Bellingham Planning Board Continues Toll Brothers Subdivision Hearing, Eyes Phasing Overhaul

Planning Board · Meeting of July 23, 2026

Bellingham Planning Board advances Toll Brothers' 171-unit Red Mill subdivision toward a phasing overhaul that could shorten the project by four years. The board unanimously continued the Red Mill major modification hearing to August 13 after Toll Brothers representatives Jeff Heidelberg and Liz Clark of Tighe & Bond argued the existing permit condition, requiring 75 percent of lots to receive certificates of occupancy before the next phase begins, forces a multi-year construction shutdown and pushes project completion to mid-2035. Heidelberg proposed switching the phase trigger from occupancy certificates to building permits and depositing $50,000 in a town-accessible escrow account, replenishable if drawn upon, as added protection.

"We can't move forward with the project under the current condition. It doesn't work," Heidelberg said. The board separately continued a special permit hearing for a proposed 11-bay contractor storage complex at 316 Hartford Avenue, where abutters raised traffic and hours-of-operation concerns, to September 10.

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Source: the Planning Board meeting of July 23, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.