The U.S. Postal Service is reviewing a resident-initiated request to create a ZIP code for Birch Bay, which would remove Blaine from the community’s mailing address.
Birch Bay resident Lisa Guthrie sent a letter to USPS Seattle District Manager On Bong Wong on March 24, asking USPS to consider creating a ZIP code for the census-designated place of Birch Bay.
Birch Bay has about double the population of Blaine, at over 10,000 residents, but shares the city’s 98230 ZIP code and mailing address.
In her letter, Guthrie cited population growth, community identity and operational efficiency as reasons for a Birch Bay ZIP code.
“Just in terms of our community identity, having our own ZIP code is important to a lot of us,” Guthrie said. “I live in an urban growth area of over 10,000 people, and I wanted to be able to say I’m from Birch Bay and not have to explain it to people.”
Support letters were also sent to USPS by state Sen. Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham), the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee (BBCAC) and the Birch Bay Incorporation Association (BBIA).
Whatcom County Councilmember Ben Elenbaas, who represents Birch Bay, wrote in an email to The Northern Light that he planned to send a letter in support and to ask the County Council to submit a letter as well.
Supporters echoed Guthrie’s reasoning for a Birch Bay ZIP code, including Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce President Dianne Marrs-Smith, who said the change would better mail service to Birch Bay residents by improving delivery accuracy.
“A dedicated ZIP code would help clearly differentiate Birch Bay for residents, visitors and businesses alike, while improving mail delivery accuracy and operational efficiency,” Marrs-Smith wrote in her letter.
The request comes as some Birch Bay residents have increased efforts to strengthen their autonomy over the past few years, notably with the formation of BBIA in 2023 and BBCAC in late 2024.
Guthrie served on the Birch Bay Steering Committee, which created a Birch Bay community plan for the county in the early 2000s, and she is now involved with BBIA and BBCAC.
One of the Birch Bay Steering Committee’s main priorities was to bring a post office to Birch Bay, but that attempt failed. At the time, the community couldn’t have its own ZIP code without a post office, Guthrie said.
However, the federal government has since revised the process, no longer requiring ZIP codes to be connected to a post office.
Under USPS policy, the public may request USPS establish or change ZIP code boundaries by writing to the USPS district manager. Within 60 days of receiving the request, the district manager is expected to research the feasibility and meet with the group that initiated the request before making a decision.
USPS spokesperson Janella Herron said the agency received the request and “will be reviewing the correspondence following our processes and guidelines.”
If USPS considers the request, the local postmaster will meet with the petitioners, and if they reach an agreement, USPS would send a survey to affected residents. Support from a simple majority of survey respondents is needed to change the ZIP code.
Customers have one year to update their mail if the change is approved.
The Blaine post office would still service Birch Bay.
Guthrie said she proposed new ZIP code boundaries follow the census-designated place of Birch Bay because it’s a federal designation, which may simplify the review process. Boundary conversations could occur if USPS considers the request, she added.
The boundaries would roughly extend from west of Kickerville Road to the bay, north of Grandview Road, and the county land south of Drayton Harbor Road. Boundaries would include Point Whitehorn and Birch Point.
Guthrie said anyone interested in becoming involved or with questions may contact her at lisainbirchbay@gmail.com.
“Birch Bay has been a place of gathering, and it’s got a different identity than Blaine,” Guthrie said. “It would be nice to be able to use our address as our address.”
