Planning Commission

# A Technical Deep Dive into Bellingham's Housing Revolution On a pleasant April evening, with sunshine streaming through the windows of City Hall's Council Chambers, the Bellingham Planning Commission convened for what would prove to be an illuminating examination of one of the most significant housing policy transformations in the city's recent history. The April 16, 2026 meeting, called to order by Chair Jed Ballew, was designed as an informational briefing—a chance for commissioners to dive deep into the implementation of state-mandated housing reforms that had reshaped development patterns across Bellingham over the past year. The meeting's purpose was straightforward yet crucial: to understand how interim ordinances addressing middle housing, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and design review had been working in practice. These weren't abstract policy discussions but real-world examinations of how state legislation had translated into new homes, changed neighborhoods, and created both opportunities and challenges for a city grappling with a housing crisis. With six commissioners present (Jerry Richmond was excused) and no members of the public in attendance, the stage was set for an in-depth technical conversation among the city's planning experts and the volunteer commissioners who help guide Bellingham's growth. ## The Genesis of Change: State Mandates and Local Response Blake Lyon, Director of Planning and Community Development, took the lead in walking commissioners through what he characterized as a "cluster" of interrelated housing reforms. Joining him were key staff members who had been instrumental in crafting and implementing the new regulations: Kurt Nabfeld (Development Services Manager), Chris Cook (Planner II), and Lindsay Kushner (Planner II). These were the subject matter experts who had done the heavy lifting of translating state requirements into workable local code. Lyon began by setting the context—the 2023 legislative session that fundamentally altered how Washington cities must approach housing development. "You may recall in the 2023 legislative session, the state adopted House Bill 1337," Lyon explained, launching into what would be a comprehensive overview of how federal and state housing pressures had cascaded down to local jurisdictions. House Bill 1337 revolutionized accessory dwelling unit regulations. Where once Bellingham allowed only one ADU per lot, the new law required allowing two. The changes went far beyond …