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Our Community’s Vision for Downtown
Downtown Bellingham is vibrant and unique. It’s full of one-of a kind local businesses, event venues, and public spaces. These are just some of the things community members have said are important to them through surveys and in-person events. Through community feedback, a vision for our downtown was established.
The below documents include more information about the community vision and goals for the district. They also guide private development and public improvements, and inform prioritization of City investments.
Downtown Beautification and Cleaning
Downtown Bellingham Partnership
The City provides funding and resources to the Downtown Bellingham Partnership (DBP) to help keep downtown attractive, including:
- Maintaining planting beds and planters.
- Cleaning street furniture.
- Picking up litter on a daily basis throughout the week.
Covered Garbage Bins
The City’s Solid Waste group has been installing new covered garbage and recycling bins in downtown Bellingham in 2024 after piloting different bin types and collecting community input. By the end of the year, 60 new bins (30 garbage and 30 recycling) will be installed downtown. About the bins:
- They are enclosed and keep out wind and rain.
- They prevent garbage in them from becoming litter on streets and sidewalks.
- They prevent production of a contaminated liquid that can be produced when garbage and rainwater mix (called leachate). Leachate sometimes ends up in waterways.
- Since these larger bins have more capacity, they reduce the number of garbage bins needed and reduce collection frequency. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
Downtown Rain Gardens
The City has installed and maintains rain gardens that help improve water quality in Whatcom Creek and adds green spaces downtown. These rain gardens help treat and infiltrate stormwater (polluted urban runoff) from more than 80 urban acres that flow into Whatcom Creek.
Why is graffiti an issue?
Graffiti detracts from the aesthetics of downtown buildings. This can harm business owners by reducing retail sales or property values. A business tagged with graffiti is less likely to be patronized. Community members feel less safe and secure entering a storefront where graffiti is present.
What is being done?
To help address the growing volume of graffiti, the City funds the Downtown Bellingham Partnership’s graffiti removal program. The program supports painting, buffing, or chemically removing graffiti tags. There is no cost to business or property owners. See the Evaluation Report for more information about the success of the program).
The Bellingham Police Department provides the Partnership with best practices for addressing graffiti and supports graffiti removal.
Removal Reporting Requirements
Business and property owners are required to remove graffiti within seven days per City of Bellingham ordinance.
For more information about property owners’ responsibility to remove graffiti, see:
- BMC 10.28.020, which declares graffiti visible from any public place a nuisance.
- BMC 10.28.030, which outlines the quick response required by the property owner.
Downtown roadways, bike lanes, and on-street parking areas are regularly cleaned by City street sweepers. Sweepers operate on downtown streets every Tuesday and Wednesday on a graveyard shift. Downtown alleyways are swept monthly. Please abide by all no parking signs to ensure that street sweepers can access roadways.
Street sweeping removes harmful pollutants and hazardous waste created by vehicles. That removal protects fish and wildlife and improves water quality in nearby waterways. Sweeping also helps keep storm drains and roadways clear of debris. This reduces localized flooding and improves traffic safety.
In addition to street sweepers, City staff deep clean sections of downtown alleyways and sidewalks each month. Staff use a Triverus Municipal Cleaning Vehicle to pressure wash alleyways and heavily soiled sidewalk areas.
The City purchased three new “Portland Loo” public restrooms to improve access to bathroom facilities in downtown Bellingham and the waterfront. The loos were installed in 2024, providing much needed options for restroom facilities in downtown Bellingham. The loos are located at:
- Waypoint Park
- The intersection of Railroad Avenue and Magnolia Street (adjacent to the WTA downtown station)
- The intersection of Railroad Avenue and Chestnut Avenue (in the parking area outside the vacant Bank of America parking lot)
The installation also improved lighting and ADA access in loo locations. Regular janitorial and security services are provided to ensure loos are properly used, cleaned and maintained.
The Portland Loos are designed to prevent problems commonly experienced with public restrooms. Their design discourages crime with graffiti-proof wall panels and open grating. They are also easy to clean, and the parts can be easily replaced or upgraded when needed.
This action was identified in the 2014 Downtown Bellingham Plan and the 2023 Downtown Safety Strategy as an important addition to public health infrastructure. Bellingham City Council approved the purchase of restrooms for the downtown core at their March 27, 2023 meeting (see Agenda Bill 23671).
Keeping Sidewalks Litter Free
Did you know it’s the responsibility of a property and/or business owner to keep sidewalks in front of or adjacent to their property litter-free? See Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC 10.60.070) for more information.
Other relevant Municipal Codes for property and business owners:
- BMC 10.60.050 — Placement in receptacles – Receptacle standards.
- BMC 10.60.060 — Sweeping into gutters prohibited.
- BMC 10.60.130 — Property owners’ duty to keep premises litter-free.
Graffiti Removal Reporting Requirements
Business and property owners are required to remove graffiti within seven days per City of Bellingham ordinance. The City funds the Downtown Bellingham Partnership’s graffiti removal program. The program supports painting, buffing, or chemically removing graffiti tags. There is no cost to business or property owners.
For more information about property owners’ responsibility to remove graffiti:
- See BMC 10.28.020, which declares graffiti visible from any public place a nuisance.
- See BMC 10.28.030, which outlines the quick response required by the property owner.
Pollution Prevention
The City provides technical assistance and stormwater facility inspections to help businesses reduce pollution and comply with regulations. Business owners can prevent polluted runoff from leaving their site by keeping outdoor areas and storm drains clean.
Economic Development
For city-wide business resources, visit the Economic Development webpage.
