--- ### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council held a special meeting on May 18, 2026, at 1:00 PM in City Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting had a single agenda item: a closed record hearing on a proposed ordinance to vacate a portion of Fir Street right-of-way in Bellingham. The Council voted 5–0 (with two members excused) to approve the ordinance on first and second reading, with a third and final reading to follow once an easement condition is resolved. --- ### Key Terms and Concepts **Street Vacation:** The legal process by which a government gives up its ownership or control of a public right-of-way (such as a street or alley), typically transferring that land to an abutting private property owner. After vacation, the land is no longer public. **Right-of-Way:** A strip of land that the public (or a government agency) has the legal right to use, typically for roads, utilities, or other public purposes. "Vacating" a right-of-way ends that public use right. **Closed Record Hearing:** A type of hearing where the governing body reviews a decision based only on the existing record (testimony and documents already submitted), without taking new public testimony. This is distinct from an open record hearing where new testimony is accepted. **Hearing Examiner:** An independent, quasi-judicial officer appointed by the city to conduct public hearings and issue recommendations or decisions on land use and other applications, such as street vacations. **Technical Review Committee (TRC):** An internal city body composed of staff from various departments (planning, public works, utilities, etc.) that reviews applications before they go to the hearing examiner, forwarding findings and recommendations. **Easement:** A legal right to use another person's land for a specific, limited purpose. In this case, the City needs to retain an easement over the vacated right-of-way so Public Works can access a stormwater cleanout in perpetuity. **Stormwater Cleanout:** A small access point built into a stormwater pipe system that allows maintenance workers to open, inspect, and clear the line. It functions similarly to a household sewer cleanout. **Fair Market Value:** The price a willing buyer would pay a willing seller for a property in an open market. When the City vacates a right-of-way, state law typically requires the petitioner to pay the city the fair market appraised value of the land being released. --- ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hannah Stone | Council President, City of Bellingham; chaired the meeting | | Lisa Anderson | Council Member, City of Bellingham; moved to approve the ordinance | | Edwin H. "Skip" Williams | Council Member, City of Bellingham; seconded the motion | | Jace Cotton | Council Member, City of Bellingham; present | | Hollie Huthman | Council Member, City of Bellingham; present | | Daniel Hammill | Council Member, City of Bellingham; excused | | Michael Lilliquist | Council Member, City of Bellingham; excused | | James Erb | Deputy City Attorney, City of Bellingham; presented the staff recommendation | | Steve Sandeeni | Staff, City of Bellingham Planning Department; present to answer questions | | Miriam Stone | Petitioner; private party requesting the street vacation | --- ### Background Context Street vacations are a routine but legally significant type of municipal action. When a city originally platted land, it dedicated strips of property as public…