### Meeting Overview Whatcom County Council held a special joint meeting with the Planning Commission on August 6, 2025, to receive presentations on the county's new Climate Element for the 2025 Comprehensive Plan and to continue discussions on urban growth area proposals from various jurisdictions for the Environmental Impact Statement. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Climate Element:** A new chapter required under Growth Management Act changes (HB 1181) that jurisdictions must add to their comprehensive plans, focusing on greenhouse gas reduction and climate resilience. **Urban Growth Area (UGA):** Designated boundaries where urban development is encouraged and where cities can extend urban services like water, sewer, and roads. **UGA Reserve:** Areas designated for potential future urban development but currently zoned at rural densities (typically one unit per 10 acres). **Overburdened Communities:** Geographic areas where vulnerable populations face combined multiple environmental harms and health impacts, as defined by the Growth Management Act. **Net Zero by 2050:** The state legislative goal to achieve carbon neutrality by eliminating or offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions. **Sea Level Rise Projections:** Scientific modeling showing potential flooding areas based on projected increases in sea level due to climate change. **Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT):** A transportation planning metric measuring total miles driven, which jurisdictions must work to reduce under new climate requirements. **Study Areas:** Specific geographic zones being evaluated for potential inclusion in urban growth areas as part of the comprehensive plan update. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Kaylee Galloway | County Council Chair | | Lauren Clemens | County Climate Action Manager | | Mark Personius | Planning and Development Services Director | | Chris Behee | City of Bellingham Planning Staff | | Kelvin Barton | Planning Commission Chair | | Daniel Dunne | Planning Commissioner | | Jim Hansen | Planning Commissioner | | Dominic Moceri | Planning Commissioner | ### Background Context Whatcom County is among the first jurisdictions required to create a climate element under new state legislation. The county has some of the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions in the state (35.1 metric tons per person), largely due to industrial facilities like those at Cherry Point. Meanwhile, the county is updating its comprehensive plan and must balance growth pressures with environmental protection, particularly given significant climate risks including sea level rise and flooding in areas like Birch Bay. The comprehensive plan update involves complex decisions about where to locate future population and employment growth, with tensions between concentrating development in urban areas versus allowing growth in rural communities. Cities like Bellingham face unique pressures from new housing requirements and tight deadlines for plan adoption. ### What Happened — The Short Version Climate Action Manager Lauren Clemens presented the draft Climate Element, explaining how it addresses state requirements for emissions reduction and climate resilience. The chapter will be submitted to the state for review in parallel with local approval processes. Commissioners raised questions about policy language, wildfire mapping, and conflicts with other plan elements. The meeting then continued discussions on urban growth boundaries, focusing primarily on Bellingham's proposals to expand northward and Birch Bay's development challenges due to sea level rise. Bellingham requested county support for their growth proposals to meet upcoming deadlines. Concerns were raised about balancing job and population growth and protecting vulnerable coastal areas from future flooding. ### What to Watch Next - Planning Commission work session and public hearing on the Climate Element scheduled for August 14 - Final Environmental Impact Statement release in approximately two weeks to support Bellingham's planning timeline - Port of Bellingham industrial land study briefing to County Council on September 9 - Potential County Council expression of support for Bellingham's growth proposals before their September Planning Commission meetings ---