To establish the procedures by which Whatcom County-owned public buildings, properties, and facilities are named or renamed by action of the Whatcom County council. This policy does not apply to the naming of streets, roads, parks, parks properties, or other parks-related assets and infrastructure.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)
A naming committee will be made up of three members including the county executive or their designee, the county council chair or their designee, and the department head or their designee from the department under the purview of the facility, building, or property.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)
A. 
Requests for naming or renaming shall be submitted to the executive's office in writing and routed for review by the naming committee. Requests for the naming or renaming of Whatcom County-owned public buildings, properties, and facilities may be submitted by any Whatcom County resident, property owner, agency, business owner, or county official.
B. 
Written requests shall include the following:
1. 
The county-owned building, property, or facility to be named.
2. 
The proposed name.
3. 
Reasons the proposed name meets the criteria in WCC § 2.180.050.
4. 
Evidence of written support from the person or group/organization being honored, if the proposed name relates to a living individual or existing group/organization.
5. 
A detailed biography of the individual or history of the group/organization nominated, presenting achievements and contributions.
C. 
The naming committee will evaluate the request for compliance with the criteria in WCC § 2.180.050. A majority vote of the naming committee is required to make a recommendation to the county council. The naming committee may decide to not forward a recommendation to the county council.
D. 
The executive shall request a notice to be posted for a minimum of two consecutive weeks on the county website in accordance with the published timeline. The notice shall include general information about the county-owned building, property, or facility, the general location description, requests received for naming, and the deadline for additional nomination requests.
E. 
The naming committee will consider proposed names from all requests received by the published deadline and make a recommendation to council. The executive or their designee will bring the naming committee's recommendation to council for approval by resolution. Naming a facility requires an affirmative vote on the resolution by a majority of the councilmembers in attendance.
F. 
Following receipt of the naming committee's recommendation, the county council shall schedule a public hearing on the naming committee's proposed recommendation. Following the hearing, the council shall act on the resolution.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)
Notice shall be provided of the public hearing at which the county council will consider the recommendation of the naming committee. The notice of public hearing must be published in a legal newspaper of general circulation once prior to the date of hearing. The notice of public hearing must contain the proposed name, the street address of the site, the legal description, and list the date, time and place of the public hearing. The notice of public hearing shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the courthouse not less than 10 days prior to the hearing.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)
A. 
County-owned public buildings, properties, and facilities may be named after an organization, business, or person.
B. 
Existing names of county-owned public buildings, properties, and facilities in current use shall continue as named unless the county council takes action pursuant to this policy to rename such.
C. 
The naming committee shall consider the following naming categories:
1. 
Neighborhood or geographical identification;
2. 
Natural or geological features;
3. 
Historical or cultural significance;
4. 
Historically underrepresented groups or persons;
5. 
Individuals who made a significant contribution to society; and
6. 
Residents of the surrounding neighborhood.
D. 
Buildings, property, and facilities may be named for living persons; provided, that:
1. 
They made a significant contribution and the donor stipulates naming of the facility as a condition of the donation; or
2. 
The individual has made an unusually outstanding public service contribution, including one or more of the following:
a. 
Demonstrated continuous outstanding public service contributions over a period of 10 years; or
b. 
Worked to foster equality and reduce discrimination; or
c. 
Demonstrated outstanding public service as a community volunteer; or
d. 
Individuals who have risked for the sake of others.
E. 
In the event multiple donors contribute funds toward construction or acquisition, a functional title shall be given to the facility with plaques honoring those who contributed.
F. 
No county-owned public buildings, properties, or facilities shall be named for a public official while that official remains in public office.
G. 
A facility may be named after a public official or private individual whether they are alive or deceased.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)
The renaming of county-owned public buildings, properties, and facilities shall be in accordance with the criteria set forth in WCC § 2.180.050. Renaming requires an affirmative vote on the resolution by two-thirds of the councilmembers in attendance.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)
Following council's adoption of a name by resolution, the asset managing department will specify appropriate signage. An applicant who wishes to have an alternative sign must submit a rendering for approval by the naming committee and county council. The applicant will be financially responsible for the difference in cost of the alternative signage.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)
This chapter shall not apply to donor and naming recognition for minor items, including but not limited to benches, trees, refuse cans, flagpoles, and water fountains, or the naming of interior building features and areas (such as meeting rooms, courtrooms or common areas of public importance such as the courthouse rotunda).
The county executive shall maintain the authority to name individual rooms or interior features within county-owned facilities.
(Ord. 2024-052 Exh. A)