June 1 - 7, 2023
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
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Blaine track and field competes at state, page 6
Memorial Day ceremony photos, page 10
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Citizen scientists monitor local waters, page 13
City ditches Blaine softball goes far in state championship plans for larger police station, moves some staff into city hall By Grace McCarthy
(See City hall, page 2)
s Blaine’s varsity girls softball team at the 1A state championship in Richland on May 27. The Lady Borderites lost 10-0 to eventual state champions Montesano in the semifinal. This was the first time softball went to state since 2009. Coaches Sean Miller, l., and Riley Miller, r., stand beside their team. Read more on page 7. Photo by Robb Vezzetti
Proposed project envisions combining new Blaine library with affordable housing By Grace McCarthy A project to build a new Blaine library and add affordable and market-rate housing on the top levels is being brainstormed by Kulshan Community Land Trust (KCLT), the city of Blaine and Whatcom County Library System (WCLS). Blaine City Council unanimously approved 6-0, with councilmember Garth Baldwin absent, to authorize a feasibility study to look at options for a mixed-use library project during the May 22 council meeting. The project property is one acre of
city-owned land that includes the library, a parking lot and the skate park. The city is already planning to rebuild the skate park in 2027 and is considering moving it to a new location, according to city documents. KCLT will pay for the feasibility study using a state grant it secured, making it no cost to the project’s partners, the city and WCLS. The feasibility study could be finished by the end of the year. City council initiated the feasibility study by approving a transfer option agreement that would allow KCLT to potentially acquire the city property, according to
Blaine council enacts emergency ban on manufactured home park applications By Grace McCarthy Blaine City Council approved an emergency six-month moratorium on processing manufactured home park building permit applications during its May 22 meeting. The ban will allow city staff time to clean up inconsistencies in the city code that have been at the center of debate for over a year. The city’s attorney, Jon Sitkin, presented the moratorium to council after an executive ses-
sion at the end of the meeting. Sitkin said the impetus for the moratorium was a now-withdrawn proposal to change the city’s planned unit development (PUD) code text, which conflicts with the underlying zoning code, to allow manufactured home parks. JIJ Corporation owners Skip and Katie Jansen, who are developing East Harbor Hills in east Blaine, submitted the zoning text amendment request shortly after purchasing the property in fall of 2021. East Blaine resi-
dents voiced strong opposition to the idea of a manufactured home park while planning commission mulled over the amendment request, and the Jansens ultimately decided to withdraw their request a month ago. The city’s underlying zoning code allows for manufactured home parks in east Blaine and has a section on their regulations. However, the city’s code does not allow manufac(See Homes, page 2)
city documents. The purchase would be subject to future terms, such as the project layout and price of land. The city will determine the terms and can void the transfer option agreement if KCLT does not meet those terms after three years, with the possibility for council to approve two year-long extensions. Paul Schissler has been consulting KCLT through his Bellingham-based company Madrona Community Development to bring affordable housing to downtown (See Library, page 3)
INSIDE
Blaine police and public works leadership will move into city hall in July, which for now has ended several years of city council conversation on expanding or moving the police station. Blaine City Council unanimously approved the city spending $44,000 to modify city hall’s second floor during its May 22 meeting. Improvements include creating a hallway to connect the offices and ensuring the space meets required regulations for an evidence room, which will also be moved to the second floor. The Blaine police chief, lieutenant and clerk and the public works director, project manager, two engineers and two technicians will be moved into city hall. City manager Michael Harmon said after the meeting that moving all city employees who directly interact with the public into one location will improve customer service. “Now our customers will only have one facility to go to when they have either public works questions or planning and zoning questions or building permit questions,” Harmon said. “City hall will be the primary location also for concealed weapon permits and things related to the police department.” The city is currently leasing the second floor to a few private businesses, Harmon said. The second floor modifications, with which public works staff will help, should be done by the end of June and the city staff will move in early July. Harmon said this move will be permanent for police and public works staff. He added the city may look at remodeling the police station but is not looking to expand or move officers and sergeants into a new facility. City council has been discussing for several years whether to expand or build a new Blaine Police Department station, currently located in the old post office that was built in the ’60s. Plans to demolish the old city hall sparked conversations on the future of the police station and evidence room.
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