Bellingham City Council Regular Meeting: August 24th, 2026

The City of Bellingham, Washington City Council held a regular meeting on August 24, 2026, with key procurement-related discussions focused on affordable housing development incentives and land use fee adjustments. The council considered an ordinance to facilitate permanently affordable housing by reducing regulatory barriers such as height limits, density, and parking requirements in certain zones, aiming to streamline approvals for qualifying low-income housing projects. Public testimony included support for the ordinance and concerns about costs and tax impacts. Council members debated an amendment to allow mixed-income projects to qualify for incentives, but it was not adopted, with plans to revisit the issue in future work sessions. Additionally, the council approved an amendment to the land use application fee schedule to better align fees with service costs, including a provision for a future council review by 2032. Other procurement actions included authorization of interlocal agreements for public safety data sharing and approval of a $2,500 real estate purchase. The council also approved the Baker View Meadows Park master plan, which includes phased development and a land set aside for future low-income housing. Budget amendments were discussed, increasing revenues and expenditures to cover existing and upcoming programs. Motions related to litigation settlements were also approved. Overall, the meeting addressed multiple procurement and budget matters supporting affordable housing, land use, and public safety initiatives.