The Port is working to clean-up and redevelop 220 acres of contaminated industrial property located along Bellingham's central waterfront to create new economic opportunities and new jobs. The Port is planning several major developments including a Clean Ocean Marina, a Marine Trades area, a new homeport for NOAA's Pacific Research Fleet, and a TerrAquarium. The Port is also undertaking environmental clean-up and mitigation projects, and looking for new public access opportunities on the waterfront.
Since acquiring the Georgia Pacific property in 2005, the Port has been working with the City to support the community's vision of a vibrant, mixed-use waterfront. The Port will pay for the costs of environmental cleanup and recover this investment through the future sale or lease of the property. The City will pay the costs of streets, utilities and parks and recover this investment from revenue gained by increased property values on the waterfront. To protect the taxpayers and help offset the millions of dollars in additional environmental cleanup and infrastructure costs which will be required to allow mixed-uses on the waterfront, the Port needs several commitments from the City including:
• an agreement to allow a certain level of urban infill consistent with sustainable land use planning;
• an agreement providing predictability in long-range development regulations.
Latest Waterfront Redevelopment Plans & ReportsApril 20 2009 Joint Port City Waterfront Framework Presentation
April 20, 2009 Approved Port City Waterfront Framework Planning Assumptions
April 20, 2009 Adopted Port City Waterfront Planning Framework Map
Architect Report March 2009
Architect Presentation March 2009
Build Bellingham Federal Stimulus Proposal: December 2008
City's Comment Letter to the Port on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement
The Proposal: The Port's Preferred Alternative for site redevelopment - published June 10, 2008
Updated Road Grid Cost Comparison - October 2008
Port Commission Waterfront Update Presentation - Oct. 7, 2008
Waterfront Advisory Group Development Planning Update - Oct. 8, 2008
The Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement - published Oct. 14, 2008
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement - published January 2008
Public Comment Summary Report
To learn more about the waterfront redevelopment effort, click on the links below:
Project Updates
Design Concept
Real Estate Marketing Website
A New Neighborhood
Restoring the Environment
Rebuilding the Economy
Clean Ocean Marina
Early Development Projects
Redevelopment Partners
Public Comment/Involvement
Project Background
Press Room