2026 Chair) | | Neil | Greenways Advisory Committee Member (elected as 2026 Vice Chair) | | Kathy | Greenways Advisory Committee Member | | Dina | Greenways Advisory Committee Member | | Sarah | Greenways Advisory Committee Member | | Brian | Member of the public providing comment | | Jim Marcotte | King Mountain Trails Subcommittee representative | ### Background Context The Greenways Advisory Committee oversees the city's greenways levy, which voters have supported since 1989 to fund natural area acquisition and trail development. However, recent budget decisions have allocated greenways money toward projects like skate parks and turf replacement at Civic Field — uses that committee members and citizens argue weren't the voters' intent when approving the levy. This controversy has sparked concerns that the city may eliminate the greenways system in favor of a metropolitan parks district model. Meanwhile, the committee continues its work mapping future trails for the PROS Plan, balancing community input with practical considerations like maintenance costs and property access. The meeting occurred after a well-attended PROS Plan open house where trail connectivity emerged as a top community priority, reinforcing the importance of the greenways mission even as its funding faces challenges. ### What Happened — The Short Version The meeting began with public comment from Brian, who criticized the use of greenways funds for skate parks and turf rather than trails and natural area maintenance. Committee member David then detailed his investigation into the budget, confirming that greenways money was allocated for these purposes without committee recommendation or alignment with the greenways strategic plan. The committee spent most of the meeting reviewing proposed trail additions to the PROS Plan map. They discussed new trail connections near Telegraph Road, multiple routes on Galbraith Mountain, connections in Happy Valley neighborhood, and potential access points from U Street to Galbraith Mountain. They also debated whether to include questionable trail routes or instead create a policy requiring trail consideration before any street vacation. The meeting concluded with officer elections. Kelsey stepped down as chair after one year, and the committee unanimously elected Zach as the 2026 chair and Neil as vice chair. The committee will move to a new meeting location at the Pacific Street Operations Center starting in January 2026. ### What to Watch Next - Follow up on the greenways funding controversy and any potential changes to the levy system - Track the PROS Plan's progress through planning commission and city council approval - Monitor the January 2026 Greenways meeting for discussion with Natural Resources staff about Lake Whatcom watershed recreation policies - Watch for potential Whatcom Land Trust participation in future meetings ---