Posted: February 09, 2010 09:50:05 PST
In an effort to accommodate the current economic situation, the City of Bellingham's Planning Department is proposing a two-year extension to any customers with an approved land use permit who demonstrate that financing difficulties or the current market have prevented them from moving forward on their projects.
The Bellingham Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the proposed change at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11 in City Council Chambers at Bellingham City Hall.
"Land use permits are difficult to obtain, and we don't want to penalize customers who are unable to utilize vested permits due to the current economy," Planning & Community Development Director Tim Stewart said.
Other communities in Washington have proposed similar solutions to alleviate the pressure from the current economic climate and market conditions. The change is proposed to be added to the Bellingham Municipal Code, and if approved by the Bellingham City Council, will allow a one-time, two-year extension to an issued land use permit when the applicant files a written request for an extension before December 31, 2011. According to the proposal, the request must include a sworn declaration that the work authorized by the land use permit will be delayed as a result of adverse market conditions or the inability to secure financing. The extension requests would only apply to those issued permits that are set to expire between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011. The extensions would not apply to building permits or any other type of permit issued by the City, but the International Building Code does allow for extensions for building permits under certain conditions.
For more information about the proposal, contact Kurt Nabbefeld, Planning & Community Development, 360-778-8351, knabbefeld@cob.org.
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Media Contact:
Nicole Oliver, Communication Coordinator
Planning & Community Development Department
360-778-8353
noliver@cob.org
