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County delays Lily Point parking paving after CIP reprioritization
Summary
Whatcom County staff told PRCAC that Lily Point (Willow Point) parking paving was removed from the current Capital Improvement Plan because parks capital funding was reprioritized to cover a roughly $13.3 million cleanup; staff said asphalt has maintenance and air-quality advantages over gravel but the project is pushed outside the current CIP period.
County-affiliated staff told the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee that the Lily Point (Willow Point) parking paving project was removed from the current Capital Improvement Plan after the county council approved an updated CIP on Nov. 19. The staff member said constrained parks capital funding and a roughly $13,300,000 expense associated with cleanup at Plantation Rifle Range required prioritizing other projects.
"Because of the difficult budget environment we find ourselves in ... we had to prioritize projects," the staff member said, explaining that projects funded with real-estate-excise taxes and those with partner commitments or shovel-ready status were favored. Staff described technical reasons for preferring asphalt over gravel — asphalt reduces ongoing maintenance costs, is less susceptible to wear, helps engineered drainage, and can reduce airborne dust compared with gravel.
Committee members expressed disappointment that Lily Point paving was pushed out through 2031 but discussed the county's rationale and possible future steps to return the project to the CIP if external funding or priorities shift. No new funding commitment was authorized at the meeting; the item remains on the PRCAC’s list of deferred priorities.
