After much work form the Neighborhood Plan Update committee and others, we were able to get out the finalized Neighborhood Survey.  We mailed out over 950 surveys to every property owner and resident in Edgemoor.  So far we have around a 33% return, which is fantastic.  We hope to have them tallied in the next few days and start posting results.  If you did not receive a survey, please download one from the ENA website and mail it by July 6. 

The Coalition of Southside Neighborhoods is sponsoring a Candidates forum at the Fire Hall Performing Arts Center (14^th and Harris) on Thursday July 19 at 7:00PM.  The forum will be for the Mayor, City Council At-Large and City Council 5^th Ward positions.  All candidates were sent a list of 6 Southside related questions for them to fill out in writing.  Their responses will be available prior to the event.  At the Forum, there will be opportunity for the audience to ask questions – so come and participate.

In other neighborhood news, the owner of the Union 76 station at the corner of 12^th and Old Fairhaven Parkway has submitted his plans for re-developing the property with two 4-story retail/office/condo buildings.  The project application can be see at the city website. (http://www.cob.org/cob/Pubnot.nsf/frmNotice/49BA36CD4FE2CA4A882572FB00786001?OpenDocument).  Public comment has already closed on the initial application but there will be Planning Commission and Historic Preservation Meetings held on this proposal  - dates of which have not been set.

The City of Bellingham has announced that they have chosen the firm to generate the EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) for Chuckanut Ridge.  They have yet to finalize the contract.  Once finalized, the scoping process will begin.   If you want to be kept apprised of the Chuckanut Ridge EIS process and know when public input is taken, check out the city’s website (www.COB.org) and the Responsible Development! website (www.RDNOW.org).

To give everyone a heads up, the ENA’s meetings on August 2 and Sept 6 will both be general membership meetings.  This is because we need to amend our by-laws to remain in compliance with the City’s charter for recognized Neighborhood Associations.  Basically we need to re-define the description of who can be a member of the Association.  According to our by-laws, we are required to propose changes to the by-laws at a General Meeting and then vote for approval at the next General Meeting.  Since we have until September 30^th to get our by-laws in compliance, necessity dictates that we make, in addition to our normal August General Membership Meeting, our September meeting a general membership meeting.  The official changes to the by-laws that will be proposed at our August meeting will be distributed prior to that meeting.

Thanks to all that filled out a survey.  We’ll post the final results as soon as they are ready.

Brad Rose

MNAC met on June 13 at City Hall.  The meeting started off with items from the neighborhoods.

Kimberly Brown and Nicole Willis presented the “Safe Routes to School” program, which is intended to promote kids walking to school by providing a safe “Walking-Bus” concept. This concept is where parents drop and pick-up their kids at designated drop-off points, then the kids walk as a large group - or “Walking Bus” - to and from school.

Next we had a presentation from Richard Dietz about Elder Friendly Neighborhoods.  Richard mentioned that they are available to come and speak at neighborhood meetings to get the word out on their program.

After the presentations, the MNAC went through several of the proposed zoning changes brought forward for this year’s docket.  MNAC gave its approval on all 6 items that were presented.

Meeting adjourned at 9:05.

Read the lastest issue of Just So You are Aware, a publication from the Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Committee. The June issue contains the following topics:

· Planning and Community Development news — annexation, waterfront, shoreline master program

· Neighborhood Night Out Against Crime—August 7 th

Hope to see you there!

Lorraine Wilde

General Manager & Co-Chair

Community Car Share of Bellingham