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In 2009, Bellingham adopted an infill housing toolkit to make it easier to develop middle housing in Bellingham, while establishing design standards that help them architecturally blend into existing neighborhoods. Since 2009, amendments to the toolkit have been adopted that expand where it is allowed, refine standards in response to user feedback, and streamline the review process for small-scale projects.
What is the Infill Toolkit?
The Infill Housing Toolkit (BMC 20.28) allows eight traditional housing forms that use a limited amount of space. These forms are also referred to as middle housing and include small homes that provide low-impact housing options. Their flexible design and smaller size makes them suitable for a variety of households, from graduates to aging parents. Infill housing is one of the best ways to make use of the City’s remaining residential land. By focusing on vacant and underused land, infill development helps implement the City’s goals and policies related to housing options, efficient land use and climate change.
The toolkit includes these eight housing forms:
- Small lot detached single-family houses
- Cottages
- Duplexes
- Triplexes
- Fourplexes
- Shared courtyard housing
- Garden courtyard housing
- Townhouses
Helpful Resources
Learn more about the Infill Housing Toolkit and neighborhood zoning with these helpful resources:
Contact Us
Have questions or need help getting started? Contact the Planning and Community Development Department at planning@cob.org or 360-778-8300.
