Bellingham council approves Samish Way village plan

JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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BELLINGHAM - City leaders approved a plan that aims to usher in redevelopment of a section of Samish Way, turning it into a mixed-use, walkable urban village.

The City Council on Monday, Nov. 9, voted 7-0 to approve the plan, which changes zoning and development codes along a stretch between Bill McDonald Parkway and Edwards Street.

The plan allows developers to build buildings along Samish that include housing over ground-floor commercial space. Developers can get the right to build denser projects if they provide affordable housing, dedicate public plazas, build to certain environmental friendliness standards or contribute money to help the city buy and preserve land in the Lake Whatcom watershed.

The council also in a 7-0 vote approved a resolution stating that in 2009 and 2010 developers can pay $8 into the watershed fund in exchange for one square foot of development floor area above the established limit. The cost increases each year until it reaches $10.44 in the year 2019.

The council also approved various minor changes to the plan proposed by staff. Those included everything from banning houses larger than 5,500 square feet or wireless communications facilities like cell phone towers to clarifying that pole signs aren't allowed unless they're directed at freeway traffic.

The council also supported allowing single-family homes in the transition areas of the village to rise up to 35 feet.

The village plan is the second one recently approved by the city, with the first being in Old Town, which is the area between and including parts of downtown and the Lettered Streets neighborhood.

City officials are planning one for the Fountain District, the area that stretches from around Meridian Street and Broadway north to roughly around Illinois Street.