We are excited to introduce our new Building Official, Kim Barker. Kim took over for retired Building Official Sean Angeley on August 3, 2026.
While Kim is new to this role, she is not new to our Planning and Community Development team. Kim has over a decade of experience in the department, having started as an intern here and eventually serving as a Plans Examiner, a position she held until 2022. After that, she had a several year stint as a Plans Examiner and Building Official for King County.
“I’m honored to step into the role of Building Official for the City of Bellingham,” Kim said. “As someone who grew and developed professionally here, from my start as a stormwater intern conducting erosion control inspections, to my years as a permit technician and later a plans examiner, this community has shaped me both personally and professionally. After spending the last four years with King County Permitting, I’m excited to return home. I am proud to be selected as Bellingham’s first female Building Official. I am looking forward to collaborating with our development community to find practical, common-sense solutions that support safe, thoughtful growth and address our community’s most pressing needs.”
In all, Kim has more than 20 years of municipal permitting experience. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and economics from Western Washington University and a certificate in low impact development from the University of Washington, in addition to many International Code Council certifications.
Bellingham’s Building Official is responsible for making sure construction is carried out safely and in compliance with building codes for the wellbeing of our current and future community members. A big part of the job is applying codes conscientiously and consistently, so builders and developers experience fairness, transparency, and predictability throughout the permitting and inspection process. In this role, Kim will help people understand why codes exist, how they apply to their projects, and how we can meet both an applicant’s goals and the community’s self-identified, long-term needs.
“Kim has a solid understanding and commitment to the responsibility that comes with this position,” Planning and Community Development Director, Blake Lyon, said. “Kim also has an appreciation for the fact that people are at the heart of this community, whether that is a builder, a resident, a business owner, or a staff member. She understands that a sense of place matters, and that our community values the importance of being stewards of the natural environment while helping to shape the built environment. We are excited to welcome Kim back into the organization, happy to have her as part of the team, and eager to see how she helps us grow in new and dynamic ways.”
Kim can be reached at ksbarker@cob.org.
