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closePort of Bellingham and city of Bellingham officials asked consultants two months ago to come back with more information on potential waterfront redevelopment ideas. That information will be released and discussed at two meetings this week.
On Tuesday, port commissioners will hear a report from port and city staff and consultants who have worked the past two months on engineering, cost estimating and analysis, and have come up with a “preferred alternative” for the development.
The presentation includes updated information about project costs, recommendations on a road grid and road construction, parks and trail opportunities, potential strategies for phasing development and recommendations for density and sustainable development opportunities.
On Wednesday, the citizen-based Waterfront Advisory Group will hear a recap of Tuesday’s presentations and then take public comments. City Finance Director John Carter also will provide an update of the economic analysis of the redevelopment.
There will be more meetings in the future, and further review, but this week’s meetings could go a long way toward defining what the waterfront redevelopment will really look like, and how far the city and port have come toward working together on one vision. There have been some disagreements recently as the city balked at some of the proposals for roads and their potential costs, for example.
>> Port of Bellingham Commissioners’ meeting 9 a.m. Tuesday in the conference room of the Harbor Center Building, 1801 Roeder Ave. >> Waterfront Advisory Group meeting, with chance for public comment 6 p.m. Wednesday in the conference room of the Harbor Center Building, 1801 Roeder Ave.
SPEECH HELPS SHED LIGHT ON MENTAL ILLNESS
Whatcom County is currently considering adding a new sales tax to provide services to the mentally ill and drug and alcohol abusers.
On Tuesday, Western Washington University associate professor Jane Finlay will give a public speech aimed at helping the public understand schizophrenia.
Finlay will discuss the symptoms and biological causes of the mental illness. Individuals suffering from schizophrenia can experience hallucination, memory impairment and poor social functioning, according to a press release sent out about the speech. The illness affects approximately one percent of the population.
The speech is part of a lecture series from Western’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and is not directly related to the debate over taxes for programs for the mentally ill. But the knowledge shared should help anyone involved in the debate better understand the topics they are debating.
>> “Understanding Schizophrenia,” a presentation by Janet Finlay 7 p.m. Thursday in the City Council Chambers of Bellingham City Hall, 210 Lottie St.
SAMISH WAY URBAN VILLAGE PLANNING BEGINS IN EARNEST
If Bellingham is ever to fill in with more population and stop its recent trend of sprawling into rural areas, new developments must take place in existing neighborhoods.
The people of the Samish Neighborhood, working with the city, are leading the way with plans for remaking the entire strip of Samish Way into a new neighborhood with residences, taller buildings, places to walk and a new character.
Planning for the Samish Way urban village begins in earnest with the public this week with the first of several neighborhood meetings. Thursday’s meeting will focus on what officials are calling the “public realm,” including streets, trails and plazas. Other meetings will follow.
We are holding out hope that a plan for redevelopment along Samish can become a great example of what our community can do. We can work together to find ways to grow that enhance our community, not detract from it. We encourage anyone who wants to take part in that process to attend Thursday’s meeting.
>> Neighborhood meeting on Samish Way urban village 6 p.m. Thursday at the Elks Lodge, 710 S. Samish Way.
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