Interim infill housing and design rules, six-month extensions
City of BellinghamTwo sets of temporary City rules that let middle housing be built citywide and set clear design standards would each be extended six months. Next: On Nov. 2 the Council passed both six-month extensions on first and second reading, 7-0 (AB 25115 and AB 25116, City Action Summary).
What we get, the trade-off, what's next
What we get
AB 25115 extends the interim rules for middle housing (state HB 1110), which expire Dec. 4, 2026, by six months. AB 25116 extends the interim clear and objective design standards and streamlined design review (state HB 1293), which expire Dec. 26, 2026, by six months. Staff are drafting permanent rules in the Unified Development Code update.
What it costs
The packet says the permanent rules are funded in this year's budget. It states no cost for the extensions themselves.
The trade-off
Extending keeps the City's own interim rules in place past Dec. 4 and Dec. 26. Staff say that without an extension the state model code would supersede local rules. Arguments against an extension are not stated in the record yet.
Timeline
- May 2025Interim middle housing rules adopted (Ord. 2025-05-008)
- Dec. 8, 2025Middle housing rules amended and extended; interim design standards adopted
- Nov. 2Both extensions passed first and second reading, 7-0 (City Action Summary)
- Dec. 4Interim middle housing rules expire unless extended
- Dec. 26Interim design standards expire unless extended
How to weigh in: Write the Council at ccmail@cob.org.
The question: What will the permanent rules in the Unified Development Code update change from the interim ones?
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