Comp Plan Conspiracy

Today's letter to Whatcom County Council and Blaine City Council:

Blaine's conspiracy to subvert the letter and spirit of the Growth Management Act was hatched at the 3/24/2023 Blaine City Council retreat where Blaine City Manager Mike Harmon was instructed by the council to initiate Central Business District text and map amendments without public participation as required by law. This was followed by the 6/4/2023 self-dealing by members of the Downtown Advisory Committee facilitated by Blaine Community Development Services. 

On 7/10/23, Blaine City Council passed Resolution 1923-23 forwarding the illicit Downtown Advisory Committee recommendations to Blaine Planning Commision for review. On 2/8/24, Blaine Planning Commission recommended increasing building heights and reducing parking requirements. On 2/12/24, Blaine City Council approved Resolution 1940-24 to increase building heights and reduce parking requirements. You can read more about this criminal misconduct by the City of Blaine in the Common Sense Planning report by Downtown Advisory Committee member Glen Pentland. 

Blaine's conspiracy to violate the law in the Central Business District in order to facilitate downtown condo developers waiting in the wings to descend on Blaine mirrors the corruption and self-dealing when they approved PUDs in Blaine's Critical Aquifer Recharge Area without an Environmental Impact Statement. Combined, their actions undermine the Comprehensive Plan update by upzoning properties in the CARA and downtown before they hold public meetings. This helps to explain their rush to enact all the changes to Blaine's zoning and development regulations requested by developers prior to public participation. 

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