January Updates — PMBC On the Move

Written By Wendy Larson

Meeting with Bellingham Planning Director Blake Lyon

Four members of the Protect Mud Bay Cliffs (PMBC) Steering Committee met with Planning Director Blake Lyon at City Hall on January 10th. The group presented critical documents and engaged in an open dialogue with Mr. Lyon, emphasizing the need for the city to issue a fourth Request for Information (RFI) to address a variety of application deficiencies.

PMBC followed up with a letter to Mr. Lyon on 1/11/24, which can be viewed at https://bit.ly/PMBC-Lyon-20240111.

Below are the documents referenced in PMBC's 1/11/24 letter and in the packet materials we shared during the meeting. Website links are included for easy access.

Letters to Mayor Kim Lund – Public Safety Issues Require EIS

PMBC members are sending letters to newly elected Mayor Kim Lund, urging her to ensure the public safety of Bellingham residents by making certain the city gathers sufficient independent and objective information about the potential adverse risks of the proposed subdivision. This can only be accomplished if the city issues a SEPA Threshold Determination of Significance, which would require the completion of an environmental impact statement (EIS). Ensuring public health and safety is a primary responsibility of the mayor, as Bellingham's Chief Executive & Administrative officer.

Action you can take now:
Please take a moment now to send an email or letter to Mayor Lund asking her to ensure the public safety of Bellingham residents - and to be certain to obtain the independent and objective information only a third-party EIS can provide.
Please send your comments to Mayor Lund at MayorsOffice@cob.org.

For example, here are links to a few of the letters already sent to Mayor Lund by members of PMBC’s Steering Committee (in alphabetical order):

https://bit.ly/Ferguson-Lund-2024012

https://bit.ly/Horowitz-Lund-20240112

https://bit.ly/WendyLarson-Lund-20240118

https://bit.ly/Migaki-Lund-20240114

Stay tuned… (progress updates on the application process)

We continue to await the city staff’s completion of their review of the developer’s latest RFI response, and the city’s assessment whether the submittal sufficiently addresses the city's concerns highlighted in the RFI.

Members of PMBC's Steering Committee continue to review the application materials, and we’ll keep you up to date on what we find, as well as the city’s next actions.

Background:

Once the city determines the application is sufficiently complete, the city will issue a Notice of Application and initiate the minimum 30-day Public Comment Period.

  • Immediately after the Public Comment Period begins, it will be vital for all of us to send letters and emails to the planning department describing our concerns about the proposed development.

  • It is crucial we convince the planning department that this project is likely to impose Significant Adverse Environmental Impacts. If we are successful, the city will have what they need to issue a SEPA Determination of Significance and require 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 — and the adverse impacts on public safety — before making any decisions about development at this location.

  • When the city opens the Public Comment period, hearing from all of us will be important to convince the city’s decision-makers that an EIS is necessary. 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!

Please Donate — Your Donations Make This Possible

Donations of any size are greatly appreciated as we approach the Public Comment period of the city’s application process. If you’re able, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Protect Mud Bay Cliffs Fund using the “Donate” button on our website at:

https://mudbaycliffs.org/join-in

If you prefer to donate via check, the information for doing so is also at the above link to our website.

If your employer matches charitable donations, please request that match (more information below, and on the website). All donations are used solely to pursue our mission of protecting Mud Bay Cliffs, and all PMBC members volunteer their time freely.

  • Protect Mud Bay Cliffs is a Responsible Development program. Responsible Development is a Bellingham, WA based qualified Public Charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is included on the IRS Publication 78 Data List with Deductibility Code ‘PC’ (Public Charity). Responsible Development’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 14-1944887.

  • Benevity, a commonly used platform for companies matching charitable donations, already includes Responsible Development as one of the charities supported.

Thank you for helping Protect Mud Bay Cliffs!

Wendy Larson
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Example Letter - Public Comment
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PMBC Challenges Developer’s Response to City’s Third RFI