Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL INFORMATION
Q.) How big is the Park?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park encompasses 80 acres.
Q.) How many Memberships are there?
A.) There are 718 private Memberships within the Park.
Q.) Does the Park allow guests to visit?
A.) Yes. All guest and visitors to Birch Bay Leisure Park must register at the Park’s front entrance to obtain a Guest Pass before entering. Park maps and directions will be provided upon request.
Q.) Does the Park allow overnight guests?
A.) Yes. Guests with RV’s, tent trailers or 5th wheels may register at the front entrance to stay up to four (4) nights and five (5) days, once a month. Overnight guests may hook up to electricity. Water hookup is not permissible. Birch Bay Leisure Park does not offer a dump waste site.
Q.) Is Leisure Park family friendly?
A.) Yes. Leisure Park has many Members with children or grandchildren. The Park also sponsors a number of children’s events during the summer.
Q.) Can I rent a space for my RV, travel trailer, tent or 5th wheel at your Park?
A.) No. Birch Bay Leisure Park does not offer camping spaces. All sites are privately owned by Members.
Q.) Does the Park offer year-round residency?
A.) No. Birch Bay Leisure Park Association is a recreational membership camping club and under Whatcom County regulation 20.80.950 - (11) The maximum length of stay in recreational vehicle parks shall not exceed 180 days for any one year period.
Q.) Are mobile homes allowed in the Park?
A.) No. Birch Bay Leisure Park only allows Park Model trailers (400 sq. ft max), RV’s and 5th wheel trailers.
Q.) Are animals allowed in the Park?
A.) Yes. Birch Bay Leisure Park is a pet friendly area. Pets must be leashed if they are outside of the boundaries of their site. Doggie walk areas are offered for Members with pets and are equipped with waste disposal baggies and receptacles.
Q.) Does the Park offer television and telephone services?
A.) There are no telephone lines to individual sites. There is a pay phone located at the Brier Center/Pool. Cell phones will work within the Park. Television reception is available through Satellite dish.
Q.) How secure is the Park?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park is a gated RV community and employs its own year-round security team.
Q.) Are there rules about what I can do with my site?
A.) Yes. All Members must follow the Birch Bay Leisure Park Rules and Regulations when decorating, constructing or otherwise modifying their site.
Q.) Where can I find a copy of the Park Rules and Regulations?
A.) Current Park Rules and Regulations are posted to the BBLP Website. Hard copies are also available for pick up at the Administration Center.
Q.) What is quiet time in the Park?
A.) Disturbing noise is not permitted at any time. Quiet is required from 12:00 midnight to 8:00 a.m. Construction noise is not permitted before 8:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m.
Q.) I have an issue or a complaint. Who do I talk to?
A.) Please contact the Administration Center or Park Security for assistance. Park staff may request that you outline your issue or complaint in a written statement for record keeping purposes. All submissions are kept strictly confidential.
Q.) I have an emergency, what do I do?
A.) Call 911. For Members with Canadian cell phones, call (360) 676-6711 to contact Whatcom County emergency dispatch services. Please remember to include the street address and site number of the emergency. If able, also contact Park Administration or Security to alert them and for help directing emergency services to the site.
PARK RESOURCES
Q.) Does the Park offer internet access?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park offers internet services through ECCO Wireless. Service may be purchased independently through ECCO Wireless. BBLP also offers a free Wi-Fi hotspot for mobile devices at the Administration Center.
Q.) Does the Park offer mail services?
A.) Yes. The Administration Center offers a range of mail services, including mail delivery, outgoing mail service and mailbox rentals.
Q.) I had a package sent to my site. The delivery service says it’s been delivered, but it’s not at my site. Where is my package?
A.) It depends on how your package was shipped. The United States Postal Service (USPS) delivers all mail and packages addressed to persons in Birch Bay Leisure Park to the Administration Center.
Packages delivered by UPS or Fed-Ex truck will be delivered to individual sites.
Birch Bay Leisure Park is not responsible for unattended or missing packages.
Please contact the Leisure Park Administration Center for full details regarding parcel deliveries.
Q.) I have some work I want done at my site. Can I hire someone from the Park to do it?
A.) You are welcome to inquire at the Administration Center. All hires must be U.S. citizens. The Administration Center can also supply you with a local area Contractor’s List, for your convenience.
Q.) Are Members allowed to use Park vehicles?
A.) No. Members may not use Park vehicles due to insurance liabilities issues.
Q.) What other services are offered by the Park?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park offers a range of on-site services, including gravel and topsoil sales, on-site propane filling station, and convenient household garbage and recycling areas.
Q.) Does Leisure Park offer garbage/recycling pick-up to individual sites?
A.) No. Garbage dumpsters and Brush Bins are located conveniently throughout the Park for use by Members. Recycling bins are also offered.
For disposal of larger items, i.e.: excess garbage, furniture, or large amounts of yard waste, a Dump Permit may be purchased at the Park’s Administration Center.
Leisure Park does not accept paint, paint cans, chemicals, solvents, gypsum, sheet rock, drywall, concrete, propane tanks or large appliances for disposal.
Q.) Does the Park offer extra parking for my RV, 5th wheel or boat?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park has a limited number of RV storage spaces for rent. Please contact the Administration Center for details and availability.
Q.) My bike tires are flat. Do you have an air hose?
A.) Yes. There is an air hose located at the Maintenance shop at the front of the park.
Q.) I forgot my tools. Can the Park lend me some?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park does have a small selection of hand tools which Members may borrow. Please inquire at the Administration Center for assistance.
AMENITIES & POOL
Q.) Are the Park club houses available for reservation?
A.) Yes, with restrictions. Elm Center is available for private functions throughout the year on a reservation basis. Brier Center has two areas available for private events from Sept. 15th to May 15th on a reservation basis. The Bocce Bistro is also available for private events with reservation. Reservations require a refundable deposit and may be scheduled at the Administration Center. Reservations are on a first come, first served basis. Park functions will take priority.
Q.) When is the Pool open?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park’s pool opens approximately mid-May and remains open for daily use until early to mid-September. Weather depending. REC TAGS are required for entry into the pool area.
Q.) What are the pool hours?
A.) *Subject to change without notice* Please check with the Park's Administration Office for the current season's schedule.
Q.) What are the hours for the Tennis Courts?
A.) Members may use the Tennis Courts between 8:00 a.m. and dusk/10 p.m. A Bath House key will gain entrance to the Tennis Court, if not already unlocked. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Q.) What else is there to do in Leisure Park?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park also offers it Members a Basketball Hoop, Horseshoe Pits, a Bocce Court, two children’s playgrounds and a multi-use soccer field.
Q.) What are the Brier Center hours?
A.) Brier Center is open to Members and their guests from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. daily. The Brier Center includes an exercise room, adult room, games room, library and main hall. Brier Center also houses Men’s and Woman’s showers and change rooms for the Pool area. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult when in the building.
Q.) Does the Park offer laundry facilities?
A.) Yes. There are four coin-operated washers and dryers located throughout the Park.
Q.) Does the Park offer public restrooms?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park offers the use of 10 Bath Houses located throughout the Park for the use of our Members and their guests. Bath House entry requires a Bath House key. Each Bath House offers a separate Men’s and Woman’s washroom, plus a coin-operated shower facility.
ADMINISTRATIVE INFO AND HANDOUTS
Q.) What are the yearly Park Dues?
A.) Membership Assessments are approximately $2800.00 USD a year. This includes park dues (billed twice yearly) and individual site electrical usage (billed twice yearly).
Q.) What are the yearly property taxes?
A.) Personal Property taxes on a trailer are assessed by the Whatcom County Assessor’s office. Property taxes on land are paid by the Park. Inquire at the Administration Center for contact information.
Q.) How is the Park managed?
A.) BBLP is managed by a Membership elected Board of Directors. The Park similarly relies on the input of several Member volunteer committees. Leisure Park also employs a year-round support staff.
Q.) Where can I find a list of Memberships for sale?
A.) All current For-Sale listings are available to view on the BBLP Website.
Q.) What is the Good Neighbor Policy?
A.) The Good Neighbor Policy is a guideline for being an understanding and considerate neighbor. This handout may be obtained at the Administration Center.
Q.) What is a Winterization Letter?
A.) Each Fall, Park staff inspect every site for possible issues with water pipes, trailer winterization, etc., before the winter months. Members are notified of the inspection results.
Q.) What is a Site Compliance inspection?
A.) Site Compliance inspections are managed by the Park’s Board of Directors. Inspections occur yearly, usually in the late Fall. Members with sites which have an issue that is non-compliant to the Birch Bay Leisure Park Rules and Regulations will be notified by letter and given a completion due date.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS / PARK COMMITEES
Q.) I want to talk to the Board of Directors. How do I contact them?
A.) Via email to
birchbayleisurepark@comcast.net or through written request submitted to the Administration Center. Please address correspondence to the Board of Directors, individual Board Member or to a Board portfolio, if known.
Q.) What are some of the Member volunteer Committees?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park utilizes the help of several Member volunteer committees. These include Circle Representatives, Rules and Regulations, Long Range Planning, Entertainment, and Newsletter, to name a few.
Q.) Who are the Circle Representatives?
A.) Circle Representatives are a group of volunteer Members who meet monthly during the spring and summer months to discuss any Member concerns or outstanding communications. Circle Reps assist Park Members by answering questions or by bringing inquiries to the attention of the Park’s Board of Directors for further review and resolution.
Q.) How do I join a committee?
A.) Park Members interested in joining a committee should contact the Administration Center for further details.
MEETINGS
Q.) When are the Board Meetings?
A.) Board Meetings are held monthly, on or around the third weekend of the month. Currently Board Meetings are closed to the public.
Q.) What is an AGM (Annual General Meeting) and what is it for?
A.) The Annual General Meeting is held on the Sunday preceding the first Monday in September in each year. During this meeting Park Members elect Board Members, vote on proposed changes to Park Rules and Regulations, decide upon major Park purchases and review yearly Park financials.
Q.) When are the Circle Reps Meetings?
A.) Circle Reps Meetings are usually held a week before a scheduled Board Meeting. Circle Reps Meetings are open for Park members to attend.
Q.) When is the Town Hall Meeting and what is it for?
A.) The Town Hall Meeting usually occurs in late May. This meeting signals an unofficial start to the summer season. The Town Hall Meeting is open to Park Members and is used to review the past year’s projects and accomplishments. This meeting also informs Members of the proposed and ongoing projects for the upcoming year.
Q.) Where can I find a copy of the Minutes of a Board of Directors, Circle Reps, Town Hall, or AGM Meeting?
A.) Transcriptions of all BBLP Meeting Minutes are available to Park Members only on the BBLP website. Hard copies are also available at the Administration Center.
EVENTS AND VOLUNTEERS
Q.) What sort of events happen at Leisure Park?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park hosts several fun summer events for our Members. We offer Bingo Games, Hamburger Day, Kid’s Carnival, Kid’s Sports Day, Adult Dances, Caesar Sunday, Volunteer Appreciation Day, Kid’s Day at the Pool, a New Year’s Eve Dance and others. Check our Events Calendar for further details.
Q.) I have an idea for an event. Will the Park put it on for me?
A.) Birch Bay Leisure Park is always looking for volunteers with new ideas. If you have an idea for an event, please present your detailed proposal to the BBLP Administration office. Office staff will bring all new ideas to the attentions of the Park’s Director of Entertainment and Recreation for further review.
Q.) How can I volunteer to help out for an event?
A.) If you would like to sign up to be a volunteer, please contact the Administration Center for further details on how you can help, or you can fill out an online form
here. All Park events are organized and run by Member volunteers.