The Edgemoor Neighborhood Association will hold its Annul Meeting this Thursday - April 2 – 7:00PM at Lairmont Manor.  We will have a short meeting, during which elections will be held for the ENA positions of President, Secretary, Hospitality Committee Chair, Safety Committee Chair and  Growth & Land Use Committee Chair. All positions are open to any member of the ENA (if you're a resident of Edgemoor Neighborhood, then you're a member of ENA). The ENA Board positions do not require much of your time, but are a meaningful way to contribute to the neighborhood.  I encourage anyone that is interested to come and put their name in the ring.  If you are not interesting in serving as a board member, please come and show your support for those you feel would be the best person for the job.

Linda Anderson, from Puget Sound Energy, will speak at 8 PM about the various ways residents can make home improvements and save money at the same time.  During these tough economic times, this is a good time for you to invest in upgrading your home appliances, heating system, windows and adding more insulation. By doing so now,  you can save money up front with energy rebates and in the future with reduced energy costs. Visit the Puget Sound Energy website to find out about energy rebates. Go to www.PSE.com and click on the Rebates and Promotions link next to For Your Home.

I hope everyone can make Thursday’s Annual ENA Meeting at Lairmont Manor. It's a great time to get together with your neighbors and meet other residents of Edgemoor Neighborhood. Refreshments will be served.

See you there! Brad Rose, ENA President

Also of interest...

The Small and Simple Grant joint venture by Edgemoor and South Neighborhoods to improve the Fairhaven Rose Garden grounds was approved!  We will soon be soliciting for volunteers to participate in the design phase and to help implement the improvement plan.  Edgemoor’s participation is based on volunteers so I encourage everyone to join in and make this project a success.

There are a couple of items of note that are coming up soon. 

1. Urban Infill Housing Toolkit.  The finished Toolkit is available for review at the City of Bellingham’s web site (http://www.cob.org/government/departments/pcd/urban-infill-toolkit.aspx).  There will be a Public Hearing on the toolkit before the Planning Commission on April 16th (7:00PM City Council Chambers – City Hall).  As it stands now, the tool kit will not be applied to zones that are Single Family Residential designation.  I encourage everyone to review the tool kit and if you have any concerns about it, to attend the hearing and let your reservations be known.

2. The Bayside Swimming Club had its conditional use permit to increase the membership form 173 to 200 members approved with conditions.  The conditions basically allow for 190 members this year, 200 next year and some site improvement will need to be made.  Full Hearing Examiner's decision can be found at: http://www.cob.org/cob/Pubnot.nsf/frmNotice/167C24BD18581307882575840065F588?OpenDocument

3. The Environmental Resources Division of Bellingham Public Works recently received a grant form the Department of Ecology to improve near shore habitat and water quality conditions in Bellingham and Chuckanut Bay.  There will be an information meeting on Tuesday April 7, 7:00PM at the Fairhaven Park Pavilion.  Your ideas and comments are welcome.

Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Committee

The Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Commission met on March 18 in the Mayor’s Board Room.  MNAC meetings are now held on the third Wednesday of the month.  During the March meeting the following topics were covered:

1.  Pioneer Human Services came and told us about the Offender Re-Entry Housing Pilot program that is about to come on line in Bellingham.   The pilot program will consist of a 38 unit apartment complex on Holly Street that will provide supervised housing for offenders trying to re-enter society.  There are qualifications that need to be met for an Offender to be able to participate in the program.  Information can be found at http://www.pioneerhumanserv.com/community.html

2. We had a presentation of the Urban Infill Housing Toolkit.  A discussion ensued regarding the ability to change the single family designation to a different designation to allow for the elements of the toolkit to be used in current Single Family Residential areas of the city.  This discussion will be continued next month where an MNAC position will be formulated to be presented at the April 16 Public Hearing

3.  We had a presentation on the Samish Way Urban Village.    Maps and conceptual information was relayed.  Information can be found at the City’s web site (http://www.cob.org/services/neighborhoods/community-planning/urban-villages-planning/samish-way-urban-village/index.aspx) or by contacting Darby Galligan at the Planning Department.

Thank You,

Brad Rose, MNAC Rep for Edgemoor

Fairhaven Neighbors Regular Meeting  will be held on Wednesday, April 1, from 7 to 9 PM at Fairhaven Park Pavilion. Prominent on our agenda will be a discussion of the Planning Department's proposed Infill Housing Toolkit, a proposal to allow various new and old housing types in our neighborhoods. Come and tell us what you think. Should Fairhaven Neighbors send a letter of support to the Planning Commission prior to the Public Hearing on Thursday, April 16th? Should our letter make suggestions for improvement to the toolkit or support the toolkit, but with caveats, or do we like it as is? Or do we want to send letters individually? The time has come for citizens to speak out. Planners, Commissioners and City Council Members are waiting to hear from us all. 

Vince Biciunas, President

Fairhaven Neighbors

Edgemoor residents in Briza recently received a letter from the city announcing a meeting on Tuesday, April 7, 7:00 pm at Fairhaven Park Pavilion about a restoration project the city proposes to undertake at the end of Fairhaven Avenue on the mud bay that borders Edgemoor, Briza and Chuckanut Village.  An article in the Bellingham Herald on March 13, 2009 (http://www.bellinghamherald.com/102/story/828749.html)  provides some detail.  One detail minimized however is the city’s intention to cut off vehicle access to the beach.  

Elimination of vehicle access might lead to parking related problems in Chuckanut Village as bird watchers, fishermen and kayakers look for alternatives to parking at the Arroyo Park trailhead.  It seems disingenuous to down-play this important and potentially controversial detail.

Controversy aside, this is something that is happening literally in some of our back yards. 

Visit  http://www.cob.org/documents/btv10/btv10-program-schedule.pdf