County Council seeks side-step to Comp Plan Review with HII Code Changes

The Whatcom County Council is considering changes to the codes of acceptable uses for the unincorporated growth areas north of Bellingham zoned High-Impact Industrial. The changes are a response from neighborhood associations around Bellingham pressuring the Council to move industrial jobs and businesses further out into the county.
 
The changes are an attempt, proponents say, to protect the character and safety of the nearby neighborhoods. The current County codes under which permits are vetted and approved, however, already directly mitigate and address those concerns through a fair and impartial process of review that allows businesses to evolve and meet the standards, pushing industries to be safer, cleaner and more transparent. Those codes are as follows:

• WCC 20.68.708 Appearance: New facilities developed in the Bellingham Urban Growth Area shall be designed, constructed, operated, and maintained so as to be harmonious and appropriate in appearance with the existing or intended character of the general vicinity, and such uses shall not change the essential character of the same area. (Ord. 2021-046 § 3 (Exh. C), 2021; Ord. 2018-006 § 3 (Exh. C), 2018; Ord. 99-078, 1999).
• WCC 20.68.552 (4): When a parcel situated within this district is located within the Bellingham Urban Growth Area and adjoins an Urban Residential District or residential district within the city limits, setbacks for heavy industrial buildings and/or uses shall be increased to 100 feet and landscaped in accordance with the requirements of WCC 20.80.345.
• WCC 20.68.657 Enclosure: All manufacturing or fabrication processes which have the potential to produce off-site impacts of a detrimental nature, including light, glare, odors and noise impacts, shall be sufficiently enclosed to mitigate the impacts. (Ord. 2021-046 § 3 (Exh. C), 2021; Ord. 99-078, 1999).
  

The code changes currently under review will prohibit certain business types such as 'renewable fuels' shipments and manufacture, and certain battery facilities for renewable energy, as well as recycling operations. As the region grows and the energy transition begins in earnest, it would ensure that Bellingham is left out of that transition, forgoing the jobs, training, and revenue that such transitional industries are already bringing to other communities elsewhere. Rather than be a leader in the new energy economy, as our own All-American Marine did in building the world's very first hydrogen-only powered ferry, we would make it impossible for future vessels of the kind to be built in Whatcom County, because the infrastructure required to host those technologies would only be located outside of easy access to the water and other amenities. Language in the code changes' allowed and excluded uses also include targeted language towards the Bellingham Shipping Terminal, which would see their available options for contracts severely diminished if the code changes are applied to other HII areas.

The public trust in the process of vetting permits, especially through the codes cited above, needs to be fostered through education, information and transparency. The benefits of understanding how codes are applied could aid future developments in making our county a more stable and attractive place to invest in future industries, allowing those who do not have the means or wealth for private or college education a chance to work gainful and career-based employment that will further help to keep affordability and cost-of-living in check.
 
To see the lists of approved and un-approved uses proposed, follow the links below. County Council contacts are also linked. Please contact the County Council will feedback on these proposed lists, and let them know your concerns and thoughts. If your business would be impacted by these changes, please contact our staff and let them know. While the changes proposed are only for the UGA HII Zones north of Bellingham, these changes can, and likely would, be applied to other zones in the future if the measure is successful.