Edgemoor
Neighborhood Association Newsletter
December/January 2006
Edgemoor
Neighborhood Association
Business Meeting
Thursday,
January 11 , 2006
7
- 9 PM
Fairhaven Park
Pavilion
(Meeting date changed due to the holidays)
ENA
Board meetings are open meetings and Edgemoor residents are welcome to
attend.
Minutes from the ENA Annual Meeting on November 2, 2006
Greetings From
ENA...
Coming together is a
beginning
Keeping
together is progress
Working
together is success
Henry Ford
It is exciting to see people coming together at meetings to voice
opinions, discuss community issues, and socialize. It is also very nice
to see new faces join the group We have been meeting for many months
now and in keeping together we are progressing toward better community
communication. By working together we have more strength to influence
some of the decisions facing the community and the City of Bellingham.
A sincere thank you to all who have made and continue to make ENA work.
Edgemoor Neighborhood Association would like to extend warm wishes for a
merry holiday season and much happiness in the new year…
Annual ENA Board Meeting and Elections
The Edgemoor Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting was held on
November 2, 2006 at Lairmont Manor. The meeting was publicized on
the website, in the monthly newsletter, and our folding sign was up
at the corner of Hawthorn, Chuckanut, and Park Ridge road for
several days prior to the meeting. It could have been the windy,
rainy weather conditions or lack of interest, or both, but the
meeting was poorly attended. Elections were held and we are
presently without a President and Vice-president to run the
organization, so we shall rotate meeting facilitation among the
remaining board members until these positions are filled. A decision
was made to have another election at the next general meeting, which
will be on February 1, 2007.
Our focus for 2007 will be to update the
Edgemoor Neighborhood Plan, so committee members are needed to
assist co-chars, John Stephens and Marty Nickerson with the planning
process. We have new Safety Committee co-chairs, Don Miles and Brad
Johnson, who plan to continue to offer "Keep Kids Alive, Drive 25"
signs for sale and encourage Edgemoor residents to participate in
the Block Watch program. The Hospitality Committee needs volunteers
to assist at meetings and plan our annual summer picnic. The
Communications Committee has a new co-chair, Pam Bakke, who will be
helping Kathy Kaiser to get the word out about meetings and
important issues. The Growth and
Land Use committee will be inactive until someone volunteers to
chair the committee.
In January, ENA will send an announcement about the February ENA
Meeting to all residents of Edgemoor along with the
2007 ENA Membership
Dues statement. If you are interested in participating in your
neighborhood association, this is the time to sign up for a
committee. It is a great way to connect with your neighbors and
become informed about issues in our local community.
Mail
& Identity Theft in Edgemoor
Several residents of Edgemoor were recently the
victims of major identity theft. A significant amount of money was wired from
their credit union to an account in NJ. Just before the final wire was sent to
the recipient's account, the credit union employee noted that the phone number
was not listed on any of the customer's contact information. She called them and
confirmed that they had not issued the transfer.
Because the wire was across state lines, and because of the large sum wired, the
FBI is now involved. What we've learned is that the thief had their names, birth
dates and possibly one maiden name. The FBI confirmed that there has been a
significant number of these identity thefts in our area recently, but this was
the first at this credit union. The FBI noted that in several of the cases
victims had recently had their mailboxes broken into or damaged.
Here's the part that may involve more of you: Several weeks ago, one snowy day,
this resident came out one morning and noted that there were swerving tire
tracks in the road, all the way up Fieldston. They thought it was odd, very
noticeable. Then, they noted the pattern lined up perfectly to
each mailbox on their street. They
also noted they did not receive any mail that day, which was very unusual. They
now believe it was stolen and reported this to the police as part of the ongoing
investigation into the identity theft. It
is very important that all of us watch our mail very carefully and report
anything suspicious regarding the mailboxes in our neighborhood.
You should also be extremely vigilant regarding any emails you receive asking
for personal information. There is currently a very authentic looking,
sophisticated email being sent, allegedly from Comcast, asking customers to
update their account. The police informed us that it is "the best one they've
seen". The email is bit questionable, but the website link that it sends you to
has all the "bells and whistles" that would make you think it is Comcast. Once
you enter your personal information, a criminal has it.
Please be aware of identity theft and take measures to protect yourself. Shred
documents containing personal information and take mail containing checks
directly to the Post Office. Be certain the person or company you give out
personal information to are legitimate. Someone doesn't have to
get in to your home to steal from you...
Break-in on Fieldston Road
A break-in occurred on the evening of December 10, 2006 in the 600
block of Fieldston Road. A resident and her two children where home at the time.
They locked themselves in a bathroom and called 911 on a cell phone. The police
arrived, secured the home, and the residents were safe. However, the person(s)
who broke in are still on the loose. Please contact the Bellingham Police
Department if you saw unusual activity in the area of Fieldston Road and Arbutus
on December 10. Be advised that criminal activity is heightened at this time of
the year due to the holiday season.
This month's issue of BlockWatcher gives an
example of how BlockWatch is working for our neighborhood. A burglary in
progress on Cypress Road was stopped by a resident who called 911 when she saw
suspicious activity at a neighbor's home. Read the latest issue of BlockWatcher
at
http://www.edgemoorneighborhood.com/Documents/Safety/2006/BWNL1206.pdf
If your area of the neighborhood has not formed a BlockWatch
group, read more about it at
http://www.edgemoorneighborhood.com/Documents/Safety/2005/BWinfosheet.htm
The Edgemoor Neighborhood Blog
A
new addition to the Edgemoor Neighborhood website, The Edgemoor Neighborhood
Blog has been set up to give us a place to post articles and announcements about
important issues and events in our community on a daily basis. Go to
http://edgemoorneighborhood.com/blog/blog.html to read the latest news and
check back often for news on a regular basis.
Responsible Development’s
2007
Desk Calendars
are
available at Eclipse Bookstore NOW!
Beautiful color
photographs of the 100-Acre Woods and its wildlife adorn each month of
the year on these beautiful little 8” x 3-1/2” desk calendars for 2007.
See Sample Calendar (attached). They would make wonderful stocking
stuffers and great little gifts for friends, neighbors, and co-workers
this holiday season. A $10 donation is asked for each calendar (and
worth every penny!) All money collected will go directly into RD’s
Legal Fund which is devoted to saving the forest, wetlands, and wildlife
of the 100-Acre Woods from being logged and bulldozed into oblivion.
You may purchase your
calendars at Eclipse Bookstore (1104 11th Street in
Fairhaven.) Your generous support of
Responsible Development and Eclipse
Bookstore is very much
appreciated.
Why a CHUCKANUT MOUNTAINS PARK DISTRICT?
The Park District is a mechanism by which citizens
in a given area can support the protection of land within its boundaries. A
group of your fellow citizens has organized to create a district that will serve
as a foundation for the preservation of the unique & precious mountain to sea
corridor known as the Chuckanut Mountain Range.
What needs to be done?
Volunteers will soon be gathering signatures on petitions in order to
get the proposed district on our ballots for November 2007. (Join them!) We will
then have the opportunity to vote to ensure that we can begin to protect our
nearby treasured wild places.
Where can I learn more?
Please visit our new website at www.chuckanutmpd.org
<http://www.chuckanutmpd.org> to learn more details; or, you may call
your neighbor Dr. Bob Gibb at 733-5775.
How can I help?
Join others in contributing to the ongoing expenses for printing,
photocopying, government fees, and the like. We are incorporated as a nonprofit
in the Sate of Washington. We welcome donations of any amount! Simply mail your
donation to
Dr. Robert Gibb, 204 Viewcrest Drive, 98229.
Make checks payable to CMPD.
-Thank you! - The Chuckanut Mountains Park Department Committee
The following
articles were recently written about the Chuckanut Mountains Park District in
the Bellingham Herald:
December 4, 2006 -
Backers seek Chuckanut Park District; Proposed area ranges from
Arboretum to Samish Island
December 8, 2006 -
Park district proposal a step in
right direction
MNAC - Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory
Committee - November, 2006 report
The MNAC met on November 8th at City Hall.
This month we were visited by our new mayor Tim Douglas. He outlined his
priorities for his year in office. These are:
-
Importance of updating neighborhood plans. Spoke
to fact that current plans are very much out of date. Process Tim Stewart
and staff have provided should be very helpful in assisting with plan
updates.
-
Waterfront Redevelopment –Central waterfront
represents enormous opportunity for city. Lively discussion is needed.
Counting on neighborhood representatives to push constructive discussion.
-
Lake Whatcom Watershed – Lake is a treasure to
the community. Really must maintain water quality. Important time to address
issues.
-
City/ County Partnership on Affordable Housing –
Will be coming forward to city and county councils with recommendations on
affordable housing programs
We then had a presentation form Marty Mulholland, Janice Keller and Nicole
Oliver about the new City of Bellingham’s web site look. Included in the new
look is a new Neighborhood web page section. In it, each neighborhood has its
own space where links to relevant city planning documents/maps are available.
Have a look at Edgemoor’s part and let
Cheri Gleichman (CGleichman@cob.org)
know if there is any incorrect information.
Link to
neighborhood section:
http://www.cob.org/pcd/planning/neighborhoods/neighborhoods.htm
City staff notified us that they are at the beginning of the process of
updating the Development codes; having issued an RFQ for a consultant to help
with initial process of reformatting the code to make it easier for all to use
- I'll keep you posted on their progress
Check out this month’s “Just So You Are Aware”…..so that you are Aware!
http://www.cob.org/documents/mayor/boards-commissions/neighborhood/2006-11-08-just-so-you-are-aware.pdf
CSN - Coalition of Southside Neighborhoods
The
Coalition of Southside Neighborhoods (CSN) is now organized by a Steering
Committee comprised of Presidents and Representatives from each of the five
neighborhoods (Edgemoor, Fairhaven, Happy Valley, South and South Hill).
CSN will continue to offer programs of communitywide interest as such interests
are identified. Steering Committee members will continue work on behalf of
Southside citizens empowered by linking back to the general membership of each
neighborhood organization.
The public contact for the Coalition of Southside Neighborhoods is Steve Wilson,
President of South Neighborhood: 671-3380,
kswilson2@earthlink.net .
CSN
Requests Facilitated Public Forum to Review the Fairhaven Harbor Project
ENA has endorsed a letter from CSN to Planning
Director, Tim Stewart, requesting
a facilitated Public Forum to review the new Fairhaven Harbor project. Read the
letter on the Edgemoor Neighborhood Blog at
http://edgemoorneighborhood.com/blog/blog.html .
Information and plans about the Fairhaven Harbor project can be found at
http://www.cob.org/pcd/planning/fairhaven-harbor.htm.
The following questions about the new Fairhaven Harbor project were posed to the
Planning Department by Brad Rose. Answers were provided by City Planner, Jackie
Lynch:
At the Edgemoor Neighborhood Association
meeting the other night, we were discussing this new design of Fairhaven
Harbor and the request for comment from Tim Stewart. Questions were risen
regarding the scope of comments and what Tim is expecting to receive. We had
individuals who's responses ranged from dealing with just the reduction in the
width of the tower to others that included the impacts of this project on
Fairhaven as a whole to something in-between.
So I narrowed this down to a few questions that will allow us to provide
comments that are relevant to the stage of the project and are not rambling
outside of the scope.....
1. What is it we are commenting on - strictly the new design, The project as
a whole, Fairhaven wide impacts.
2. Which of the original permits does this re-design nullify (Shorelines,
Design Review, SEPA determination, etc.)
3. What determination is being made based on this request for public comment.
4. What happens next in the timeline of this project - after the Acceptance
or Rejection of the plan.
Please let me know the answers to these questions as soon as you can so I can
forward on this information to the residents of Edgemoor.
Jackie's response:
Firstly, I need to let you know that the applicants have
told us - they're resubmitting their designs. So, please don't waste your
time reviewing what you have. It is changing.
Nonetheless, I think I can answer your questions:
1. The new design and elevations, in general, need to be
reviewed. You are welcome to comment on all issues involving the Fairhaven
Design Review Code, Bellingham Municipal Code 20.26. This code is available
at the library, or on-line at
http://www.cob.org/web/bmcode.nsf.
2. The Design Review permit would be withdrawn and a new
one written and published.
3. The changes would be to the Fairhaven Design Review
Permit.
4. There will be an appeal period. The closing of the
appeal period will be in the notice.
Anyone who would like notice of
this decision should call (360-676-6982) or email
(jlynch@cob.org) me with their mailing
(U.S. Post Office) address. I'll make sure they get on the mailing list. The
Edgemoor Neighborhood Association is on the mailing list, but new private
parties are welcome.
Please don't hesitate to email or call me if you have any
questions or more comments.
Jackie Lynch,
jlynch@cob.org 360-676-6982
Proposed mixed-use building at the
corner of 12th and Donovan
A
public meeting to introduce plans to build a mixed-use building at 12th Street
and Donovan Avenue (where the 76 gas station is now) will be held at 7 p.m. Dec.
18 at Fairhaven Library. Bas Construction and Development Services
is holding the meeting: 752-9099.
The proposed project is a 4-story structure with the top story stepped back,
supposedly to reduce the impression of mass along the street. The lot in
question is a 100' by 100' parcel. It is not the adjacent L-shaped property that
wraps around and behind the corner lot, which includes property within 100 feet
of Padden Creek. None of this project falls within 100 feet of the creek.
Public Outreach Meeting on
Greenways Levy III implementation Re-scheduled
The public outreach meeting on Greenways Levy III
implementation that was scheduled for Tuesday, November 28 at 7 p.m. has been
re-scheduled due to inclement weather. The meeting will take place on
Wednesday, January 10, 2007 from 7 to 9 p.m.,
at the Squalicum Boathouse in Zuanich Point Park.
This is the first of
several city-wide outreach meetings sponsored by Bellingham Parks & Recreation
and the Greenway Advisory Committee to familiarize the public with the process
for land acquisition using Greenway Levy funds (as well as money from park
impact fees and other sources) and the roles of the key Levy partners - Parks
and Recreation Department, Greenway Advisory Committee, Parks and Recreation
Advisory Board, City Council, and the public.
Participants will have the
opportunity to share their opinions about what projects are most needed in their
neighborhoods and city-wide, what land might be available and appropriate for
such projects, and what other ideas and suggestions they have for maximizingthe
value of new Greenway Levy funds.
If you cannot attend the
meeting, or do not care to speak at the meeting, and would still like to give
input, please fill out this
public input form (PDF) and turn it into the Parks Administration Office at
3424 Meridian Street, Bellingham, WA 98225, Attention Greenway Advisory
Committee.
Check the City of Bellingham website regularly for news and information about
our local community. Read the latest issue of
Just So You are Aware, press releases from the city at
http://www.cob.org/press/index.htm and current Public Notices at
http://www.cob.org/cob/Pubnot.nsf.
Edgemoor
Neighborhood Association (ENA) sends monthly newsletters and an occasional
notice about important news and events in our local community. If graphics,
email addresses and links in the ENA newsletter do not appear above, go to
http://www.edgemoorneighborhood.com/Newsletters/2006/Dec%202006%20-%20Jan%202007.htm.
Feel free to send the Edgemoor
Neighborhood Newsletter
to your friends and neighbors.
Click here
to subscribe or unsubscribe from the mailing list. Visit the Edgemoor
Neighborhood website at
www.EdgemoorNeighborhood.com.
