Residents will have multiple opportunities this month to review and comment on proposed redevelopment plans for Bellingham’s waterfront.
The Bellingham Planning and Development Commission is beginning its review of draft regulatory documents and plans for redeveloping the area, known as The Waterfront District.
Officials will give a presentation of the current plan at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 14, in the Bellingham City Council Chambers at 210 Lottie St. The presentation will also be aired live on BTV10, as well as rebroadcast there and posted on the city’s website.
There are also two public hearings scheduled: one at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, and the other at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 28, in Council Chambers. Those meetings will also be filmed and posted on the city’s website.
The documents and plans under review, which are available online, describe the desired course of action to redevelop 237 acres of waterfront property acquired by the Port of Bellingham in 2005. The site was once home to a Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mill.
Public comments can be sent to planningcommission@cob.org or mailed to Planning Commission, c/o Planning and Community Development Department, City of Bellingham, 210 Lottie St., Bellingham, WA 98225.
In addition to the Draft Subarea Plan and Development Regulations being reviewed by the Planning Commission, the full package of documents that ultimately will be considered by the City Council and Port Commission includes proposed implementation agreements between the Port and City, describing commitments and timing for future investments in the site.
Since they were completed and made public last December, specific elements of the draft agreements have been reviewed by the Bellingham Transportation Commission, Historic Preservation Commission, the Parks Board and Waterfront Advisory Group. Comments and recommendations from these City advisory groups also are available on the city’s website.
Once the Planning Commission has made its recommendations to the City Council, the agreements will be considered for final action by the City Council and the Port of Bellingham Commission.
For more information, contact the city of Bellingham, Planning and Community Development Department, at 360-778-8300.
