A controversial development in the Birchwood neighborhood has been approved with conditions, after extensive public comment from residents about the removal of trees to build the proposed townhomes.
The project, located at 3509 Meridian St., is on land owned by Bellingham Golf & Country Club. The proposal to build the 67-unit townhouse development on a plot forested with mature trees requires the elimination of 335 trees, according to the hearing examiner’s decision. But AVT Consulting, the company working on the permitting process for the country club, is required to plant 477 trees in replacement.
Bellingham Hearing Examiner Sharon Rice approved the preliminary plat and variance for the subdivision on April 8, with several conditions to satisfy some of the public comment concerns received on the trees.
The conditions require AVT Consulting to prepare a tree planting plan, comply with best management practices in ensuring roots of preserved trees are protected and with planting new trees, and incorporate native trees into the subdivision’s landscaping, among others. AVT will also have to record a notice of the trees planted on the title of the private property, to ensure long-term survival and retention of those replacement trees.
“Members of the public are to be acknowledged for the extensive engagement in the review of this proposal, which arguably resulted in a higher-than-standard tree replacement ration and in potentially more tree retention than would have occurred without their involvement,” Rice wrote in the decision.
“Those who engaged in this process are encouraged to forward their concerns about tree canopy retention and its relationship to climate resilience to the City Council and the Planning Commission to ensure that future adopted City regulations appropriately reflect community values.”
Whatcom Million Trees Project spearheaded opposition to the project. More than 1,700 people signed the petition against the project, and dozens of community members attended the public hearing. More sent in their comments through email. Executive Director Michael Feerer said on Tuesday, April 9 that their advocacy on this project was worth it due to how it strengthened citizen participation.
Feerer added that this is “case study A” for the need for mature tree retention rules on private development. Later this year, the city council will be reviewing a draft of the city’s new Urban Forestry Management Plan which sets a canopy cover target of 45%.
“We most certainly need more housing, especially truly Bellingham needs inspiring examples of housing that balances multiple needs of the community,” Feerer said. “Unfortunately, the Meridian project isn’t that.”
“We’re very thankful the community got really engaged with this and we will be watching how the Meridian project is implemented very closely to make sure requirements are met regarding the trees,” he added.
The proposal, submitted to the City of Bellingham’s Planning and Community Development office in August 2023, will create 67 townhouse units — a mix of one- to three-story homes and duplex-style housing — with 134 garage parking stalls, 21 surface guest parking stalls and an extended sidewalk on Meridian Street alongside the Bellingham Golf & Country Club to connect existing sidewalk to a bus stop.
From here, the project will still need to receive final plat approval, once AVT Consulting meets the conditions associated with approval of the preliminary plat. There is no public comment period associated with the final plat process, city planner Ryan Nelson said in an April 9 email.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
