Bellingham infill options get mixed reviews

SAM TAYLOR - THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

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BELLINGHAM - City Council members got a lot of feedback on a proposed law allowing construction of nine new housing types Monday, June 29.

During more than three hours of public comment, residents offered a diverse range of views on the new "infill toolkit" that would provide for smaller homes designed to use little land and cost less.

Council members withheld major judgment and discussion on the issue until a July 13 work session where staff will also likely answer the bulk of public comments, said Councilman Jack Weiss.

Proposed roadblocks to building new types of housing in single-family neighborhoods weren't enough for many people.

Residents of several areas, including the York, South Hill, Fairhaven, Sunnyland and Cornwall Park neighborhoods, raised concerns about language in the proposal. Specifically, they were concerned it would allow for the new types of housing in single-family neighborhoods through one type of public process that they argued provided little protection or support for neighborhood residents to protect the character of where they lived.

The Whatcom County Association of Realtors supported the proposal, though they argued against the public process restriction to build in single-family neighborhoods as well as the 25-foot height limit.

Meanwhile, some who came to the meeting, like renter and Western Washington University professor Scott Miles, argued that there was a lack of representation from the majority of city residents.

Citing figures from the city's Planning Department, Miles argued that more than 50 percent of residents are renters and should have had a better say in the infill toolkit. He supported the proposal, saying that infill was necessary to provide affordable housing to younger families and residents.

Gary Reid, who represented the Building Industry Association of Whatcom County at the city's Planning Academy II to create the toolkit, said what was being proposed by city staff would deter builders from taking advantage. He pointed to the smaller building sizes and other confusing language.