Bellingham is buying 20 acres near Lake Whatcom. This is what’s planned for the site
Bellingham is buying 20 acres of land in the hills above Lake Whatcom, part of its ongoing effort to reduce pollution and protect the watershed around its reservoir from development.
City Council members unanimously approved the purchase of 19.83 acres for $525,000 at their April 10 meeting. The deal is expected to close May 5.
It’s an important parcel because of its size and because it is near other large tracts of protected land, Amy Cloud, spokeswoman for the Public Works Department, told The Bellingham Herald.
“This is a significant contribution to the city’s ongoing effort to acquire and preserve land in its natural forested condition, in order to soak up and naturally filter rainwater to help protect Lake Whatcom from high flows and pollution,” Cloud said in an email.
Money for the purchase comes from a fund that water customers pay into.
Lake Whatcom encompasses about 56 square miles and provides water for about 100,000 people in Bellingham and surrounding areas, according to the city.
About 18,000 people live in the Lake Whatcom watershed, according to a 2018 estimate.
More than 2,400 acres in the watershed have been bought by the city at a cost of about $35.5 million through June 2022.
An additional 164 acres is protected through conservation easements or restrictive covenants.
This story was originally published April 30, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
