For Immediate Release For More Information:
Contact: Port Real Estate Director Lydia Bennett
360-676-2500
State Shorelines Hearings Board Rules in Favor of Waterfront Project
Bellwether on the Bay Phase Two Development Can Move Forward
[Bellingham, Wash.] The Washington State Shoreline Hearings Board ruled yesterday upholding the City of Bellingham's Shoreline Permit issued to the Port of Bellingham for the Bellwether Gate LLC project, denying an appeal by a small group of residents on the hillside above the development.
The Port of Bellingham, City of Bellingham and the developer worked together in presenting their case to the hearings board during its extended hearing in Bellingham last month.
"We are very pleased that the state board affirmed the port's and city's effort to continue creating a vibrant, urban waterfront in Bellingham," said Commission President Doug Smith. "This decision makes it possible for a major local employer to create additional family-wage jobs and for improved public trails along the waterfront."
After the city issued a development permit in December, a few residents filed separate appeals to both to the City Hearing Examiner and to the State Shorelines Hearings Board. While their appeals addressed numerous issues, their major focus was on the approval of one of the buildings being 50 feet tall, despite earlier height restrictions of 35 feet when the peninsula first was planned.
In its ruling, the Shorelines Board affirmed the needed additional height for the building to support the cost of provide underground parking, rather than constructing large surface parking lots. The City in issuing its permit determined that the Port's proposal to locate a portion of the required parking under the building was in the public interest due to the environmental benefits and enhanced public access of the Port's proposal.
In yesterday's ruling, the Board recognized the efforts of the Port and Bellwether Gate LLC to create dynamic urban waterfront development, and recognized the project's consistency with the planning efforts of the Waterfront Futures Group (WFG).
The Board recognized the City had "...expanded its economic vision for the waterfront to include development supporting different types of family wage jobs." The Board also stated, "Underground parking is part of the urban vision for the waterfront development through the WFG process....The Bellwether Gate proposal incorporated significant underground parking." The Board also commented on the design of the buildings "The evidence in this case establishes that the developers made an effort to create a visually appealing improvement on the Peninsula."
Earlier this month, after considering public testimony, the City Hearing Examiner Dawn Sturwold also rejected resident groups'' appeal of the city decision to allow the development and today the port, city and developer learned that the state board also rejected their appeal.
Earlier this year developer David Ebenal, managing member of Bellwether Gate LLC, signed a long-term land lease with the port to build four mixed-use buildings with underground parking at Bellwether on the Bay alongside Squalicum Harbor.
The agreement between the Port and Bellwether Gate, LLC, calls for the construction of the first building, located between Anthony's Restaurant and the Hearthfire Grill Restaurant, to begin by this September. This first building will be a mixed-use, four story building with underground parking and ten residential condominiums on the top floor. And the remaining portion of the building to be used for commercial purposes
Bellwether Gate, LLC, already has its anchor tenant, the local office of the international engineering firm, CH2M HILL. The firm plans to increase its local professional engineering staff significantly in Bellingham. The expanded CH2M HILL operation will occupy the second and third floors of the new building, as well as a portion of the first floor. This building will be completed by December 2010.
All of the additional buildings will be mixed use, featuring ground floor retail and office with residential on the upper floors of two buildings. When all of the buildings are complete in 2012, they will add approximately 137,000 square feet of marine-related, commercial and residential space to the waterfront development.
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