Association of Bellingham Neighborhoods

The Association of Bellingham Neighborhoods (ABN) meets at 7:00 pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Jones-Moles (Woburn @ Lakeway). The next meeting is on Tuesday, February 28. Meetings are open and the public is welcome.

In January, Larry Horowitz represented the ENA at both the regular and special meeting of the ABN.

Growth-related issues

The ABN has focused its attention on a proposal to tackle Bellingham’s growth-related concerns, which Mayor Asmundson addressed in his November 21, 2005 press release. This proposal is the work of the Forum ’06 ad-hoc task force that was created by Council Members Joan Beardsley and Barbara Ryan, along with Ted Mischaikov and Tris Shirley. The Mayor and Council have agreed on a budget of $500,000 for growth-related projects to enhance citizen involvement with: 1) the City’s Comprehensive Plan update, 2) Neighborhood Plan updates, 3) long-term regional planning, and 4) alternative growth management strategies.

At its January 10 regular meeting, the ABN invited Forum ’06 task force members Joan Beardsley, Ted Mischaikov and Tris Shirley to update the ABN on its progress. Task force members agreed that new strategies to manage growth are needed to address our region’s growth issues and that communication and trust between the community and the administration must be re-established. The task force approached the Mayor with their 4-point plan and convinced Asmundson to provide the necessary funding to achieve these objectives.

In a surprise move, on January 11, the administration met with task force members Joan Beardsley and Barbara Ryan and questioned the legitimacy of the self-appointed task force. The task force was asked to make a final recommendation to Council before disbanding. In the meantime, Councilwoman Beardsley plans to request that the Council’s Planning Committee provide legitimacy for the Forum ’06 task force by establishing a formal relationship with the group.

ABN Resolution re: Neighborhood Plans

At its January 25 special meeting, the ABN adopted a Resolution stating its intent to assume responsibility to assist its member Neighborhood Associations in updating their Neighborhood Plans and work with the City in establishing the process, budget, and schedule to do so.