### Meeting Overview Whatcom County Council and Planning Commission met jointly on July 22, 2025 to review preliminary preferred alternatives for urban growth areas (UGAs) across the county as part of the 2025 Comprehensive Plan update. Planning Director Mark Personius presented proposed boundary changes for eight jurisdictions, with extensive discussion focused on flood impacts, housing capacity, and growth management challenges. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Urban Growth Area (UGA):** Designated areas around cities where urban development is encouraged to occur over the next 20 years, designed to prevent sprawl and concentrate growth. **UGA Reserve:** Land designated for potential future urban development but not immediately available for annexation, typically maintaining low-density rural zoning until cities are ready to expand. **Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):** Required environmental analysis of proposed comprehensive plan alternatives, studying impacts before final adoption decisions. **Multi-Jurisdictional Resolution:** County Council-adopted agreement allocating projected population and employment growth percentages among cities for the 20-year planning period. **De-annexation:** Process of removing territory from city limits, requiring voter approval and returning the area to county jurisdiction. **Critical Areas:** Environmentally sensitive lands including wetlands, steep slopes, and flood hazards that have development restrictions and buffer requirements. **BBWARM:** Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management district providing stormwater services to parts of unincorporated Whatcom County. **Draft FEMA Maps:** Proposed new flood hazard maps based on updated modeling following 2021 flooding, not yet officially adopted but showing expanded flood zones. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kaylee Galloway | Council Chair | | Mark Personius | Planning and Development Services Director | | Alex Wenger | City of Blaine Community Development Services Director | | Chris Behee | City of Bellingham Planning Staff | | Kelvin Barton | Planning Commission Chair | | Rud Browne | Planning Commissioner | | Todd Donovan | Council Member | | Barry Buchanan | Council Member | ### Background Context This meeting occurred during the state-mandated comprehensive plan update process, required every eight years under Washington's Growth Management Act. Cities must demonstrate they can accommodate their allocated share of regional growth within existing UGAs or request expansions. The 2021 Nooksack River floods significantly impacted this planning cycle, forcing several communities to reconsider development patterns in flood-prone areas. State legislation now requires more housing units and middle housing options, while climate impacts like sea level rise add new constraints. The timing creates tension between housing needs and environmental safety, with some proposed developments conflicting with flood risks. ### What Happened — The Short Version Director Personius presented each city's preferred UGA boundary changes for environmental review. Bellingham proposes moving three industrial areas from UGA to reserve status while expanding one residential area. Blaine wants to de-annex a 573-acre site (contingent on November voter approval) and swap it for western expansion areas. Several cities including Everson and Sumas propose moving growth areas out of new flood zones identified after 2021 flooding. Extensive discussion focused on Blaine's proposal, with concerns about losing 1,000 potential housing units and impacts on neighboring Birch Bay. Commissioners questioned whether wetland impacts were adequately analyzed in capacity projections. ### What to Watch Next • November 2025 ballot measure on Blaine's de-annexation proposal • Release of Final EIS in August or early September 2025 • Potential August 6th joint Council/Planning Commission meeting continuation • County decisions on UGA boundary adoptions by end of 2025 • Follow-up zoning changes for areas like Alderwood in 2026 ---