On August 24, Bellingham City Council approved a resolution to adjust Bellingham’s land use permit fees for the first time in nearly 20 years. The fees will increase on October 1, 2026.
These fees haven’t been updated since 2007, are well below Washington’s average for similar permit types and don’t come close to covering the costs associated with supporting the staff who review applications and work with applicants.
Most of Bellingham’s other permit fees also haven’t changed since 2007. An assessment is needed to determine whether and by how much they should be adjusted – the plan is to use the additional revenue from land use permit fees to pay for that assessment. The study will help us adjust fees in ways that allow the Permit Center to continue providing the essential services that support Bellingham’s housing and development needs and meet state permitting timeline requirements, without disrupting that development.
“That’s the goal— to find that sweet spot of being able to provide a high level of service without hindering priority development, in particular housing,” Planning and Community Development Director Blake Lyon said.
