Waterfront District

Subarea Plan

In December 2019 the Bellingham City Council approved amendments to the Waterfront District Subarea Plan and related development regulations. Together, these planning tools will guide private development and public improvements, and help prioritize city investment in the development of the waterfront. 

March 11, 2024 Public Hearing

On March 11 at 7 p.m., a public hearing is scheduled to discuss a proposed major modification to the Interlocal Agreement for Facilities within the Waterfront District.

Anyone wishing to comment on this item is invited to do so. Advanced testimony is encouraged and can be presented to the Council online (cob.org/comment), by telephone (360-778-8200), or by mail (210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225). Comment received five days prior to each hearing will be included in the agenda packet. Comment received after that will be distributed to Council but not included in the published packet. Anyone wishing to testify live during the public hearing can do so by coming in-person to the meeting in Council Chambers located on the second floor of City Hall, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. Sign-up sheets for those who wish to speak will be available outside the Chambers doors between 6:30 and 7:00 PM. The City may provide an accommodation for individuals with disabilities who wish to participate in this public hearing, including virtual participation options. Please contact the Council Office at (360) 778-8200 or ccmail@cob.org to request an accommodation prior to the meeting.

Those who wish to observe the hearing may do so in-person or online via a live media stream at meetings.cob.org. Those who would like to listen in by phone can do so by calling (253) 215 8782 and using Meeting ID: 839 2153 4374 and Password: 9

>>Read the full document: DRAFT Proposed Major Modification to the Interlocal Agreement for Facilities for the Waterfront District.

Background: In 2013, the City and the Port executed the Interlocal Agreement for Facilities within the Waterfront District (the “Facilities Interlocal”). This agreement set forth the responsibility for and phasing of certain facilities within the Waterfront District. Facilities can include but are not limited to streets and parks. Facilities Interlocal anticipated that over the life of the agreement, modifications would occur. City staff and Port staff have determined that changes currently being contemplated would pose little change to the financial commitments and timing of the delivery of facilities. However, staff have also determined that they would pose significant changes to the location of certain facilities, which constitutes a major modification and requires City Council approval.

Boardmill Project: The Boardmill Group, LLC, was selected by the Port of Bellingham to redevelop the Boardmill Building, one of the few remaining historic buildings in the Waterfront District, and additional acreage surrounding the Boardmill Building.

The original proposal included the reuse of the Boardmill Building, new construction of a mixed-use development project and both surface and sub-surface parking. While the project incorporated many positive elements, the Port asked the Boardmill Group to minimize the amount of surface parking to better utilize properties within the Waterfront District. The Boardmill Group’s alternative and now proposed plan includes an additional (third) building that would house additional residential units, structured parking, and amenities available to the public on the rooftop. In this proposed plan, the new building would be located where park land was previously mapped and park locations would change. Changes to the location of this park land require Council approval.

For a visual representation of this change, please see the Boardmill Project Conceptual Design included in the agenda materials.

Public Benefit: Staff supports changes to the location of park land shown in the Waterfront documents due to the public benefit of the proposed Boardmill Project, including the following:

  • Redevelopment of the historic Boardmill building into a hotel and conference facility.
  • Construction of privately owned and operated parking structure that allows for at least 110 parking spaces available to the public.
  • Privately owned and operated open space accessible to the public, which includes amenities such as bike parking, trails and outdoor seating within a short distance of a Waypoint Park.
  • A minimum of 10 percent of units in the Park Building will be allocated as Affordable Housing Units (as that term is defined in the Facilities Interlocal).
  • A minimum of 220 total new residential units. 

Staff Recommendation: Staff is recommending approval of this Major Modification changing the location of park land. We make this recommendation because:

  1. This proposal maintains pedestrian and bike connectivity from the Downtown Waterfront Area through the Log Pond Area, along the railroad tracks, to lower Cornwall Avenue. This was an important connection added when the City and Port amended the Waterfront District Sub-area Plan in 2019. Further, this proposal adds a 20-foot-wide connection to parks along Whatcom Waterway.  
  2. The public benefits derived from the Boardmill Project, including but not limited to redevelopment of the historic Boardmill building, construction of private open space, structured parking, and substantial development of new housing.
  3. This modification does not change the total acreage of park land the Port is obligated to dedicate to the City. Pursuant to Section 8.3 of the Facilities Interlocal, the Port must dedicate the following amount of park land for each of these planning areas:
    1. Downtown Waterfront Area: 7.41 acres
    1. Marine Trades Area: 7.02 acres
    1. Log Pone Area: 5.07 acres

During the next subarea plan amendment for the Waterfront District, which is anticipated occur over next couple of years, the park land maps will be adjusted to reflect the changes in this Major Modification, including the reallocation of approximately .6 acres of park land.

Please contact Tara Sundin, tsundin@cob.org, with questions or for further information.

Regulations

  • ​Over $60 million in environmental cleanup efforts has removed over 110,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and sediment. 
  • New All-American Marine manufacturing facility will bring 75 skilled trade jobs to the Waterfront.
  • Upgraded marine trade infrastructure includes a new barge terminal, loading ramp and 250-ton crane.
  • Construction and expansion of a Silfab facility, North America’s largest solar panel manufacturer. This will bring over 100 clean energy jobs to Bellingham.
  • Waypoint Park is open! The park provides the first public access to the former GP Mill site. 
  • Construction is nearly complete on the Granary Building. Bellingham Yoga Collective has moved in as the first tenant to occupy the building since GP closed in 2007. ​ 
  • Construction on new roads, sidewalks, utilities and Bellingham’s first Cycle Track is underway. 
  • A clean energy district heating and cooling system will connect all new buildings. The system is more efficient and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 
  • Ram Construction operated a live camera feed of the Laurel/Grana​​ry street construction and Waypoint Park, including time-lapse images.

Granary Avenue and Laurel Street

The Granary Avenue and Laurel Street project involves the construction of a new roadway through the site and includes bicycle and pedestrian facilities, parking, public and franchise utilities, landscaping and street lighting. At a cost of $10.9 million, these streets will provide further public access through the waterfront area, facilitate the opening of the Granary Building and connect to Waypoint Park.

These waterfront streets will establish new connections to our city center and provide the infrastructure needed to further develop the district.  

Waterfront Historic Resources Plan

Many Community members and other stakeholders have expressed interest in the retention and/or reuse of equipment remaining from the pulp and tissue mill processes. These features can help reinforce the unique character of the Waterfront District, providing visual connections from the surrounding neighborhoods and opportunities for historic interpretation, artwork and wayfinding.

The City of Bellingham partnered with the Port of Bellingham to develop Waterfront Historic Resources Plan. These recommendations showcase how the remaining buildings, icons and smaller features could be linked into a cohesive story and visual concept as the site redevelops.

Contacts

Planning & Community Development
Tara Sundin at 360.778.8392 or tsundin@cob.org

Projects

Photos of Waterfront