### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Committee met on November 18, 2024, to consider a noise variance request for the Boulevard Park Shoreline Enhancement Project. The committee unanimously approved allowing night work for construction activities that must occur during low tide periods between November 2024 and February 15, 2025. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Noise Variance:** A special permission that allows activities to exceed the city's normal noise limits during certain times or conditions, governed by Bellingham Municipal Code 10.24.120. **Intertidal Area:** The zone of the shoreline that is covered by water at high tide and exposed at low tide, where special environmental protections apply. **Fish Window:** A time period established by environmental agencies when in-water construction work is permitted to minimize impacts on fish spawning and migration, typically August through February. **Working in the Dry:** Construction term meaning work must be done when the area is not covered by water, which requires timing construction around low tides. **Ordinary High-Water Mark:** The line on the shore established by the fluctuations of water that is marked by physical characteristics like vegetation changes or debris lines. **Boulevard Park:** A waterfront city park in Bellingham that experienced significant shoreline erosion during the 2021 storm season, prompting this enhancement project. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Committee Chair, Fourth Ward Council Member | | Hannah Stone | Committee Member, First Ward Council Member | | Jace Cotton | Committee Member, At-Large Council Member | | Nicole Oliver | Parks and Recreation Director | | Gina Austin | Parks Project Engineer | ### Background Context Boulevard Park suffered significant shoreline erosion during the 2021 storm season, forcing the city to install hazard fencing and warning signs to protect public safety. The erosion threatened not only public access to the beach but also nearby infrastructure, including the Woods Coffee shop that was referenced at the meeting's end. The project aims to create and enhance two beach areas to improve public access, restore habitat, and address ongoing erosion problems. The timing constraints for this project are particularly challenging because environmental regulations require all in-water work to occur "in the dry" to protect water quality and fish habitat. The lowest tides during the permitted construction window (August to February) happen to occur at night during this time of year, making nighttime construction unavoidable. The committee noted that this timing also helps avoid conflicts with park users during busy summer months. ### What Happened — The Short Version Parks and Recreation Director Nicole Oliver presented a request for a noise variance that would allow contractors to work at night on the Boulevard Park shoreline project. She explained that the work must happen during low tides to comply with environmental permits, and the lowest tides occur at night during the November 2024 to February 2025 construction window. The expected noise impacts include truck backing sounds, excavator operation, and construction lighting. Project Engineer Gina Austin clarified that work would be completed in sections each night, with the beach being built strip by strip rather than opening the entire area at once. After brief discussion, Council Member Cotton moved to approve the variance, and the motion carried unanimously. ### What to Watch Next - Construction activities beginning at Boulevard Park shoreline during low tide periods through February 15, 2025 - Potential impacts on nearby residents within 500 feet of the construction area - Completion of the shoreline enhancement project which will restore public beach access and address erosion concerns ---