York Neighborhood Association • www.yorkneighborhood.org • Spring 2008

York Neighborhood Survey ResultsBy Anne Mackie, Planning Committee Chair

Over a period of several months, the York NeighborhoodAssociation Planning Committee conducted a survey to gather inputfor the York Neighborhood Plan Update project. Printed surveyswere distributed to every home and business in the neighborhood;responses could be submitted online or on paper. 162 responseswere received.

The survey gathered neighbors’ opinions to help guide our planning for the future. (Keep in mind that severalquestions allowed more than one answer, so percentages can add up to more than 100% for some questions.)

Respondents were 56% home owners; 34% renters; 10% business owners; 9% landlords.

Top reasons given to live in York: like the area; close to downtown; affordable.

Neighborhood conditions were rated by the majority as “average” for walkway lighting; parks/recreationalareas/trails/open space; parking; sidewalks; traffic control; and property upkeep.

Problems RatedBigProblem

SmallProblem

Not aProblem Other

Crime 18% 52% 26% 4%

Dilapidated housesor buildings

16% 54% 27% 3%

Parking 23% 47% 28% 2%

Party houses/noise 22% 48% 24% 5%

Poor upkeep ofproperties

22% 53% 22% 2%

Trafficspeed/congestion

23% 41% 34% 2%

Transients andhomeless

11% 53% 30% 7%

Enforcement of City Municipal Codes for noise, property maintenance, garbage, housing rules, zoning,etc.:

• Not adequately enforced = 40%

• Well enforced = 32%

• No opinion = 28%

Integrating and reconnecting the neighborhood’s geographic divisions ranked “very” or“somewhat” important in the following order:

• Add a pedestrian crossing on Lakewaybetween I-5 and Ellis/Holly intersection(91%)

• Improve trails/open space/parks (88%)

• Better street lighting (83%)

• Crosswalks and/or bike paths on arterials(83%)

• Sidewalks on all blocks (79%)

• More neighborhood businesses to servepedestrian traffic (66%)

York Neighbohood AssociationGeneral Membership Meeting

May 28, Wednesday, 7:00 pmGarden St. Methodist Church

Circulation 1000

York Neighborhood Survey Results (cont.)

York’s historic character ranked as “strongly” or “somewhat” agree:

• York should become an Historic District (92%)

• Protect historic homes from bulldozers (92%)

• New construction should have design standards to fit in with historic character (91%)

• Historic character is not important (10%)

To best accommodate future population growth, York should consider:

Support Oppose

Rooming houses 40% 60%

Single-family homes 90% 10%

Affordable housing 82% 18%

Apartments 23% 77%

Attached AccessoryDwelling Units (ADUs)

53% 47%

Detached ADUs 47% 53%

Condos 18% 82%

Cooperative housing 56% 44%

Cottage housing 66% 34%

Townhouses 35% 34%

Urban villages 56% 45%

What will make York a better place to live:

• Planned parks, open spaces and trails (93%)

• Pedestrian crossings and other safetyfeatures (88%)

• Bike paths on arterial roads (78%)

• Enforcement of City codes for noise,garbage, housing, zoning (76%)

• Devices to slow traffic (69%)

• Encourage a mix of housing and businesses(51%)

• Parking for residents only (43%)

• More businesses throughout theneighborhood (33%)

Proactive planning by neighborhood stakeholders is important; 70% strongly agreed.

93% thought York a “neighborly” neighborhood!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey. A more detailed report of the survey will beavailable on the York website at www.yorkneighborhood.org. If you are interested in helping on the YorkNeighborhood Plan Update project, contact Anne Mackie, 738-0542.

Upcoming York Planning MeetingsApril 1, 7:00 p.m. Planning Committee Garden St. Methodist Church

May 6, 7:00 p.m. Planning Committee Garden St. Methodist Church

May 28, 7:00 p.m. York General Membership

Neighborhood Plan Update

Garden St. Methodist Church

June 3, 7:00 p.m. Planning Committee Garden St. Methodist Church

July 1, 7:00 p.m. Planning Committee Garden St. Methodist Church

Aug. 5, 7:00 p.m. Planning Committee Garden St. Methodist Church

Aug. 27, 7:00 p.m. York General Membership

2nd Review Neighborhood Plan Update

Garden St. Methodist Church

Sept. 2, 7:00 p.m. Planning Committee Garden St. Methodist Church

Oct. 22, 7:00 p.m. York General Membership

Final Review Neighborhood Plan UpdateGarden St. United MethodistChurch

Nov. 28 York Plan DUE to City

What is NeighborhoodDesign?by Lynn Gobush

Neighborhood Design (ND) is a way ofunderstanding the physical environment we live in.According to The New Longview Design Charrette(www.NewLongview.com), two types of settlementare evident in America -- the traditionalneighborhood and suburban sprawl. While Yorkersmay be quite sure they know our neighborhoodisn’t sprawl, they may not be able to describe their“traditional” neighborhood very well.

What are the main features of a traditionalneighborhood?

1. Streets are laid out in a network, often a grid, sothat there are alternate routes to destinations.

2. There are a variety of dwelling types – houses,apartments, townhouses, etc. – so that differentdemographics can live together; includingyoung and old, singles and families, and boththe wealthy and those with moderate income.

3. There is a range of parks throughout theneighborhood – village greens, tot-lots,greenbelts.

4. The streets are used for parking. Garages andparking lots are relegated to the rear of the lotand accessed by alleys.

5. The needs of daily life are within a mile –stores, transportation connections, communityevents, and leisure opportunities. The youngand the elderly, especially, can move aboutindependently.

The continuity and evolution of human society areevident in the preservation and renewal of historicbuildings, and are reflected in design that promoteslocal climate, building practice, and history. YorkNeighborhood exhibits all these qualities and futureneighborhood planning should aim to build on analready strong pattern.

Brooks ManufacturingWill Cease to Smellby Jim Kling

Some York neighborhood residents have beenaffected by a stench produced by BrooksManufacturing’s wood treatment process. Earlierthis month, Brooks announced that by March 31, itwill change its chemical process to a method thatshould eliminate the odor. So, by the time you readthis, York neighborhood should be odor free. Let’shope it stays that way. For more information, seehttp://www.brooksresponds.com.

York Tree Planting Grantby Nick Hartrich

The York Neighborhood has received a Small andSimple Grant from the City of Bellingham to coverhalf the cost of planting 37 trees. The trees arescheduled to be delivered on Friday, April 11. Therewill be a neighborhood planting day on April 12. Ifyou would like to purchase a tree, they are $25.Availability is on a first come first serve basis.

We’re thankful to have secured this grant from theCity of Bellingham – now make nice and grab yourshovels for some good old-fashioned neighborhoodbeautification. Help your neighborhood by plantingand caring for a tree!

Four steps to acquiring a tree:

1. Select a location. Trees will be planted in theCity’s right-of-way between the curb and thesidewalk.

2. Decide which type of tree you would like(list available on request).

3. Contact Nick at 927-2565 for the number oftrees you and your neighbors would like

4. Be ready for tree delivery on April 11, withhelp from a planting crew on April 12.

For more information, contact Nick at 927-2565.

Preserve America Grantby Barbara Davenport and Lynn Gobush

YNA’s Historic Preservation Committee isparticipating in a 2-year Historic Resource Surveyand Inventory Project, funded in part by a federalgrant from Preserve America. The $150,000 grantwas recently awarded to Bellingham’s PlanningDepartment to assist the York, South Hill, andLettered Streets neighborhoods in documentingtheir history, buildings, and landscapes. Theneighborhoods were selected to participate in thesurvey with the goal of at least some areas of eachneighborhood applying for a National HistoricDistrict designation. York was selected becausewe’ve demonstrated a great interest in preservingthe historic character of our neighborhood.

Neighbors, students, volunteers, city staff, andprofessional preservation consultants willdocument York neighborhood properties such asage, style, history and character-defining features.Various volunteer opportunities exist, includingresearching your own house, taking photographs,and conducting oral history interviews. You mayobserve participants walking the streets,photographing buildings and making notes onarchitectural details. Information will be enteredinto a database, available to the general public, andwill be used for neighborhood planning, definingneighborhood character, and assisting in thepotential nomination of a National Historic Districtin York neighborhood.

To find out more about this outstandingopportunity to get to know your neighborhood,contact Barbara Davenport, coordinator for theYork Neighborhood Preserve America Grant (733-4883, bcdaven@earthlink.net) or Lynn Gobush,Historic Preservation Committee chair(rgo9932@msn.com). For more information aboutthe project check out the web site: http://www.hp-nw.com/bellingham.htm. The Historic PreservationCommittee meets on the third Tuesday of everymonth, 7:00 pm, at Nelson’s Market.

Cyclists and walkersneeded for assessmentby Jeff Bates

Do you bike to work or school? Do you like theshort walk to downtown, Sehome Hill or WhatcomCreek? Maybe you enjoy a simple walk around theblock daily. If you live in York and enjoy travelingon foot or by bike, we need your input to make yourlife even better!

Part of the update for our Neighborhood Plan willinclude recommendations for pedestrian andbicycling routes through the neighborhood. Theseroutes may link to other trail systems and bikeroutes, create connectivity between parks, providesafer and more scenic pathways, and help toestablish York as the most bike and pedestrianfriendly neighborhood in Bellingham. YNA islooking for people who walk, bike, stroll, and scootin and around the Neighborhood to participate in asurvey. This assessment will help shape thetransportation goals of York for the next twentyyears.

To participate in this important survey, pleasecontact Helen Jackson at hjaxon817@yahoo.com,or by phone at 656-5467.

Grant Funds WouldExpand York’s GreenInfrastructureby Helen Jackson

An ecological barn-raising has been taking placearound Franklin Park. This is the third year of thisneighborhood volunteer effort, and now it’s time toturn the Street Island Project in the 1200 block ofFranklin Street into a beautiful open space. There islittle doubt that we need natural systems to survive,physically and biologically, and we need them forour emotional, psychological and spiritual health.With native plantings, and access made possible bya trail from Lakeway Drive to Whatcom Street, wehope present and future generations will feelenlivened by this neighborhood sanctuary.

The York Neighborhood Association applied for aSmall and Simple Grant of $2500 to createlandscaping, set stone benches, put up signs, andcomplete removal of unhealthy trees and invasiveplants. The completed winding trail will have agravel base. The trail will provide foot travelerswith a westerly view of the city to the bay, andMount Baker to the east. Fourth of July fireworkson the bay and at Civic Field can be viewed fromthis vantage point, so plan to join neighbors in thisurban greenscape for holidays to come.

If you would like to lend a hand in this project,work parties are held the second Saturday of everymonth, from 9am-12pm, except April and October.These will be held on April 19, Earth Day, andOctober 25, Make a Difference Day.

For questions, contact Helen Jackson athjaxon817@yahoo.com.

The York Neighborhoodthanks Walter Turpin,who hosts our "WelcomeSign" in his yard at 607E. Magnolia, for repairshe made to the sign afterit was vandalized.

York Centenarian PassesAwayby Anne Mackie

Long time York residentSophia Gilbertson, age100, passed away inBellingham on March 2.Sophia, a well-lovedmember of the Yorkfamily, lived at 1300Humboldt St. for manyyears. She worked at thePleez-U Market, 600Lakeway Drive, until itclosed in the seventies.She was an activemember of the Woman'sDemocratic Party andworked at the polls,counted ballots after theelections, and helped toraise money bycrocheting pan scrapersand selling them atbazaars and meetingsand to relatives back inMinnesota. Sophia wasvery active until the lastfew years and was oftenseen out mowing herlawn well into hernineties. She waspreceded in death by herhusband Chester in1961.

Neighborhood Policing:Sergeants Johnston andLanham Assigned to Yorkby Lynn Gobush

The City of Bellingham (COB) NeighborhoodNewsletter has recently announced assignments ofspecific Bellingham Police sergeants to variousneighborhoods. This is a step in implementing“Community Oriented Policing”, an effort tocombine traditional policing with communityproblem solving. Sergeants Johnston and Lanhamhave been assigned to the York Neighborhood, aswell as the CBD, Puget, Samish, and Whatcom Fallsneighborhoods. Sergeant Johnston can be reachedat 778-8687, and Sergeant Lanham at 778-8694.

Sophia Gilbertson(left) pictured withher boss, Bernie, atthe Pleez-U Market,600 Lakeway Dr.

YNA Committee Reports for March 2008Disaster Preparedness

by Libby Stark, Co-Chair

There were 4 homeowners from the 1600 and 1700blocks of Grant Street in attendance at the first MapYour Neighborhood (MYN) session. Co-Chair CarolDixon will work with Lynn G. from the 1300 blockof Franklin to begin MYN on this block. Thecommittee’s goal is to provide MYN training to oneblock per month. Block captains are still needed.

The committee also heard a recap of the City ofBellingham (COB) meeting. For each blockparticipating in MYN, the neighbors will receive agoody bag filled with a hard hat, flashlight, 3-waytool and other items that may come in handyduring a disaster. The COB meeting will be held onthe second Tuesday of every other month.

The next Disaster Preparedness Committeemeeting will be April 8, Tuesday, 7:30 pm. Contactdisasterplanning@yorkneighborhood.org forlocation.

Garden Club

Upcoming meetings of the Wine and Roses GardenClub will be held on March 26 and April 23, 6:30pm. Contact dixoncarol@comcast.net for locations.Up for consideration are how the club can supportFranklin Park and Rock Hill Park.

Historic Preservation

by Lynn Gobush, Chair

The committee met on March 18. Kolby Labree, ofthe Preserve America Historic Resource Survey andInventory Project, was a guest. The meetingfocused on this grant project and how it is going. Itis not too late to participate, whether you wish toresearch your own house, or help research data inthe York neighborhood. Barbara Davenport (733-4883, bcdaven@earthlink.net) is coordinating theeffort in our neighborhood.

We also talked about using the data for our ownpurposes, such as developing a neighborhoodhistory booklet (expanding on the brochure wealready have) and interviewing the older residentswho showed up at the Franklin School reunion lastfall.

The next Historic Preservation Committee meetingis April 8, Tuesday, 7:00 pm, Nelson’s Market. Theregular meeting date is the second Tuesday of themonth, 7:00 p.m.

Planning

by Anne Mackie, Chair

The Planning Survey was completed in January.The committee met in January, February, andMarch. All the subgroups are meeting regularly,with the exception of Land Use, which will start upthis month. Subsections of the York NeighborhoodPlan are being drafted by the subgroups.

A letter drafted by Nick Hartrich, and reviewed bythe Planning Committee, was submitted to the Cityregarding development possibilities for theWilsons’ Motors property. No response has beenreceived as of March 18.

Chris Koch (City Planner) will meet with the boardApril 16 to present information on AccessoryDwelling Units (ADUs). The Planning Committeefelt that a presentation to the whole board wasbetter than just to the committee.

The next Planning Committee meeting is April 1,Tuesday, 7:00 pm, Garden St. Methodist Church.

Quality Improvement

by Lesley Keenholts, Chair

This month’s meeting hosted guest RichardConoboy, "the zonemaven". Dick shared with thegroup his ideas on enforcement of the "no morethan three" rule in single-family zoning. Dick iswilling to come back and present at a future QualityImprovement Committee meeting or a YNA Boardmeeting if asked.

The committee briefly discussed the privatelyowned "bus" that had been parked on the 1300block of Humboldt Street. This bus is no longerparked on Humboldt Street due to a complaint tothe Police department concerning safety (visual).

The next Quality Improvement Committee meetingwill be April 13, Sunday, 7:00 pm, Nelson’s Market.

A big thank you to Garden Street UnitedMethodist Church for their continuedsupport of the York NeighborhoodAssociation!

Thanks to the wonderful volunteers whomade our annual picnic and Franklin andLincoln Schools reunion a huge success:

Musicians Dave and Kevin and The Honeybees.

Holiday Caroling Cookie Contributors

Many thanks go to the fabulous bakers in ourneighborhood who donated a batch, or multiplebatches, of delicious cookies for our 3rd AnnualHoliday Caroling Party. All the carolers appreciatedtheir baking talent and generosity. Thank you!

Lucy Autumn and FamilyJeff and Sarah BatesKirsti CharltonMatt CharltonMeredith CharltonAnne MackieCarolyn Milling and John WileyCarolyn Mulder, Eric Baumgarten and AvaJeremy and Jennifer NunnikhovenMarissa RosattiTom ScottElisabeth Stark

Thank you to the businesses that sponsoredthe carriage ride with Reinbow Ranch:

Nelson’s Market—Jon OstbySigns By Tomorrow—Teresa and David WigginsAnd especially Tom Scott at On-Site Computer fortheir generosity!

A warm thank you to the local businesseswho generously donated coffee, tea andsnacks for the Franklin Park Projects WorkParties:

Starbucks at Sehome VillageRocket DonutsThe Bagelry

Many thanks to the neighbors who donatedto the York Neighborhood Association:

Wilfred AlbansSarah Campbell and Dan O’NeilFred and Kirsti CharltonCarol DixonMarion EbergsonGeorge LiepartAlan and Kirsten ShoreDavid SmithElisabeth and Evan Stark

A special thank you to the wonderfullandlords who have continuously andgenerously donated to support the YNA:

Judy Frane and David Chicovsky

And, of course, to the businesses whograciously contributed to the YNA:

A. A. Anderson, CoLena Bagwell of Coldwell BankerLouis Auto GlassSigns PlusStan’s Auto BodySweet Art

Your donations contribute to neighborhoodactivities and create opportunities forYorkers to come together and buildcommunity. Thank you for your support!

Mission Statement of the YorkNeighborhood Association

The mission of the York NeighborhoodAssociation is to reduce isolation among residents,enhance the quality of life in a low and moderateincome urban neighborhood, create a sense ofcommunity, reduce or prevent crime, and preservethe historic character of the neighborhood.

York Neighborhood Association Donation

Thanks for your support!

Students $5.00

Household $20.00

Singles $10.00

Business $100.00 (includes business-card sizedad in each issue of the Yorker Newsletter)

Please indicate

cash or

check

Projects Donation (to be used specifically for theproject checked below)

Franklin Park Amount $_______

Rock Hill Park Amount $_______

Historic Preservation Amount $_______

Name ______________________________

Phone ______________________________

Address _____________________________

Email ______________________________

Return Form to: YNA Treasurer1232 Franklin StreetBellingham WA 98225

Upcoming EventsYork Neighbohood Association GeneralMembership Meeting

May 28, Wednesday, 7:00 pm, Garden St. UnitedMethodist Church.

York Neighborhood Association Boardmeeting

April 16, Wednesday, 7:00 pm, Garden St.Methodist Church.

Disaster Preparedness Committee meeting

April 8, Tuesday, 7:30 pm. Contactdisasterplanning@yorkneighborhood.org forlocation.

Franklin Park Projects Work Parties

Saturday, April 19, Earth Day, 9:00 am-12:00 noon,on the Franklin Street Island. With ParkDepartment Volunteers from Western.

Saturday, May 10, 9:00 am-12:00 noon, on thehillside above Franklin Park.

Saturday, June 14, 9:00 am-12:00 noon, on theFranklin Street Island.

Contact hjaxon817@yahoo.com for details.

Garden Club meeting

April 23, Wednesday, 6:30 pm. Contactdixoncarol@comcast.net for location.

Historic Preservation Committee meeting

April 8, Tuesday, 7:00 pm, Nelson’s Market.

Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Councilmeeting

April 9, Wednesday. Contactpresident@yorkneighborhood.org for details.

Parks Update Work Group meeting

April 23, Wednesday, 5:30–6:45 pm. Contacthjaxon817@yahoo.com for details.

Planning Committee meeting

April 1, Tuesday, 7:00 pm, Garden St. MethodistChurch.

Quality Improvement Committee meeting

April 13, Sunday, 7:00 pm, Nelson’s Market.

Recycle and Trash Society of YNA (RATS)

March 29, April 12, April 26 (Saturday). 8:30 am infront of Nelson’s Market. The York RATS pick uplitter and cans to keep our neighborhood clean!Join us every other Saturday at 8:30 am in front ofNelson's Market.

Tree Planting

April 5, Saturday. Contactnick_hartrich@hotmail.com for details.

In the Spring a Young Man's Fancy Lightly Turns toThoughts of… Landscapingby Jim Kling

If you have passed along the north end of GrantStreet, you will have noticed the small mountain ofmulch in our front yard. It’s Spring, which meansit’s landscaping season. Though we just bought thehouse last June, one growing season was enough toconvince us that we didn’t want to keep mowing ourhillside lawn.

So we decided to replace the lawn with a nativeplant landscape. Why native plants? Ease ofmaintenance is one good reason.Properly placed, native northwestplants will require comparativelylittle watering. That isn’t to suggestthat native plants don’t require anycare at all – like any landscape, anative one requires some nurturing,especially before it has becomeestablished.

Native plants bring anotherelement to the landscape – nativefauna. We want to attract birds andother wildlife to our yard. But toattract the visible animals, we mustalso attract the invisible – insectsand their larvae – because they arekey food sources for the birdswhose presence we enjoy. Exoticornamental plants can attractnative insects, too, but native plantsand insects evolved together, sonative plants provide a morefunctional habitat.

The benefits are more than esthetic.As development eats away at thenatural landscape that surroundsour city, native plants are crowded out. Invasivespecies get a foothold and cause furtherdegradation. Native insects and birds that rely onthese resources must cope with shrinking ranges.Urban gardens can ease some of that pressure, ifenough homeowners embrace native plants.

Or consider the bees. We’ve all heard about therecent die-offs of European honey bees. But thereare lots of species of native bees found in the US,and many of them are capable of pollinating thesame crops that honey bees do. If you plant nativewildflowers and look closely, you might catch aglimpse of one of our native bees performing itsspring ritual.

And finally, if you worry about global warming andwonder what you can do about it – considerincluding native plants in your garden. Ecologistswarn that changing climate will require nativespecies to migrate to new ranges. Plant populationscan become isolated by new development. So-called‘green corridors’ can solve that problem byproviding a conduit for native plants, linking onepopulation to another, and improving their chancesof extending their ranges to adapt to the changing

global climates. Urban and suburbangardens can contribute to thosecorridors, bolstering nativepopulations and the natural andartificial corridors that link them.

When hiking, I occasionally spot plantsthat I have growing at home, and italways sparks a little thrill to know thatthe drooping, pink urn-shaped flowersof a Pacific Bleeding Heart or the red,crown-shaped flowers of a RedColumbine have counterparts in themodest ecosystem of my own yard.And in my yard, as I peer at the newgrowth of Salal and Salmonberry andthe green shoots of native bulbsascending into the gathering springsunlight, it reminds me of myconnection to the natural world that isotherwise only visible in the distanthills and mountains.

To learn more about native plantgardening, I highly recommend thatyou stop by the Plantas Nativa(http://plantasnativa.com/) nurseryon the corner of Laurel and State Street

(open Fri-Sun, 12-5), and talk to Bay Renaud, whodoes native plant landscaping for commercialclients. Other resources include the King CountyNative Plant Landscape Guide(http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/pi/go-native/) andthe Encyclopedia of Northwest Native Plants forGardens and Landscapes (2008, Timber Press).

Nodding Onion. Thomas G.Barnes @ USDA-NRCS PLANTSDatabase / Barnes, T.G., and S.W.Francis. 2004. Wildflowers andferns of Kentucky. UniversityPress of Kentucky.

Would you like to contributeillustrations or photos to theYorker? Contact Jim Kling atjkling@gmail.com.