NOVEMBER 2022
The Commissioners of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District will have a Special Board Meeting of the Park District on the 28th of November, a Monday, at 5 pm. Please note the special time and date. The meeting will be a hybrid meeting held both on Zoom and in-person at 1108 11th St, Suite 303, above Fairhaven Bicycle.
This special meeting has been scheduled to give the Commissioners more time to consider the budget for functioning of the Park District from January to September of 2023 and whether a levy is needed. Also being discussed at the meeting is the amendment of the conservation easement.
Please review the video of the November 9, 2022, Board Meeting and Public Hearings for more information. CCFPD’s financial considerations to be discussed will include ensuring sufficient funding to transfer the conservation easement, fund its defense, and protect the ecologic integrity of the forested wetlands within Chuckanut Community Forest.
Budgets and potential tax levy information are listed below (just before October 2022).
The Commissioners will be attending via Zoom. Anyone attending the in-person portion of the meeting is required to wear a well-fitting mask per the Commissioners of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District as voted at their October 26, 2022, meeting.
Zoom log-in information is on the Home page in the News Box.
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Notice of Public Hearings for 2023 Budget and Potential Tax Levy for the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District
November 9, 2022, Wednesday, 6:00 PM
Location: Online on Zoom and In-Person at 1108 11th St, Suite 303
(above Fairhaven Bicycle).
The Chuckanut Community Forest Park District (CCFPD) will hold two Public Hearings at its regular Board meeting scheduled for November 9, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. at the above location. Public Hearing No. 1: Regarding approval of the CCFPD’s 2023 Budget. Public Hearing No. 2: To consider approval of a 2023 Tax Levy.
Information on the proposed Budgets and potential Levies is posted below.
CCFPD’s financial considerations to be discussed at the Board meeting include ensuring sufficient funding to transfer the conservation easement, fund its defense, and close out CCFPD. The CCFPD must assign the Conservation Easement to an appropriate organization. Resolutions and potential budgets are posted below.
Please attend this meeting if you would like to comment on the 2023 budget and potential tax levy. Speakers are allowed three minutes, or more as time permits, to address the Commissioners. You can also submit written comments to or to PO Box 4283, Bellingham, WA 98227 . All comments submitted will become part of the written record of the CCFPD.
This meeting will be held online via zoom and also in-person. The Commissioners will be attending the meeting via Zoom, not in-person. Anyone attending the in-person portion of the meeting is required to wear a well-fitting mask per direction of the Board of Commissioners.
- Budget for 2023 with no Tax Levy
- Tax Levy/Certification Resolution #23 for $81,060 ($.0225/$1000) and
Budget for 2023 $81,060 Tax Levy - Tax Levy/Certification Resolution #23 for $162,120 ($.045/$1000) and
Budget for 2023 $162,120 Tax Levy - Tax Levy/Certification Resolution #23 for $216,160 ($.06/$1000) and
Budget for 2023 for $216,160 Tax Levy - 2023 Budget Resolution #24
OCTOBER 2022
We welcome Ed Grumbine as the new Commissioner for Position #4! He is replacing John Brown, who resigned from the Park District at the end of the September 28th Board meeting.
We wish John Brown the best and thank him for his service on the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Board!
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Starting in November, Board meetings will be held both in-person and virtually on Zoom. The in-person location is still to be determined.
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10/11/2022: The deadline for applying for the Commissioner position is closed. The new Commissioner will be decided at a special meeting of the Park District Board on Wednesday, October 12th at 6 PM on Zoom. See Zoom log-in information below.
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Due to a Commissioner’s resignation, there is now a vacancy on the Park District Board for Commissioner Position #4. Park District residents are invited to apply to fill this position. Please apply by October 10th.
The chosen applicant will commence service on the date of appointment and should be willing to serve through the dissolution of the Park District.
Please indicate your qualifications and interests by filling out an application, either online here or by printing and filling in this form, which you can then scan and send to Robyn Albro, Secretary, at . Please apply as soon as possible, but no later than October 10th.
Please attend the Special Meeting of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Board on Wednesday, October 12th at which time you will be given the opportunity to address the Commissioners and ask and answer questions. The meeting will be held on Zoom at 6 pm. Zoom log-in information is below.
A Special Meeting of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Board to appoint a new commissioner will be held on Wednesday, October 12th, at 6 PM on zoom.
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SEPTEMBER 2022
On September 12 the Bellingham City Council approved the Master Plan of the newly named Hundred Acre Wood. You can read the final plan here.
AUGUST 2022
August 29, 2022 Special Meetings of the Board of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District on 8/29/2022.
The Commissioners of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District scheduled two Special District Board Meetings on August 29, 2022, the first at 10:15 AM and the second at 7:00 PM. The purpose and topics of these August 29, 2022 special meetings was to enable all the Commissioners to attend and potentially participate in the:
- City of Bellingham Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting at 10:15 AM (topic: name to be given to 112 acre park of which 82-acre Chuckanut community forest is a part);
- The Bellingham City Council Meeting and Public Hearing at 7 PM (topic: Draft Master Plan for the Hundred Acre Wood).
The Commissioners did not participate in the Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting. The Committee made the decision to table the naming of the Chuckanut Community Forest until after the Public Hearing. You can watch the video of the Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting here.
The Commissioners did testify at the City Council Public Hearing for the Chuckanut Community Forest. You can watch the video of the Public Hearing here. The Public Hearing starts at 26:20.
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ATTENTION: It’s an important month for the Chuckanut Community Forest. The Draft Master Plan is coming up for approval and the Stewardship Plan will be finalized. You can review the most recent Draft of the Master Plan here – clean copy, or the red-lined version here. The Stewardship Plan is here for your review. If you’d like to review our Baseline Documentation study, upon which both of the above rely, here it is.
If you haven’t yet reviewed these reports, its not too late to do so and make your opinions known!
IMPORTANT DATES
* August 10, 7:30 AM, on Zoom, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Meeting. At this meeting they will vote on whether they approve the Draft Master Plan. Please attend and let them know what you think. Follow this link for information on how to attend the meeting on zoom. Please note this meeting is in the morning.
* August 24, 6:00 PM, on Zoom, Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Board Meeting. This is our regular board meeting where we will be discussing everything about the current status of the Master Plan and finalizing the Stewardship Plan. See below for how to attend this zoom meeting. Please join us at this important meeting. There is always time for the Commissioners to hear your comments at board meetings.
* August 29, 7:00 PM, on Zoom, Bellingham City Council Meeting where they will be discussing the Master Plan and potentially voting on it. This is your time to speak directly to the City Council. The exact details of the meeting and timing of the discussion of the Master Plan will not be announced until closer to the meeting. I will keep an eye out for when that is posted, but you can check yourself by going here and clicking on upcoming under Recent and Upcoming Meetings.
Zoom Info for Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Board Meeting on August 24th at 6 PM:
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JULY 2022
The first Public Hearing held by the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District to review the Stewardship Plan of the Chuckanut Community Forest and the DRAFT Master Plan developed by the City of Bellingham Parks Department was held on July 6th, at a Special Meeting of the Park District. If you missed the Hearing, you can watch the video of it on our meeting page starting at 7:01.
More comments will be taken at the Regular Meeting/Public Hearing on July 27th, on zoom at 6 pm.
Your thoughts on both these plans are very important. If you haven’t had a chance to review the presentations or the plans, we encourage you to do so over the next week and send your comments to the Commissioners or comment at the Hearing on July 27th.
CCFPD will be accepting public comments of the stewardship process and the proposed DRAFT City Parks Master Plan. You may comment in person at either meeting or send in written comments to the Secretary by email at or by mail to Robyn Albro, Secretary, CCFPD, PO Box 4283, Bellingham, WA 98227.
We invite you to review the Stewardship Plan for the Chuckanut Community Forest here.
We invite you to review the Final DRAFT Master Plan of the Chuckanut Community Forest and other surrounding acreage, including the trail plan here.
The Baseline Study, upon which the Stewardship Plan relies, is available here.
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Recording of the Virtual Open House Available for Viewing
If you missed the Virtual Open House on the Chuckanut Community Forest Master Plan you can still view the recording of the presentation by the City Parks Department and view the question and answer session at the Engage Bellingham Chuckanut Community Forest Park District web page. The presentation slides are also available to you on the same page under the Documents tab.
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Coming up on March 16th is a Virtual Open House on the Chuckanut Community Forest Master Plan on March 16th, at 6:30 pm.
Announcement from the City of Bellingham: Virtual Open House by City of Bellingham Parks Department to learn about the Chuckanut Community Forest / Hundred Acre Wood Master Plan on March 16, 2022 from 6:30 – 8:30pm! The open house will include a video presentation on Engage Bellingham and a live question and answer session with City of Bellingham Parks Department staff. This will be your opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions ahead of the Master Plan legislative review process this spring. Stay tuned to the project page at Engage Bellingham, where additional meeting information will be posted soon.
The Virtual Open House is an important opportunity to comment on the Master Plan for the Community Forest. If you want to learn what the Commissioners of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District have been doing to help preserve the Forest in perpetuity, you can access the minutes of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Board Meetings. You can read the written minutes or watch the Zoom of the Board Meetings.
The Steering Committee has been guiding the process with the City of Bellingham Parks Department. To learn more about their process, go to the project page at Engage Bellingham where the minutes of the Steering Committee meetings are. There are many other helpful documents at the Chuckanut Community Forest Engage Bellingham site that you may find interesting and helpful.
Your participation in this process is very important.
Please pass this information on to any of your friends who may be interested and please attend the Virtual Open House.
November 2021
UPDATE: TIred Pups Consulting of Bellingham, WA and Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc. of Bellingham, WA, completed RFQ’s. Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc. was chosen to work with the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District on the Master Plan process.
Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Seeks Consultant to Assist with Master Planning Process
The Chuckanut Community Forest Park District (CCFPD) is seeking a qualified consultant to develop a protection, conservation, and restoration design for the Chuckanut Community Forest that would contribute to the City of Bellingham’s Park Master Plan process. The consultant will work for the CCFPD with the City to ensure the City Master plan for the Chuckanut Community Forest advances the conservation interests of protecting the Chuckanut Community Forest for perpetuity.
The complete Request for Qualifications is posted here.
Applications are due by mail by November 8th at 5 PM.
For more information, contact Robyn Albro at .
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Notice of Public Hearings for 2022 Tax Levy and Budget for the
Chuckanut Community Forest Park District
Date & Time: November 10, 2021, Wednesday, 6:00 PM
Location: Online on Zoom (see below this article for link).
The Chuckanut Community Forest Park District (CCFPD) will hold Public
Hearings to approve the 2022 Tax Levy and Budget for the Chuckanut
Community Forest Park District at their next Board Meeting.
CCFPD’s financial considerations to be discussed at the public hearing will
include paying off the Greenway loan, participating in the park Master Plan
process, and ensuring sufficient funding to transfer the conservation
easement and close out CCFPD. Less than 10% of the $3,232,021.60 interfund
loan made from the Greenway Endowment Fund remains to be paid to
the City of Bellingham. The City of Bellingham Parks Department, the Master
Plan Steering Committee, and the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District
are working together on the Master Plan for the Forest, for which CCFPD is
considering hiring a consultant. Plans are moving forward to assign the
Conservation Easement to a local organization.
The Commissioners will consider a number of different levies and budgets at the Nov. 10th meeting. You will find the links below for the budgets and tax levies being considered.
2022 Budget Resolution
Tax Levy/Certification for $0 and Budget for 2022/2023 for $0 Tax Levy
Tax Levy/Certification for $100,000 and Budget for 2022/2023 for $100,000 Tax Levy
Tax Levy/Certification for $136,000 and Budget for 2022/2023 for $136,000 Tax Levy
Tax Levy/Certification for $170,000 and Budget for 2022/2023 for $170,000 Tax Levy
Please attend this meeting if you would like to comment on the 2022 tax levy
or budget. Speakers are allowed three minutes, or more as time permits, to
address the commissioners and the public. All comments submitted will
become part of the written record of the CCFPD.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
Robyn Albro, Secretary
Here is the link for a printed copy of this notice.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86867255816?pwd=VDEvWS9SaEd4SThROXJXVk9tVGdLZz09
Meeting ID: 868 6725 5816 Passcode: 193678
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Meeting ID: 868 6725 5816 Passcode: 193678
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October 2021
The Chuckanut Community Forest Park District and the City’s Steering Committee for the Chuckanut Forest Master Plan authorized an informal survey of actual park visitors, as part of the Master Plan and future planning for the forest.
Volunteers counted visitors hiking or biking in the Hundred Acre Wood on Saturday, October 9th, and Monday, October 11th. The results of the survey will be presented at the October 27th board meeting.
A big Thank You to everyone who helped out despite the wind and rain!
September 2021
The Urban Forestry Management Plan presentation to the Chuckanut Community Forest and the Master Plan Steering Committee on September 10th is now available for you to watch here. For more information on this plan, go to their main webpage at the City of Bellingham. You can get status updates or sign up on their email list.
If you would like to read more detailed information on the Urban Forestry Management Plan, you can check out these two reports at the bottom of their webpage:
- Canopy and Forest Structure Analysis Summary Report, 2021
- Wildlife Corridor Analysis, 2021
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IMPORTANT NOTICE
Please participate in a Survey on the Engage Bellingham website on the Chuckanut Community Forest Master Plan process. This is an important opportunity for you to give your feedback on the future of the Community Forest. As part of that survey you can also note on a map places that are of concern or interest to you. In addition you can leave questions for the Steering Committee.
Your participation in this survey is critical. Please assist us in protecting the Chuckanut Community Forest in perpetuity! Survey.
The Survey will be available through September 15th.
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On June 23rd, 2021, a Virtual Public Hearing on Restoration Component of Chuckanut Community Forest Master Plan was held. You can continue to submit comments until the July 28th, 2021 board meeting.
The Chuckanut Community Forest Park District (CCFPD) held a Public Hearing to consider citizens’ comments on the Restoration Component of the Chuckanut Community Forest Master Plan.
The Bellingham Parks Department is beginning the development of a Master Plan for Chuckanut Community Forest this year. Public participation in plan development is important to ensure the Plan reflects public interests and values.
Restoration will be an essential part of the Chuckanut Community Forest Master Plan. The Master Plan will include a trail plan to support visitor access and recreational uses. Existing trails not included in the plan will need to be restored to natural vegetation and wildlife habitat. The restoration component of the Master Plan must include strategies to restore soil, vegetation, and habitat.
Western Washington University students developed trail restoration plans, available below. We welcome your comments about the student plans or other ideas about CCF restoration needs and strategies.
Listed here are links to documents and plans on Restoration:
Restoration Design Projects by:
Written comments of any length may be submitted until July 28th, 2021:
US Mail to CCFPD, P.O. Box 4283, Bellingham, WA 98227;
Email to Robyn Albro at .
All comments submitted will become part of the written record of the CCFPD.
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February, 2021: A letter of appreciation was received from Fairhaven Neighbors.
February 24, 2021: Bellingham Parks & Recreation Dept. will be talking about the master plan at this meeting. See their outline here. The outline posted here is being revised.
December 09, 2020, Wednesday, Regular Board Meeting at 6 PM on Zoom.
There will be a discussion of the CCFPD budget for the upcoming year and the current and future surplus. See revised agenda here.
November 2020:
- NOVEMBER 11, 2020, Wednesday, at 6 PM on Zoom.
PUBLIC HEARING on 2021 TAX LEVY and BUDGET and Regular Monthly Meeting for Chuckanut Community Forest Park District. -
The CCFPD Board is looking at whether to decrease the tax rate for 2021 from $0.28 per $1,000 of evaluation to $0.14/$1000, to give people a tax break due to the economic hardship of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Chuckanut Community Forest Park District will be dissolved within one (1) year from the date the City of Bellingham (“City”) files a petition for the Park District’s dissolution. By Interlocal Agreement, the City may not file a petition for the Park District’s dissolution until two things happen: (1) the loan made from the City’s Greenways Endowment fund is paid off; and (2) the Chuckanut Community Forest Park Master Plan is adopted by the City. The loan appears likely to be repaid by the end of 2021 or 2022. The Park Master Plan is currently expected to be initiated by the City in 2021 and completed in 2022. Assuming the City promptly files a petition for dissolution at its earliest opportunity, the Park District may be dissolved in 2023. Before the Park District dissolves, it intends to transfer the conservation easement, in perpetuity, to a qualified organization.
Please attend if you would like to be part of the public comment period or discussion, with speakers allowed three minutes or more as time permits, to address the commissioners and the public. All comments submitted will become part of the written record of the CCFPD.
Here are the links to the two budgets being considered, one at the current $0.28 per $1,000 and the other at $0.14 per $1,000. See below to view the projected loan pay off document from Whatcom County Treasurer Steven Oliver.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
- Steven Oliver of the Whatcom County Treasurer’s Office came to the October board meeting and brought an updated document on the loan pay off. Click here to view.
- We have posted a new Resolution of Highest Priority Restoration Needs click here to view. This was approved at the October 28, 2020 board meeting.
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October 2020: Even though the Public Hearing on the Trail Designs is over, you can still submit comments on the designs. There is no official cut-off date, but it would be very helpful if you could submit comments sooner rather than later.
Please review the Four New Trail Designs (with summary), Including a Fifth Design from Bellingham Parks & Recreation, which were presented at the September 2020 board meeting.
In October 2019, Western Washington University students designed trail networks for Chuckanut Community Forest (CCF) as an assignment for a conservation course. Please check out the summary of the trail designs, and then the four different designs listed below.
PLUS a Trail design option created this year from the
City of Bellingham Parks & Recreation Department .
Written comments of any length may be submitted via email to:
Written comments sent by US Mail should be sent to
CCFPD, P.O. Box 4283, Bellingham, WA 98227.
All comments submitted will become part of the written record of the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District.
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September 2020
Public Hearing on Trail Designs September 23, 2020, Wednesday at 6 PM
Please join us!
Professor and Commissioner John McLaughlin will lead a presentation of trail design
options produced by some of his students at Western Washington University. The design presented by the Bellingham Parks Department will also be reviewed.
Public comment and discussion will be encouraged at the hearing, with speakers
allowed three minutes (or more) as time permits, to address the commissioners and the
public. Everyone is welcome to attend.
November 2019
List of Chuckanut Community Forest Biotic Survey Priorities (suggested) and Biotic Survey Wish List. These lists have been developed by John McLaughlin and are being used by the Board to help evaluate what information it would be helpful to develop and in what order for the ecological preservation of the Chuckanut Community Forest.
November 13, 2019
Our Treasurer, Whatcom County Treasurer Steven Oliver and City of Bellingham Finance Director Andy Asbjornsen, presented us with a summary spreadsheet of our financial obligations, status, and projections, now that we have passed the half way point of our ten-year mandate. See the summary report here.
May 22, 2019
Notice of Public Hearing by the Chuckanut Community Forest Park District for Trail Designs on June 26, 2019 at 6:00 PM
January 25, 2019
WWU Student Trail Designs 2018
Chuckanut Community Forest Trail Network Design – view pdf
Reports by students in ESCI 439/539 Conservation of Biological Diversity
June 2, 2018
Chuckanut Community Forest Park District Review and Report
View report here.
On March 6, 2018, the Supreme Court of Washington denied the Ferlin et al’s petition for review. The Court’s order is here.
Legal defense costs:
2015: $41,108.50
2016: $40,915.15
2017: $22,840.36
2018: $6,565.00
Total costs (final): $111,429.01
Press Release
Chuckanut Community Forest Park District
May 30, 2017
We are pleased to announce that the “Baseline Documentation Report” for the Chuckanut Community Forest has been completed, approved, signed, and posted here.
We would like to thank Ann Eissinger of Common Futures LLC especially, and Chris Behee, Senior GIS Analyst of the City of Bellingham, Planning and Community Development Department, for creating a visually stunning and factually inclusive document of our beloved Chuckanut Forest. Many others contributed and we thank all who helped.
We encourage everyone to read and enjoy, and use as a reference, the Baseline Study. You will be glad you did, and maybe you’ll be inspired to take a walk in the woods with a new understanding of the value of our natural treasure.