A Vision for Fairhaven

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Thu, Feb 16, 2012, 4:38 pm  //  John Servais

The writer, standing in the center of the Historic Fairhaven District. Great photo by Mark Turner of Turner Photographics. See link below article to his website. Click photo for larger view.

This evening we on Bellingham's south side will finally have our chance to tell the Planning Department what we would like in the new Fairhaven Neighborhood Plan. I say 'finally' in reference to the five - 5 - years of maneuvering by the Planning Department to avoid any real participation by the public. Nothing like a new mayor to change things around. Tonight should be only the first of at least two or even three open meetings at the City Hall Council Chambers, at 6:30 p.m.

So I will speak and give my ideas and hopes - as will all others who wish to. For the very first time in the five years, this meeting with the public will be recorded and entered into the record. Then our professional planning staff will spend at least a couple weeks considering the ideas presented and make what changes they think best to the plan. Then, hopefully, they will bring this back to a second open meeting in March. What a concept! - just as the Growth Management Act and our city processes suggest for planning.

I've been enjoying Fairhaven since 1968, when I was attending Western on the GI Bill. So I knew the area in its funky times, I worked on the Northwest Passage alternative newspaper in the 1970s, watched as the district changed under Ken Imus', and shopped Village Books when they opened in 1980 across the street from the Picture Show movie theater. In 1995, I started my Fairhaven.com website, and in 2002 local business owners started supporting it and I have been promoting the historic commercial district since. So, there is my 'disclosure', my 'baggage'.

I've also known the folks in the small residential enclave since 1969 and have supported the wonderful rural character of their neighborhood. Indeed, for a short while in the 70s, I lived there.

I think any planning should preserve the unique character of this small 10 city block residential neighborhood. And development around it - by the Port, commercial property owners, or by the City - should mitigate intrusions of noise, light and traffic - and even visual intrusions if they be glaring. The residents are almost cutoff from anyone even being able to drive though their neighborhood on the way to anywhere else. There is not a single sidewalk, or curb, marked crosswalk, or white stripe on any road. There are maybe only half the normal number of street lights. Street drainage is mostly surface. It is a rural enclave with character homes and a relaxed feel to it. While this is a very small area compared to all other neighborhoods in Bellingham, the residents are vocal and very active in their desire to keep their small area this way.

But I also think planning should enable the commercial district to grow into what the founders envisioned and what is so natural for it to do. And it can be done without impacting and hurting the small residential area. You see - there is a deep wooded gorge between the residential and the commercial. Even now, you cannot see the tops of any commercial buildings from the residential area - except a bit when all the leaves are down. The trees hide the buildings. Buildings 60 to 75 feet or so can be built facing Harris Avenue and not even be seen from the residential area. Building heights should be lower near the the green gorge of Padden creek and the natural separator of residential from commercial.

I think the plan should look to enhance this natural green separator. Evergreen climax trees such as firs, hemlocks, and cedars should be planted in the green creek divider. 6th Street should be vacated to eliminate what could become a 'back door' for employees going to work in the future. The block of Larrabee Avenue from 6th to 4th should be turned into permanent greenway. Perhaps build a pedestrian bridge at about 8th Street connecting residential to commercial. The commercial district should commit to working with the residential area to enhance this natural greenway over the next 30 years. I am sure they will.

The commercial district should be allowed to develop into the regional business and visitor district that it naturally tends toward. We have the pieces or resources to be as unique and fun a place as Taos, Durango, Monterey, Moab, Annapolis or any number of other unique American places. The dozen historic buildings are the core resource. Being on a gentle hill expands the views; the transportation center, the cruise boats to the San Juan Islands, charter boats, the many restaurants, the access to outdoor sports such as hiking and bicycling Chuckanut Mountain - all contribute to Fairhaven being a draw for visitors from several states. Even now, Canadian shoppers who discover Fairhaven love it and compare it to Gas Town. The Fairhaven plan should allow the district to become the outstanding Tier 1 Urban Village that others pretend it is now - all while protecting the life style and ambience of the residential neighborhood across the green gorge.

There is no reason for conflict between a quiet residential neighborhood and a thriving commercial district. They can exist together. 

Related Links:

-> Turner Photographics in Fairhaven
-> The Fairhaven commercial district website

Mayor Linville Raids City Budget Funds To Subsidize Private Development

Mon, Jun 17, 2013, 6:00 am  //  Wendy Harris

In what is becoming a hallmark of the Linville administration, the mayor is seeking funding for an off-site wetland mitigation program that has not yet been approved.

1 comments; last on Jun 17, 2013

NWCitizen Stands With Edward Snowden

Mon, Jun 10, 2013, 1:53 pm  //  John Servais

Edward Snowden is a very courageous patriot, in the opinion of the publisher of NWCitizen.

3 comments; last on Jun 14, 2013

Landmark Enterprises

Healthy, energy-efficient building practices

Intersection Art Comes to Happy Valley

Sun, Jun 09, 2013, 10:37 pm  //  John Servais

Intersection art - the painting of a design on the actual streets - is being developed in the Happy Valley neighborhood.

1 comments; last on Jun 15, 2013

Riley On An Astounding Practice by the Herald

Sat, Jun 08, 2013, 4:21 pm  //  John Servais

Over at the Political Junkie, Riley Sweeney has a report on one criteria the Herald uses to reject letters to the editor.

1 comments; last on Jun 10, 2013

D-Day 6 June 2013

Thu, Jun 06, 2013, 6:30 pm  //  Dick Conoboy

D-Day forgotten.

0 comments

Bellingham Passes Fireworks Ban

Mon, Jun 03, 2013, 10:05 pm  //  John Servais

City Council passes long-debated ban 4 to 3. It is effective in 2014.

0 comments

As Goes Slaughter, So Goes Coal

Sun, Jun 02, 2013, 1:41 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein various comments are compiled and compounded, and citizens encouraged to act

2 comments; last on Jun 11, 2013

County Slaughterhouse Proposal Moves Closer to Enactment

Fri, May 31, 2013, 7:20 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Ideologically Stubborn Council Majority Ignores Existing Industrial Zoning for Slaughter and Meat Processing Operations

2 comments; last on Jun 01, 2013

Caught In The Whatcom Court System

Fri, May 31, 2013, 5:43 pm  //  John Servais

Luba Pekisheva has been given a confusing run around in our Whatcom County courts for over three years. Judges, prosecutors and clerks have all participated.

0 comments

Safeguard the Southfork

Fri, May 31, 2013, 12:01 am  //  Guest writer

Jeffrey Margolis urges us to request the Nooksack South Fork Valley be included in the Coal Port environmental study.

3 comments; last on Jun 02, 2013

Our Water - War or Pieces?

Fri, May 24, 2013, 1:18 am  //  Guest writer

Marian Beddill provides a general guide for the public, with a look at the history of water rights in Washington state.

4 comments; last on May 26, 2013

Demonically Possessed Slaughter Crazed Ideologues Wrecking Rural Whatcom

Wed, May 22, 2013, 11:12 am  //  Guest writer

By Guest Writer Nicole Brown. This is a call to action for county citizens as the county tries to ram through the slaughterhouse rezones.

7 comments; last on May 26, 2013

Skip the Fireworks - Send Money to Support Our Troops

Mon, May 20, 2013, 12:48 pm  //  Dick Conoboy

You can give your money, normally dished out to fireworks manufacturers and distributors, to organizations that help our disabled veterans. Change the way we celebrate Independence Day.

0 comments

Who is filing for elective offices???

Fri, May 17, 2013, 5:44 pm  //  John Servais

Tuesday morning and nothing in today's Bellingham Herald. Nor online. We provide the basics to fill in this latest omission by our "daily" newspaper.

9 comments; last on May 23, 2013

The Myth of Waterfront Public Process

Thu, May 16, 2013, 12:55 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The public process on the revised waterfront plans is an empty charade

1 comments; last on May 17, 2013

Watch What You Say, Bellingham

Wed, May 15, 2013, 11:23 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The political censor police are listening to you

5 comments; last on May 16, 2013

University Ridge Dormitory, The Infill Tool Kit and Our Neighborhoods

Mon, May 13, 2013, 3:50 am  //  Dick Conoboy

Some very important issues with respect to the University Ridge private dormitory project in the Puget Neighborhood will not be considered in the approval process.

9 comments; last on May 30, 2013

Notes From The City Planning Commission Meeting

Fri, May 10, 2013, 10:22 am  //  Wendy Harris

The City Planning Commission Advocates "Free Market Capitalism" Approach to Waterfront Planning.

1 comments; last on May 12, 2013

Silver Lake Geese Remain At Risk

Fri, May 10, 2013, 12:07 am  //  Wendy Harris

A recent letter by the Parks Department fails to contain reassurance that the geese will be safe from extermination this year.

0 comments

Update on University Ridge Student Dormitory Development

Wed, May 08, 2013, 9:53 am  //  Dick Conoboy

Ambling University Development has proposed building private, off-campus dormitory buildings in the Puget Neighborhood. Their revised proposal was submitted on 29 April.

0 comments

In Memory of Paul deArmond

Mon, May 06, 2013, 2:40 am  //  Guest writer

Paul deArmond is remembered by his sister Claire. He was a Republican-at-Large.

2 comments; last on May 08, 2013

Coal Trains and Unhealthy Air - Any Connection?

Sun, May 05, 2013, 3:45 pm  //  John Servais

Help fund a scientific study looking for links between diesel locomotives, coal trains and unhealthy air.

0 comments

Help Save Larrabee Elementary School

Sat, May 04, 2013, 1:09 pm  //  Guest writer

Wendy Scherrer reminds all who support modest sized grade schools to try and attend the meeting Wed, May 8, in the evening.

3 comments; last on May 10, 2013

Herding Dogs May Be Too Late To Save Silver Lake Geese

Fri, May 03, 2013, 11:16 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The Humane Society is bringing herding dogs to control Silver Lake geese, but it is not an optimal situation for success.

0 comments

Questioning County Park Funding Priorities

Wed, May 01, 2013, 11:31 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The County Parks Department has allocated funding for playground equipment, but has not allocated funding for wildlife management planning.

1 comments; last on May 03, 2013

Krugman Spells It Out In Plain English

Sun, Apr 28, 2013, 10:30 pm  //  John Servais

New York Times columnist, Paul Krugman, has a masterful short article that explains why austerity is not working.

3 comments; last on May 23, 2013

County Parks Department Releases “National Enquirer” Style Memo On Geese

Wed, Apr 24, 2013, 7:05 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The only urgency underscored by the Silver Lake geese is the urgency of enacting a comprehensive wildlife strategy.

4 comments; last on Apr 29, 2013

Cascadia Weekly Tribute to Paul de Armond

Wed, Apr 24, 2013, 11:58 am  //  John Servais

The Gristle in today's Cascadia Weekly is devoted to a tribute to Paul de Armond. Tim Johnson gets it right.

0 comments

Freedom Academy Comes to Whatcom County

Mon, Apr 22, 2013, 6:52 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley attends Tea Party training and runs afoul of Rep. Overstreet

1 comments; last on Apr 22, 2013

Paul de Armond has passed away

Sun, Apr 21, 2013, 1:59 pm  //  John Servais

Well known political writer has died.

5 comments; last on Apr 23, 2013

ACTION ALERT: Death Sentence Hangs Over Silver Lake Geese

Sat, Apr 20, 2013, 11:52 am  //  Wendy Harris

There will be no due process for the Canada geese, or the public, before the County Parks Department lethally removes the geese from Silver Lake

4 comments; last on Apr 24, 2013

Who’s Selling Who Down What River

Sat, Apr 13, 2013, 9:19 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein we see how the Ds do the work the Rs can't get away with

7 comments; last on Apr 17, 2013

The Waterfront Will Be Safe.  Trust Me!

Sat, Apr 13, 2013, 3:47 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the people who call capping a clean-up say toxics safe enough for day care.

1 comments; last on Apr 25, 2013

Waterfront Plans Fail to Protect Historic Buildings

Wed, Apr 10, 2013, 11:24 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The Waterfront District Sub-Area Plan needs policies that favor adaptive reuse and preservation of historic waterfront structures

0 comments

Notice of Defect

Mon, Apr 08, 2013, 12:56 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein we complain about the City and Port stealing from the public

6 comments; last on Apr 13, 2013

Status of the Move to Ban Fireworks in Bellingham

Sat, Apr 06, 2013, 3:59 pm  //  Dick Conoboy

Dangerous fireworks likely to continue being sold in Bellingham for this 4th of July

1 comments; last on Apr 06, 2013

City Proposes New Economic Development Policy

Sat, Apr 06, 2013, 2:06 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The city's proposed new Economic Development Chapter is based on an outdated economic theory

1 comments; last on Apr 06, 2013

County Slaughterhouse Rezone: Dumb and Dumber

Fri, Apr 05, 2013, 4:59 pm  //  Wendy Harris

New slaughterhouse proposal "wishes away" current agricultural zoning restrictions.

10 comments; last on Apr 21, 2013

Is That Apple Hard Drive Really Yours?

Thu, Apr 04, 2013, 12:48 pm  //  Dick Conoboy

It seems that for Apple products, you do not really own that hard drive... as a journalist recently discovered.

2 comments; last on Apr 13, 2013

The GPT Scoping Summary Report Released

Mon, Apr 01, 2013, 4:00 pm  //  Wendy Harris

Government agencies responsible for the GPT project have completed review of the scoping comments.

0 comments

Coming Soon to the Waterfront: More Dioxin and Toxic Waste

Tue, Mar 26, 2013, 10:36 pm  //  Wendy Harris

A beneficial reuse provision in the Waterfront District Sub-Area Plan would allow construction materials that are contaminated with bioaccumulative toxins.

0 comments

Waterfront “Planned Action Ordinance” Limits Restoration and Public Input

Tue, Mar 26, 2013, 9:59 pm  //  Wendy Harris

The City Planning Department has included a technical document in the waterfront proposal without disclosing important impacts.

1 comments; last on Mar 30, 2013

Read All About It!  Cattlemen want slaughter.

Sun, Mar 24, 2013, 4:01 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the Cattlemen define 'small scale' as an unlimited number of facilities of up to 50 million live pounds per year.

3 comments; last on Mar 26, 2013

Living Wage and Working Waterfront 101

Sat, Mar 23, 2013, 11:53 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the rate base gets a soaking while officials keep big-bubble toking

7 comments; last on Apr 08, 2013

No City Housing Hearing on March 20

Tue, Mar 19, 2013, 10:05 am  //  John Servais

The Bellingham Herald article today is wrong. There is no hearing tomorrow, March 20

0 comments

Valuable Article in the Whatcom Watch

Sun, Mar 17, 2013, 9:42 pm  //  John Servais

Wendy Harris writes about the proposed $8 million concrete bridge along the Bellingham waterfront - using Greenways funds to build.

3 comments; last on Mar 20, 2013

University Ridge Height Variance Hearing Postponed

Tue, Mar 12, 2013, 11:50 am  //  Dick Conoboy

Several complaints to the city seem to have occasioned a postponement of a height variance hearing until a complete development proposal is submitted.

1 comments; last on Mar 12, 2013

Closing Arguments in Defense of the Reconveyance

Mon, Mar 11, 2013, 7:37 am  //  Guest writer

Guest writer Shane Roth writes in favor of the reconveyance of Lake Whatcom land back to the county.

1 comments; last on Mar 11, 2013

Again, we must “vote for the forest”.........or should we?

Fri, Mar 08, 2013, 1:54 am  //  Guest writer

Delaine Clizbe guest writes. Whatcom County has 7,100 acres of park land, with 1,900 acres actually developed. Yet we keep adding land, and not developing our parks.

16 comments; last on Mar 12, 2013

Obamacare and the Coming (Not Again?) Wealth Transfer

Wed, Mar 06, 2013, 11:05 am  //  Dick Conoboy

You are not likely to escape the coming transfer of $billions from your pocket to the health insurance industry. You will get little, if anything, in return.

4 comments; last on Apr 05, 2013

Legislation and Sausage

Tue, Mar 05, 2013, 4:20 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein it's even worse when the legislation is about sausage

0 comments

Support our Troops - Ban Fireworks

Sun, Mar 03, 2013, 5:17 pm  //  Dick Conoboy

Do we need to recreate the sounds and sights of the battlefield when doing so brings pain and suffering to our combat veterans?

0 comments

Marine Sanctuary Standards

Sat, Mar 02, 2013, 9:03 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein the ironies of life are explored and the necessities of life are contemplated

2 comments; last on Mar 12, 2013

Troubling Implications of Variance Request

Fri, Mar 01, 2013, 5:19 pm  //  Wendy Harris

A variance request pending before the City could create a loophole for developers seeking to avoid compliance with development standards.

5 comments; last on Mar 07, 2013

PeaceHealth Merger Threatens Women’s Health in Whatcom County

Tue, Feb 26, 2013, 7:39 am  //  Riley Sweeney

Riley details upcoming merger between PeaceHealth and a much more conservative entity

1 comments; last on Feb 26, 2013

University Ridge Student Housing - What is it?

Mon, Feb 25, 2013, 7:54 pm  //  Dick Conoboy

There is a private sector development proposal to house approximately 600 students in the Puget Neighborhood on 11 acres to the east of Nevada St.

5 comments; last on Feb 27, 2013

Petition to Establish a Bellingham Art Market

Mon, Feb 25, 2013, 6:51 pm  //  Tip Johnson

Wherein artists have to eat, too!

0 comments

Senator Ericksen Displays His Colors

Fri, Feb 22, 2013, 4:01 pm  //  John Servais

Riley Sweeney has posted a great video clip of Sen. Doug Ericksen flouting rules and legal procedures at a Senate hearing in Olympia.

0 comments

City Controls Chuckanut Park - Not New Park District

Fri, Feb 22, 2013, 3:47 pm  //  John Servais

The election created a new park district with taxing power - but with NO control over Chuckanut Ridge - the 100 acre woods.

1 comments; last on Feb 23, 2013

Waterfront EIS Revised Without Public Process

Tue, Feb 19, 2013, 10:40 pm  //  Wendy Harris

An "Updated Preferred Alternative" reduces the number of waterfront jobs and expands the boundary of the waterfront district.

0 comments

 

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