Trillium Corp., one of Bellingham’s largest developers has applied to build 1,246 homes and up to 60,000 square feet of commercial space. The existing Semiahmoo Resort has more than 800 homes.

The projected is vested since the application was placed before Whatcom County leaders decided the land wasn’t right for dense development and removed it from Blaine’s growth area.
Do you see some controversy brewing here?

The project would be on 624 acres west of Semiahmoo Parkway, an area north of the Birch Bay Village and south of the Semiahmoo Spit and would take about 20 years to build.

On Nov. 24, The County Council updated urban growth areas countywide to comply with a state growth board ruling, and decided to remove the west Blaine urban growth area. That meant that instead of building up to four houses per acre, the zoning changed to only one house per five acres, which is a rural level of growth.
That would have limited Trillium to about 125 homes, but since Trillium applied for the project before that decision, it can develop under the rules that were in place at the time they placed their application…hmm…. do you see some controversy brewing here?

A consultant working for the county but paid by Trillium will draft an environmental impact statement, and the county will accept public comments and questions, which the consultant and staff will respond to in the final document.
According to Trillium’s application, the project would have seven different neighborhoods, and the vast majority of homes would be detached single-family houses. It would have a mixed-use village area with commercial development and about 100 multi-family homes.
The County Council likely will decide in March whether to reconsider its decision to update urban growth areas.
People at Birch Bay Village, a large gated community just south of the proposed project, are worried about its impacts on storm water runoff from the hill into the village. Then there are the usual concerns of traffic, crime and stress on public services. Should make for some interesting Public Hearings.

If you’d like any information about Semiahmoo or Semiahmoo Real estate you can reach me any time at 369-739-6981 or email me at: michael.eisenberg@exprealty.com