County public works to install controversial Birch Bay stop signs

The Whatcom County Public Works Department is holding firm with its plan to install two stop signs at the intersection of Birch Bay Drive and Birch Point Road, despite vehement community outcry.

In an information sheet dated April 12, public works provided background on alternative options that it had considered after Birch Bay residents showed strong opposition to an ordinance Whatcom County Council passed on February 21 establishing the stop signs. Two signs will be installed for southbound traffic exiting the new Horizon development on Birch Point Road and westbound traffic on Birch Bay Drive, at the top of the curve near the intersection. Eastbound traffic on Birch Bay Drive will have the right-of-way.

Public works staff wrote in the explanation that Horizon needed a second emergency access to be in fire code compliance and traffic control was needed at the new intersection. Public works reviewed the roadway structure, traffic count data, collision history, signs and stopping sight distance. Public works staff determined that westbound Birch Bay Drive traffic needed to stop so that vehicles leaving Horizon from Birch Point Road could safely exit. 

The department did not recommend rebuilding the intersection, which would require the project to be included in Whatcom County’s six-year Transportation Improvement Plan. It also determined that an all-way stop was not needed.

Public works staff addressed community concerns and said the connector from Birch Point Road to Lincoln Road, which many residents supported, was in the former Horizon developer’s now-expired planned unit development but the current developer was not bound by that proposal. They added that Birch Bay Drive was under the maximum slope grade and would not be a concern for winter driving. 

Following council’s February 21 vote, over 40 upset Birch Bay residents spoke for two hours during the public comment portion of the March 7 council meeting. Councilmember Ben Elenbaas, who represents Birch Bay, proposed a motion to repeal the ordinance during the March 7 meeting but councilmembers and public works staff said they wanted to do more research before councilmembers considered repealing the ordinance. 

Elenbaas said in a phone interview with The Northern Light that public works was doing its job by following the ordinance and he would need to gain support from other councilmembers to repeal the law. 

“I think there was a better solution than the stop signs,” he said. 

Elenbaas said he would like for the connector to Lincoln Road to be built and has asked county executive Satpal Sidhu to find out why it wasn’t included in the current plans. He added the connector was needed, not just for everyday traffic, but to serve as an evacuation route.

“It’s frustrating to me that the development is now going again but somehow they don’t have the connector road,” he said. “I’ve never heard of that happening and for the life of me I can’t find out how it happened.” 

Elenbaas said the ordinance could only be added on the council agenda again if it was added by council chair Barry Buchanan or co-sponsored by another councilmember. 

“The unfortunate part of the whole situation is no one voiced their discontent until after the original ordinance was passed and going back is much harder,” he said.

Birch Bay Village resident Carl Garlow said he was confused and disappointed after hearing public works would continue with its plan to install the stop signs. Garlow said he believed the best solution would be to leave the roads without stop signs for now and install the connector road.

Garlow added he was frustrated with the county only putting public notices in The Bellingham Herald and said it would have been helpful if they were published in The Northern Light. (According to a March 2022 news media audit, The Bellingham Herald distributed an average of 244 copies in Birch Bay and Blaine on Wednesdays. The Northern Light is delivered weekly to all 10,500 homes in Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer.)

“The problem is that county council has approved the ordinance because there was no public outcry because there was no public notice,” Garlow said. “We’re trying to figure out some way to motivate council to not install stop signs but we don’t know how to motivate them.”

Garlow said he’s been in contact with other Birch Bay Village residents who are considering speaking at public comment of future council meetings.

The stop signs are expected to be installed by mid-June, wrote county engineer Jim Karcher in a statement to The Northern Light that was prepared in collaboration with public works staff. He added it could be delayed because public works will need to add paint markings to the intersection, which are weather and equipment dependent. 

“After installation, public works will continue to monitor the operation of the intersection and make any necessary revisions as appropriate,” Karcher wrote. 

To read Whatcom County Public Works’ information sheet, visit bit.ly/3opTDuV.