Edgemoor Neighborhood Plan Update Draft

Chapter 1, Framework and Goals

1. Vision Statement

The primary aim of the Edgemoor Neighborhood Plan is to preserve and enhance the safety and accessibility of the neighborhood in compliance with the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan and in Compliance with the Washington Growth Management Act. A questionnaire distributed throughout the neighborhood in 2007 indicates that a large majority of neighborhood residents support these goals. 74% of the respondents rated “Quiet Residential Character”, “Single Family Zoning”, “Preservation of Views”, or “Preservation of Natural Features” as their first choice in “features to preserve” on the questionnaire. References to percentages (%) throughout the plan refer the responses given by respondents to the questionnaire. [Citation]

Protection of the natural features of Edgemoor is of importance to the residents who are particularly prone to running, walking, and biking a with 80% responding that they do so in the neighborhood each week and 20% indicating that they do so each day.

In a larger sense, Edgemoor is a discrete unit of the southern part of Bellingham which is visually attractive, vibrant, and full of amenities. The neighborhood provides a desirable housing potential which is somewhat secluded from the rest of the city, yet safer, less crowded, and less pressured than many other parts of the city as a result. By any standard, Whatcom County, with its commercial, agricultural, and residential mix as well as its mountains, waterfront and fields and its cultural amenities and its diverse population earns its reputation as an outstanding place to live and work. Washington State is likewise very much alive intellectually, politically, commercially, industrially and is attractive in many other ways. Edgemoor benefits Bellingham and the County and the State by being the distinctive place that it is. The primary goal for the neighborhood is to provide a positive home environment

2. Neighborhood Character

Edgemoor is developed neighborhood with a decidedly quiet, residential character. 98% of the residents own their own property. 55% of the respondents to the questionnaire indicated that they have lived in the neighborhood for over 10 years, and over 20% have done so for over 20 years. Despite the large number of residents who use the public area for recreation, 89% indicated that they do not have children who walk to school.

The houses are generally well-kept and many have excellent views of the mountains and water due to the toporaphy. Views of Bellingham Bay and the islands are major assets which need to be balanced with requirements of dwellings and horticulture. The neighborhood continues to have attractive natural and planted vegetation, including groves of Douglas fir native to the area.

The entire neighborhood is zoned Single Family Residential. 89% of the respondents agreed that Edgemoor should remain “Single Family Residential” (80.4% strongly agreed, 8.5% somewhat agreed).

3. Development Patterns

The progression of development at different times with differ standards has led to discontinuities in the quality of public services particularly visible in the street system. For instance, there is a sidewalk from the intersection of Chuckanut Road and 12^th Street in front of Fairhaven Middle School up Hawthorn and on to Fieldston to up to Learmont Manor. As a result, school children on their way to and from the school must walk in the street. Extension of the sidewalk on Fieldston to Willow is indicated.

Lot sizes, house sizes and related features such as driveways, gardens and other secondary features vary in different parts of the neighborhood. Typically there is a degree of uniformity within each subdivision. Many of the largest houses face West and South and enjoy excellent views of Bellingham Bay. View lots with these characteristics are expensive and prone to non-conforming development.

There are no more than a few dozen undeveloped lots in the neighborhood. Recently, in a few cases, properties have been purchased; the original house has been torn down and replaced with a new, larger one. Also, some oversize houses have been built recently with “Conditional Use Permits” which exceed zoning allowables [Citation]. Changes in the pattern of building exist including a gated community at the south end of Fieldston Road which is an allowed exception [Subdivision Regulations]. A planned development on Shorewood Drive is necessary to protect a natural feature (the heron rookery on the north end of Shorewood).

Recently, there has also been an increase in the number of rentals which have changed the tone of the neighborhood where they are located. Some of the rentals may have more occupants than the ordinance allows [Citation] or involve more cars than were there before the house was rented, more noise, and less yard care, all of which is disturbing to the neighbors.

Edgemoor is dependent on adjacent neighborhoods for commercial establishments, for parks and for schools with the exception of Fairhaven Middle School. No Police or Fire Station is located in the neighborhood. Edgemoor residents are particularly involved with Fairhaven, South and Happy Valley Neighborhoods. As a stakeholder in the affairs of the Southside of Bellingham, it is essential that Edgemoor have a strong relationship with its neighbors.

Despite these disturbing changes, the fundamental character of the neighborhood remains generally uniform, attractive and desirable.

4. Strengths and Weaknesses