The Bellingham Neighborhood Coalition is an alliance of
community members working together to ensure that:
- The vitality and character of established single-family and multi-family neighborhoods are preserved as the city accommodates additional growth and development;
- Bellingham’s urban villages are targeted for future infill projects; and
- Existing residents and taxpayers are not unfairly burdened with the costs associated with growth and development.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1.
Vitality and character of residential neighborhoods
The Washington State legislature amended the 1991 Growth
Management Act (GMA) in 1995 because the original requirements “not only do not
adequately protect single-family residential neighborhoods, but increase the
pressure to rezone established single-family neighborhoods to allow development
of apartment buildings and commercial uses.”
Under the original GMA, the comp plan housing element was
required to “recognize the vitality and character of established residential
neighborhoods.” The 1995 amendment changed the language to “ensure the vitality and character of established residential
neighborhoods.” (Emphasis added)
State Senate Bill
5567 (SSB 5567) elevated the
initial goal of recognizing the vitality and character to a requirement of ensuring the vitality
and character. The revised language appears in the GMA under
2. “Right place” infill
A mix of residential housing types, as defined in Bellingham’s
urban villages, provides housing choices for people of various incomes and ages
and can revitalize areas of the city that would benefit from increased housing
and commercial development.
3. Growth-related costs
Since the GMA was adopted, cities and counties have charged
impact fees on new development to pay for the construction and expansion of
off-site capital improvements that are necessitated by and benefit the new
development. The GMA authorizes the assessment of impact fees for: a) roads; b)
parks, open space and recreation facilities; c) schools, and d) fire protection
facilities.
Based on a 2006 Development Impact Analysis prepared by Fodor & Associates, existing Bellingham taxpayers
are currently subsidizing each new single
family unit by $23,000 and each new multi-family unit by $14,000 for just the
four capital improvements for which impact fees are authorized. Existing
taxpayers provide a 100% subsidy for all other growth-related costs such as
libraries, jails, police protection facilities, government buildings, museums,
etc.
Impact fees became popular in Florida and California in the
1970s as a result of taxpayer revolts and reductions in federal and state aid
for local infrastructure. Recently, there has been a national trend
toward communities recovering the FULL cost of facilities rather than a
percentage of the cost.
