As the Area 9 and 801 Samish Way areas face rezoning, members of the Samish neighborhood have met the issue with resistance. While 801 Samish Way makes a large proposal to move from single family residential to commercial planned, Area 9 strives to remove the restriction of nonretail. What Samish residents are concerned with is how the space will be utilized in the future.
Since the application for amendment was submitted on Aug. 8, 2014 for 801 Samish Way, Area 4, there has been debate on the authorization of the rezone. The rezone was argued on grounds that it has a strong potential to implement the goals laid out within the comprehensive plan and will serve the public. Currently, Samish Way Church of Christ is the listed owner of the property, however, Pacific Harbor Holdings, LLC., is applying for the rezone so that it can be utilized for the psychology and mental health services offered. Pacific Harbor Holdings argued that there is a blatant lack of psychology and mental health resources for Bellingham residents. The need for psychology and other mental health services is high and the access those in need are receiving is low. Therefore the location mixed with the need for a healthy change was the argument proposed. In addition, Pacific Harbor Holdings is attempting to expedite the process due to the demand of psychologists and the critical need for a mental health services center in the area.
“Rezoning the property to allow the psychologists to practice there is a great idea,” said Niki Long, board member of the Samish Neighborhood and longtime resident. “What makes me worried is what will happen to the area when the psychology practice leaves,” she said. Steve Abell, President of the Samish Neighborhood, agreed that the psychology practice moving into the church was a great idea. However, there is a hole within the rezone process, he said. Businesses and property owners can apply for rezones without a definite plan of future action, Abell said.
More recently, on Mar. 31, 2015 a neighborhood plan amendment was submitted by Upside Partnership to rezone Area 9 located at 0 Samish Way, directly across the street from Samish Way Church of Christ. The property currently contains seven lots at 73,000 square feet. The underdeveloped state of the property is the reason behind the rezone, but beyond that, the non-retail restriction currently consists of a small list of office types that are allowed on the property. Because of the limited types of offices, the property management moves to lift the restriction in order to open up to a wider range of office types allowed in the area.
The rezoning approval process passes through many checkpoints in various departments of the city before it is accepted, Lynch said. The amendment request is processed by the Planning Commission Review team, is assessed to ensure it follows all required criteria, and finally is passed to the City Council who will fully accept the rezone, tweak it, or deny it, Lynch said. Julia Burns, an employee at the city in the Planning and Development department, said if you try to please everyone you will fail every time. “If both sides are unhappy, you know you made the right decision,” Lynch said when asked about making the right judgment call. The Planning and Development Committee for the City of Bellingham encourages anyone with questions, concerns, and comments to bring those forward and clear up anything that may seem muddied, Lynch said.
On Apr. 18, 2015 there will be a City Council meeting where the rezones will be discussed. It is open to the public and their input is encouraged, said Steve Abell.
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