City Council - Regular Meeting

City of Bellingham City Council Regular Meeting agenda March 9, 2026, 7 p.m. Chair: Hannah Stone Phone: 360-778-8200 Members: Hollie Huthman, Daniel Hammill, Email: ccmail@cob.org Edwin H. "Skip" Williams, Lisa Anderson, Web: cob.org/council Michael Lilliquist, Jace Cotton Legislative Office Manager: Jackie Weller How to watch City Council meetings The City Council Regular meetings are held in a hybrid format – watch or participate in person or remotely. In person: All meetings are held in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham unless otherwise noted. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. meeting. Accessibility: Elevator access to the second floor is available at City Hall’s west entrance. Hearing assistance is available, and a receiver may be checked out through the Council office prior to the evening session. For additional accommodations, contact the Council office at 360-778-8200 in advance of the meeting. Live via BTV, Comcast, or YouTube: Council meetings are streamed live at cob.org/meetings, cob.org/btv, and on the City’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/@cityofbhamwa. Meetings are also broadcast on Comcast channels 321 (HD) and 10 (SD). Telephone: To listen by phone, dial 253-215-8782, enter Meeting ID: 871 5188 5205, and Password 9 when prompted. Language access: Spanish interpretation is available at all regular evening Council meetings. • In-person: Headsets are available to attendees in Council Chambers. • Online: Join the Zoom meeting at cob.org/cczoom, then select the interpretation channel at the bottom of the screen. Those wishing to offer public comment in Spanish will be able to do so and their comments will be interpreted into English. Meeting records: Video recordings of each meeting are available online at cob.org/meetings within five business days following each meeting. How to provide input At the meeting: To speak during a public hearing or public comment session, you must sign up in advance. • Online: A sign-up form is available at cob.org/ccsignup on the day of the meeting. • In person: Sign-up sheets are available outside the Council Chambers doors starting at 6:30 p.m. the evening of the meeting.  • Sign up, both online and in person, closes at 7 p.m. Once signed up, speakers may participate via the following options: • In person: Meetings are held in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall. • Online: Join the Zoom meeting at cob.org/cczoom and follow staff instructions at time of the hearing or public comment period. • Over the phone: Call 253-215-8782, enter Meeting ID 871 5188 5205, and Password 9. Follow staff instructions at the time of the hearing or public comment period. Before or after a meeting: The City of Bellingham meets the Open Public Meetings Act by accepting written public comment in advance of City Council meetings. Send written input before or after a meeting. • By mail addressed to: City Council, 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA 98225. • Online: o For a public hearing: cob.org/publichearing. o For general public comment: E-mail all Council Members at ccmail@cob.org. Regular meeting The following items are heard in the regular meeting only. Call to order and roll call Announcements and upcoming meetings The Bellingham City Council meets all requirements of the State of Washington Open Public Meetings Act. 1. Land acknowledgement statement Before we begin, we acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional and unceded territory of the Lummi, Nooksack, Samish and Semiahmoo People who have cared for and tended this land since time immemorial. Truth and acknowledgment are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. We begin this effort to acknowledge what has been buried by honoring the truth. We pay respect to their elders past and present. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today. And please join us in uncovering such truths at any and all public events. 2. Language access The Bellingham City Council provides Spanish interpretation at all regular evening meetings. Interpretation can be accessed by in-person attendees by utilizing the headsets located at the front of the room. Remote viewers can log on to cob.org/cczoom and click on the “Language” icon at the bottom of the screen to listen in Spanish.  3. Upcoming public hearing On March 23, the Council will hold a public hearing to consider a resolution authorizing the partial relinquishment of a public utility easement located within vacated Bayview Drive that is surplus to the City's needs. Details will be available on meetings.cob.org seven days prior to the hearing. 4. Next Council meeting The next City Council meeting will be held on March 23, 2026. Presentation 24849 1. A presentation on the results of the 2025 landlord and property manager p. 5 survey Appointments 24847 1. Mayor's reappointment to the EMS Executive Oversight Committee p. 143 (information) 24851 2. Mayor's reappointment to the Transportation Commission (approval) p. 147 24845 3. Confirmation and swearing in of Nicholas Henery as Bellingham p. 150 Municipal Court Judge, Position 2 Mayor's report Standing time for briefings, updates, and reports to Council by the Mayor. Council assignment reports Standing time for Council Member reports from assigned committees, boards, and other groups. Executive session Closed to the public. Executive session report to immediately follow. 1. Potential Property Acquisition (Rosenblatt, approx. 3 min.) Consent agenda Consent Agenda items are considered routine and/or non-controversial and may be approved in a single motion. A member of the Council may ask that an item be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered separately. 24846 1. Authorization of payroll labor cost payments dated January 16, 2026 to p. 157 January 31, 2026 24848 2. Approval of the February 9, 2026 City Council committee and regular p. 158 meeting minutes 24852 3. Authorization of AP transactions issued February 6, 2026 through p. 175 February 12, 2026 24853 4. Authorization of AP transactions issued February 13, 2026 through p. 176 February 19, 2026 Final consideration of ordinances 24843 1. An ordinance relating to the preservation of landmark trees and extending p. 177 for an additional six months the interim development regulations with respect to landmark trees throughout the city Public comment period Advance sign up is required for participation. An online sign-up form will be available at cob.org/ccsignup on the day of the meeting and paper sign-up sheets will be outside the chamber doors starting at 6:30 p.m. the evening of the meeting. Registration closes when the meeting begins at 7 p.m. Each speaker will have three minutes. Please see the first page of the agenda for further details. Video of public comment sessions are available at cob.org/commentrecordings. Adjournment Next City Council meeting Monday, March 23, 2026