Lynden council restores deleted mixed‑use code and allows taller small‑scale projects by conditional use

The Lynden City Council on Feb. 3 approved Ordinance 25-1704 to restore a section of Lynden Municipal Code 19.23.110 and to amend small‑scale mixed‑use rules. The change applies to projects on commercially zoned parcels under one acre in the Central or South Historic Business District subareas; if appropriate for the setting the council may now permit heights greater than the prior 32‑foot limit through the Conditional Use Permit process. The motion to adopt the ordinance carried on a 5-0 vote.

Mayor Scott Korthuis opened and closed the continued public hearing with no in‑person comments. Councilor Kyle Strengholt moved to approve the ordinance and Councilor Gary Vis seconded. The minutes record the action as: “Councilor Strengholt moved, and Councilor Vis seconded, to approve Ordinance 251704 restoring a section of LMC 19.23.110 which was inadvertently deleted and to amend the small-scale mixed-use provisions to increase maximum building height through the Conditional use process. Motion approved on 5-0 vote.” Two councilors (Gary Bode and Brent Lenssen) were recorded as absent with notice in the minutes.

City staff described the amendment as targeted at "small‑scale" mixed‑use projects—commercially zoned sites under one acre—so the code remains sensitive to neighborhood scale while allowing case‑by‑case flexibility via conditional use review. The ordinance language restored the previously deleted subsection and added the conditional‑use height allowance; the minutes do not include the exact restored text or ordinance effective date.