The City of Bellingham can expand its boundaries through the annexation process. Property owners begin the annexation process by submitting a petition. To be eligible for annexation, land must already be within the Bellingham Urban Growth Area.
Any property owner within Bellingham’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) can request annexation.
The process is governed by State law. The Bellingham City Council and the Whatcom County Boundary Review Board each have decision-making roles. The public is offered opportunities to comment, including during a pre-application neighborhood meeting and a City Council Public Hearing.
Annexation must meet state criteria adopted by the Whatcom County Boundary Review Board. An annexation also must be consistent with City and County laws and policies, and interlocal agreements Bellingham has with Whatcom County and with special purpose districts, including fire districts. Both the City and County comprehensive plans encourage annexation in the UGA consistent with ability of cities to provide urban-level services.
Bellingham typically uses the Seventy-Five Percent Petition Annexation Method: The City Council considers annexation petitions that include signatures of at least 10 percent of residents of the proposed annexation area, or from owners of 10 percent of the area’s property based on assessed value, or from a school district. If the City Council decides to let the annexation proposal proceed, the annexation requires:
When an area is annexed, the City Council simultaneously decides how it will be zoned and adopts Neighborhood Plan provisions for the area.
