[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6199298,"mediaKeyId","3837468-262403609142363b5745d35e23706dc1","parentId",3837468,"title","Votes at a glance: Bellingham council approvals and authorizations from June 9 meeting","audioSeconds",2690,"startMs",226000,"endMs",2916000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3837468-262403609142363b5745d35e23706dc1&start=226&end=2916","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3837468-262403609142363b5745d35e23706dc1/thumbnail_226000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6199298/Bellingham/Whatcom-County/Washington/Votes-at-a-glance-Bellingham-council-approvals-and-authorizations-from-June-9-meeting","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199298-74f107291f87f5034b7728343c0e4d0f/orig.mp4?Expires=1773563843&Signature=YXCO44pCy3~U5OuNIEbThV96vd7IIPFm0k7ZvIv-2ntOpwzN21H3f-niGkQ4Y0ba8xf9lADl5dSdZUonBc2HFpFNZ4BYwnICAg8MTY7pReYKOYYI2afqLiBLuuCGFi0OT4S8je9mFFLb1KT58FF6TbKaj7y4qmh6K0nIGjTf2VbHc8BT6hGmU0SARPnwGEcFFZgwfKLzam0jeFtl2LYiWrmULvSVW~pHh0HOH--dfihT8pYziOQf7lhMbe3lghm~eqXiq2RxfK7gC9-KFChiv~ionFDvtgseYoXOeVQ0FUHXJmLBrgkcXDa7sHLdnL--uJM1RsNpxyDq3HfgOlxX5Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bellingham Meetings","date","2025-06-10T18:26:49Z","article","The Bellingham City Council recorded multiple formal actions on June 9. Below are the principal votes, outcomes and next steps.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment: Lisa Marks to the Planning and Development Commission — Motion to approve passed 7–0. (Motion made by Council member Jace Cotton; second by Council member Skip Williams.) The mayor sought the appointment and the council approved it during the meeting’s consent/appointments section.

- Executive session follow-up: Motion authorizing the mayor to purchase a 0.66-acre parcel (AFN 380236504432) from Whatcom County for $15,000 — Approved 7–0. Council discussed the site as a small triangular parcel needed to build a pedestrian trail and retaining wall.

- Litigation counsel: Motion authorizing the mayor to retain special counsel to represent city employees named as individual defendants in Land v. City of Bellingham et al (Urban Chaplain referenced) — Approved 7–0.

- Public works funding: Committee recommendation and motion to authorize the mayor to enter into the construction funding agreement for the Cornwall Avenue landfill cleanup — Approved 7–0. Key funding details presented to committee: a Public Works Board loan of $7,345,000 at 1.71% interest over 20 years with no prepayment penalty; estimated Cornwall cleanup construction cost approximately $30,000,000; the city is 75% responsible for costs pursuant to an interlocal agreement with the Port of Bellingham; repayment from the environmental remediation fund and up to 50% match expected from state Model Toxics Control Act funds.

- Final ordinance: Ordinance amending Chapter 17.82 BMC (multifamily tax exemption program) — Adopted (roll call recorded as unanimous). Council approved amendments to expand eligible areas for 8‑year market-rate and 12‑year affordable housing programs, allow exemptions for co‑living housing, provide a 20‑year exemption for permanently affordable homeownership, allow extensions and update the program to reflect recent state law changes.

- Resolutions and committee approvals: The council unanimously approved a nonbinding, multi‑jurisdictional resolution on 2045 population, housing and employment allocations (7–0), and unanimously approved a resolution reaffirming Bellingham as a welcoming city (7–0). Committee reports on the homeless outreach team, tree program pilot and first‑quarter financial review were presented for information.

What happens next

- Planning & development and other appointments take effect per municipal rules; boards will proceed with membership updates.

- The Cornwall cleanup funding agreement will move forward with procurement and permit steps; staff indicated bids are opening this summer and construction is expected over multiple years.

- The purchase of the waterfront triangular parcel will allow preliminary trail and retaining wall design work to proceed under city staff direction.

- The multifamily tax exemption ordinance will be implemented per ordinance language and state law; staff will carry out program updates and application processes as amended.

Ending: Most actions passed unanimously. Several items will require follow-up administrative steps and, in some cases, further council oversight or reporting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Regular Meeting 5/19/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The council recorded several unanimous votes on appointments, funding agreements, property purchase authorization, litigation counsel retention and a final ordinance on multifamily tax exemptions; details and next steps listed.","taxTitle","Bellingham, Whatcom County, Washington","taxId",2977,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6199302,"Council committee advances landlord‑tenant and manufactured/mobile‑home fee ordinances; requests research on renter legal aid",444,1907000,2351000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3837468-262403609142363b5745d35e23706dc1&start=1907&end=2351","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3837468-262403609142363b5745d35e23706dc1/thumbnail_1907000.jpg","/articles/6199302/Bellingham/Whatcom-County/Washington/Council-committee-advances-landlordtenant-and-manufacturedmobilehome-fee-ordinances-requests-research-on-renter-legal-aid","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199302-e571adc9d7c42878a54f48aa3627a90a/orig.mp4?Expires=1773563843&Signature=niWIie6i7rEO~0qp5WUikugyVf~igOJm3PqnuV96RbTyJTeow~n0yS4Ew6g8ea-EC73tKGoqANlt1FviSKrQgZTX5iZyWJDLfc9qhqvvIZCDpzhq0w7jDM-iav8ujH5h0zomIozHWcRB-wTS5T7dJgs4D~lDdP70~vabhz6UlWG35iPeWf8yzwK1EP12Ss6S20Ew8L1TCy0RH1N2MfB9PLzpwZchfTcK8zDkY8bkRVCQ8xgvXPlf30~VT5imDlO00zpyDLNUqeeLDVd7ZbCnZMhZGs8C~-BwmTgL1t3jMLDlOBlFnMfWpntswD5ki0meX5gXr047akU7UxqfZvGt2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bellingham City Council’s Committee of the Whole reported June 9 that it recommended approval, with amendments, of two related draft ordinances that would regulate fees charged in residential rental and manufactured/mobile-home lease agreements.

Council members said the work began in fall 2024 and incorporated public engagement, focus groups and surveys. Council President Holly Huffman and committee members described the ordinances as an effort to address what they called “egregious” fee practices while noting the difficulty of crafting code that balances tenant protections with market impacts.

At the June 9 meeting, the committee’s recommendation to forward the draft landlord‑tenant ordinance for council approval passed on a 7–0 vote. Committee members reported multiple amendments made during the work sessions and emphasized that additional refinements are likely as the city monitors impacts.

Council member Michael Lilliquis (name as spoken in the meeting) moved — and Council member Lisa Anderson seconded — a separate motion requesting that the council policy analyst conduct a research and summary project on civil legal aid availability for renters in Bellingham, with particular focus on existing capacity and mediation resources. The motion passed 7–0. Council members said their aim is to identify gaps and options to build capacity if needed, because the committee removed a proposed city enforcement mechanism and relies on civil legal enforcement for some provisions.

Council members also agreed to add a monitoring task to the policy analyst’s work plan to watch for unintended consequences of the new rules, specifically potential effects on the availability of pet‑friendly rentals. The monitoring motion passed unanimously; members described it as a “tickler” review to return data and recommendations to council over time.

Several council members thanked staff, volunteers and community participants for a long engagement process. Council member Jace Cotton noted thousands of public emails and many stakeholder meetings; Council member Anna Stone and others said the ordinances are a first step and that further legislative adjustments may be necessary.

Ending: The committee’s recommendations and the council motions on research and monitoring move the ordinances closer to a final vote; council indicated it expects to return drafts for final consideration in a future meeting.","After months of public engagement, councilors voted to recommend two ordinances limiting certain rental fees; council also approved a research project on civil legal aid capacity for renters and agreed to monitor potential effects of pet-related rules.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6199307,"Bellingham holds public hearing on draft 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program",896,249000,1145000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3837468-262403609142363b5745d35e23706dc1&start=249&end=1145","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3837468-262403609142363b5745d35e23706dc1/thumbnail_249000.jpg","/articles/6199307/Bellingham/Whatcom-County/Washington/Bellingham-holds-public-hearing-on-draft-20262031-Transportation-Improvement-Program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6199307-5b509b74c2cb700c24f611370db748a1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773563843&Signature=J0EPLKIDZOkSRcTXhqICDyzrX8o1OXOcjqegcyPS-mi2lDrWbC8l~wC5YjfUZQDjdHsodh25wIniKgmSgT54lHawIxuVB4Pt4VfHQPNeiAhI6fCnGeQMZVR9-rkmfrPFhEveFOSFKTe4Mt77FqDakPjwElG6n-oJckI7XJuGXsY0-xeLiyS~o~vtmPbXrJa9mX1XW4z~xdvkZXwfnZKt~znBnWYvBxOvfzgS~jHxsiV1NHW7vlEDcEHQqtADKY0SUB87KA60rhVxRkfdhOEF9rkB3YJr6a3qDmOgrvFKBfep3Df~g3v3agDTa~ZNhq~EAxk0xl1bjEw9dxqOxBUKlA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Public Works Director Joel Funt presented the draft 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program to the Bellingham City Council during a public hearing on June 9, describing project additions, removals and the committee’s evaluation criteria.

The TIP is the six-year list of transportation projects the city uses for budgeting and grant applications and is updated annually under state law; the council will consider adoption on June 23 so the city can submit the package to the state by the July 1 deadline.

The draft TIP adds projects intended to expand walking and biking facilities, enhance transit, preserve bridges and improve safety. Joel Funt said staff removed three projects because they are already constructed or expected to be completed this year, including a Twelfth Street Finnegan corridor project, frontage and trail work near Bellis Fair, and a Fifth Street pedestrian improvement built as part of a private project.

Funt described several additions and modifications: a proposed downtown transportation plan in 2026 to coordinate transit, pedestrian and bicycle improvements; the Pine Street BNSF railroad crossing project (expanded to include a pedestrian and bike connection from Cornwall to State Street); continued work on the Potter Street/Lincoln roundabout split to better track grant funding; and the Squalicum Creek Estuary Restoration Project, added because funding arrived through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is administered by the Washington State Department of Transportation. He also said staff are proposing to advance Birchwood safe routes to school and a Diemer Road complete-streets segment.

Funt told council that staff evaluated projects against safety, climate (mode shift), preservation/maintenance and equity criteria. \"Two thirds of the projects ranked as safety projects,\" he said, and almost half of the projects fall in areas with social vulnerability index scores above 75, which staff weighed as potential benefits rather than impacts.

Funt and other staff noted a successful grant year: \"We secured about $7.5 million in grants for transportation projects in 2024–25,\" he said, citing money earmarked for James Street multimodal work, roundabouts at Meridian & Birchwood and Lincoln & Potter, downtown signal improvements, and a safe rail crossing grant for Pine Street.

Council members asked for more detail on the James Street concept. Staff explained that the corridor’s existing four-lane cross section is a candidate for a road-diet style conversion and that options under study include preserving on-street parking on one side while reallocating space for protected bike and pedestrian facilities. Staff said detailed design and trade-offs will be part of the next phase.

Two members of the public spoke during the hearing. Adam Bellinger said he supported most of the plan but pressed for better lighting and safer crossings on North Samish Way: \"The crosswalks are terribly lit, and I've probably almost run over a dozen people,\" he said, adding that some bike lanes on major thoroughfares can remove needed parking for older drivers who rely on it. Dan Blenker of Birchwood expressed support for Birchwood multimodal projects and the Meridian–Birchwood roundabout.

Council President Holly Huffman said the council will continue the TIP discussion at the June 23 meeting, and that staff will respond to written questions submitted before that packet.

Ending: The council took public comment and asked clarifying questions; no vote was taken June 9. Staff said they will return June 23 for final consideration so the city can meet the state submission deadline on July 1.","City staff presented the draft six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), describing added and removed projects, recent grant wins of about $7.5 million, and next steps; council will consider final adoption June 23 and must submit the TIP to the state by July 1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Bellingham council approvals and authorizations from June 9 meeting

Council committee advances landlord‑tenant and manufactured/mobile‑home fee ordinances; requests research on renter legal aid

Bellingham holds public hearing on draft 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program