Bellingham council approves appeal of watershed road project

JARED PABEN - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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Bellingham leaders said the conditions Whatcom County planners put on a new road in the Lake Whatcom watershed aren't good enough to protect the lake.

The City Council on Monday, March 23, voted 7-0 to appeal an environmental decision by county planners on the nearly two-mile-long Squalicum Ridge Road. The proposed road would be used to access 28 new homes in the watershed.

The county planning department first issued an environmental decision on the project Jan. 8. City officials said it didn't include meaningful conditions on the project designed to protect the environment. The county withdrew the decision and issued a new one March 6 that included many conditions the county felt would protect the lake.

Bellingham Mayor Dan Pike told county officials in a letter dated March 20 that the city appreciates the added conditions, but they still aren't adequate to protect the lake. He suggested at least six changes that would improve it, including having county staff conduct regular inspections to ensure construction crews follow the rules.

The road project is by Vineyard Development Group, which works for landowners Gordon and Carol Iverson and Christopher and Nancy Secrist.

The city has until the end of the day Monday, March 30, to file the appeal, which goes to the Whatcom County hearing examiner.