NEWS

The City of Blaine is about to lock in a 181‑acre housing project above Birch Bay using old data, unverified drainage ponds, and “fix it later” conditions. Once this framework is approved, most future phases will move forward with almost no public say, even as flooding, shellfish pollution, and traffic impacts grow. If you care about clean water, safe roads, and accountable government, the next few weeks are your only real chance to shape what happens on this site for decades

A City of Blaine case study on how planning departments use regulatory capture to deflect scrutiny through procedural hurdles, selectively limit data and scopes to rush approvals and obfuscate facts via complex code interpretations. This practice sidelines public input, skirts environmental protections, endangers marine habitat, shellfish food and has raised serious alarms for the health of Blaine, Birch Bay and surrounding communities that depend on clean water resources. 

Learn how the City of Blaine's planning department, officially known as the Community Development Services Department, uses its "Top 10 Rules Playbook" to influence land-use decisions. This article, from Whatcom Watch, details how a group of volunteers believes regulatory capture, excessive fees, and a lack of transparency have sidelined public input and environmental compliance in the city.