City Council - Regular Meeting

City of Bellingham City Council Regular Meeting Minutes January 6, 2025, 12:30 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 Hammill called the meeting to order at 12:31pm. Announcements & Upcoming Meetings: Bellingham City Council meets all requirements of the State of Washington Open Public Meetings Act. Roll Call Present: Council President Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Council Member Hannah Stone, First Ward Council Member Hollie Huthman, Second 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 City Council Regular Meeting 24383 1. 2025 City Council Reorganization p. 3 COUNCIL OFFICERS Council President: Daniel Hammill / Michael Lilliquist moved to nominate Hollie Huthman to serve as Council President. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Council President Hammill turned the gavel over to Council President Huthman, who chaired the remainder of the meeting. Council President Pro Tempore: Daniel Hammill / Jace Cotton moved to nominate Edwin H. "Skip" Williams to serve as Council President Pro Tempore. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 1 of 6 1/6/2025 Minutes  Mayor Pro Tempore: Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to nominate Michael Lilliquist to serve as Mayor Pro Tempore. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. COMMITTEE STRUCTURE Council Members discussed the role of standing committees and how they can improve their effectiveness. Hannah Stone / Michael Lilliquist moved to modify the committee structure to the following, 1. Climate Action & Natural Resources 2. Finance & Economic Development 3. Parks & Recreation 4. Planning & Community Development 5. Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity 6. Public Works Lisa Anderson / Jace Cotton moved to amend the committee structure to, 1. Climate Action & Natural Resources 2. Finance Community Development & Economic Development 3. Parks & Recreation 4. Planning & Community Development 5. Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity 6. Public Works MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Lisa Anderson / Michael Lilliquist moved to table additional discussion of committee structures until the administration can provide feedback on the proposed changes. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS Climate Action: Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to nominate Lisa Anderson to serve as Chair of the Climate Committee. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Michael Lilliquist / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to approve the Climate Committee membership. 1. Lisa Anderson (Chair) 2. Michael Lilliquist City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 2 of 6 1/6/2025 Minutes  3. Daniel Hammill MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Community & Economic Development: Jace Cotton / Michael Lilliquist moved to nominate Jace Cotton to serve as Chair of the Community & Economic Development Committee. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Hollie Huthman moved to approve the Community & Economic Development Committee membership. 1. Jace Cotton (Chair) 2. Daniel Hammill 3. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams MOTION CARRIED 7-0. *Note for the record. Council Member Stone was initially selected for the Community & Economic Development Committee but switched to the Parks & Recreation Committee. Parks & Recreation: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams / Lisa Anderson moved to nominate Edwin H. "Skip" Williams to serve as Chair of the Parks & Recreation Committee. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Hollie Huthman moved to approve the Parks & Recreation Committee membership. 1. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams (Chair) 2. Jace Cotton 3. Hannah Stone MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Planning: Lisa Anderson / Michael Lilliquist moved to nominate Michael Lilliquist to serve as Chair of the Planning Committee. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Hollie Huthman moved to approve the individual memberships on the Planning Committee. 1. Michael Lilliquist (Chair) 2. Lisa Anderson MOTION CARRIED 6-1 (Opposed: Cotton). 3. Hannah Stone MOTION CARRIED 7-0. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 3 of 6 1/6/2025 Minutes  4. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams MOTION FAILED 3-4 (Opposed: Stone, Anderson, Lilliquist, Huthman). Council Member Williams, Council Member Anderson, and Council Member Stone nominated themselves to serve on the committee. After discussion and votes, Council Member Anderson and Council Member Stone were selected to serve on the Planning Committee. Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity: Lisa Anderson / Edwin H. "Skip" Williams moved to nominate Daniel Hammill to serve as Chair of the Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Hollie Huthman moved to approve the Public Health, Safety, Justice, and Equity Committee membership. 1. Daniel Hammill (Chair) 2. Edwin H. "Skip" Williams 3. Michael Lilliquist MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Public Works & Natural Resources: Michael Lilliquist / Lisa Anderson moved to nominate Hannah Stone to serve as Chair of the Public Works & Natural Resources Committee. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Hollie Huthman moved to approve the Public Works & Natural Resources Committee membership. 1. Hannah Stone (Chair) 2. Lisa Anderson 3. Jace Cotton MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24384 2. Discussion of Public Comment Sessions p. 76 Council discussed possible changes to how City Council receives public comment. Council will resume public comment at the January 13, 2025 meeting in the same format as was held in 2024. 24385 3. Presentation of 2025 State Legislative Agenda p. 81 Mayor Lund, and Forrest Longman, Deputy Administrator, presented a summary of the City's proposed 2025 legislative priorities for the state session. City lobbyists Luke Esser, and Nick Federici, provided a summary of the upcoming legislative session. Council Members discussed the priorities, upcoming legislative session, and asked questions. More information is available online. City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 4 of 6 1/6/2025 Minutes 24253 4. Work Session Regarding Landlord Tenant Relations and Unfair or Excessive Fees in p. 84 Residential Rental Agreements and Leases Alan Marriner, City Attorney, and Blake Lyon, Planning & Community Development Director, returned to discuss with Council the latest revisions to the draft ordinance. David Brauhn, Assistant Communications & Community Relations Director, discussed the proposed public engagement process including focus groups facilitated by the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center and a community survey. Council Members discussed the ordinance, public engagement process, and asked questions. Council Members expressed interest in having a work session on City code enforcement. Jace Cotton / Lisa Anderson moved to amend the ordinance to include in 6.16.090 City Enforcement, an opportunity for a landlord to cure a violation prior to City code enforcement. MOTION CARRIED 7-0. Lisa Anderson / Michael Lilliquist moved to use the draft ordinance as discussed and amended for the public engagement process. Jace Cotton / Lisa Anderson moved to amend references of “total monthly payment” to “monthly rent” in Sections 6.16.020, 6.16.030 (pages 90-92). AMENDMENT CARRIED 7-0. Jace Cotton / Lisa Anderson moved to amend Section 6.16.040 Unfair or Excessive Fees Prohibited to, 1. “A landlord may not require a tenant to pay any mandatory or optional fee, except as provided in this chapter or in RCW 59.18. Mandatory or optional fees other than those identified in BMC 6.16.030 or in RCW 59.18 constitute unfair or excessive fees, which are prohibited. 2. In addition, the following fees also constitute unfair and excessive, which are prohibited: a. Any fee for an in-unit appliance to a tenant. To comply with this section, if the landlord previously charged a fee for the use of an in-unit appliance, such as a washer-dryer, a landlord shall not deprive the tenant of the use of an in-unit appliance after the effective date of this chapter; and b. Any additional fee to rent month-to-month rather than a fixed term lease, or vice versa; c. Any fee for a tenant's access to common areas. This section does not apply when the fee is associated with providing the tenant exclusive access to a common area facility on a temporary basis, such as the rental of a clubhouse for a private event; and” Manufactured Home Optional Fees Amendment: 1. “A landlord may not require a tenant to pay any mandatory or optional fee, except as provided in this chapter or in RCW 59.20. Mandatory or optional fees other than those City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 5 of 6 1/6/2025 Minutes  identified in this chapter or in RCW 59.20 constitute unfair or excessive fees, which are prohibited. 2. In addition, the following fees also constitute unfair and excessive, which are prohibited: a. Any additional fee to rent month-to-month rather than a fixed term lease, or vice versa; b. Any fee for temporary guests not in compliance with RCW 59.20.060 or where charges exceed the actual cost to the landlord; c. Any fee for a tenant to park their vehicles within their manufactured home lot. To comply with this section the landlord shall not unreasonably limit the number of vehicles a tenant can park on their manufactured home lot; d. Any fee for a tenant's access to common areas. This section does not apply when the fee is associated with providing the tenant exclusive access to a common area facility on a temporary basis, such as the rental of a clubhouse for a private event; and e. Any fee for not signing a new lease agreement, lease extension, or renewal.” AMENDMENT CARRIED 6-0. ABSTAINED: Edwin H. "Skip" Williams AMENDED MOTION CARRIED 7-0. 24254 5. Work Session Regarding Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Relations and p. 127 Unfair or Excessive Fees in Manufactured/Mobile Home Lease Agreements Alan Marriner, City Attorney, shared that he will provide additional revisions to the ordinance based upon the December 16, 204 feedback. See above motions for changes to the ordinance. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 4:32pm. Hollie Huthman, Council President ATTEST: Kelley Goetz, Deputy City Clerk APPROVED: 1/27/2025 City of Bellingham Regular City Council Meeting Page 6 of 6 1/6/2025 Minutes