Cordata Urban Village Update

Cordata Urban Village Plan, obtained by Kathy Bell.

    
  

           The Bellingham Planning and Community Development Department has sent an official request to the Tin Rock Development Company for more information regarding the proposed development plans for the Cordata Urban Village.

The city staff at the Planning Department has denied President of Tin Rock Blair Murray, the request to move forward with the comprehensive plan that was submitted by the company on Nov. 2, 2010.

The development will be built on the land purchased by Tin Rock Development, east of Cordata Parkway, which runs down the center of the neighborhood. The development will extend north of Stuart Road which runs perpendicular to Coradata parkway in the northern half of the neighborhood.

           According to the Cordata Urban Village file provided by Kathy Bell of the Bellingham Planning and Community Development Department, the city staff requested a full assessment by the Department of Public works for a traffic plan for the Cordata roadways. The new plan must to outline how the roadways will be able to accommodate the hundreds of new residents that will be moving in once the development is completed.

           There are concerns with the number of new residents that will have to share the roadways with the neighborhood's current population of 4,484 people.

           The Planning Department has also requested a complete plan for the acres of wetland the development will be impacting that is in compliance with the cities regulations for wetlands mitigation.

          Bellingham Planning Director Jeff Thomas said that upon request from the city, the developer is given 120 days to come up with the required information.

           “Sometimes it's a waiting game,” Thomas said. 

           Julie Guy, co-founder of the Guide Meridian/ Cordata neighborhood association, said that Murray has been respectful of their suggestions and has made reasonable changes as long as they

haven't cut into the companies profits too much.

           President of the Neighborhood Association, Adrienne Lederer, said that the neighborhood is in agreement with the plan. She said, Murray has been working closely with the Guide Meridian/ Cordata Neighborhood Association for the past two years during the planning process.

          Tin Rock has complied with the associations concerns with the detention ponds which contain runoff from stormwater. Many residents find them very unattractive, Lederer said. She said the Murray has ensured Tin Rock will construct the ponds to be as far out of eyesight as possible.

          Lederer also said that the parking lot of Peace Health Medical Group, located on the eastern side of Cordata Parkway, is full from early morning till late evening, which is also a concern.

           Guy has been pushing for more park space and trails in the neighborhood. She said that the new development will have both. The Cordata Urban Village will be 34.8 acres. Residents of the Guider Meridian/ Cordata neighborhood will have access to 20,000 square feet of open space within the develpment.

          Because of the wetlands off of Cordata, the development will be in the shape of a semi-circle.

Murray has proposed a plan for 356 new housing units, with 665 parking spots. The development will also include a small shopping center.

          The Cordata Urban Village development is one of two residential developments in the planning stages. A third residential development has already begun construction off of June Road, in the eastern part of the Guide Meridian/ Cordata neighborhood.

           The South Spring development  in the northern most part of the neighborhood, has seen some progress, but has not yet been approved by the city. Ted Mishcaikov, the land owner and developer for the project has proposed another 200 residential units. Mischcaikov's company is working towards approval from the city of Bellingham to break ground, which won't be for a few more years, Guy said.

            The development off of June Road called West Cordata Green, has mapped out 62 acres of

housing units. The development has been put on hold due to the recession.

Lederer said that the Guide Meridian/ Cordata neighborhood is young and still has much development in its future.