BREAKING NEWS !!!! DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY CLEARS WAY FOR COUNTY TO GET $7M LOAN FOR BIRCH BAY WORK

Following my comments is the news reported in the Bellingham Herald today about the proposed Birch Bay Drive Pedestrian Facility. This is a big step forward for our Community of Birch Bay!

First, Thanks goes to Kathy Berg for her continued action over decades to move this forward.  Kathy has worked hard on this project since the original work was done to keep it alive through the Birch Bay Steering Committee.  While she has been the driver, I am sure she will be the first to say that it would not of been possible without the support of Doralee Booth and Roland Middleton, and frankly many, many others including the Waterfront Working Group.  Thank you Kathy and team.

Second, thanks goes to our new Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws who has pushed this forward as a major item for Whatcom County.  There is no doubt that his willingness to make this a priority has resulted in this significant step forward – this step does not ensure that we are starting construction, but without the major and significant help of our County Executive, this would not be happening.  Thank you Executive Louws.

Now, the reprint of the article from the Bellingham Herald:

“Ecology clears way for county to get $7M loan for Birch Bay work

THE BELLINGHAM HERALD (JARED PABEN)

Posted:  05/10/2012 5:31 PM

BIRCH BAY – Whatcom County qualifies for a $7 million state loan for a major Birch Bay waterfront project because the state Department of Ecology determined the project would restore a substantially damaged environment.

The low-interest loan from the state Public Works Trust Fund would provide the bulk of funding necessary for the estimated $10 million project.

The project includes removing man-made structures, including bulkheads, and building a natural functioning beach. It also involves building a pedestrian pathway along a new berm, rebuilding Birch Bay Drive, burying power lines and installing structures to clean stormwater. Work would stretch from the mouth of Terrell Creek to around Birch Bay Village.

County officials say the project would boost tourism, improve safety along Birch Bay Drive and help the environment.

“That is huge for us,” Birch Bay resident Kathy Berg said of Ecology’s determination. She has been involved in pushing for the project.  ”The momentum is beginning to build, and this will keep the momentum going.”

Having a “first-class shoreline” will be good for everybody, she added, “including the little critters that live here.”

Whatcom County would otherwise be ineligible to receive the state loan because its rural growth policies and zoning don’t comply with state law. But the county remains eligible if Ecology determines there is substantial environmental degradation that would be addressed by the project.

Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant made the determination in a Wednesday, May 9, letter to Whatcom County Public Works Director Frank Abart. The county’s deadline for applying for the loan is Friday, May 11.

The Birch Bay shoreline has been significantly degraded by sea walls and groins, which are low walls built from the beach out into the water. There has been a significant loss of habitat and impaired recreational benefits, he wrote.

The project would “provide a large-scale restoration of the substantially degraded Birch Bay shoreline habitat” by addressing about 7,400 feet of shoreline, he wrote.

“Smaller beach nourishment projects in past years have illustrated the success of this approach to restore Birch Bay shoreline,” he wrote.

Ecology spokeswoman Katie Skipper said the department followed criteria in the state administrative code and looked at the specific project and environmental issues, not the broader issues of compliance with state growth law. The project addresses an environmental problem, she said, one “that’s very important to fix all over Puget Sound.”

Abart said county staff is pleased Ecology supported the effort to make significant improvements to environmental issues in Birch Bay.

“You got to give credit where credit is due, and Department of Ecology deserves credit for taking a positive step and helping us address those problems,” Abart said.

County Executive Jack Louws told the County Council on April 24 that he reviewed the project and Public Works budget numbers and concluded the county can afford the project. Abart said the project also could be paid for with Economic Development Investment funds, which are sales taxes dedicated to economic development, as well as taxes on sales of real estate and county revenue dedicated to water projects.

The state loan still would have to be approved by the Public Works Trust Fund, which will analyze the county’s ability to repay the loan. If approved, it would need approval from the legislature and governor.

The loan would be paid back over 10 years and have an interest rate of one-half of 1 percent. It would cost the county $719,000 per year.

If funding is approved, construction isn’t expected for another three to four years.”

Happy Birthday To You !!

Well, actually it is Happy Birthday to your Birch Bay Buzz.  It is hard to believe that a full year has passed since the Birch Bay Buzz was started in its new Blog format.  Of course, the Buzz was sent out as an email in years past, but as technology has changed, so has how   we reach you.  So, what has the last year held from the first post a year ago:

• There have been 5,000 unique computers who have visited the Buzz to find out local happenings;
• These visitors have come from 34 countries and every continent (Ok, everyone except Antartica) and from every State and Province in the US & Canada;
• The busiest day was December 31st when everyone wanted to know about the Ring of Fire and Polar Bear Plunge;
• Both The Northern Light and The Bellingham Herald have reposted or drawn from your Birch Bay Buzz for information;
• There have been twice the number of readers in the first couple months of 2012 as there were in all of 2011.

Each article in the Buzz is, on average, seen by over 500 different readers as the Buzz is also automatically posted to the Birch Bay Facebook and Twitter pages. Best of all, members of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce have been able to announce specials, sales and things happening with their businesses at no cost to them.

So Happy First Birthday Birch Bay Buzz and thanks to everyone for helping make it a great way to reach out!

By the way, Have You Heard?  There is a Miniature Golf Coming To Birch Bay, watch your Buzz for the announcement.

 

Off Season Tourism Promotion Seeking Business Promo’s

The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, in support of The Mt. Baker Foothills Chamber of Commerce, who obtained funding from the Whatcom County Lodging Tax Fund, is seeking companies that want to participate in the 2012 Off-Season Fall Tourism Promotion the application form for which is attached here.

This is an exciting opportunity for all businesses in Birch Bay to participate in this project.  The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce is in full support of this great effort by our sister organziation, the Mt. Baker Foothills Chamber of Commerce and urges every member to sign-up and participate.  Members of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce do have direct representation on this committee with our our Birch Bay Board Member, Iain Buchanan (Birch Bay Waterslides).  If you would like to help your Chamber, and Iain, with this important project, please feel free to contact him via email.

Please keep in mind that any tourism based business can participate in this book and your participation is free – this is just plain free advertising!  Many providers are already offering special offers, this is fine, no need to make a new offer.  Offers that are placed on the website can be changed or removed with one week’s notice to Rebecca Boonstra of the Mt. Baker Foothills Chamber of Commerce, so if you have different offers going on between now and when the coupon offers will run (Labor day through Thanksgiving day) it’s okay, she will change them.

If you have any questions at all please give me a call or write me an email.

Offers for Lodging, Dining, shopping etc. will all be used, if other businesses would like to get involved please just let the Mt. Baker Chamber of Commerce know and they will determine if the offer is appropriate for the book.  All offers are due by May 15, which will sneak up on us before you know it, so please, take advantage and sign up now!

For further information, please contact:

Rebecca Boonstra, Visitors Center Coordinator, Mt Baker Foothills Chamber of Commerce, info@mtbakerchamber.org, www.mtbakerchamber.org, (360) 599-1518.

Executive Louws Passes On Interesting Perspective On A Promenade For Birch Bay

Executive Louws was recently contacted by an Architect in our area, Dymond Nicon and he, Executive Louws, suggested that we “forward these comments to any other community members who might be intersted.” While the Birch Bay Buzz normally does not repost letters by policy, we felt this one deserves some community exposure……

“Dear Mr. Jack Louws, County Executive:

I am a practicing architect and planner living and working in the Birch Bay area and Whatcom County for over 20 years. I have looked upon Birch Bay as a major assist with untapped potential.  It could easily be one of  Whatcom County’s major attractions and be an economic resource while providing a unique place to live, work and play that cannot be duplicated anywhere else in the County. The improvements mentioned during the Council meeting are obviously a step in the right direction for the community, tourists and the environment. And I thank you for that. 

Having looked at the development along Birch Bay Drive, I see a potential that has not been addressed that would place Birch Bay on a much higher level of enjoyment and benefit that is not seen in White Rock. My vision suggests that Birch Bay Drive, from the Trend west Time Share to the Birch Bay Market,  be relocated to the rear of all the developments along this stretch and turn this stretch of Birch Bay Drive into a major pedestrian walkway or Promenade. This does three things that the simple berm walkway does not provide.

1)      The most significant is that the Bay then would become a major pedestrian community, eliminating the pedestrian/ automobile conflicts that is seen today and will still continue if the simple berm/raised path solution moves forward as schematically planned. This pedestrian conflict arises from trying to cross Birch Bay Drive to the Beach  or to what would be a pedestrian walkway along the beach. 

2)      The second benefit would be to remove cars, exhaust, pollutants, oil, etc. from this stretch of waterfront.  

3)       Another benefit would be to create a sense of place within Birch Bay, rather than a continuous strip of development with no beginning or end and definitely no middle or place.  

The potential of a Birch Bay Pedestrian Promenade would directly connect the developments along this strip  to the beach.  As a major public space, it could be lined with trees, include character lighting standards to enhance safety, provide for public seating places, outdoor community functions (such as concerts) eating establishments could serve the Promenade, just to name a few. The connection of development and the beach would be immeasurable in benefits to the community and to the developers and businesses that line this stretch.

This would open the doors for the County to establish mutually beneficial benefits for the developer and the community, as  it would include providing pedestrian walkways from rear located parking areas to the Promenade. These links could be lined with mixed use, residential/retail. This again would deepen the interaction and potential benefits inland from the Promenade to attract businesses into the area to serve the community. Presently, any and all businesses are limited to the frontage along Birch Bay Drive. New buildings could be arranged to form mall-like pedestrian links of  mixed-use of residential over commercial that tie the major attraction (beach and Promenade) with the parking areas. 

I foresee the land owners  willing to work with the County to develop and relocate Birch Bay Drive, for their land would increase  with the potential increased commercial/residential development frontage along both sides of the new street  and achieving true waterfront frontage, not separated by a street.   In exchange for the benefits to the landowner, they in turn could be required to pay for and construct the new relocated Birch Bay Drive. A Master Plan should be established that shows the general link systems between adjacent neighbors and from the parking areas to the beach. 

Incorporating these requirements, they could be reviewed through the Conditional Use process, as well as , creating a Design District with its’ set of design standards. In some situations, those presently substantially developed,  the new road could be located at the foot of the hill that runs parallel to the beach and behind the existing developments, with little or no impact to the existing developments.

The Promenade and the relocated Birch Bay Drive could be phased as development occurs. Roundabouts could be used as  temporary termination points along the existing road and to move traffic to the new road inland. As a new link occurs, through development,  the roundabout could be relocated further down the strip. Links of roadway that were tied to the new rear road could be then turned into additional pedestrian links to and from the beach. The Promenade could always be used by emergency vehicles with the incorporation of bollards at each end.

These are just a few of my thoughts regarding what could be the future of Birch Bay. I have developed schematic plans of how the Promenade might be created and interlinked with the new road located behind the existing and potentially new developments along this strip. I would be happy to discuss these ideas further with you and/or those involved in the design and improvements to Birch Bay Drive. To a great extent, the land along this stretch is presently undeveloped, which I see as a benefit, for it opens the door for a “once in a life opportunity” for Birch Bay, its’ community, its’ environment, the landowners and the County. Please take a serious look at these potentials and their lasting benefits.

Thank you for your consideration, 

Sincerely,

NICON INTERNATIONAL, Architects & Planners

Dymond Nicon, Architect

5315 Nootka Loop, Blaine, WA 98230

360-778-3151, dymond_nicon@comcast.net“

County Executive Jack Louws Pledges Support For Restrooms In Birch Bay

This link will take you to an article in the Northern Light Lighthouse Blog written by Jeremy Schwartz (Thanks Jeremy!) where he reported on the announcement by Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws that his office is providing a grant to the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce for portable bathrooms in the Bay this summer.

Although the amount is less than that provided by Executive Kremen in previous years, it still underscores the commitment of the Whatcom County Executive’s Office to the health and welfare of Birch Bay.  The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank Whatcom County and Executive Louws for their continued support.

Executive Louws also announced that Whatcom County is pushing ahead with restoration of the shoreline of Birch Bay and seeking funding for the development of the Birch Bay Drive Pedestrian Facility, formerly known as the “The Berm”.  This is, of course exciting for those of us in Birch Bay. If anyone would like more information on this project and how they can help, you should contact the Birch Bay Waterfront Group who are leading local efforts.  The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce will be working closing with the Waterfront Group as well as the Birch Bay Steering Committee on this effort and wish to express our thanks to the Birch Bay Steering Committee for their many years of leadership.

Finally, Executive Louws challenged the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce and the Birch Bay community to step forward and help take control of the economic future of Birch Bay, a challenge eagerly accepted.  It is going to be exciting to watch Birch Bay over the coming years!

The C Shop Named Member Of The Month For April

The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that the C Shop has been named the Member of the Month.  In announcing Aprils Member of the Month, John Gargett, President of the Chamber, said “You only have to visit the C Shop to understand their families commitment to Birch Bay, from their homemade candy, to the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, to the warm welcome visitors always receive.“

In addition to being strong supporters of all Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce events, the C Shop also puts on or participates in a number of other events.  One of the most anticipated annual events is their Easter Egg Hunt, and this year it was another big success for our community.

Patricia & Patrick Alesse during Easter Egg Hunt with Granddaughter Faye

The C Shop opens for the 2012 season on the Friday of Mothers Day Weekend, but as their website says, “The C Shop will be open on sunny days after we get most of the building painted.” So if you get a chance, stop on by and say hello to April’s Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce Member of the Month. Of course, their homemade Chocolate Bunnies made their way into Easter baskets from Blaine to Bellingham and beyond.  Going on 35 years at their current location, and 41 years in Birch Bay, the local knowledge of Patricia and Patrick Alesse is amazing.
For further information, you can contact Patricia or Patrick Alesse (360) 371-2070,  visit their website, (www.thecshop.com), or just stop by.

Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws to Speak At Birch Bay Chamber Luncheon Meeting

This months Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Meeting will feature Whatcom County Executive Jack Louws. Executive Louws, a resident of Birch Bay and who was elected into office last November, will be speaking about how important Birch Bay is in promoting and supporting Whatcom County from tourism to providing a unique and beautiful place to live.

We will be meeting at Dee’s Country Diner at the corner of Alderson and Birch Bay Drive (4823 Alderson Road).  People begin showing up around 1130 for socializing and we start our meeting at 1200.  Our business is completed (usually) by 1220, 1230 at the latest, and then County Executive Louws will speak.

So mark your calendars for our monthly luncheon on Tuesday, April 17.

For further information on the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, please visit our website.