Now that summer’s doldrums, whose principle ingredient appeared to consist of a roller coaster temperature ride, are almost over, it’s time to resume regular monthly general meetings of your Neighborhood Association. Without question, the Tuesday, September 8 session is the most significant one in our four years as one of Bellingham ’s most assertive Neighborhoods. Titled “The Challenge of Change,” the evening’s program features speakers representing proposed adjustments for Cordata and include COB Communications Coordinator Nicole Oliver and Pat Carman of the Planning Department plus developer Blair Murray.
At stake is a possible revamping of the present Neighborhood from multi-use to residential by moving two of three main main arteries, Guide Meridian and West Bakerview , into the Meridian Neighborhood. The change, suggested by Planning Director Tim Stewart, is part of the 2009 Comprehensive Plan/Neighborhood Plan Amendment Process. The procedure includes a series of evaluations by the Planning Director or authorized representative, the Planning Commission and the City Council. The Council will likely hold a public hearing sometime in November.
Also speaking on a decidedly related issue will be Murray who will describe what he has in mind for his Tin Rock Project, a 45.7 proposed development located on the east side of Cordata Parkway between Horton and Stuart Rds. Let’s get the word out regarding the importance of the September 8 meeting to be held at
7 p.m. t the Birchwood Presbyterian Church, a t400 Meadowbrook Ct. See you there. October’s speakers will be developer Ted Mischaikov with further information about his proposed north Cordata project now called South Springs and Katrin Dearborn of the Bellingham Crime Prevention Unit.
Another calendar
notation is “Meet the Candidates” forum sponsored by GM/CNA scheduled for
October 20, from
7-8:30 p.m. t Birchwood Presbyterian Church. All candidates running for open offices at the Port, Bellingham City Council and Whatcom County Council have been invited. Cordatans are urged to come with questions about such subjects as a branch library, community center, big box expansion regulations, traffic planning and waterfront development. Neighborhood Association Co-President Beverly Jacobs will moderate.
County Executive Pete Kremen, playing catch-up with a two years late updating of urban growth vision, has called for returning 7,815 acres of urban-zoned land to rural zoning during the next 20 years. Kremen, who will not run for re-election, was elbowed into his plan by a state growth board that asked the review be completed by Dec. 1. His recommendations are based upon an anticipated county population of 246,000 in the year 2029. That’s 55,000 more than the county’s total in 2008. Focal points of Kremen’s plan are water supply protection, the environment, and agricultural lands. Of no surprise was his suggestion that “there’s plenty of room for infill and for expansion within the existing UGAs.” In terms of numbers, it means the City would have to find room for 4,450 more ‘hamsters than what it has requested. With Kremen’s report finally a reality, the next move is up to City planners who will make recommendations for the City Council—likely at a Sept. 14 meeting.
In the interest of
transparency, GM/CNA Treasurer Julie Guy and co-founder will make graphic
presentations to the Planning Commission on Sept. 17 and the City Council
shortly thereafter regarding 1,134 residential units currently planned for
Cordata during the next five years. On
the drawing board are 340 units in Grandview Gardens , 429 at South
Springs (formerly DR Horton), 300 at
West Cordata ith 64 scheduled for assisted living on w Tremont Rd.
Deadline Dash….That
City Council decision to annex 233 acres north of King Mountain means it will
join 636 acres pulled into City limits in March. Council member Jack Weiss (First Ward) voted
against it while Stan Snapp (Fourth Ward) was absent….While one of your
Neighborhood association’s prime objectives is a branch library, the
difficulties of such an acquisition were underlined by the recent COB decision
to cut 32 more full-time jobs. Eight are
library positions. Also reduced are
Wednesday and Thursday library hours from
8 p.m. to 6 p.m
…..Seven jazzy new $400,000 buses have been added to the WTA fleet with seven more scheduled to hit the road later this month. They replace 14-year old clunkers with 600,000-700,000 miles on them. The new ones have cleaner emission and greater fuel efficiency….Western
Washington University
continues its
ranking as the West’s best university according to U.S.News and World Report. Its achievements include being third best
Masters-granting-schools. The West is
defined as running from Texas to Alaska
…The
Cordata Community Gardens, our Neighborhood’s significant summer hit under the
direction of the indefatigable Dee Andrews, now has a website up and running
thanks to an anonymous gardener. It’s
reachable at: Cordatagarden.ning.com….Anger, the subject of much political
discourse these days, should be used rarely and skillfully in selling a
particular point of view. Tim Johnson,
editor of Cascadia Weekly and author
of the publication’s “The Gristle” column, is to be commended regarding a
recent look at voter unrest and obvious attempts to capitalize on it. As Johnson so succinctly put it, “Be careful
in the change you wish for. You might
get it.”….There’s a show called “Built to Spill” coming in November to a nightclub
near all of us, according to a recent newspaper ad. My first reaction, admittedly highly
personal, was to bristle believing it was yet another criticism of martini
construction.
More later,
Bob Sanders with Micah Caucutt’s able assistance
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