Bellingham City Council

**Interim Parking Reform Extension and the Affordability Question** The interim parking ordinance, which eliminates minimum automobile parking requirements citywide and establishes bicycle parking standards, was originally adopted on an emergency basis. It was first extended in November 2025 and is now being extended a second time through January 28, 2027. Staff presented this extension as procedurally routine — a bridge to avoid a gap while the permanent ordinance completes the Type 6 public review process. The policy debate was not about the extension itself; all five public commenters and the council were in basic alignment that the extension should pass. The substantive dispute concerned whether the permanent ordinance — coming before the council at a July 13 public hearing — should include affordability requirements. Three of the five public commenters — Ned Vasquez (Sierra Club Mount Baker Group), Dr. Susan Kane Ronning, and Carrie Burnside — argued that the council missed an opportunity when it first passed parking reform without affordability provisions, and urged the council not to repeat that omission in the permanent ordinance. Their core argument: eliminating parking minimums reduces construction costs for developers, potentially saving tens of thousands of dollars per parking space. Without affordability requirements, those savings accrue privately. With them, they could generate income-restricted units or contributions to Bellingham's housing fund. Vasquez cited a pattern across Washington state: cities that removed parking minimums without affordability requirements saw no increase in income-restricted housing. He identified Everett as the single exception — a city that paired parking reform with affordability requirements and produced measurable results. Dr. Kane Ronning contextualized the stakes with data: median home prices up more than 60% since 2019; a price-to-income ratio exceeding 8:1; rent burden above 30% for typical renters; 976 students (one in 12) experiencing homelessness in 2025; Bellingham Food Bank visits more than doubled since 2020. Burnside, who disclosed she came directly from memorializing a friend who she said had been failed by the city's support systems, characterized the omission of affordability as choosing "the easy road out" when a genuine opportunity exists. The fifth speaker, Jamon Agosti (online), offered support for the extension and the permanent ordinance, and emphasized the importance of adequate secure bicycle parking to accommodate the mode-shift the city expects by 2030–2050. One speaker, Adam Bellinger, urged the council to take a "middle of the road" approach and not eliminate all parking minimums outright, arguing that parking serves quality-of-life needs for families, elderly residents, and people with disabilities, and that market forces alone are insufficient. In council discussion, Cotton characterized the vote as "mostly a housekeeping item" and signaled openness to the broader affordability conversation. Lilliquist asked whether the draft permanent ordinance could be distributed ahead of the regular packet so he and the public could study it in detail — particularly to compare it to Everett's ordinance and other affordability-linked models. Staff directed him to the June 4 Planning Commission packet as a starting point. Anderson asked staff to compile data on how many multifamily development applications have been submitted since the emergency ordinance took effect, wh…

**Adam Bellinger (public commenter, no stated affiliation)** Supports a "moderate pathway" on parking reform. Accepts that a temporary elimination of parking minimums was reasonable to gather market data but opposes permanent elimination of all minimums. Argues that parking serves essential quality-of-life needs for families, elderly residents, and people with disabilities, and that the market cannot be relied upon to self-regulate. Supports some level of minimum, citing the city's own decision to establish a bicycle parking minimum as evidence that minimums can be justified. **Ned Vasquez (public commenter; Chair, Mount Baker Group, Sierra Club)** Supports parking reform, including reducing or eliminating minimums, as an environmental and climate strategy. Strongly urges the council to link the permanent ordinance to affordability requirements — either a percentage of income-restricted units in developments benefiting from reduced parking requirements, or an in-lieu contribution to the Bellingham housing fund. Cites Everett as proof of concept. States that without affordability provisions, developer cost savings will be privately captured rather than producing public benefit. **Dr. Susan Kane Ronning (public commenter; licensed psychologist)** Previously testified in support of the original interim ordinance and requested affordability provisions at that time. Returns to express disappointment that affordability was not included then, and to document what she describes as the consequences: housing insecurity affecting working families, students (976 experiencing homelessness in 2025), and young professionals. Presents the policy gap as primarily affecting households between 50–100% AMI — above the threshold for public subsidies but below what the private market serves. Urges the council to include affordability in the permanent ordinance. **Carrie Burnside (public commenter; senior housing advocate)** Echoes Vasquez and Kane Ronning on the need to include affordability. References a $130 million annual deficit in affordable housing funding. Arrived at the meeting directly after memorializing a friend w…

**Ned Vasquez, on the need for affordability provisions in parking reform:** "Estimates suggest developers may save tens of thousands of dollars per parking space without affordability provisions or an in-lieu contribution to the housing fund. Those savings will be captured privately rather than supporting the public good." **Dr. Susan Kane Ronning, on who parking reform can serve:** "The cost savings and development capacity unlocked by eliminating parking minimums must translate into more a…

**Before this meeting:** The interim parking ordinance was set to expire at the end of July 2026. No bridge mechanism was in place to prevent a gap in parking regulations if the permanent ordinance was not adopted in time. **After this meeting:** The interim parking ordinance is now extended through January 28, 2027. The risk of a regulatory gap is eliminated. The permanent ordinance process is formally on track for a July 13 public hearing before the full council. **Before this meeting:** The 2027–2032 Transportation Improvement Program was in draft, having received a public hearing on June 1. **After this meeting:** The TIP is formally adopted as Resolution #2026-14 and can be submitted to the state by the July 1 deadline. One administrative change was made: the citywide bike rack installation program was reclassified from "projects" to "ongoing programs." **Before this meeting:** The street vacation ordinance for the eastern half of Fir Street (AB 24940) had completed first and second reading on May 18 but was stalled pending location of a sewer main cleanout.…

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