March 25, 2009Volume 2, Issue 2

Alabama Hill

Special Interest Articles:

• Neighbor Profile – The Conley’s• Highland HeightsPark Update

Individual Highlights:

Facebook pageCity InfoAHA Membership Form

Association

Newsletter

Think you’ve lived on Alabama Hill a long time?Whether you have lived in the neighborhood for 5years or 50 years, Tom & Mickey Conley haveprobably lived here longer!In 1957, with a small child and another on the way,they found themselves needing a larger home.Moving cross-town, Tom, now a retired teacher andMickey, a retired Registered Nurse, picked out abuilding lot for which they paid $2000! They then hadtheir home built on the lot for another $14,500.Today, after 58 years of marriage, they continue tolive in that same home in the 2100 block of Huron St.Mickey

says “It is still a great place to live. Molly andI try to get out every day to walk the neighborhood.”Mickey can vividly recall the trans-formation of thehill as more homes began gradually filling out thehillside around 1960. She says their view actuallyimproved over time as trees came down andbuildings took their place. They have no plans tomove away as they would really miss many of their

Neighbor Profile – Tom & Mickey Conley

by Dean Haskins

Annual AHA Meeting Report

We held our Annual Association Meeting lastFeb 3

at Bloedel-Donovan and had a greatturnout. Our speaker was Mike Stoner,Environmental Director for the Port ofBellingham, and a Project Manager for theWaterfront Development Project. Mikebrought along a PowerPoint presentationalong with some large photos of the area andthe proposed development. Still manyopportunities for input at public meetings andonline. Lots of stakeholders have interests inmaking this once in a lifetime opportunity ahuge success.Concerns about seismic liquefaction andtsunami effects were discussed, what layoutwould provide the best views, how best tohandle the old GP water treatment lagoon,keeping of old buildings and the developmentof entirely new structures, WWU’s stake in all

fine neighbors. Mickey and her4 legged companion Molly canbe found just about any day outwalking so if you spot them,feel free to say Hi!

this and how best to deal with thecontaminants left behind by the old GPoperation. Very interesting and livelydiscussion. Visit their website athttp://www.portofbellingham.com/ andgo to the Waterfront Redevelopmenttab for all the latest on this project.We also held annual election of officersand with the exception of our newVice-Chair all of last year’sofficers/reps were re-elected. MonemSalam was elected as our new Vice-Chair. Look for some info on Monemin upcoming newsletters.We also heard a Highland Heights parkupdate from Brian Walker, some infoon job opportunities coming up for the2010 Census and a new homebusiness for a special bakery

Hope to see you at our next meeting on May 5th!

Chairman:

Doug Bestle734-2272

Vice Chair:

Monem Salam419-4148

Secretary:

Larry Nicholas647-2315

Treasurer:

Jim McLeod734-5127

Past Chairman:

Richard Maneval671-9559

MNAC Rep:

Jimmy Kelsey715-3053

AHA Area A (NW) Rep

Brian Walker671-8258

AHA Area B (NE) Rep

Michael Eisenberg734-3615

AHA Area C (SW) Rep

Dean Haskins733-2800

AHA Area D (SE) Rep

Nancy Allen922-0256

Next AHA QtlyMeeting is TuesMay 5

, 7 PM

Bloedel-Donovan

Pavilion

Alabama Hill Association

1 ½ cups raisins1 ½ cups nuts5 ¼ cups flour4 ½ cups sugar(I cut the sugar to 3 ½ cups.)2 ½ tsp. salt3 tsp. soda¾ tsp. baking powder1 ½ tsp. each cloves, nutmeg & cinnamon(I up the cinnamon to one Tablespoon.)6 eggs, beaten1 large can pumpkin (29 oz.)

Over the last year, The Alabama HillNeighborhood Association (AHA) hasbeen working with the City ofBellingham Parks Department inhopes of promoting improvements tothe Highland Heights Park. GoodNews! The City has begun theplanning and design phase of thepark renovation project. The currentschedule is for planning/design tooccur in 2009, followed byconstruction in 2010.Members of the AHA recently metwith the City Park’s LandscapeArchitect Johnathan Shilk to begindiscussing our neighborhood’swishes for the park. Mr. Shilk will beon hand at the next upcoming AHAquarterly meeting, on May 5

atBloedel-Donovan Park Pavilion, 7pm, to present some preliminary parkimprovement concept drawings, andis very interested in receivingcomments on these designs and anyadditional ideas from theneighborhood.

Highland Heights Park Update

Page 2

1 ½ cups oil1 ½ cups cold water

Mix dry ingredients with raisins and nuts in a verylarge bowl. Mix well the oil, water, eggs andpumpkin. Add to dry ingredients and stir untilthoroughly mixed. Pour into greased loaf pans andbake @ 300 for 60 to 75 minutes. (I use two 9 x12 cake

pans and bake @ 325 for 35 to 35minutes.)

The next quarterly meeting is the perfect opportunity for you to comeand share

your ideas with City staff and voice what type ofimprovements you would like to see take place in our neighborhoodpark.Please feel free to contact me with questions or discuss suggestionsfor the park.

Brian Walker, AHA – NW Area Representative3205 Maryland Place360.671.8258b.wa7ker@hotmail.com

Marc’s Pumkin Bread

(comliments of Marc at The Garden Sot Nurser)

Page 3 of 4

MNAC News

Meeting held 3/18/09 – Jimmy Kelsey, our Rep

City+ Beat

Mayor’s office will be suspending theneighborhood city newsletter forbudget reasons – past issues are at

http://www.cob.org/news/neighborhoods.aspx

The Planning Department providesweekly updates on permits andapplications. Go to

http://www.cob.org/cob/Pubnot.nsf

There is a lot of informative video onBTV10 off of the city website. Lookfor the IN-FILL TOOL KIT MEETINGshowing on Thursdays @ PM on Ch10 as well. Visithttp://www.cob.org/services/education/btv10/index.aspx Finally, if you can still afford gas andwant some driving info on local roadsand projects, go to…

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/

for

Now taking local ads in our newsletter $200 for the Annual issue (approx 1200)$40 for all other issues (approx 250)Business card size

The MNAC meeting last week had a full agenda again. Maybe the item withthe biggest impact in our city is the Urban Infill Toolkit. It is a goal of thePlanning Commission (Bellingham City Council 2009 Goal #5) to beimplemented this year. There is much discussion underway about theapplicability provision and several others. Time on the MNAC agenda isscheduled for the April meeting to continue the discussion. The toolkit is asignificant revision to Title 20, Bellingham Municipal Code with far-reachingimplications for future development within the city. Check your BTV-10schedule for showings about it through April 16

. The proposal, a slideshow, and related information is available for anyone interested at thePlanning and Community Development Major Projects webpage.

http://www.cob.org/government/departments/pcd/major-projects.aspx

Another major item is to be review and assessment of a proposal for asystem of transferrable development rights (TDR) to supplement the LakeWhatcom Watershed Property Acquisition Program aiming to reduce thedevelopment potential in the watershed. It is the main agenda item for theApril 9

Planning and Community Development Meeting to be held in CityCouncil Chambers at 210 Lottie Street starting at 7:00 PM.Guests from Pioneer Human Services described expansion into WhatcomCounty of the not-for-profit program. The organization provides supportservices “to people overcoming the challenges of chemical dependency,mental health issues, or criminal histories” including “housing, employment,training, re-entry and treatment services.” They are negotiating a lease for afacility on Holly Street and expect to hire a manager from within the locallabor market. I have a folder of materials they distributed with more abouttheir services across Washington as well as contact information.I am barely started on learning about land use planning and neighborhoodactivities in our community but will be pleased to try to answer anyquestions as Alabama Hill Association representative to MNAC.

Dean Haskins has set up aFacebook page for ourAssociation. It’s named “AlabamaHill Neighborhood Association”http://www.facebook.com