City Council - Regular Meeting
City Council - Regular Meeting
Mon, June 23, 2025
Agenda items
Vote records
Discussion summary
Transcript
Meeting summary
Summary not yet available.
Agenda items (26)
Council Business
1Council BusinessPotential Property Acquisition (Stamps, approx. 3 min.)
2Council BusinessPotential Property Acquisition (Stamps, approx. 3 min.)
3Council BusinessLitigation: Land v. City of Bellingham, et. al. (Erb & Chaplin, approx. 10 min.
4Council BusinessPotential Litigation, Claim No. 2025-20 (Phillips, approx. 5 min.)
5Council BusinessPotential Litigation (Kraham and Chaplin, approx. 10 min.) ITEM ADDED 6.23.25
24578Council BusinessEldridge Avenue Non-Motorized Pilot Project Completion
24579Council BusinessResolution Adopting the 2026-2031 Transportation Improvement Program
24585Council BusinessWork Session to Continue Discussion of Shift from Neighborhood Plans to Citywide
24586Council BusinessWork Session to Continue Discussion of Changes to Residential Zoning
24588Council BusinessInterlocal Agreement for Alternative Response Team (ART) Program Funding for 2025-26
24589Council BusinessAn Ordinance Relating to Equal Protection and Equal Provision of City Services Regardless of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Gender Expression, and Creating a New Chapter of the Bellingham Municipal Code Regarding Such Matters
Adjournment
31AdjournmentTues. 12 PM: Repeat broadcast of Monday afternoon Committee meetings
32AdjournmentTues. 7 PM: Repeat broadcast of Monday night regular meeting
33AdjournmentWed. 8 AM: Repeat broadcast of Monday night regular meeting
34AdjournmentSat. 12 PM: Repeat broadcast of Monday afternoon Committee meetings
35AdjournmentSat. 7 PM: Repeat broadcast of Monday night regular meeting Online Streaming: The meetings are streamed live at https://cob.org/btv. Online viewers will see exactly what cable customers would see. Video: Video recordings of each meeting are available on the Internet at https://cob.org/meetings within five business days following each meeting.
Ordinance
24461OrdinanceAn Ordinance Relating to the Vacation of the Platted Alley Abutting Lots 14-18, Block 130, Fairhaven Land Company’s 2nd Add to Fairhaven, Whatcom County, Washington
24501OrdinanceAn Ordinance of the City of Bellingham, Washington, Relating to Landlord Tenant Relations, Adopting a New Chapter in Title 6 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Prohibiting Landlords From Charging Tenants Unfair or Excessive Fees in Residential
24502OrdinanceAn Ordinance of the City of Bellingham, Washington, Related to Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Relations, Adopting a New Chapter in Title 6 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Prohibiting Landlords From Charging Unfair or Excessive Fees in Manufactured/Mobile Home Lot Lease Agreements
General Business
24577General BusinessMayor's Appointments to the Transportation Commission (Approval)
24587General BusinessMayor’s appointments to the Bellingham-Whatcom Public Facilities District Board of
Consent Calendar
24580Consent CalendarAuthorization of A/P Transactions Issued May 30, 2025 through June 05, 2025
24581Consent CalendarAuthorization of Payroll Labor Cost Payments Dated May 16, 2025 to May 31, 2025
24582Consent CalendarModification to Interlocal Agreement Between the City of Bellingham and Port of Bellingham for City Labor Rate Increase for Mobile Radio Repairs
24583Consent CalendarGrant Agreement with Washington State Department of Commerce to Renovate and Upgrade Field Lighting at Joe Martin Stadium
24584Consent CalendarAuthorization of A/P Transactions Issued June 06, 2025 through June 12, 2025
Additional votes recorded in minutes
Approve appointment of Andrea Ryder and Jonathan Hugal to Transportation Commission
aye 1
voice voteaye
Approve appointment of Dr. Shotti Mukerji to PFD Board
aye 1
voice voteaye
Approve appointment of Bruce Tab to PFD Board
aye 1
voice voteaye
Approve Eldridge Avenue non-motorized pilot project completion (Agenda Bill 24578)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Adopt Resolution for 2026-2031 Transportation Improvement Program (Agenda Bill 24579)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Approve interlocal agreement for Alternative Response Team program funding 2025-2026 (Agenda Bill 24588)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to close real estate transaction with Mary and James Jansky ($730,000)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to close real estate transaction with Skycomish Resources LLC ($1,038,000 plus DFL compensating tax)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to execute settlement agreement in Lan vs. Clay/City of Bellingham ($150,000)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to enter settlement agreement for claim 2025-20 with Kenny and Cara Wanga ($31,719.35)
aye 1
voice voteaye
Authorize mayor to retain outside counsel for federal grant conditions litigation
aye 1
voice voteaye
Approve consent agenda
aye 1
voice voteaye
Final adoption of Ordinance - Agenda Bill 24501 (prohibiting unfair/excessive fees in residential rental agreements)
aye 7
Dan Hammillaye
Hannah Stoneaye
Hollie Huthmanaye
Jace Cottonaye
Lisa Andersonaye
Michael Lilliquistaye
Skip Williamsaye
Final adoption of Ordinance - Agenda Bill 24502 (prohibiting unfair/excessive fees in manufactured/mobile home lot lease agreements)
aye 7
Dan Hammillaye
Hannah Stoneaye
Hollie Huthmanaye
Jace Cottonaye
Lisa Andersonaye
Michael Lilliquistaye
Skip Williamsaye
Final adoption of Ordinance - Agenda Bill 24461 (vacation of platted alley, Fair Haven Land Company's second addition)
aye 7
Dan Hammillaye
Hannah Stoneaye
Hollie Huthmanaye
Jace Cottonaye
Lisa Andersonaye
Michael Lilliquistaye
Skip Williamsaye
Verbatim transcript available
127 transcript segments indexed
[Music] time. All right, we'll go ahead and get started. Welcome everybody to the June 23rd, 2025 regular meeting of the Bellingham City Council. Go ahead and call this meeting to order. The Bellingham City Council meets all requirements of the State of Washington Open Public Open Meetings Act.
Before we begin, we acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional and unseated territory of the Lemi, Nuksac, Samish, and Sami Seamyu people who have cared for and tended this land since time and memorial.
Truth and acknowledgement are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. We begin this effort to acknowledge what has been buried by honoring the truth.
We pay respect to their elders, past and present. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today. And please join us in uncovering such truths at any and all public events.
The Bellingham City Council provides Spanish interpretation at all regular evening meetings. Interpretation can be accessed by in-person attendees by utilizing the headsets located at the front of the room.
Remote viewers can log on to co.org/cczoom org/cczoom and click on the language icon at the bottom of the screen to listen in Spanish. And I'll go ahead and let our interpreter repeat that. language. Thank you.
And a couple announcements. The city council has three upcoming public hearings scheduled. On July 7th, the council will hold a public hearing on a proposed resolution for the city to relinquish a portion a portion of a general utility easement retained within vacated Otis Street and E Laurel Street as described in ordinance 7207.
On July 21st, the council will hold a public hearing for consideration of a petition by property owners to annex approximately 146 acres of land into the city of Bellingham. The annexation area is located within the city's northern urban growth area adjacent to the city limits and known as the Britain Road Northern Heights annexation.
And then on July 21st, the council will hold a public hearing for consideration of the adoption of the Barkley Urban Village and Associated Development Regulations on property owned primarily by Talba Real Estate LLC.
Detailed information on each of these hearings can be found on www.mmeings.co.org 5 days prior to the hearing. Roll call please. Hannah Stone here. Dan Hamill here. Skip Williams here. Lisa Anderson here.
Michael I L I L I L I L I L I L I L I L I L I Lquist here. Jace Cotton here. Holly Huffman here. All council members are present. Thank you. And first up we have the mayor's report. Good evening, members of council, members of the community, and staff that are here this evening.
Uh begin mayor's report this evening with two appointments for your approval. And the first is I'm seeking to appoint Andrea Ryder and Jonathan Hugal to three-year terms on the Transportation Commission.
Move approval. Second motion by council member Williams and a second by council member Anderson. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed or abstensions? That passes 70.
Thank you. The next is about some appointments to the public facilities district board of directors. And the PFD as it's known is a little understood instrument for economic development in Washington state.
So, I wanted to take just a minute to describe for members of the community or staff at large who aren't as familiar with what a public facilities district is and what we're doing here tonight. So, uh, our Bellingham Watcom public facilities district is an independent municipal taxing authority created solely to fund facilities that enhance economic development.
It's an exciting time for our PFD as we are in as we anticipate taking advantage of the extension to the PFD funding mechanism that was made possible in the state legislature in the 2025 session that just closed.
We have greatly benefited from past PFD investments in Bellingham's downtown, including the construction of the Watcom Light Catcher Museum building and improvements to our beloved Mount Baker Theater.
With extended funding, we can expand on this important work. We expect to maintain and improve these existing venues and offer new cultural facilities and experiences, actions that will further enrich our downtown and drive economic growth.
We will engage with the city council and others in this work in the coming years. But tonight, I'm presenting two appointments to the PFD board. First, I am recommending the appointment of Dr. Shotti Mukerji to a first term to fill an existing vacancy.
Per the PFD's enabling ordinance, this position is jointly nominated by the mayor and the county executive and also by the Watcom Community Foundation. Move approval. Second. Motion by Council Member Williams and a second by Council Member Lillquist.
Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed or abstensions? Passes 70. Thank you. Next, I am recommending the appointment of Bruce Tab to a first term to fill a vacancy that will be created when a current member's term ends.
Move approval. Second. Motion by Council Member Williams, second by Council Member Cotton. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed or abstensions? That passes 70. Thank you.
These appointments will also be presented by Watcom County Executive S. Paul Sedu for consideration by the Watcom County Council at their July 8th meeting. And lastly tonight, I wanted to close my report by recognizing we had a good and lengthy conversation today about the draft ordinance that puts into action the city's values supporting the LGBTQ plus community.
I join with council members in expressing my gratitude for the effort and the heart that council member Stone put into this draft for her care in working with impacted community members working alongside the mayor's office, the legal department, the chief of police, and others.
It incorporates many of the stories and needs expressed by the LGBTQ plus community in the recent months. I especially want to acknowledge the many members of our trans community who are here tonight.
You live here and you belong here. We hear you. We are glad you are part of our community and your safety and your well-being are important to us all. Bellingham thrives when all people can live authentically and without fear.
This or ordinance upholds our core commitment to provide a safe and welcoming community for everyone in Bellingham. It's about making clear that Bellingham stands firm on dignity, equity, and respect for all by naming specific ways we can put these values into action.
That's the end of Mayor's report tonight. Thank you, mayor. And then next up we have our afternoon committee meeting report outs morning. Yeah, we did start in the morning. First up is uh public works and natural resources and that was chaired by council member Stone.
Thank you, President Huffman. I was joined on the public works and natural resources committee this morning by council members Anderson and Cotton. We had two items before us. The first was agenda bill 24578.
This is Eldridge Avenue non-motorized pilot project completion. So on October 3rd, 2022, Bellingham City Council held a public hearing to consider removal of on street parking to install bike lanes on several arterial streets including Eldridge Avenue in accordance with the adopted bicycle master plan and subsequently voted to approve parking removal on October 24th, 2022.
Eldridge Avenue parking removal was subject to a one-year pilot. That pilot period is now complete and city staff has recommended that the pilot improvements remain in place. So this morning we were joined by public works director Joel Fint as well as Jessica Bennett who's a project engineer assigned to this project on Eldridge Avenue.
Um the report that's in the council packet is a little less than 200 pages. Um if you have questions or interest in, you know, this particular project, I would recommend reviewing the um report that was included in addition to um public feedback that we've received throughout the the course of um this project.
Wanting to highlight that during the data collection um there were several areas that we focused on today. Um one looking at the you know crashes in this area compared with um sort of the the national standards for similar right arterials and roads.
And so actually that collision history in that area is under um that yearly average. So that was good news. The speeds in that area have decreased but um just slightly. And what really was most probably impactful or take away from the data collected is the um pedestrian counts as well as the bicycle counts in that area showing a significant increase in utilization of that corridor.
So that's really in an attempt to you know shift that mode and encourage people to be out and um utilizing all modes of transportation. That was certainly encouraging. Um and I know that there were also some um reports related to you know concerns regarding parking and delivery.
Um the reports regarding parking in the surrounding area indicated that even at high peaks um the highest was at 90% and that there was still some parking available in that area. I just wanted to make note that along a corridor like that when there are deliveries or you know when SSC is taking their route when there is a need to make stops or deliveries whenever there are bike lanes that under the um yeah under the rules and regulations here that we're not to block the bike lanes and so that stoppage of traffic would happen in the um actually in the traffic lane and then cars in that lane would need to yield to oncoming traffic and go around.
Um so just wanting I know that that had been a point of um confusion in some in some scenarios. So wanting to speak to that point and so this afternoon there was some or this morning there was some discussion from the council and then there was a unanimous recommendation to move to approve um the decision to keep the pilot in place and to make those changes permanent.
And I so move second motion by the chair and a second by council member Cotton. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Abstensions. That passes 70. So the next item before the committee this morning was agenda bill 24579.
This is a resolution adopting the 2026 to 2031 transportation improvement program. So, the six-year transportation improvement program, known as the six-year TIP, is both a transportation planning and funding document.
It's adopted annually to plan and program funding towards city capital projects that improve and maintain Bellingham's multimodal transportation network. The city council held a public hearing on the draft 2026 to 2031 tip at our last meeting on June 9th.
at that city council meeting. Um the city is required to submit the updated six-year tip to the state by July 1st. And so I wanted to highlight there's one item that had been of discussion um which is project number eight.
And so city staff also highlighted that Reneer Avenue bridge replacement which is over Chuckenut Creek. Um that's project number eight on the tip remains in this 2026 to 2031 tip. And based on the latest engineering analysis that it has been determined that this project will be moving forward with design and construction.
And the city has received assurance from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, that they are still committed to funding this project. So, we had had flooding in that area, which took out the bridge for a period of time, and there was a temporary bridge put in place.
Um, but without that bridge, there are a number of homes across the creek that are um, yeah, isolated from being able to um, access their home. So, wanted to make sure to highlight that that has been resolved and that replacement of that bridge will be going forward.
So, this morning there was a unanimous motion to move to approve the resolution adopting the 2026 to 2031 transportation improvement program and I so move second motion by the chair and second by council member Williams.
Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed or abstensions? The passes 70. Thank you very much. Those were the only two items before the committee this morning. So I will send it back to you.
Thank you, Council Member Stone. And up next, we had committee of the whole. Two agenda items. The first was agenda bill 24588 was an interlocal agreement for the alternative response team program funding for 2025 to 2026.
Launched in January of 2023, the alternative response team, also known as ART, sends two behavioral health specialists to respond to specific nonviolent behavioral health 911 calls. ART takes a collaborative approach to bringing law enforcement, emergency medical response, human services, and other community responders together to support individuals identified as having a very high impact on each of those systems.
Art is operated by the Watcom County Health Department and deployed by staff based at Watcom 10 hours a day, 5 days a week, currently Monday through Friday. This program is innovative is an innovative component of our first responder system to help people in crisis.
The attached interlocal agreement with Watcom County proposes continued funding from the city of Bellingham for an 18-month period beginning January 1st, 2025 and ending December 31st, 2026. Um, and we did have Malora Christensen from Health and Human Services.
No, what is Wakom County Health Department is now? Walakom County Health and Human Services. Health. Health and Community Services. Thank you. That changed like a year or so ago. Um, uh, so Malora was here and, uh, Jason Cornelius with the mayor's office also helped present.
Um, it was a short presentation, but there were some questions from council. Um, and again, this program started in 2023, so it's relatively new, but has been quite successful and and popular. Our our police officers, firefighters, first responders um really appreciate this program as well.
And um and as I mentioned, it's a fairly limited time period at the moment. Um but there is clearly a wish to expand that program uh for more hours of the day. Currently, this is um our funding from the city comes from the justice project sales tax uh that we receive.
And so we hope to see um potentially more more of that um in the future going to that program and and others like it. Oh, there was a motion by the No, wait. The committee voted to recommend approval.
There's an interlocal agreement to approve. Uh, and I so move. Second motion B by the chair, second by council member Hamill. Any further discussion? Council member Hamilton. I just want to point out just we we talked about this a little bit this uh this afternoon, but I think it's important that we speak to voters that are here in this room tonight that we made a commitment to um to um make sure that behavioral health funding um coming out of this this sales tax that was overwhelmingly voted in favor of would be coming from the city of Bellingham.
And that's what this that's what this is. $375,000 to get started here uh with this program. Um, we all sat up here uh a few years ago and talked to um Albuquerque um Portland and um um Denver and had them come into a Zoom room with us to um let us know what they were doing.
And I think those communities and our community were looking for um a response that was appropriate to behavioral health calls. That's really what this is. These are non um emergent, non-dangerous uh behavior health calls, but we need to send somebody to uh to these uh to these calls.
And I've ridden along with the alternate response team. They're incredible people. And it takes a certain kind of heart and a skill set to to be able to pull this off and reduces the 911 911 calls um in conjunction with the Grace program, the LEAD program, the uh mobile uh crisis outreach team.
And I'm very much supportive of continuing this. And then we had talked today about, you know, if we can expand this, let's try to figure out how we can can do this beyond the the the times that are that they're out there.
So, thanks. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed or abstensions? That passes 70. Next up, we had agenda bill 24589. It's an ordinance relating to equal protection and equal proi provision of city services regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression and creating a new chapter of the Bellingham Municipal Code regarding such matters.
At the June 9th, 2025 council meeting, Bellingham City Council members voted unanimously to approve a resolution that reaffirms the city's long-standing commitments to equity, human rights, public safety, and social justice, and opposing hate and discrimination.
This ordinance puts into action values affirmed in the June 9th resolution with a specific focus on supporting LGBTQ plus community members. The ordinance creates a new chapter of the Bellingham Municipal Code that codifies existing city policy practices and actions and affirms the rights of LGBTQ plus community members to equal protection and provision of services regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
We had a very lengthy conversation this afternoon. Um again, for those interested, um meetings.cub.org, uh is where you can see that video. And um I will summarize some of the conversation. Uh, Council Member Stone laid out a bit of a history of how we got here.
Um, including the the 2017 resolution, 2017 human rights resolution, um, affirming some some values that the the council wanted to uh, put on paper at the time. Um and then the uh the the recent resolution updating that um affirmation, extending that to something like eight pages.
Um giving us kind of a a somewhat of a history of of action that's been taken by the city um in regards to human rights issues in our past. um and a little snapshot of what what the current state of our values are.
Um and we have had uh let's see we noticed a gap in some other action taken in the past that there was no ordinance or chapter in code regarding sexual uh orientation, gender identity or gender expression whether there are um ordinances regarding some other some other related issues.
Um and we've also had a large outpouring from the community asking for such action to be taken. Um and so so this this ordinance draft ordinance that we are referring to in this agenda item is intended to focus on what actions the city can take rather than just a resolution stating values.
Um, and you know, and and Council Member Stone worked hard to to take all of that past information, take all of the information that we received from the community, look to other, uh, cities to see what they had done, um, and formalize that into something that we could, uh, have on paper to work as a draft to move on, um, from there.
So, appreciate that, Council Member Stone. Um the the council agreed that that this is just a draft at this point and definitely needs more community input um and conversation and um and and hopefully we can can walk together to the finish line on this one uh sooner than later.
But uh we will probably have an at the very least we will definitely have at the very least an update at the next council meeting regarding this ordinance. Um and I'll invite council members. Is there anything you'd like to add?
I just wanted to um highlight one distinction. And I know we've received a lot of feedback from members of the community since this draft was published and some of the correspondents referenced the 2017 ordinance.
And so that's why I'd given some history at the beginning of the discussion this afternoon. And so just wanting to confirm that ordinance 2017-02-00008 is an ordinance that was passed in 2017. So the first four numbers in the ordinance refer to the year when it was right passed.
Um and so that ordinance specifically spoke to um you know equal protection and provision of services for members of the immigrant community. And so that was passed in 2017. And as Council Member Huffman mentioned, um the work that we've done most recently was reviewing um again a resolution that speaks more broadly, right, to to safety and um and protections for the community and highlighting different right impacted and especially marginalized communities that have been um feeling targeted.
And then within that work identifying that there was sort of a gap of a formal you know codifying basically we may have had practices and procedures that the city was following to help um ensure you know safety and protection of members of the trans community as well as the broader LGBTQ plus community.
But those hadn't been formally codified in um in a formal ordinance or in our code. And so that was the first step. But wanting to confirm that, you know, having reviewed different drafts that were presented, some by members of the community, um, as well as, you know, presented, um, juris um, presented legislation from other jurisdictions in the state and in other states and all of the public testimony that we have received, which has been extremely, as I was saying earlier today, extremely compelling and and impactful.
um that as well as written correspondence that we've received taking that information and then in coordination with the administration and the legal department trying to come up with a working draft. And so this draft is sort of a compilation of right different things um being presented for consideration by this council as well as by members of the public.
So I don't want it to feel as though this is something that was right brought forward and wants to be rushed through. The idea is you know from the beginning was saying that you know we want this to be an ordinance that has you know things in it that are tangible and actually have you know meaning and impact in the lives of community members here and that it's not just you know something that we're looking to rubber stamp or check a box.
Um so this being brought forward with you know sort of a recommendation for vote to approve is not indicating that um yeah it was intended to be voted on you know immediately or swiftly without further impact or or feedback.
Um so just wanting to yeah to recognize that that work continues and we've since Wednesday when this was published you know have received um extensive feedback with recommended recommended you know changes or further considerations.
Um and so just wanting to know that you know all of that is being reviewed and that there can certainly be additional amendments made going forward. Um and although you know we may not end up agreeing on absolutely everything and maybe every point isn't incorporated I am hopeful that this work does not you know become something that sort of pits us against each other and that we can really take steps forward and make sure that even if it's not perfect and doesn't include everything that it's a step in the right direction and a commitment from the city to continue right to continue that work going forward.
So, I just want to express appreciation for everyone showing up and staying engaged engaged in this work. Thank you, Council Member Stone. Council member Loquist, I just wanted to draw the community's attention to the the main core of this proposal is section 040, which lists six broad areas that require the city to behave in certain ways to uh treat members of the community, this community fairly and justly.
Those are requirements of law now upon the city. It's inward directed the city because why? Because we can't overturn state and federal law which is why I appreciate part F which says that we shall actually take steps to advocate and lobby if there are efforts at the state and federal level which we can't overturn but we can certainly advocate and lobby on those issues.
Thank you. Council member Loquist. Any further discussion this one? Okay. And uh as mentioned, no action was taken, but uh to be continued and further input is always appreciated. Okay. And with that uh old and new, I think council, I would like to make a motion to get some WD40 on that hinge door.
Anybody can I get a second? Um, okay. How about a amen? Uh, next up. Oh, next up we had executive session. I don't have that report out. Just a minute here. Okay. First up, we had uh two potential property acquisitions with stamps.
Um wh we had we have action on both of them. So, first uh I will entertain a motion to authorize the mayor to close the real estate transaction described in the city's executed purchase and sale agreement with the property owners Mary and James Jansky with a purchase price of 730,000.
Closing is to occur on or around July 18th, 2025. Move approval. Second. Motion by Council Member Williams and a second by Council Member Anderson. Further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.
Any opposed or abstensions? That passes 70. Uh, next up we had a another potential property acquisition. I will now entertain a motion to authorize the mayor to close the real estate transaction described in the city's executed purchase and sale agreement with the property owner Skycomish Resources LLC with a purchase price of1 million $38,000 plus DFL compensating tax of approximately $35,000.
Closing is to occur on or around July 18th, 2025. Move approval. Second motion by Council Member Williams and a second by Council Member Anderson. Further discussion. Seeing none, Council Member Anderson.
I just want to make note that um sub substantial property acquisition during this evening session. Um our funds are coming from uh other areas of tax. So it's not general fund. It's not funds that we could spend towards anything else other than property acquisition in the Lake Walkan wershed.
and we still have plenty of funds uh to continue to move forward to protect uh the property, the land around our lake and our drinking water. So large money coming out, can't use it for anything else.
Still a sizable healthy fund to continue to purchase and protect land. Yes. Thank you, Council Member Anderson. And I did neglect to mention that these are uh watershed uh property acquisitions. So, Council Member Hamill.
Yeah, I just wanted to clarify a term. DFL means uh designated forest land. And so this is these are forested areas. And we we buy um um property in the wershed in the county, not just in the city, mostly in the county actually, pretty much almost every other week.
And so we we spend a lot of money that's used from what the what council member just said when it comes from that um that acquisition um fund. And so it's I think it's important. the drinking water supply for 110 115,000 people.
So, whenever you turn on your tap when you go home, uh it's going to come out clean water and that's because of the the work that we're trying to do up here. Okay. Thank you. Further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I.
I. Any opposed or abstensions? Passes 70. Uh next up, we had litigation matter. Lan versus Clay, City of Bellingham with Urban Chaplain. uh staff provided information on a litigation matter. I will now entertain a motion authorizing the mayor to execute it execute a negotiated settlement agreement with the plaintiffs in this matter.
The city will pay the plaintiffs $150,000 in exchange for a dismissal of their complaint with prejudice against all named defendants. So moved. Second. Motion by council member Liiloquist and a second by council member Williams.
Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed or abstensions? That passes 70. Next up, we had another potential litigation matter, claim number 2025-20 with Phillips. Staff provided information on a potential litigation matter.
I will now entertain a motion to authorize the mayor to enter into a settlement agreement with Kenny and Cara Wanga with the following terms. Resolution of claim number 2025-20 for the payment of $31,719.35 to the claimants for damages related to this claim.
So moved. Second. Motion by council member Anderson and a second by council member Ham Hamill. Further discussion. Council member Liiloquist. We flooded their basement. Had to pay for it. Yeah. Any further discussion?
Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. I any opposed extensions that passes 70. And then uh finally another potential litigation matter with Craham and Chaplain. Staff provided information on a potential litigation matter.
I will now entertain a motion authorizing the mayor to retain outside counsel to represent the city in litigation challenging federal grant conditions. Move approval. Second. Motion by council member Williams, second by council member Cotton.
Further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I I any opposed or abstensions? Passes 70. Right. Up next this afternoon we had planning committee that was shared by council memberquist. Thank you.
Uh the planning committee had two work sessions this afternoon. They were for discussion only. Uh the first one was a work session to continue discussion on the shift from neighborhood plans to citywide planning processes.
Uh, this move emphasizes a more equitable approach towards simpler, more transparent policies and regulations that are easier to understand and administer fairly and consistently in all areas of Bellingham.
This change is important for the successful implementation of state requirements and the city's vision for expanding opportunities for more housing supply and variety for house all households in our community.
Basically, 55 years ago, when you mimograph paper, we developed neighborhood plans for all our neighborhoods. Since then those documents have become harder and harder to keep up to date and also according to the staff's recommendation less important that we do so because now we have online you know real time information on just where all our utilities are.
We have documents on citywide planning for transportation, citywide planning for parks, citywide planning for all sorts of transportation amenities. Basically a neighborhood by neighborhood approach is not important as a basis for our planning process.
However, we did talk about how neighborhoods are still important. We still uh value neighborhood character and also the bottomup nature of ideas that come organically from our community through our neighborhoods or anywhere else.
So we are not moving away from the idea of neighborhoods but we are not using them as a basis for our land use planning anymore. That was for discussion only. Uh that change will be reflected in adoption at the end of this year of the citywide comprehensive plan.
The next item also has to do with that citywide plan. So every 10 years we rewrite a main document which controls basically all the planning aspects for the future for the next few years. That's called the comp plan.
Um right now we are dealing with at least 13 separate items we need to update and one of those has to do with uh our residential codes. So we had a work session to discuss changes to residential zoning citywide implementation of House Bill 1110.
This is a state law that requires a city to plan for um different types of housing in Bellingham for allowing multiple middle housing units on all residential lots will require changes to residential zoning in Bellingham.
Uh staff were here this afternoon to get feedback from the city council on potential approaches early in this process. I think it's not that early anymore. Uh to inform development of proposed updates to the Bailingham Municipal Code, Title 20, that's our land use chapter.
Um the work session we had today continue the one we started on May 5th. Um to uh simplify one of the main things we're doing is we have hundreds of residential zones. We're going to try to collapse those into three residential zone types low, medium, and high density.
And so that if there'll be low density zones all across the city rather than different zones all across the city they're low like so it's a way of consolidating them keeping uniformity and also a way to discuss ways that that um simplification of residential zoning can actually lead to more opportunities for housing as well.
The other discussion we changed is a very popular idea of changing our zoning to reallow smallcale residential uh res small scale commercial uses within residences. Basically, that coffee shop in the middle of your neighborhood right now isn't allowed in many places and we're reintroducing that idea because it's a good one and it should have been removed in the first place.
Again, that was just for discussion. Uh the actual the realization of these proposals will come later in the year. End of report. Thank you, Council Member Liquist. Uh consent agenda. Go ahead. Move to approve.
Second. Motion by Council Member Hamill and a second by Council Member Williams. Any further discussion? Seeing none, all in favor say I. I. Any opposed or abstensions? That passes 70. Final consideration of ordinances.
Agenda bill 24501, an ordinance of the city of Bellingham, Washington, relating to landlord tenant relations adopting a new chapter in title six of the Bellingham Municipal Code prohibiting landlords from charging tenants unfair or excessive fees in residential rental agreements and leases.
Move. Third and final. Second. Motion by council member Hamill. Second by council member Cotton. Roll call, please. Hannah Stone. Hi. Dan Hamill. Hi. Skip Williams. Hi. Lisa Anderson. Hi. Michael Luluquist.
Hi. Jace Cotton. Hi. Holly Huffman. Hi. All right. The motion motion passes 70. Next up, we have agenda bill 24502, an ordinance of the city of Bellingham, Washington, related to manufactured mobile home landlord tenant relations, adopting a new chapter in title six of the Bellingham Municipal Code prohibiting landlords from charging unfair or excessive fees in manufactured mobile home lot lease agreements.
With second motion by council member Hamill, second by council member Cotton. Roll call, please. Jay Cotton, Michael. Hi Lisa Anderson. Hi Skip Williams. Hi Dan Hamill. Hi Hannah Stone. Hi Holly Huffman.
I The motion passes 70. And last up [Music] agenda bill 24461 an ordinance relating to the vacation of the platted alley abuing lots 14 through 18 block 130 Fair Haven Land Company's second ad to Fair Haven Watcom County Washington.
Move. Third and final. Second. Motion by council member Lilloquist and a second by council member Hamill. Roll call, please. Hannah Stone. Hi. Dan Hamill. Hi. Skip Williams. Hi. Lisa Anderson. Hi. Michael Lillquist.
Hi. Jace Cotton. Hi. Holly Huffman. Hi. The motion passes 70. Okay. That concludes the regular business of the meeting and we will now move to the public comment session. If you are watching live online or on BTV, the broadcast will now end.
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