August Update — PMBC In the News, and more!
August 3, 2023
Protect Mud Bay Cliffs (PMBC) In the News
Have you seen the Bellingham Herald article that highlights our efforts to protect Mud Bay Cliffs? Rachel Showalter’s article - ‘It’s all put at risk’: Bellingham group fights plan for development atop Mud Bay Cliffs - made the front page of the Herald on July 19. The online version can be viewed at bit.ly/PMBCHeraldOnline, and the print version can be viewed at bit.ly/PMBCHeraldPrint.
The online version of the article even includes a link to PMBC’s June 28 letter to Bellingham Planning Director Blake Lyon, which lists deficiencies in the subdivision application and calls for the city to issue a third Request for Information (RFI). You can view and download PMBC’s letter at bit.ly/PMBCLetter6-28-23.
—> See below for an update on the city’s application review process.
NEW!! FAQs Page
Based on your wonderfully insightful questions and input, we’ve created a new page on PMBC’s website answering Frequently Asked Questions about Mud Bay Cliffs – the woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife – and our efforts to protect them from development risks.
Did you know that virtually all of Mud Bay is an estuarine wetland? Please take a look at our new PMBC FAQ page and let us know what you think!
Feel free to share this link with family and friends who are curious to learn more about Mud Bay Cliffs and our efforts to protect the woodlands, wetlands, and wildlife of this Bellingham gem.
CANCELLED DUE TO SMOKY CONDITIONS Sunday 8/27 Shoreline Walking Tour of Mud Bay Cliffs
Come see Bellingham's magical Mud Bay Cliffs up close from the Mud Bay flats on Sunday, 8/27. As one person put it: “I had no idea – the cliffs are majestic, and this entire area is amazingly beautiful. There is nothing else like this in Bellingham!” Our easy, informal walks along the shoreline at low tide are fun for the whole family.
Protect Mud Bay Cliffs will lead a shoreline walking tour on Sunday August 27th from 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM during low tide, when access is easiest.
See the natural gem we are working to protect – the shoreline, cliffs, woodland, estuarine wetlands, and almost certainly some of the wildlife, too!
We will meet at the public access trailhead immediately past 220 Sea Pines Road at 9:00 AM. Please gather on the sidewalk at the top of the paved stairs. This is a straightforward walk at low tide: we will follow a paved pathway down to the shore, and the walk along the shore is on mostly flat pebbled ground. We suggest that you bring a hat and sun screen and wear clothes and shoes that you won’t mind getting a bit wet and muddy.
Please note that out of respect for private property owners, our tour will take place entirely on the publicly-owned shoreline.
If you have questions, please call Wendy Larson at 360-778-9834.
We hope you can join us, and we look forward to seeing many of you on Sunday the 27th.
City’s Application Review Process Update
Here is a fresh update on the city’s application review process:
On 6/20/23, the city Planning Department received the developers’ response to the city’s second Request for Information (RFI). You can view the RFI Response Documents at bit.ly/RFISubmittal. The developers’ RFI Response Letter provides a partial summary of their responses and can be viewed at bit.ly/RFILetter. (The city’s full website for this proposed project can be viewed at www.cob.org/project/the-woods-at-viewcrest.)
City regulations call for the city to act on the RFI response within 14 days, however we've been told that staff is still reviewing the 6/20 submittal.
On 6/27/23, four members of the Protect Mud Bay Cliffs Steering Committee met with Bellingham Planning Director Blake Lyon to discuss significant deficiencies within the RFI response. PMBC provided evidence that the RFI response fails to meet the City’s submittal requirements outlined in two sections of the Bellingham Municipal Code (21.10.190 and 21.10.200) and, therefore, a third Request for Information is needed. PMBC’s 6/28/23 letter to Mr. Lyons outlining these issues can be viewed at bit.ly/PMBCLetter6-28-23.
We anticipate that the City will complete its review of the 6/20/23 RFI response shortly and will issue either a third RFI or a Notice of Application. We are closely monitoring the situation, and we will alert you when the city takes action.
After the city receives a complete response from the developers, the city will issue a Notice of Application and initiate the minimum 30-day Public Comment Period. Immediately after the Comment Period begins, it is vital for all of us to send the city letters and emails describing our concerns about the proposed development.
It is crucial we convince the Bellingham Planning Department that this project is likely to impose a Significant Adverse Environmental Impact. If we are successful, the city will be legally obligated to require that an objective, independent, third-party Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be prepared.
This EIS is necessary to ensure Bellingham’s planners have a comprehensive and honest evaluation of the harms this project can be expected to have on both the natural and built environment.
When the city opens the Public Comment period, hearing from all of us will be important to convince the city’s decision-makers. Please be prepared to send your emails and letters to the city once the Public Comment Period begins. We will alert you when this happens!
Save the Date: Edgemoor Neighborhood Association Meeting - Monday 10/23 from 7-9 PM
PMBC will provide an update on the proposed subdivision project at the Edgemoor Neighborhood Association (ENA) meeting on Monday, 10/23. The meeting will be held from 7:00 – 9:00 PM at Lairmont Manor. The ENA meeting is open to everyone who is interested in these issues, so please join us on October 23rd. For more information, visit www.edgemoorneighborhood.com/blog.