Board of Health Grants Food Variance, Moves to Fix Grease Trap Regulation Error

BELLINGHAM — September 2, 2025 — Bellingham Board of Health granted a food-safety variance to a residential pickle producer and moved to correct a drafting error that left local grease trap rules weaker than state law. The board voted unanimously to allow Michael Trout of Florence Street Foods to continue operating out of his residential kitchen under a time-temperature-control sensitive variance, citing 16 months of inspections with zero complaints. Health Agent Vinnie told the board the town's grease trap regulation mistakenly used "or" instead of "and" when listing outdoor tank and indoor trap requirements for commercial kitchens, making the local rule more permissive than the state's own 1,000-gallon minimum; the board voted to correct the language, pending town counsel sign-off. The board also voted to summon the licensee at 15 Moody Street to a September 16 revocation hearing after the business failed to open, and formally set the active tobacco permit count at 28. Three WB Mason bills totaling $358.51 were approved, and a planned community cleanup was postponed to spring 2026, with roughly 100 dated reusable bags to be donated to local organizations.