Whatcom County Council has signaled to the city of Blaine that it does not approve of the city’s proposal to expand its urban growth area (UGA) into west Blaine, should city voters approve de-annexing east Blaine.
County council voted 6-1 to send a message to Blaine that it wasn’t in support of the city adding about 450 acres of unincorporated UGA in Birch Point and rural Semiahmoo. The dissenting voter, councilmember Jon Scanlon, said he wanted the county to have negotiations with the city first, which he didn’t believe had occurred.
“It’s a good idea for us to tell them, ‘This is not what we’re looking for. Don’t bring it back,’” Elenbaas said of the UGA proposal.
Councilmembers voiced concerns surrounding stormwater runoff, keeping Blaine city limits more contiguous, and that city development could increase traffic on county roads which would require more county maintenance. Some councilors said they were concerned the UGA could be seen as a “land grab” as Birch Bay tries to incorporate.
Scanlon suggested Blaine consider adding UGA south of H Street or along I-5, while councilmember Tyler Byrd suggested Blaine look at more infill, or development within city limits. Councilmember Ben Elenbaas said he was open to future discussion, but he didn’t believe the plan currently helped Blaine or Birch Bay.
Last fall, Blaine’s Community Development Services Department revealed its proposal to de-annex 573 acres of east Blaine after the new owners of the Grandis Pond property indicated they wouldn’t develop it as densely as once planned. Blaine planners jointly announced in the fall that if city voters passed the de-annexation, the city intended to add UGA near Semiahmoo that they would like to use for future housing. Blaine City Council has been in support of the de-annexation and UGA swap.
The city’s de-annexation and UGA land swap coincided with the comprehensive plan update, a decennial update that guides growth for the next 20 years. All cities and Whatcom County must submit their plans to the state by the end of the year.
Blaine’s plan would de-annex the chunk of east Blaine UGA, along with a 37-acre unincorporated UGA near Drayton Harbor. The UGA swap proposal adds 453 acres of unincorporated UGA just south of Semiahmoo and 124 acres of UGA in southeast Blaine that the city hopes to use for industrial land.
The original UGA swap proposal also had over 500 acres of unincorporated UGA reserve, which is meant for even longer-term growth, near Semiahmoo. However, the city, along with all other cities in the county, removed the UGA reserves from their comprehensive plans earlier this month following county guidance.
The city technically does not have a UGA plan on the table as it rescinded its plan from the county earlier this month to reconfigure future growth projections, among other changes. City staff has said it will resubmit the plan to city council and Whatcom County after the election.
County council said they only disapproved of expanding the Blaine UGA in west Blaine.
“Regardless of what happens in the election, this isn’t the best place to expand,” Councilmember Todd Donovan said.
