Port study finds future usability of Whatcom County industrial land is limited
A new study by the Port of Bellingham to assess the industrial land capacity of Whatcom County indicates that while the area has enough land to support future industry, the usability of that land is limited.
The first-of-its-kind study provides a comprehensive look at how industrial land is currently being used across the county and whether the available supply is well positioned to support job growth and business investment over the next 20 years, according to a release from the Port about the study.
“As the Associate Development Organization for Whatcom County, the Port is focused on supporting the retention and expansion of living-wage jobs,” said Port Economic Development Director Tyler Schroeder. “This study is about helping businesses thrive by making sure we have the right tools and space in place to meet the demands of a changing economy.”
The study considers industry trends, land availability, infrastructure readiness and projected employment growth through 2045, according to the release.
The report concluded that there is an adequate supply of industrially zoned land — more than 15,000 acres total in Whatcom County. Only about 3,400 acres of that land, however, is considered “developable” due to being vacant or underutilized.
Several barriers limit the usability of that developable land, including:
- Utility access
- Parcel size
- Transportation connections
- General site contraints
After considering those constraints and removing small properties under 1 acre from the amount of developable land, the total area with development potential for future industrial employment is reduced to just more than 2,400 acres.
“Based on a tally of acreage, there appears to be an ample supply of industrial land in the county. However, a closer evaluation of the conditions of the land highlights persistent challenges with the industrial land supply,” the study said.
The study emphasized that “almost all industrial users” rely on transportation corridors — truck corridors, rail and waterways — that can move materials. They also require utility readiness for connection to water, sewer and power systems. Much of the available industrial-zoned land lacks these critical features, according to the study.
The study also found that almost half of all industrially zoned land in Whatcom County has a wetland and an associated buffer, preventing development.
“The quality of industrially zoned land, from the perspective of an industrial user, is a greater challenge for meeting anticipated needs than the quantity of land. The land supply in the county does not have enough ready land to support target industries,” the study states.
The study offers multiple recommendations aimed at preparing land for future industrial development to support those economic sectors in the long-term.
Those recommendations include:
- Expanding wetland mitigation options
- Improving and expanding freight corridor infrastructure
- Coordinating infrastructure planning with local jurisdictions
- Promoting “regulatory consistency” county-wide
- Preserving space for both established and emerging industries
In 2016, the Center of Economic and Business Research at Western Washington University found that the port’s economic impact is felt broadly across Whatcom County, where it facilitates roughly 6,000 jobs or about 7% of the total workforce, according to previous reporting by The Herald.
