Blaine City Council has approved Gepetto Properties LLC’s Seagrass II project for 68 condos on 22 acres north of Semiahmoo park. However, the City of Blaine imposed 21 conditions that the developers must adhere to.
Here are the environmental conditions to protect migratory birds:
A fenced, no-entry zone in the first 40 feet of waterfront on most of the site, with native vegetation planted before construction;
An 8-foot-high noise-dampening wall along most of the site at least 40 feet from the shoreline;
Putting noisy equipment away from the shore or inside buildings, with only essential equipment from Oct. 15 to May 15;
Parking away from the shore;
No earthwork or exterior construction on most of the site during periods with the most migrating birds;
Putting a public trail as far away from the beach as possible and planting native vegetation between the beach and trail;
Limiting outdoor lighting;
Moving a tree snag northwest of Semiahmoo Parkway into the shoreline area, and putting two more snags in that area or Semiahmoo Park.
Other conditions include:
An updated storm water plan;
A plan to suppress dust during construction;
No clearing, grading or excavation between Oct. 30 and March 1 without special approval or during extreme wet weather;
Showing how the project would contribute its share to needed road improvements;
Setting buildings back at least 90 feet from the shore, including a public-access zone of at least 30 feet, a private open-space zone of at least 35 feet and a private patio zone of up to 25 feet;
Public access sites, including parking at a proposed viewpoint;
A landscape maintenance plan that bans use of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides.
(Conditions courtesy of The Bellingham Herald)
