Barkley Urban Village and Planned Action Adoption
Barkley Village is a 259-acre area owned primarily by Talbot Real Estate LLC. Since the late 1980s, it has developed as a mixed-use area under Commercial and Industrial zoning designations. In conjunction with Talbot Real Estate LLC, the city of Bellingham is undertaking a public process to create an Urban Village Plan, including development regulations and environmental mitigation, to help guide the future development of this area.
Map of proposed Barkley Urban Village
Public Participation Opportunity
General Information
The Barkley area is identified in the City’s 2016 Comprehensive Plan as an urban village. However, the area is currently regulated under 10 different Planned Development contracts and does not have an officially adopted urban village plan or zoning. The current zoning and regulations have resulted in a complex regulatory environment that does not accurately reflect the urban village vision for the district or support nimble redevelopment to meet the City’s infill goals.
The City and Talbot Real Estate LLC are currently working through a process to adopt an urban village plan and associated development regulations for the Barkley area in a format consistent with the City’s other urban village plans and regulations. Talbot Real Estate, LLC, has used the One Planet Living framework to guide the direction of future development, minimize environmental impacts, and create a sustainable, compact urban village with transportation choices, public services, and amenities like open space and parks. The Barkley Urban Village Plan will reflect these goals and provide a transparent vision for future growth while allowing for a more efficient review and approval process for individual projects under the plan.
A planned action is a process for the review and approval of a proposal to develop a specific geographic area. A planned action provides a more detailed environmental analysis upfront, during the area-wide planning stage, rather than during the review of individual projects. Designating a planned action streamlines environmental review. Talbot Real Estate, LLC is seeking a Planned Action Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Ordinance under the State Environmental Policy Act (RCW 43.21C.440) to provide a comprehensive area-wide environmental review of planned future growth in the Barkley area.
An EIS is an informational document that provides the City, the public, tribes, and other agencies with environmental information to be considered in the decision-making process. It also allows the public, government agencies, and tribes to review and comment on proposals and alternatives.
An EIS describes:
- proposed actions and alternatives;
- existing conditions of the study area;
- impacts that may occur if an alternative were implemented;
- mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate adverse impacts; and
- potential significant, unavoidable, and adverse impacts.
The EIS will also identify potential beneficial outcomes, where alternatives protect environmental features (such as wetlands) in a sustainable manner, improve environmental characteristics (such as stormwater quality), and emphasize improved access by car, transit, foot, and bike.
The following areas will be included in the EIS evaluation: earth, air, water, plants and animals, energy and natural resources, environmental health, land and shoreline use, transportation, public services and utilities, and cumulative effects.
The City will evaluate a No Action Alternative that includes proposed growth in the Barkley area under the current Comprehensive Plan and existing zoning regulations for the area. The State Environmental Policy Act requires the evaluation of a No Action Alternative as a baseline for comparing the Action Alternatives.
The EIS will also evaluate two other Action Alternatives that include variations in future land use, levels of growth, and investments in infrastructure for Barkley Village.
Planning Process and Timeline
July 15 – August 15, 2022: Public Scoping Comment Period
July 26, 2022: Virtual Neighborhood Meeting – The City of Bellingham, in partnership with Talbot Real Estate, LLC, invites you to a virtual neighborhood meeting to discuss a new urban village plan and zoning in Areas 13-20 and 25 of the Barkley Neighborhood. The City intends to adopt a planned action under RCW 43.21C.440 to facilitate future permitting of development that is consistent with the urban village plan.
August-September 2022: Review scoping period comments and prepare EIS analyses
Fall 2022: Publish Draft EIS for public review (30-day comment period)
December 2022 (estimated): Publish Final EIS
Urban Village Plan Adoption
Once the Final EIS has been issued, a draft urban village plan and associated development regulations will be reviewed through a Type VI legislative process. This process includes public hearings with the Planning Commission and City Council. These hearings will occur in 2023, however specific dates will be released in the future.
Contact
For additional information on this project, contact Darby Galligan at dgalligan@cob.org.
