Civic Agenda
Civic Agenda: March 23 – 29, 2023
March 23, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.
THURSDAY, March 23
Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force special meeting, 9 a.m., 311 Grand Ave., Suite 105, Bellingham, or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Whatcom County Council special meeting, 10 a.m., virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Whatcom County Planning Commission meeting, 6:30 p.m., 5280 Northwest Drive, Bellingham, or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Lake Whatcom Watershed Advisory Board meeting, 6:30 p.m., 2221 Pacific St., Bellingham, or virtual meeting
Agenda may be posted in advance.
MONDAY, March 27
Bellingham City Council (multiple meetings), 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., 210 Lottie St., or virtual meeting
Agendas online.
Council committees meet at 11 a.m. (Public Works and Natural Resources); 1 p.m. (Public Health, Safety, and Justice); 1:35 p.m. (Community and Economic Development) 2 p.m. (Committee of the Whole); 7 p.m. (Council).
Island County Planning Commission meeting, 2 p.m., 1 NE 6th St., room 102B Coupeville, or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Whatcom County Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board meeting, 4:30 p.m., 509 Girard St., Bellingham, or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Anacortes City Council meeting, 6 p.m., 904 6th St., Anacortes, or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Blaine City Council meeting, 6 p.m., 435 Martin St., or virtual meeting
Agenda may be posted in advance.
TUESDAY, March 28
Whatcom County PUD Commission meeting, 8:15 a.m., 1705 Trigg Rd., Ferndale, or virtual meeting
Agenda may be posted in advance.
Washington State DNR Cooperative Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research Committee meeting, 9 a.m., 801 88th Avenue, Tumwater, or virtual meeting
Agenda may be posted in advance.
Bellingham Tourism Commission meeting, 3:30 p.m., 210 Lottie St., or virtual meeting
Agenda may be posted in advance.
Bellingham Historic Preservation Commission meeting, 4 p.m., 210 Lottie St., or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Whatcom County Food System Committee meeting, 4:30 p.m., 509 Girard St., Bellingham, or virtual meeting
Agenda may be posted in advance.
WEDNESDAY, March 29
Ferndale City Council meeting, 8 a.m., 2095 Main St., or virtual meeting
Agenda may be posted in advance.
Whatcom County Hearing Examiner meeting, 1:30 p.m., 311 Grand Ave., Suite 105, Bellingham, or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
Lake Whatcom Policy Group Joint Councils & Commissioners meeting, 6:30 p.m., 201 Lottie St., Bellingham, or virtual meeting
Agenda online.
COMMENT AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Opinions and experiences around immunization. Deadline: 2023
The survey is about experiences and feelings around all recommended vaccines, including for diseases like tetanus, whooping cough, flu, and yes, even COVID-19. The link lets you take the survey in English or Spanish. Survey online.
Bellingham Consolidated Plan. Deadline: April 2023
Bellingham has approximately $9 million each year to spend addressing problems such as homelessness, affordable housing and rising food costs. However, these funds are restricted — they can only be spent on services and housing projects for our lowest-income residents, and those with special needs (such as elderly or disabled persons).
Every five years, the city must create a plan to prioritize how it will spend this funding to best address these issues. Before making this plan, the city would like to hear from the community. Survey online.
Pedestrian and bicycle master plans. Deadline: Spring 2023
The pedestrian and bicycle master plans are each city-wide plans that identify future projects to create a more walkable and rideable community.
Public engagement is an integral part of both plan updates and will be used to inform projects, programs and priorities for further building out Bellingham’s pedestrian and bicycle networks for people of all ages and abilities to safely and conveniently walk, bike and roll. Survey online.
Parking removal for bike and pedestrian upgrades. Deadline: 2023
To make space for pedestrian and bicycle upgrades, some on-street parking will need to be removed for a few of the 2023 transportation projects recently approved by the Bellingham City Council in the six-year Transportation Improvement Program. The project areas being considered for parking removal include: West Illinois Street (Sunset to Lynn); Meridian Street (East Victor to West Illinois); Girard Street (Broadway to Young); Eldridge Avenue (Broadway to Nequalicum); Cornwall Avenue (Laurel to Pine). Survey online.
YOUR PROPERTY TAXES
How much do I pay, and where does the money go? Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties report how much each jurisdiction collects in property taxes, and how much each individual pays, depending on where they live and the value of their property.
Civic Agenda is published weekly on Thursdays. Send items to EricTrent@cascadiadaily.com.