Later this year, the city of Blaine will consider updates to its Wharf District Master Plan, a long-term planning document for the area surrounding Marine Drive that’s a joint effort by the city and the Port of Bellingham.
The Port of Bellingham is asking the city for several changes, including a change to a planned trail and to some zoning in industrial area at the west end of Marine Drive, between Sigurdson and McMillan avenues.
The zoning update would increase the size of the area known as “shipyard industrial park,” which is near the sawtooth dock. The area zoned industrial would expand slightly north, toward Marine Drive.
Greg McHenry, senior planning analyst for the Port of Bellingham, said marine-related industrial use is already allowed in that area and called the proposed change a clarification.
“It’s just a clarification that industrial uses can still be there and can continue to grow there,” he said. “There has been a resurgence of our fish processors down there and they’ve shown an interest in expanding.”
McHenry said Boundary Fish is interested in expanding and a potential new industrial tenant is also interested in that area.
The port also requested removing a pedestrian trail that, in the current plan, would pass through that industrial area.
“I would hate to have public access through some of those industrial areas,” said Ken Bell, port commissioner, at a June 18 commission meeting. “We’re asking for disaster; we’re asking for accidents. It’s going to be in the way, so just from my perspective as a port commissioner I would hate to see that loop go through there.”
The port requested several other changes that it characterized as “updates to housekeeping items,” including renaming the end pier to Jorgensen Pier and adding references to new design standards.
The Wharf District Master Plan has had few updates since 2007, when it was originally adopted.
The last major update came in 2017, when the port asked for a change to allow marine-related use at the east end of the wharf district and to increase height limits from 45 to 55 feet in one area and from 35 to 45 feet in another, both east of Milhollin Drive.
Alex Wenger, city of Blaine community planner, said the city would hold public hearings on proposed changes to the plan before the end of the year.
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