BELLINGHAM- Ambling University Development Group’s proposal
to build a 527-bedroom student-housing complex known as University Ridge has
raised concerns among members in the community who feel the project would
affect them directly
The complex would be constructed between Puget and Nevada
Streets at 4413 Consolidation Avenue, on a 5-acre lot surrounded by
single-family homes.
Dick Conoboy, resident of the next-door Samish neighborhood,
had much to say regarding this proposal.
“Crowding almost 600 students in a four buildings on five
acres is a recipe for disaster,” Conoboy said. Referring to a “riot” that
occurred near Western’s campus, he said, “You only need to look at last
Saturday to see what happens when a large number of students are concentrated
in an area with virtually no supervision and easy access to alcohol.”
David Baines, a retired Puget neighborhood resident, believes
all the qualities of living will be degraded if the proposal is accepted.
“Neighborhood tranquility, relative security, good air,
problems that are manageable at present level, will all be adversely impacted,”
Baines said.
With 576 new residents, the developers plan to have a 24-hour
on site management as well as quiet hours to manage noise and disturbances
among the neighborhood.
During the Public Hearing on September 11, Ambling’s architect
Glen Peterson addressed how there is a significant demand for off-campus
housing, and how many single-family homes in Bellingham have been converted to
houses filled with students.
“We are here to provide desirable upper end housing for
students. We want to provide easy access to the University and to shopping. Our
goals are to minimize impact to the neighborhood,” Peterson said.
Some residents have had a tough history dealing with
existing student rentals, with “sleepless nights from noisy parties, car doors
slamming, and motor bikes careering through,” Baines said.
The streets of Nevada consist of few sidewalks and
streetlights. There is one exit/entrance onto Consolidation, and this raises
safety concerns to members in the community in the case of an emergency.
“Imagine fire or emergency vehicles trying to get in as
people are fleeing in cars or on bikes, along with additional parked vehicles
clogging the streets,” Baines said.
The Traffic Impact Assessment by Ambling responded to the
traffic concern by an assumption that most residents will use public
transportation. Since the residents will mostly be WWU students, they believe
bus transportation will be the most used because of proximity to bus access. Also,
according to the Developers, this shouldn’t be a huge problem since most
students do not follow an a.m./p.m. schedule.
Ambling developers do not have any direct affiliation with
WWU but plan to restrict the complex to student residents only.
Gaythia Weis, President of the Puget Neighborhood
Association, is apprehensive about the Developer being subject to fair housing
laws and does not believe it could be legally limited to students.
The Hearing Examiner questioned the Developers about the
possible violation of fair housing laws by restricting the renters to students,
but it is still unknown if the Hearing Examiner will make a pronouncement about
this aspect of the application.
According to the National Wetlands Inventory report, the
projected site contains no wetlands. The report also shows that there is no
priority habitats or species located on the property.
“The construction would certainly disrupt wildlife. There
are deer and other animals there, and I have seen raccoons,” Weis said.
For purposes of planning, what would matter is if there was
any endangered species on the land but that is not the case.
As a ten year resident, Baines has witnessed a variety of
wildlife from his home.
He has seen deer families, coyote, raccoons, bobcat, squirrels
and the trees are home to red tailed hawk’s nests.
“Wildlife and birdlife will disappear,” Baines said.
The Hearing Examiner has to decide on many aspects of this
project, so the final ruling could be out in weeks or months from now. In the
meantime, numerous residents are voicing their concerns and sending petitions
to the Mayor and members of the City Council opposing University Ridge.
For further information regarding University Ridge Project ,
visit:
http://www.cob.org/services/planning/neighborhoods/puget-uni-ridge.aspx
You can hear a podcast of the Hearing Examination here:
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