City Council - Committee Of The Whole

City of Bellingham Committee Of The Whole Minutes May 19, 2025, 2:10 PM Mayor: Kimberley Lund Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Hannah Stone, Hollie Huthman, Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Daniel Hammill, Edwin H. “Skip” Williams, Lisa Anderson, https://cob.org/council Michael Lilliquist and Jace Cotton Call to Order Council President Huthman called the meeting to order at 2:10pm. Roll Call Present: Council President Hollie Huthman, Second Ward Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Council Member Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Fourth Ward Council Member Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward Council Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Member Jace Cotton, At-Large Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote. Please be advised that if the City Council is ahead of schedule, they may start with old/new business before the official Committee of the Whole meeting time. 24549 1. Update on 2025 State Legislative Session and City Lobbying Activities p. 3 Janice Keller, Deputy Administrator, and City contract lobbyists, Nick Federici, and Luke Esser, provided an update on the recent State Legislative Session. Council Members discussed City priorities and lobbying efforts and asked questions. 24548 2. Consideration of Letter to Canadian Municipalities p. 4 At the April 28, 2025, Committee of the Whole meeting, Council Member Lilliquist proposed sending a letter to nearby Canadian cities to promote goodwill. Council President Huthman shared Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 1 May 19, 2025  a draft letter, written by David Brauhn, Assistant Communications & Community Relations Director, for review. Lisa Anderson / Daniel Hammill moved to recommend approval of the letter to Canadian cities including Delta, Richmond, White Rock, Abbotsford, Langley, Vancouver, Surrey, Coquitlam, and Burnaby. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24501 3. Work Session on an Ordinance Relating to Landlord Tenant Relations, Adopting a p. 6 New Chapter in Title 6 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Prohibiting Landlords from Charging Tenants Unfair or Excessive Fees in Residential Rental Agreements and Leases Alan Marriner, City Attorney, Blake Lyon, Planning & Community Development Director, and Iris Nott, Legislative Policy Analyst, presented budget and legal implications from the proposed rental fee ordinances. Council President Huthman shared there will be a special working session on this ordinance on June 2, 2025 at 10:00am in the Mayor's Boardroom. 24502 4. Work Session on an Ordinance Related to Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord p. 17 Tenant Relations, Adopting a New Chapter in Title 6 of the Bellingham Municipal Code Prohibiting Landlords from Charging Unfair or Excessive Fees in Manufactured/Mobile Home Lease Agreements Alan Marriner, City Attorney, Blake Lyon, Planning & Community Development Director, and Iris Alan M Nott, Legislative Policy Analyst, presented budget and legal implications from the proposed rental Nott, Le fee ordinances. Council President Huthman shared there will be a special working session on this ordinan ordinance on June 2, 2025 at 10:00am in the Mayor's Boardroom. ordinan Michael Lilliquist / Jace Cotton moved to amend the ordinance, BMC 6.19.090 – City Enforcement Section 3 to read, “The Director shall give a landlord or other person in violation of this chapter an reasonable opportunity to voluntarily cure the violation before pursuing penalties under BMC 6.19.100.” MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24550 5. An Ordinance Relating To Land Use and Zoning, Adopting An Interim Zoning p. 27 Ordinance, Applying BMC 20.28 Infill Housing in All Areas That Are Zoned Predominantly For Residential Use, Except on Property Regulated By BMC Chapter 16.80, Lake Whatcom Reservoir, To Stimulate Middle Housing Construction Blake Lyon, Planning & Community Development Director, presented an amendment to the floor area ratio (FAR) in the land use and zoning ordinance. After a public hearing on March 24, 2025, City Council moved the ordinance for first and second reading. Council Members discussed the amendment and asked questions. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 2 May 19, 2025  Daniel Hammill / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to approve the amended ordinance to reduce the maximum floor area ratio for lots with one unit density from 0.6 to 0.4 and other non- substantive edits. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Old/New Business Council Member Cotton shared a draft letter to Western Washington University (WWU) leadership regarding recognition of operational student employees. Council reviewed and discussed the letter. Daniel Hammill / Jace Cotton moved to recommend approval of the letter to WWU President and Board of Trustees regarding operational student employees. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Council moved into Executive Session at 4:16pm to discuss four items until 4:26pm. 1. Potential Property Acquisition 2. Potential Property Acquisition 3. Potential Property Acquisition 4. Labor Relations: Discuss Collective Bargaining Strategy Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:26pm. Committee Of The Whole Minutes Page 3 May 19, 2025