Bellingham City Council Committee Meetings: October 19th, 2026

The City of Bellingham City Council committee meetings on October 19, 2026, included Public Works and Natural Resources and Committee of the Whole. The Public Works committee recommended approval of an ordinance requiring annual permits for private boat launches on Lake Whatcom, restricting launches from public rights-of-way, and requiring outreach materials for short-term renters. Staff proposed a $60 permit fee, waived for owners who attend in-person training; an online course would also be available. The code sets a maximum fee of $500. The committee also considered a fee-schedule resolution, but the transcript does not capture its final vote. No vendor selection, contract award, or purchase approval was identified.

The committee received a pedestrian and bicycle safety strategy presentation outlining an estimated $833 million to complete planned networks and a six-year Transportation Improvement Program intended to bring roughly $51 million in new funding to Bellingham. Staff discussed using grants and coordinating improvements with paving, utility, and other projects; a grant for a Meridian Avenue project was anticipated, but no award was confirmed. The Committee of the Whole discussed the proposed regional fire authority’s budget effects, including an estimated $20 million in city savings in 2028, potential tax reductions of about $5 million, and priorities such as reserves and deferred maintenance; no spending action was taken. It also heard an informational report on possible code revisions for public-works variances and received an update on development-code restructuring.