Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee holds first meeting

Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee discussed its priorities and how it will operate during its first meeting at Birch Bay Bible Church on February 27.

Roland Middleton, special projects manager at Whatcom County Public Works Department, ran the meeting before the seven-member committee unanimously appointed the chair to be Dave Wilbrecht, who has extensive local government experience including as Blaine city manager. Dann Mead Smith, who runs a public policy consulting company, was unanimously selected as vice chair.

Wilbrecht said near the beginning of the meeting that the idea about the committee started about two years ago, shortly after Whatcom County put two stop signs at Birch Bay Drive and Birch Point Road, near the Horizon development.

“I think there was a recognition at that time that there was a disconnect between what was happening here in Birch Bay and what was happening at the county, where a lot of decisions were being made affecting the community,” Wilbrecht said.

The meeting had a public comment where four people spoke about Birch Bay incorporation, the Jackson Road bridge replacement and how to make concerns known to the committee.

Committee members made clear their desire to meet with Whatcom County Planning and Development Services to discuss how the Birch Bay urban growth area fits into the county’s comprehensive plan. The group said they were interested in learning more about the city of Blaine’s proposal to swap urban growth areas from east to west Blaine.

Middleton said he would provide an update on the Jackson Road bridge replacement project at an upcoming meeting. He said the bridge had been delayed because of Covid-19 and the 2021 flooding, later adding that the bridge project could be reprioritized if Whatcom County Public Works Department loses federal funding.

Whatcom County Parks and Recreation director Bennett Knox said that while his department doesn’t rely on federal funds, other departments potentially losing federal dollars could indirectly impact parks and recreation.

Knox said he wanted to have a conversation with the community about what would be realistic for Birch Bay Beach Park as significant funding is needed for the $5.4 million park. The county has $1 million set aside and doesn’t anticipate receiving a state grant from the Recreation and Conservation Office for it, Knox said.

On the committee, chamber director Danielle Gaughen represents the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, parks and recreation board member Wilbrecht represents Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2, and fire commissioner Bruce Ansell represents North Whatcom Fire and Rescue. Other members include Doralee Booth, an active Birch Bay community member; Sheila Wood, a Birch Bay resident who works at the Lynden Chamber of Commerce; Stephen Nelson, a Birch Bay resident of five decades.

The advisory committee was approved by Whatcom County Council in December 2024 to serve as a way for Birch Bay residents to provide better input to Whatcom County.

“The intention of the group wasn’t to be an advocate for individual property owner problems, to be a conduit to criticize the county or be in a position where we become adversarial with the county,” Wilbrecht said. “It’s really about trying to use our best capacity as a group of folks to have an understanding of what the county is doing and what that means to our community.”

The committee has tentatively scheduled its next meeting for 4 p.m. Thursday, March 24 at Birch Bay Bible Church. The group is still deciding when it will regularly meet. 

Those interested in contacting the committee can do so by emailing bbcac@whatcomcounty.us. Meeting minutes and recordings will be available on the county’s website at bit.ly/3QmWVcX.