Old Town Plan

Old Town Plan
I've taken a look at the slide show presented by the planners at the last Old Town meeting. Over all, I think they have presented a good plan, much better than we had a year ago. I think that the way the agenda was focused helped focus the discussion on the big issues. 1. View, 2. History, 3. Design, 4. Height .

I feel that the designers were given a task and did it well. However, I do not feel that this should be the end of community input. This is a start.
1 / 4. View / Height. I feel that looking at the tops of several 4 story building for the bluff along Dupont and Prospect is rather boring. I still would like to see the building vary from 1 story to 9+ stories in the filled area, depending upon the view from the bluff or street opening and 10 to 20 stories along the bluff. I don’t feel that we should be afraid of tall buildings in Bellingham as long as many of the existing views are preserved and open, public, ground level space is provided.
2. Design I would like the Old Brick Building to have more space, with the original 2 stories exposed by putting in retaining walls and pumps if required.
3. I would like to see a more “Historic” design standard; however, the planners did a good job of blending in their illustrations.
I feel that Old Town should still be a part of the Lettered Streets Neighborhood, especially the neighborhood between Holly, Broadway, Girard and "G". I feel that this is going to be the area where the design standards need to be expanded and enforced. The homes and offices that have been improved need to be preserved and any new development needs to honor the history of the area.
I feel that a review committee and a protective covenant needs to be put into place to assure the current property owners that their investments will not be destroyed by greed and unplanned development.
I also feel that the meetings expressed a great deal of distrust for and frustration with the Planning Department in Bellingham. I feel that several hours of consults time were wasted with the expression of distrust and frustration by attendees over what appears to be a complete disregard of the current Neighborhood Plan. I’ve lived in Bellingham for 20 years and with the planners we had for the first 17 years I never heard the frustration that I am hearing from citizens today; developers, yes, citizens, no…….