The latest news from the Blaine City Council meeting on March 24 includes the city’s proposal to swap its urban growth area from east Blaine, a resolution to support continued partnership between Blaine and Surrey, B.C. and an update on the Plover ferry’s repairs.
Councilmember Richard May asked city staff if the city had made more progress on its proposal to de-annex its urban growth area (UGA) in east Blaine and add a significant portion of UGA land near Semiahmoo.
City manager Mike Harmon said the city was working with engineering consultant David, Evans and Associates to determine how much it would cost to add utilities to the proposed UGA area in west Blaine. While the work is still in the early stages, Harmon said the cost for the sewer system could be around $20 million, though he cautioned that was a preliminary number. “It’s not looking ideal,” Harmon said.
Despite developers being responsible for part of the sewer costs, the city would likely need to put in four sewer lift stations, which Harmon said wouldn’t make sense with the city’s current sewer rate. He added the sewer conveyance that runs from Semiahmoo to the Lighthouse Point Water Reclamation Facility in Blaine Harbor likely doesn’t have the capacity to handle much more development. “Once you trigger another sewer conveyance across the bay, things start to get real expensive real fast,” he said.
Harmon said he expects to bring a recommendation to council in April.
City staff first presented the preliminary plan to council in October. The plan would de-annex Grandis Pond, once slated to bring about 1,000 homes to east Blaine, and add 460 acres of UGA land south of Semiahmoo. It would also add 124 acres of UGA land near Harvey Road and would rezone an adjacent, 455 acres of UGA for manufacturing use. The plan would remove 37 acres of unincorporated UGA near the mouth of Dakota Creek.
De-annexing Grandis Pond out of the city and its UGA would likely require 60 percent approval from Blaine voters, city officials said in October. The UGA swap proposal came after Grandis Pond was sold to east Blaine residents Kevin Keck and Rebeka Ruiz-Lembo in December 2023. Community Development Services director Alex Wenger previously said he was concerned the project would not be developed as construction would need to start by July 13, 2025, when the land use entitlements expire.
Mayor Mary Lou Steward read a resolution to support a positive partnership between the cities of Blaine and Surrey, B.C. Council passed the resolution 5-0.
Steward said the resolution originated from a meeting she had with Surrey mayor Brenda Locke and Harmon. Steward said Locke was concerned about the tariffs, and Steward discussed how Blaine’s economy was being impacted by the loss of Canadian customers.
“We understand where their problems are, where our problems are, and probably the solution is to work together to try to mitigate the damage to both parties by finding common areas of agreement,” Steward said.
The resolution is available at bit.ly/4cfIIZt.
Harmon told council that the Plover has passed its first U.S. Coast Guard inspection and is scheduled to have its in-water inspection in Bellingham on Monday, April 7.
“The fact that it’s prepared enough to be on the water is good news,” Harmon said. “The fact that work has started is good news.”
The city stopped Plover operations when rotting wood was found on the 81-year-old boat last August. The rotting wood was discovered just after the passenger ferry had started service following nearly two years of significant repairs.
City leaders told council last October that the new repairs would likely cost less than $20,000 and that the ferry was expected to be operating by this summer.
City council unanimously approved a resolution that supported Blaine school district’s effort to secure grant funding to build a pedestrian overpass over State Route 543 near the Blaine campus.
The city’s comprehensive plan, its long-range planning document, includes a pedestrian overpass on State Route 543 as part of a trail system connecting the Blaine campus to Pipeline Fields on Pipeline Road.
Blaine school district superintendent Chris Granger requested council’s support as it works to find project funding, Harmon said.
Council unanimously agreed to create a deputy police chief position for Blaine Police Department, with lieutenant Brent Greene being promoted to the position. He will be paid $143,000 annually, which is 85 percent of the chief of police’s salary. The lieutenant position will remain vacant.
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