Silver Beach Neighborhood Rezone 

last updated 06/18/2024

Overview

Bellingham City Council held a public hearing on Monday, May 20, 2024. At the end of the hearing, City Council approved recommended changes to stormwater regulations in BMC 16.80 (recommended changes are described below).

In addition, a work session was held on June 3, 2024, to consider proposed changes to densities in the Silver Beach Neighborhood (recommendations described below). At the end of that session, City Council approved a low-density option for all of the multi-family areas in that neighborhood. As part of the approval, City Council added a provision that allows property owners exceed low-density and move up to the medium density maximum if they get approval of development agreements. The development agreements must include measures to enhance the water quality of Lake Whatcom.

Both sets of changes will take effect in early July.

This map of the Silver Beach Neighborhood shows zone designations for each area.

Density Recommendations

City staff proposes amendments to the Silver Beach Neighborhood zoning table (BMC 20.00.170) that would reduce the density ranges in three of the four multi-family zones from “high” to “medium” (in areas 8, 9 and 13). This essentially constitutes a rezone of these areas and is considered a “comprehensive plan amendment and rezone.” Staff is not recommending a change to density in area 18 which already has a medium density zoning designation and is fully built out with single family residences. 

Recommendations to Revise Stormwater Management Requirements (Water Quality Protections)

City staff is also proposing amendments to the Lake Whatcom Reservoir Regulatory Chapter (BMC 16.80) to establish specific rules for development of new units and redevelopment of existing multi-family units in areas 8, 9 and 13. The intent of the proposed amendments is to protect water quality in Lake Whatcom. 

Currently, the regulation of impervious surfaces that are associated with development of multi-family units is addressed on a case-by-case basis using the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The proposed amendments would require multi-family development and redevelopment to be at least as protective as those rules for development and redevelopment of single-family units within the watershed.  

The proposed amendments would require existing and new multi-family sites that add or replace more than 300 square feet of impervious surfaces to bring the entire site into full compliance with phosphorous reduction requirements, which means that:

  1. New stormwater management treatment facilities that reduce phosphorus would be required to be installed.
  2. A minimum of 30 percent of the subject property would have to be converted to a Pacific Northwest lowland forest.

Other minor, clarifying, non-substantive revisions to BMC 16.80 and BMC 20 would be necessary to facilitate the proposed amendments.

Employee Benefits

Learn more about Lake Whatcom protection measures.

Actions to Date

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The demand for additional housing units in the City has increased significantly in the last several years, and in July of 2023, the City Council declared a “housing crisis” in Bellingham.  
  • The amendments would provide opportunities to accommodate additional units while also requiring stormwater mechanisms to be implemented as development occurs, protecting the Lake Whatcom’s water quality. 
  • The proposed amendments to density ranges provide opportunity for additional housing units in the Lake Whatcom watershed that can be adequately served by existing infrastructure. The areas are close to transportation alternatives and substantial park and open space amenities, which has the potential to reduce vehicle trips. 
  • If amendments are adopted, the City would be able to apply proposed stormwater rules to existing units that are redeveloped and to the development of new units in any of the multi-family zones. This could significantly reduce ongoing site-specific phosphorous loading to Lake Whatcom from multi-family areas.  
  • Reducing ongoing phosphorous loading into Lake Whatcom moves the City closer to achieving its reduction targets.  
  • Via implementation of the Lake Whatcom Management Program and application of stormwater management requirements for single family development, the City has mitigated approximately 87 percent of the 423 acres needed to achieve reduction targets. 
  • If we can address and reduce phosphorous loading by applying the proposed rules for development and redevelopment, the City can direct resources and efforts to other protection and treatment mechanisms to support phosphorus reduction targets for Lake Whatcom. 
  • The proposed changes are consistent with the intended direction of the 2025 comprehensive plan, which calls for providing additional housing units and protecting the environment.      
  • These legislative actions are consistent with the Growth Management Act, which requires local governments to achieve balance among the 14 goals, including providing additional housing inventory and environmental protection.  
  • The proposed amendments are consistent with the criteria for neighborhood and comprehensive plan amendments in BMC 20.20.040 and criteria for rezones in BMC 20.19.030. 

Staff believe the medium density designation will provide the opportunity for additional housing units throughout the three existing high-density zones when those properties develop or redevelop in the future. Reducing the density from high to medium limits the potential impacts of development in the Lake Whatcom watershed.   

Assigning a low-density designation in the multi-family zones caps many of the existing parcels at their current unit count. The low-density designation would limit development in the Lake Whatcom watershed. However, it may not provide a significant enough opportunity for future units, and would not necessarily result in less impervious surface compared with medium density. The potential unit count difference between low and medium density throughout all multi-family zones is approximately 215 units.  

In addition, the low-density option may not support the appropriate balance between providing units and the cost to develop them. These costs can include but are not limited to traffic, stormwater, school and park impact fees as well as installing the required stormwater facility infrastructure that is expected to reduce ongoing phosphorous loading and continue to improve water quality in Lake Whatcom. 

Employee Benefits

Project Contact

Steve Sundin, Senior Planner: ssundin@cob.org or (360) 778-8359

Participating Departments

Affected Neighborhoods

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