At the Bellingham City Council meeting on Monday, August 29, 2022, City Council members approved the purchase of two properties near Lake Whatcom totaling 3.2 acres. These properties are part of the Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation program, which acquires properties to preserve the natural landscape that helps filter rainwater and keep pollutants out of the City’s drinking water source.
The two new properties are referred to as the Templin property, located off Lake Louise Road, and the Drake property, located off Lake Whatcom Boulevard. Together they total 3.2 acres and assure that five previously developable units in the watershed will be protected in perpetuity.
The City also recently acquired over 130 acres of commercial forestry property and several smaller properties, bringing the total acres acquired in 2022 to 135 acres and the total lands protected by the acquisition program to more than 2,500 acres.
“So far 2022 has been a fruitful year for acquiring new properties,” said Public Works Director Eric Johnston. “These newest acquisitions add to all the past and future efforts to ensure that this drinking water source will continue to sustain our community for many more generations.”
The Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation Program is funded through the Lake Whatcom Watershed portion of utility bills. The program protects the lake through land purchase, conservation easements, and habitat restoration in the Lake Whatcom watershed.
Since 2001, the program has:
- Prevented development of 830 residential units
- Removed more than 28,000 square feet of impervious surfaces like buildings and roads
- Planted more than 40,000 native plants
- Invested more than $35.5 million in land and conservation easement purchases to protect our invaluable drinking water supply
Learn more about the Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation program, including an interactive map that provides details on the protected properties.
