We need to press Bellingham City Council members to step up their game to protect the Great Blue Heron colony at Post Point—once and for all. Heron advocates have been pressing hard for the city to acquire ALL the remaining undeveloped land on Shorewood Drive to create a permanent, protected heron reserve.

The topic of land acquisition was on the agenda for the daytime Executive Session on August 19^th but no details were provided to the public at the evening regular council meeting. It would seem that the topic was on the agenda again for the Executive Session on August 26^th, but was subsequently removed. What’s going on?

We want to know. Send another email to all council members asking them to take definitive action NOW to protect the Post Point heron colony. Urge them to acquire both undeveloped plats adjacent to the nesting trees to create a permanent heron reserve for all of Bellingham to enjoy.

Even if you contacted council members already this summer, please do so again at ccmail@cob.org Send your email before their upcoming Monday morning meetings on September 9.

Meanwhile, we’re keeping an eye on the city planning department in case the owner of the larger undeveloped plat on Shorewood or a developer submits another application to sub-divide the property in preparation for sale and building. Much of the remaining undeveloped land constitutes a critical area and must undergo careful environmental scrutiny. But we’ve already seen how this process is severely flawed. However, and importantly, even proposed projects adjacent to a critical area require a critical area report according to BMC 16.55.090. If a short plat application shows up, we’ll be prepared to challenge it on the same basis as our prior successful appeal of a critical area permit: any additional human disturbance to an urban Great Blue Heron colony that is already under pressure risks provoking the abandonment of the entire colony for ever.

Let’s just get this done.