Dale Mikkelsen, director of development for the SFU Community Trust at Simon Frasier University, will be keynote speaker for Kulshan Community Land Trust ’s seventh annual Business Leadership Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, at Bellingham Golf & Country Club, 3729 Meridian Street. 

Admission is free but guests are requested to make a suggested donation of $100 at the event in support of KulshanCLT’s next new homes and affordable homeownership programs.

Mikkelsen developed the award-winning UniverCity, a model mixed-use, transit-oriented community adjacent to Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia. UniverCity was designed with urban innovations such as district energy, green streets, and smart grid, with a diverse range of housing choices, services, and amenities.

Mikkelsen’s keynote luncheon presentation will focus on incorporating housing affordability into the sustainable neighborhood design of UniverCity and why that is important. After the luncheon presentation, Dale will present a free workshop, open to all community members, followed by a waterfront tour.

“Dale Mikkelsen’s visit will be great timing for KulshanCLT and for our community,” Dean Fearing, executive director for KulshanCLT, said in a press release. “As we plan for our neighborhoods, for downtown Bellingham, and for our waterfront, we are eager to hear Dale’s creative and innovative ideas of integrating neighborhood design and infrastructure with community-based solutions that are forward-thinking and cost effective. For KulshanCLT’s part, Dale will challenge us to raise the bar as we plan our next generation of energy-efficient, affordable homes.”

Advance reservation is requested and available through BrownPaperTickets.com, at KulshanCLT.org, or by contacting Jill Clark at 360-671-5600, ext 5 or JillClark@KulshanCLT.org.