Photos by Lance Henderson
Top: Cathy Lehman, director of Futurewise Whatcom; Ted Mischaikov on the bus; presentation of Lafayette Green in Cordata by Russ Graham.
Bottom: a view of Fairhaven from the top of Fairhaven Gardens.
On Dec. 13, a bus load of government officials, city planners, developers, and land-use advocates participated in Futurewise Whatcom and Sustainable Connections’ Infill Outing, which cruised several Whatcom County stops relevant to Bellingham’s growth and development dialogue.
The bus stopped at 16 different locations, such as a DR Horton neighborhood in the Cordata area, to look at and talk through what is happening now, and then the group moved on to some innovative project sites to see what could happen in the future. The group also spoke with city staff and neighborhood representatives about future urban redevelopments, such as Old Town and Samish Way.
The tour’s diverse roster of leaders, developers and activists made for an inclusive and passionate discussion on Bellingham’s growth into Whatcom County and within the city limits, because those engaged in local development were able to discuss innovative infill ideas with regulators along with the people that will be affected by those developments.
Futurewise Whatcom is a chapter of a statewide organization working with local governments to manage growth responsibly. For more information about Futurewise Whatcom, call (360) 224-8877 or visit www.futurewise.org/whatcom.
