Port of Bellingham and City of Bellingham adopt land resolutions

The Port of Bellingham Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution on April 14, 2026, to facilitate the transfer of property to the City of Bellingham.

Resolution No. 1429 updates the Port of Bellingham Comprehensive Scheme of Harbor Improvements for 2026. This administrative action is required under a law which mandates that port districts adopt a comprehensive scheme of harbor improvements before making expenditures or property improvements. The resolution specifically incorporates the transfer of the Waterfront Skate Park property to the City of Bellingham.

Approximate location of Waterfront Skate Park

In a separate infrastructure action on April 20, 2026, the City of Bellingham closed a portion of the South Bay Trail for a private development project. The closure affects approximately 0.2 miles of the trail between Douglas Avenue and Mill Avenue. Dominion Sustainable Development Corp is scheduled to begin construction on the Fairhaven Center, a three-building mixed-use project at the site of a gravel lot located near the intersection of 11th Street and Mill Avenue.

Closed section of South Bay Trail

The trail closure is projected to last 2 years. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic is being rerouted to 11th Street and Finnegan Way. While the Port of Bellingham action involves land in the Waterfront District, the Fairhaven Center project is located within the Fairhaven Urban Village.