Neighbors United
Standing together in our mission to prevent the construction of a private regional high school on the Sacred Heart Parish Church property at 14th Street and Knox Avenue on South Hill.
We advocate for local zoning integrity, local safety, and responsible community planning.
THE LATEST
July 5, 2026
As one neighbor voiced, “We’re not worried about a temporary high school in the Sacred Heart parish hall, but it’s like the camel’s nose under the tent—it could open the door to much larger development later.”
In the story, a camel sticks its nose into a tent during a cold night. The owner, feeling sympathy, allows it to stay just for warmth. But once the camel gets its nose inside, it gradually pushes further in—eventually occupying the entire tent and forcing the owner out.
Here are recent developments concerning the establishment of the North Deanery Catholic High School (NDCHS) on the Sacred Heart Parish property at 14th Street and Knox Avenue.
The school is now expected to open in the fall of 2027, hosting up to 24 students from a five-county catchment area. Initially housed in the church community hall, the project could possibly expand to constructing a new school building on the church parking lot.
We are not opposed to the temporary housing of the school in the parish hall, although we are urging the city to require a new Conditional Use Permit subject to a public hrearing, allowing residents to ask questions and raise concerns involving public safety. We want to be sure it is not the camel’s nose under the tent.
Timeline of Recent Developments
April 3, 2026 — 14thStreetVoices sends a letter to The Most Reverend Paul D. Etienne, Archbishop of Seattle, requesting that the Archdiocese "exclude the Sacred Heart parking lot from potential school plans and formally share this decision publicly."
April 14, 2026 — Archbishop Etienne responds. His answer is polite but definitive: "we are not yet in a position to remove any particular site from consideration while planning remains at such an early stage." In other words, the Sacred Heart parking lot at 14th Street and Knox Avenue remains a potential building site. (photo)
April 14, 2026 — The Archdiocese submits a Land Use Application to the City of Bellingham (COB) Permit Center, requesting that the NDCHS temporary school project be exempted from the public hearing normally required to grant a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) — effectively excluding the public from providing input.
May 5, 2026 — 14thStreetVoices sends a letter to COB Planning and Community Development opposing the exemption request, citing potential negative community impacts.
May 22, 2026 — The City of Bellingham issues a formal Request for Information, giving the archdiocese 120 days to locate the original 1960 CUP. If it can't be found, NDCHS must apply for a new/amended CUP — triggering the Hearing Examiner process. If the Archdiocese fails to respond at all within 120 days, the application expires (though extensions can be requested).
What's next: If a public hearing is scheduled, we will need you there.
Scott
Here is the story:
Background
Since 2023, the Archdiocese of Seattle has pursued an initiative to establish a private regional high school in Bellingham (the North Deanery Catholic High School, or NDCHS). The plan has two stages: (1) open a temporary high school in the Sacred Heart Parish community hall at 14th Street and Knox Avenue in fall 2027, with an initial enrollment of about 24 students transported from a five-county catchment area, and (2) within a few years, open a permanent facility serving at least 200 students — either through new construction on the Sacred Heart property or by building/renovating an existing structure elsewhere in Bellingham.
The Temporary School: CUP Exemption Under Review
The school committee has asked the City to exempt the temporary school from Conditional Use Permit (CUP) requirements. We strongly oppose this exemption. The temporary school raises real safety and congestion concerns for the site, and it should be required to go through a full CUP public hearing before a Hearing Examiner, so the community has a chance to weigh in and the school is required to justify its legitimacy. We may not prevail — but the process itself matters.
The City has already pushed back on the exemption request once: it has required the school to locate and provide the original CUP for the site, issued in 1960. The school's 120-day response window began May 22, 2026, and runs through September 19, 2026 (extendable at the Archdiocese's request). If that documentation can't be found, NDCHS will be required to apply for a new or amended CUP — which triggers the Hearing Examiner process, giving the community its opportunity to be heard.
Our Bigger Concern: Permanent Construction at Sacred Heart Parish
Separately, and even more strongly, we oppose any major construction on the Sacred Heart parking lot site, for issues including public safety; noise, parking, and congestion on residential streets; and inconsistency with residential zoning and the city's comprehensive plan.
Who We Are
14thStreetVoices.org is an affiliation of neighbors and friends concerned about the negative community impacts of a large-scale private regional high school operating in this residential neighborhood.
You Are Needed
The City of Bellingham Planning and Community Development department needs to hear from you at community meetings and permit hearings. Community voices of concern and opposition can significantly influence decisions on building permits and waivers or exemption petitions.
Right now, our top priority is growing the number of informed neighbors — so we're ready to mobilize the moment a hearing is scheduled.
How to Help
Join our mailing list. When you receive a mailing from 14thStreetVoices.org, forward it to friends and neighbors and ask them to join too. We'll send updates and alerts the moment a hearing date is set.
Likewise, share our web address, www.14thstreetvoices.org, with everyone you know, with the same message of urgency.
Intensity of Use:
From Local Accessory Use to Regional Institution
The Archdioces's claim that the temporary school in the Sacred Heart Parish community hall merely "converts existing classrooms" is highly misleading. Historically, these spaces served as low-intensity accessory areas for weekend parish events, a stark contrast to a daily high-intensity high school operation. Instead of serving local parishioners, this school will draw students from five
counties, introducing commercial-scale traffic into narrow residential streets. Total site occupancy will surge past 50 people when accounting for maximum student capacity, faculty, and administrative staff. This massive influx is projected to generate 50 to 100 daily vehicle trips, creating severe noise, light, and air pollution incompatible with a quiet residential zone.
Public Safety:
Infrastructure Deficiencies and Cumulative Risk
Placing a high school just one block from Lowell Elementary School compounds an existing traffic choke-point. This historic neighborhood cannot handle the simultaneous "peak hour surges" of two near-adjacent school drop-off zones. The lack of continuous sidewalks and crosswalks forces teenagers and young elementary students to
navigate uncurbed shoulders together, dramatically increasing pedestrian safety risks. Furthermore, the intersection at 14th & Knox is already a notorious collector route plagued by speeding and ignored stop signs. Adding inexperienced high school drivers to this mix, alongside hazardous chemical storage required for science
labs, creates a severe liability for the City.
Regulatory and Zoning Conflicts:
Requiring Public Input on a Conditional Use Permit
Official 1960 permitting documents for Sacred Heart Parish authorize a "parish community hall" for this property, not an educational facility with academic usage history. Labeling this structure a "school" to escape a required new Conditional Use Permit (CUP) relies on a baseless claim that the building's function is not changing. Under Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC 20.16.020 L.1), schools are recognized as potential detriments to residential quality of life. Shifting this property to a high-intensity use while it already violates standard open space requirements violates BMC 20.12.010. Consequently, a formal public balancing test by a Hearing Examiner is legally required to protect public welfare.
Harmonizing with the COB Comprehensive Plan:
Contradicting the Neighborhood Priorities
The current private regional high school proposal stands in direct contradiction to the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan's mandatory guidelines. Policy LU-1 explicitly requires the City to protect the character of residential neighborhoods while allowing only compatible institutional uses. Additionally, Policy LU-7 mandates that conditional uses must match the surrounding scale and must not create adverse noise, light, or traffic impacts. By seeking a total exemption, the applicant is actively attempting to bypass the exact CUP process designed to enforce these strict compatibility standards. Finally, the South Hill Neighborhood Plan (Area 4A) specifically prioritizes preserving the historic residential fabric and maintaining neighborhood stability.
TAKE ACTION
Join our list and keep informed. Stay updated on upcoming planning board meetings, public comment deadlines, and neighborhood actions. The Bellingham City planning administrators and the Archdiocese of Seattle need to hear from us before the final decisions are made.
Stand With Your Neighbors. Make Your Voice Heard.