United We Stand: MLK Celebrations
Every January the City comes together with others to plan a day of reflection and service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Please join us at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 at Bellingham High School for a free community event that includes breakfast, a panel presentation, performances, local and community vendors, art, food, and more! Starting at noon, you can participate in one of many community service projects, including the City-led, annual volunteer work party. Find all the details – plus links to more community events – on the MLK Day event page.
Advocating for Bellingham at the state level
Making progress on community priorities often means we need resources and policy tools from the state level. From funding capital improvements to creating more policy options for affordable housing – and so much more – it’s critical that state decision makers understand local needs. In 2025, we are eager to advocate for policy direction and funding that benefits our community, and with our lobbying priorities, we are looking forward to increasing City participation and representation in the Washington state legislative process. Earlier this week, Mayor Kim Lund and her team presented to the Bellingham City Council a 2025 legislative agenda that establishes key priorities to pursue and monitor during the 2025 legislative session, which begins next week. Visit our State Government Relations page to see our 2025 legislative agenda and watch the presentation at the Jan. 6 Council meeting.
Public comment returns at City Council meetings
Bellingham City Council will reinstate in-person public comment periods this month, beginning with the evening Council meeting on Monday, Jan. 13. As the public comment period resumes, we are piloting new security measures to enhance public safety at Council meetings. In case you missed it, catch the details in the news we shared earlier this week and learn more about what to expect when you attend evening Council meetings.
Speaking of public comment, you can weigh in on parking rules
Should we prioritize housing over car parking? That question will be at the center of a public hearing on Jan. 13 for an interim ordinance that would eliminate rules that affect how much land is used for parking cars in Bellingham. After the public hearing, City Council will decide whether to approve the interim ordinance. If approved, property owners and developers would be able to right-size the amount of parking they provide based on anticipated demand, rather than City mandates, which have led to an overabundance of parking in some areas of the city. Bellingham’s parking requirements often limit the number of housing units that can be built on a site because a certain number of parking spaces have to be created for each unit. If enough parking can’t be built, then the housing can’t be built. That’s why Mayor Kim Lund’s executive order addressing the urgent need for housing in Bellingham calls for consideration of this ordinance. Get details for the public hearing at cob.org/meetings. Learn more about parking reforms at cob.org/parking-reforms.
Moving Downtown Forward
Several public safety priorities from Mayor Lund’s Downtown Forward plan converged this week, with changes for security and safety downtown.
Downtown bike patrols return
Bellingham Police Department’s (BPD) dedicated downtown bike patrol unit is back in action as of Tuesday, Jan. 7. Their primary area of responsibility is the downtown core, covering all the way to Waypoint Park, Maritime Heritage Park, and just past the Lighthouse Mission. You will see the five-person team riding in pairs during their patrol shifts. They are dedicated to improving the health and safety of downtown by handling quality of life calls, providing information on available services, getting to know the business owners and employees downtown, and working to reduce drug-related crimes. When riding bikes, officers are much more accessible to members of the community, allowing them to develop long-lasting relationships with those who work, live, and frequent downtown.
Other downtown security changes
With the return of the bike unit, we’ve made changes to private security services downtown, too. This week, we increased nighttime patrols in both the Commercial Street Parking Garage and the Railroad Parking Garage. Security personnel will patrol both garages seven days a week.
BPD partners in arrests of fentanyl dealers
Also this week, BPD officers from the downtown bike unit and patrol units helped the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Gang and Drug Task Force arrest 11 street-level drug dealers in the downtown business district, with more arrests pending. The task force, which includes BPD officers, conducted a two-month long investigation during which undercover detectives purchased drugs from dealers.
Improving public spaces
Heads up, Meridian drivers! We’ll be doing some daytime temporary paving work on Meridian around Orchard Drive next week as we continue work on the Meridian Sewer Replacement project. Expect to see some lane closures and temporary delays in the area. Crews will be back to grind and overlay the road at a later date. Please pay close attention to construction signs as you navigate the shifting lane conditions.
