The proposal would increase the density of the 113 acres just west of Lake Padden Park from 20,000 sq. ft. per unit to 8,000 sq. ft. per unit. The managing partner, George Huston, said this is merely a guideline and that it is up to the engineers to figure out the density that is feasible for this type of land. This proposal would increase the number of units allowed in the area from 224 homes to 635 units.
The neighborhood’s main concern about the project is the increase in traffic, said Greg McCracken, the Samish Neighborhood Association president. There is only one entrance and exit to the Padden Trails area, McCracken said, through 34th Street up to Connelly.
The roads between Connelly and 40th Street, known as the ‘stair steps,’ have long been identified as a problem area for traffic, he said. “And 600 more cars driving in and out in the morning and evening could really impact traffic on Connelly and that interchange,” McCracken said.
There are also no sidewalks in the area and the roads are all very narrow, McCracken said.
According to a letter sent by Rick and Nancy Chartrand to the city council and the Planning Commission, the rezoning project would increase the number of trips per day to 6,700. They suggest that the developers first obtain approval for the severe traffic flow disruptions from the homes on 34th Street before going ahead with the project.
The neighborhood association suggests traffic lights or circles on 34th Street in order to control the flow of traffic. “But I don’t know if any are feasible on a street with that kind of slope,” McCracken said.
During the summertime, when so many people are trying to get to Lake Padden, these roads become virtually jammed, said Christopher Grannis, the president of the South Neighborhood Association who is also involved in the project. “They don’t normally consider the location of the increase of traffic,” Grannis said. “This will slow things down on the freeway and all the way into Fairhaven.”
To combat the issue of increased traffic, there is already a plan underway to reroute 33rd Street and have it connect to 34th Street near Connelly, below Cody, McCracken said. He said that the city is looking for ways to improve traffic in the area.
Having only one entrance and exit is not just bad for traffic, it is also bad for emergency vehicles who will need to get into the development, McCracken said. “If there is a forest fire there, it would just be a catastrophe to get emergency vehicles in and get people out to safety too,” he said. There was a fire in the Padden Trails area in 1985, so fire is not out of the question, McCracken said.
“From a safety point of view, I simply can’t understand why the city staff recommended that such a proposal even be docketed,” Grannis said.
A high density cul de sac such as the one proposed is very susceptible to fire and other natural hazards, said Robert P. Gibb, M.D. in a letter to the Bellingham City Council and the Planning Commission.
There are also several environmental concerns associated with this proposal. The Samish Neighborhood Plan describes the land in this area as having extremely steep slopes with very difficult access and interspersed wetlands. Land like this is very difficult to build on, McCracken said. He said more cement and impervious surfaces would increase the amount of polluted runoff into Padden Creek that runs along the northeast corner of the area.
The Puget Sound Partnership has identified keeping the tributaries of Puget Sound clean and safe as one of their main goals, Grannis said. The Padden Creek is one of the main tributaries to the sound and as well as a salmon bearing creek, he said. “The Puget Sound is slowly dying in increments and adding more runoff into one of its tributaries is not a good thing,” he said.
Grannis also said increased density in a neighborhood on the outskirts of a city goes against what Sustainable Connections believes is a viable city. There should be a dense downtown with density decreasing as you move outwards, he said. This isolated area is also served by only one WTA bus stop on Samish Way at 38 Street. Grannis said putting that many people in an area with limited public transportation is not feasible and “just not what they call smart growth.”
The proposal includes a clustering technique as a way to diminish the effects on the environment. There would be clusters of homes or units mainly on the western portion of the area to minimize the runoff into Padden Creek and to avoid the steep cliffs. “I think it’s a good idea because it will help to protect the wetlands in the area,” McCracken said.
The Samish Neighborhood Association also said that the increase in the number of homes will decrease the quality of life in the area. There is some concern that college students will be the ones renting these units, McCracken said. “That, in itself, isn’t a problem, but if there are rental units that are being abused, that could diminish the character of the neighborhood,” he said.
Though there are many concerns with this project, the Samish Neighborhood Association supports this project being docketed because this is the best place for this kind of building to take place, McCracken said. They think that the Bellingham City Council should take a look at it and see what can be done to improve it, he said. Grannis also agrees that there are ways for this project to be a good one without increasing the density.
“The city has been talking about infill and increasing density. If there’s ever an area in the neighborhood to do that, this is probably a good one,” McCracken said. “But it’s definitely not something we’d want to see throughout the neighborhood.”
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