Bellingham land sale expands protected property around Lake Whatcom
Bellingham is adding to its growing list of protected land around Lake Whatcom, which provides drinking water for about 100,000 people in the city and Whatcom County.
At their Monday meeting, City Council members unanimously approved a deal for an 11.7-acre parcel on the south end of Lake Whatcom for $400,000 from Tracy Jovolos.
“This is a forested property with a stream running through it,” Public Works Department spokeswoman Stefanie Cilinceon told The Bellingham Herald in an email. “This purchase removes one development unit from the Lake Whatcom watershed, reducing development potential near Bellingham’s drinking water source.”
Funds for the purchase came from city’s Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation Program, which collects watershed fees on residents’ utility bills.
Since the program began in 2001, the city has protected about 3,900 acres in the watershed, Cilinceon said.
“(Last year) was the most successful year yet for the program. Using about $11 million in funds from watershed fees on utility bills, the city purchased approximately 1,056 acres within the watershed in 2025 alone,” she said.
