Bellingham City Council

Action Taken at June 3, 2024 Meeting

Shall the council:

105. Authorize the mayor to spend $2,190,000 to purchase four state Department of Natural Resources properties located within the city limits and north of the Mt. Baker Highway? (Discussed in Executive Session.) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.

106. Authorize the mayor to sign a three-year agreement for not over $1,116,211 with Western Washington University for the Lake Whatcom water quality monitoring program? Maximun payable in 2025: $388,788; in 2026: $356,498 and 2027: $370,925. Beginning in the 1980s, a Lake Whatcom monitoring program was initiated to measure and track long-term data. Over the years, this program has expanded to include the testing and monitoring of waterways that feed Lake Whatcom. The monitoring is performed by the Institute for Watershed Studies and funded by the city. For the last 20 years, April Markiewicz has written an annual article for Whatcom Watch on the results of the report. (AB24143) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.

107. Appropriate $5,068,010 for payroll checks issued from May 1, 2024 through May 15, 2024? (AB24144) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.

108. Appropriate $6,425,919 for goods and services checks issued from May 10 to May 23, 2024? (AB24145/24146) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.

109. Extend the exemption for “Base Camp” from state building code requirements? The Lighthouse Mission Ministries temporary shelter is located at 1522–1530 Cornwall Avenue and provides daily services and overnight shelter for up to 200 people, along with amenities including bathrooms, showers, laundry, drinking water, food, garbage and recycling containers, and human and social services. At the 6/16/2020 special meeting, vote #91, the facility was initially exempted from state building requirements. This vote extends the sublease until until 11/17/2024 when construction of the new Lighthouse Mission facility on the corner of Holly and F Street is expected to be complete. Staff determined that all applicable criteria established in state law have been met. AB24140 (Resolution 2024-09) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.

110. Declare an opioid and synthetic drug crisis in Bellingham and recognize that addressing the crisis is one of the highest priorities for the city? The use of opioids and synthetic drugs, most notably fentanyl, continues spreading throughout our community, and we have experienced a significant increase in overdoses and overdose fatalities every year in Whatcom County since 2018. Bellingham Fire/EMS responded to 898 overdose-related incidents in 2023 compared to 537 in 2022: a 67 percent increase. The city will work with governmental and other community partners to address interdiction, prevention, treatment and aftercare/recovery needs of our community. AB24141 (Resolution 2024-10) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.

111. Amend the stormwater management requirements for multifamily zones in the Silver Beach neighborhood? (Public hearing held at May 20 meeting.) These amendments to multifamily areas 8, 9, and 13 in the Silver Beach neighborhood include a “retroactive” element whereby any action in these multifamily areas that results in 300 square feet, or more, of new and/or replaced impervious surface would require that the subject property be brought into compliance with the same standards that currently apply to single- family properties resulting in additional phosphorus reduction. This would entail establishing a Pacific Northwest lowland forest on approximately 30 percent of the subject property and installing engineered methods to reduce the amount of phosphorus leaving the subject site. None of the multifamily properties in subareas 8, 9 and 13 have any stormwater management or treatment facilities on them. AB24118 (Ordinance 2024-06-018) Approved 6-0, Hollie Huthman excused.

______________

Action Taken at June 17, 2024 Meeting

Shall the council:

112. Approve the mayor’s appointment of Jamin Agosti to a partial term on the Transportation Commission? The Transportation Commission is expected to help shape the future of Bellingham by taking a long-range, strategic look at transportation issues and providing recommendations on policy choices and investment priorities. Jamin Agosti is a bike and public transportation advocate, attorney, and board member of Walk and Roll Bellingham. He has a B.A. from WWU and a J.D. from Georgetown. His partial term will expire on 3/13/2026 at which time he may be reappointed. (AB24151) Approved 7-0

113. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $16,874,555 to Ram Construction of Bellingham for the Meridian sewer main project? The engineer’s estimate was $10,247,088. The project will install approximately 17,000 feet of sanitary sewer pipe along Meridian Street from approximately 300 feet north of the Birchwood Avenue intersection northerly to approximately 800 feet north of the Van Wyck Road intersection. The project will relocate sewers in conflict with fish passage and accommodate future growth. The low bid exceeds the engineer’s estimate in large part due to night work that will minimize traffic disruptions and costly materials and construction methods required by the state. Construction is expected to begin in late summer/fall 2024 and be completed by the end of 2025. Three bids were received — the high bid was $26,681,772. (AB24155) Approved 7-0

114. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $468,700 to CAMAO Construction of Lynden to reroof and install solar panels at Fire Station #2? The engineer’s estimate was $981,000. Fire Station #2 (1590 Harris Avenue) currently has an asphalt shingle roof which is 40 years old, original to the building and in need of replacement. The building’s location and geographical position provides an ideal location for the installation of solar panels, offsetting the operational cost of running the facility and supporting the city’s Climate Action Plan. The new roof will be standing seam metal which is the preferred material when installing solar panels. The solar installation is anticipated to offset 100 percent of the building’s electrical costs. Five bids were received — the high bid was $768,450. (AB24157) Approved 7-0

115. Authorize the mayor to award the low bid of $1,822,003 to Hytech Roofing of Lynden to reroof the Post Point treatment facility? The engineer’s estimate was $1,500,000. The roofs on six buildings have been maintained, repaired and patched since the buildings were erected in 1971. All are well over their life expectancy and leaks are occurring throughout the facility. The reroof projects were split into two groups to accommodate site logistics and maintain 24/7 operation during construction. A portion of this work also includes an upgrade to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system supporting the laboratory and front operations room as well as some new lighting and repair of the ceiling grid. Three bids were received — the high bid was $2,140,760. (AB24158) Approved 7-0

116. Appropriate $11,106,324 for goods and services checks issued from May 24, 2024 through June 6, 2024? (AB24164/24165) Approved 7-0

117. Appropriate $5,525,185 for payroll checks issued from May 16 to May 31, 2024? (AB24166) Approved 7-0

118. Authorize the mayor to sign an agreement with the Bellingham School District for recreational services? The school district will provide recreational sport camps for children of all ages during school breaks. It will also provide staffing and facilities for the camps, select and maintain camps and pay for camp coaches and operations. The city will provide marketing, registration, participant coordination. administer and advertise registration processes and pay for equipment. (AB24167) Approved 7-0

119. Adopt the annual six-year (2025-2030) transportation improvement program? (Public hearing held at June 3 meeting.)  State law requires cities to update their six-year transportation program by July 1 of each year. The program provides a list of capital improvement projects and establishes the city’s eligibility for state and federal funds. Projects funded include construction of new facilities for people walking and biking, enhancement of transit use, repair and resurfacing of streets and sidewalks, replacement bridges, making roadways safer and more convenient for everyone, and the facilitation of movement of freight. AB24159 (Resolution 2024-12) Approved 7-0

120. Decare a public emergency to expedite Electric Avenue bridge repairs? During a special inspection of the Electric Avenue bridge on 6/3/2024, it was discovered that multiple structural elements had substantially degraded resulting in classification to “Critical Failure” level. This classification of these failures required immediate closure of the bridge. Staff immediately initiated procurement of materials, equipment, and contracts to respond to the emergent need to temporarily repair the bridge and restore basic functionality. Emergency repair costs are estimated at $100,00 and engineering costs at $50,000. AB24162 (Resolution 2024-13) Approved 7-0

121. Authorize the relinquishment of a surplus utility easement located at 819 14th Street? (Public Hearing held.) On 4/20/1953, the City of Bellingham vacated a portion of Taylor Avenue right-of-way between 10th and 29th street. The city retained an easement for potential future public utility needs within the vacated street segment. The owner has plans to improve the site but needs the added area encumbered by the city’s retained utility easement to properly complete the design and meet current regulations. Public Works has no need or plans to place public utilities in the retained utility easement area. AB24149 (Resolution 2024-14) Approved 7-0

122. Allow an increase in height on certain properties within the Fairhaven Urban Village? (Public hearing held at June 3 meeting.) At the 8/13/2012 meeting, vote #174, height standards were established when the Fairhaven Neighborhood and Urban Village plan was adopted. This proposed amendment would increase the maximum allowable height for the property generally located at the northwest corner of Mill Avenue and 11th Street, commonly referred to as “The Pit.” This amendment also authorizes the mayor to enter into a development agreement with Dominion Sustainable Development Corporation for a mixed-use project. It raises the allowed height of the pit properties to 48’ and the 35’ limit remaining on the properties to the north and allow height to be measured through height definition #2 as defined in BMC 20.08.020. AB24136 (Ordinance #2024-06-019) Approved 6-0-1, Michael Lilliquist recused.

123. Amend the Comprehensive Plan, the Silver Beach Neighborhood Plan, and rezone multifamily areas 8, 9, and 13 in the Silver Beach neighborhood from high density to low density? (Public hearing held at May 20 meeting.) Areas zoned “high-density”do not have a specified limit to the number of residential units that can be developed. At the 7/11/2022 meeting, vote #126, the City Council adopted an emergency ordinance that imposed a 12-month moratorium on the acceptance or processing of applications to redevelop existing or develop new residential multifamily housing in the Silver Beach neighborhood. It was extended at the 6/26/2023 meeting, vote #126, and the 12/4/2023 meeting, vote #250. On 11/ 23/2023, the council directed staff to analyze the potential outcomes if these multifamily areas were downzoned to medium- and/or low density ranges. City staff recommended the medium-density range for all three subareas. A motion passed to amend the ordinance to include in Section 4, “The total unit count may be increased beyond the low-density maximum up to the medium-density maximum subject to adoption of a development agreement that provides additional public benefit beyond what is required under development regulations, including enhanced protection of water quality.” AB24117 (Ordinance 2024-06-020) Amended and approved 7-0

Bookmark the permalink.