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Real Briefings

Whatcom County Planning Commission

WHA-PLN-2026-04-23 April 23, 2026 Planning Commission Meeting Whatcom County
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The Whatcom County Planning Commission held a comprehensive review of proposed zoning map amendments affecting nine jurisdictional areas, including multiple Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) and Limited Areas of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRDs). The meeting featured extensive public testimony, particularly from Birch Bay residents advocating for reconsideration of UGA boundaries and zoning decisions. New commissioner Jeremy Thompson was introduced as a sixth-generation Whatcom County resident returning from military service. The commission faced procedural challenges due to the absence of two members, requiring five votes for zoning amendments but only having seven present. This led to failed motions on the contentious Bellingham UGA proposals, particularly areas involving Lake Whatcom watershed down-zoning. The meeting highlighted ongoing tensions between environmental protection and development rights, especially regarding the proposed conversion of urban residential areas in Geneva and Hillsdale to rural designations. Birch Bay generated the most public engagement, with multiple community representatives requesting reconsideration of UGA boundaries and challenging the adequacy of public outreach. The Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee submitted formal recommendations that had not been incorporated into staff proposals. The commission ultimately passed a motion supporting the committee's letter and recommending county council reconsider Birch Bay UGA boundaries and land capacity analysis. The meeting demonstrated the complexity of implementing the Growth Management Act while balancing competing interests of environmental protection, property rights, and community development needs. Several areas advanced with minimal controversy, while others exposed fundamental disagreements about planning priorities and public engagement processes.

**Bellingham UGA (Exhibit 1):** Failed to reach consensus. Commissioner Brown's motion to approve all areas except 6 and 7 (pending Charter Section 9.7 analysis and landowner notification) failed 2-4-1. Commissioner Hanson's motion to approve as proposed also failed 4-2-1. No recommendation forwarded to County Council. **Everson UGA (Exhibit 2):** Approved unanimously 7-0. Rezoning Study Area 3 (20 acres) from R5A to UR4 as part of UGA expansion. **Nooksack UGA (Exhibit 3):** Approved unanimously 7-0. Rezoning Study Area 4 (20 acres) from R5A to UR4 for residential infill near elementary school. **Cherry Point UGA (Exhibit 4):** Approved unanimously 7-0. Rezoning 385 acres from LII to R10A due t…

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The most contentious discussion centered on Bellingham's Lake Whatcom watershed areas (Geneva and Hillsdale), totaling 867 acres proposed for down-zoning from urban residential to R5A. Commissioner Brown argued this violated new Charter Section 9.7 requirements for economic impact analysis and landowner notification. City of Bellingham planner Chris Feehy explained the down-zoning maintained the same effective density (one unit per five acres due to watershed restrictions) while removing UGA designation because residents expressed no interest in annexation. Birch Bay dominated public testimony with concerns about inadequate public engagement and flawed land capacity analysis. Community representatives argued the Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee, established by County Council, had made specific recommendations that were ignored. Property owners described a "donut hole" si…
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**Bill Fraven (Birchwood Neighborhood Association):** Requested ABC parcel on Marine Drive be rezoned from HII to LII. Opposed converting 600+ acres north of airport from LII to rural residential, arguing county needs more industrial land. **Sarah Gardner (Birchwood Neighborhood Association President):** Detailed Heavy Impact Industrial buffer violations, citing specific code requirements for 660-foot setbacks. Criticized lack of enforcement of odor and fume regulations against businesses like Bell Lumber. **Julie Carney (Property Owner, 4610 Lincoln Road):** Requested inclusion in Birch Bay UGA for affordable housing development, expressing disappointment at being placed in UGA Reserve instead. **Bill Guyer (Guyer Associates, representing Carney):** Detailed procedural concerns about county staff treatment of client's applications, including $44,300 settlement for Public Disclosure Act violations. Only property owner pledging 100% affordable housing…
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**Commissioner Brown, on Charter Section 9.7:** "9.7 requires the analysis before amending any land use or construction section of the county code. So the analysis has to come first, not afterwards." **Commissioner Brown, on credible analysis:** "There's nothing in the language that says it's up to the executive or the staff to decide what's credible. I would argue that when you say, you know, the language says that could affect, you know, the land supply or costs, It's not, Hey, if we do thi…
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County Council will review Planning Commission recommendations on Tuesday. Final comprehensive plan adoption timeline: May 26th ordinance introduction, June 9th final public hearing and action. May 14th Planning Commission meeting will address housing code amendments and equity provisions checklist deferred from tonight. Birch Bay UGA boundaries and land capacity analysis may receive county cou…

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Following this meeting, six of nine zoning amendment exhibits received Planning Commission recommendations for county council approval. Bellingham UGA remains without recommendation due to failed motions, particularly regarding Lake Whatcom watershed down-zoning controversy. Birch Bay gained formal Planning Commission support for community advisory committee recommendations and request for UGA boundary reconsideration. This represents new information for county c…
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# The Birch Bay Uprising: Whatcom County's Contentious Zoning Night ## Meeting Overview On the warm April evening of April 23, 2026, the Whatcom County Planning Commission convened in hybrid format to tackle what would prove to be one of their most contentious meetings of the year. Chair Daniel Dunn presided over a seven-member commission, with only two commissioners absent. The primary agenda item—city UGA and county zoning map amendments—seemed routine on paper, but the packed public comment period and heated deliberations that followed revealed deep fractures in how Whatcom County approaches growth, development, and community voice. The meeting began with typical procedural business, including the introduction of new commissioner Jeremy Thompson, a sixth-generation Whatcom County resident recently returned from 32 years of Marine Corps service. But it was the chorus of voices from Birch Bay that would dominate the evening, challenging not just specific zoning proposals but the very process by which unincorporated communities participate in planning decisions that shape their futures. What unfolded was a three-and-a-half-hour marathon that exposed tensions between state requirements and local preferences, between development pressure and environmental protection, and between established procedures and community demands for meaningful participation. The commission would ultimately approve most zoning amendments while deadlocking on others, but perhaps more significantly, they would vote to formally support community recommendations that had been overlooked during the comprehensive plan process. ## The Geneva-Hillsdale Controversy The most heated debate of the evening centered on two seemingly quiet residential areas: Geneva and Hillsdale, neighborhoods nestled around Lake Whatcom that house nearly 800 families. The city of Bellingham had proposed removing these areas from their Urban Growth Area (UGA) and downzoning them from Urban Residential to Rural-5A, ostensibly to protect the municipal water supply in Lake Whatcom. Commissioner Rud Browne emerged as the fiercest critic of this proposal, not necessarily opposing the environmental logic but challenging the process. "My understanding is that a change to non-conforming status will affect the ability to finance a property," Browne argued, referencing the county's new Charter Sec…
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### Meeting Overview The Whatcom County Planning Commission met on April 23, 2026, to review proposed zoning map amendments for various Urban Growth Areas (UGAs) and Limited Areas of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRDs) across the county. The main focus was on aligning zoning designations with comprehensive plan recommendations made earlier in the year. ### Key Terms and Concepts **UGA (Urban Growth Area):** Areas designated for future urban development that cities can eventually annex and provide with urban services like water and sewer. **UGAR (Urban Growth Area Reserve):** Areas held for potential future inclusion in UGAs, typically limited to one dwelling unit per 10 acres until upgraded. **LAMIRD (Limited Area of More Intensive Rural Development):** Existing rural communities grandfathered under the Growth Management Act that allow higher densities than typical rural areas. **Charter Section 9.7:** A voter-approved county charter amendment requiring credible analysis of how land use changes affect construction costs and land supply. **Zoning Map Amendment:** Changes to official county zoning maps that must align with comprehensive plan designations. **R10A, R5A, UR4, URM6:** Zoning codes indicating allowed density - R10A allows one dwelling per 10 acres, R5A allows one per 5 acres, UR4 allows 4 units per acre, URM6 allows 6 units per acre. **LII (Light Impact Industrial):** Zoning for industrial uses with minimal impacts on surrounding areas. **Nonconforming use:** An existing use that was legal when established but no longer complies with current zoning, typically "grandfathered" in. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Matt Berry | Planning Commission Chair | | Maddie Schacht | Senior Planner, Whatcom County PDS | | Matt Aamot | Planner, Whatcom County PDS | | Mark Personius | Director, Planning and Development Services | | Chris Feehy | Planner, City of Bellingham | | Jeremy Thompson | New Planning Commissioner | | Rud Browne | Planning Commissioner | | Bill Fraven | Birchwood Neighborhood Association resident | | Julie Carney | Property owner, Lincoln Road | | Doralee Booth | Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee | ### Background Context …
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Land Use & Planning Housing Environmental Government Operations Jeremy Thompson Matt Berry Rud Brown Daniel Dunn Jim Hanson Dominic Mosseri Scott Van Dalen Mark Personius Maddie Schacht Bill Fraven Sarah Gardner Julie Carney Bill Guyer Brian Gastineau Duane Engelsman Dave Wilbrecht Perry Eskridge Doralee Booth Birchwood Neighborhood Association Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee Guyer Associates Whatcom County Association Of Realtors Building Industry Association Whatcom County Zoning Urban Growth Areas Growth Management Act Lake Whatcom Watershed Birch Bay Charter Amendment Construction Costs Affordable Housing