Public Meeting on the New Greenways III Levy Implementation

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.

(This meeting was rescheduled from an earlier date, due to incliment weather)

Property Covenants Stand Up in Court

After a year of discussions within the neighborhood, including a neighborhood meeting, Tom and Nancy Kenney filed a lawsuit in September 2005 seeking to prevent Bill Webb and the City of Bellingham from proceeding with a request to subdivide two lots into four. It was felt that Mr. Webb's request violated the following covenant of the Plat of Clarkwood:

"Further subdivision of lots is prohibited except (1) where lots of equivalent or larger size are created: or (2) if area is exchanged between adjoining lots without the creation of an additional lot." (Plat of Clarkwood Restrictive Covenants, Section N., recorded under Auditors File No. 14424333.)

On August 25, 2006 Judge Charles R. Snyder ruled in favor of Tom and Nancy Kenney, during a court hearing, and granted their Motion for Summary Judgement. Judge Snyder ruled that:

a. The CC&Rs of the Clarkwood Plat prohibit a property owner from subdividing existing lots, except if after the subdivision, the lots are equal or larger in size than the lots that wereproposed to be subdivided.
b. The re-subdivision of existing lots in the Plat of Clarkwood to increase the total number of lots in the plat is prohibited.
c. The Webb application (SUB 2005-00036) filed with the City of Bellingham to divide two existing lots into four lots violates the covenants of Clarkwood.
d. The City of Bellingham is permanently enjoined from processing and approving the Webb's application.

There will be no appeal by the Webb's of Judge Snyder's ruling.

For more information on this matter, interested persons can review the court documents by contacting the County Clerk's office of Whatcom County and referencing Case No. 05-2-02096-9

This judgement by Whatcom County Superior Court brings the litigation to final conclusion, and re-affirms the covenants that have been part of our community since 1983.

Chuckanut Ridge

COB have permitted Horizon Bank/David Edelstein to do stormwater infiltration testing in Chuckanut Ridge, compounding the environmental impact of the huge soil testing done in August in the wetland, the buffers and elswhere. Heaven help our neighbors who live in the flood plain, downstream, along Chuckanut Drive to Fairhaven Park.

Setting up the Edgemoor Neighborhood Blog

This Neighborhood Blog has been created to give Edgemoor residents an opportunity to speak out on local issues. Information will also be added regularly from the Coalition of Southside Neighborhoods, (CSN), Association of Bellingham Neighborhoods (www.aobn.org) and other local websites of interest.

Edgemoor Neighborhood Association Officers, Committee Chairs and Friends of ENA who have actively contributed in the past to the ENA newsletter and website have been invited to submit articles on the Edgemoor Neighborhod Blog. However, anyone else can submit an article by sending it to ENA.

We hope you will use this forum to stay informed and voice your opinion on local issues.

Sandie Koplowitz, webmaster