Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission

## MODULE S1: STUDY GUIDE **Meeting ID:** BEL-MNA-2025-11-19 A structured study guide helping readers understand the meeting's content and context. ### Meeting Overview The Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (MNAC) met on November 19, 2025, for their final meeting of the year. The meeting featured two major presentations: one on Bellingham's new speed limit setting policy and another on the Post Point wastewater treatment plant's solids management system. ### Key Terms and Concepts **85th Percentile Speed:** The traditional method of setting speed limits based on the speed at which 85% of drivers naturally travel. Bellingham is moving away from this decades-old approach in favor of context-based speed setting. **Arterial vs. Non-Arterial Streets:** Arterials are major roads classified as collectors, primary, or secondary that carry higher traffic volumes. Non-arterials are local residential streets primarily for accessing homes. **Multimodal Safety Index:** A measurement system that evaluates the potential for conflicts between vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists) and vehicles, considering factors like sidewalk presence, existing activity, and expected activity. **Shared Streets:** A designation allowing speed limits as low as 10 mph on non-arterial streets where pedestrians and bicycles are the primary users, with specific design requirements for accessibility and traffic calming. **Post Point:** Bellingham's wastewater treatment plant that processes both liquid and solid waste streams from the entire city through a network of over 20 lift stations. **Biosolids:** The solid waste byproduct from wastewater treatment that must be disposed of or processed. Current methods include incineration or land application after treatment. **PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances):** Emerging contaminants of concern found in wastewater that have raised questions about the safety of traditional biosolids disposal methods. **RTO (Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer):** Part of the emissions control upgrade that burns exhaust at higher temperatures, similar to diesel exhaust systems on modern trucks. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Mayor Lund | Meeting Chair | | Shane Sullivan | Transportation Department | | Riley Grant | Public Works Communication Expert | | Joel | Public Works Director | | Mike | Deputy Public Works Director | | Greg Hope | Columbia neighborhood alternate (online) | | Jake Charlton | Happy Valley representative | | Bri O'Hare | Lettered Streets representative | | Chris Roselli | Western Washington University | | Stella Keating | Western Washington University | | Annie Sorich | Sunnyland representative | ### Background Context Bellingham is undertaking two major infrastructure initiatives that reflect broader challenges facing municipalities nationwide. The speed limit policy represents a shift from car-centric planning toward "Vision Zero" approaches that prioritize vulnerable road user safety. Research shows that pedestrians have a 90% survival rate when hit at 20 mph, but less than 10% at 40 mph, making speed management a life-and-death issue as cities grow denser. The Post Point situation illustrates the complex challenges of aging infrastructure and emerging environmental concerns. Built in 1974, the facility has served reliably for 50 years, but new contaminants like PFAS and evolving regulations are forcing cities to reconsider traditional waste management approaches. The $50-60 million emissions upgrade represents a "bridge" investment to maintain compliance while emerging technologies develop, reflecting the difficult balance between environmental goals, fiscal responsibility, and operational necessity. ### What Happened — The Short Version The transportation team presented their new methodology for setting speed limits throughout Bellingham. Instead of basing speeds on how fast people currently drive, they now consider street context (downtown vs. highway) and safety factors (pedestrian activity, bike lanes, accident history). The result: most arterial streets will see speed limits reduced, with no speeds above 45 mph and new 20 mph zones in downtown and urban villages. All non-arterial streets will default to 20 mph unless posted otherwise. The utilities team explained their approach to Post Point's solids management challenges. After pausing a $200+ million biosolids project in 2022 due to cost escalation and PFAS concerns, the city chose to upgrade the existing incinerator system's emissions controls for $50-60 million. This "catalytic converter" approach maintains local control and reliable operations while buying time for new technologies to mature. A comprehensive sewer plan starting in 2026 will evaluate long-term options with community input. Neighborhood representatives shared updates on local activities and challenges, with many reporting board membership struggles since COVID while celebrating successful community events and field trips. ### What to Watch Next • Early 2026: City Council consideration of the speed limit policy and implementation timeline • Mid-2026: Beginning of public engagement for the comprehensive sewer plan • December 2025: Transportation Commission report on Community Streets Program results • Ongoing: Monitoring of emerging wastewater treatment technologies and PFAS regulations ---