September 2024
40 x ‘40 Fairhaven Neighbors’ TREE TEAM
Would You Like a Free Tree?
Fairhaven Neighbors has a grant from the Bellingham Mayor’s Office to plant 15 trees* this Fall on private property in the neighborhood.
In September, volunteers will begin canvassing the neighborhood to:
¨ Identify homeowners who may want a tree;
¨ Analyze site conditions (sunny/shady; dry/moist soil);
¨ Select a tree appropriate for each yard setting (with the Homeowner);
¨ Plant trees between mid-October through mid-November.
If you are interested in a free tree send an email with your name, address, and preferred tree species* to:
FairhavenNeighborsConnect@gmail.com
Interested in Helping to Plant Trees?
We Need You! Volunteer for the 40 x ’40 Tree Team!
Please Contact:
FairhavenNeighborsConnect@gmail.com
*Eligible Tree Species Include:
Flowering Dogwood
Persian Ironwood
Cascara
White (Garry/Oregon) Oak
Eastern Redbud
Rocky Mountain Maple
Chinese Dogwood
Shore Pine
Japanese Snowbell
Cornelian Cherry Dogwood
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May 2024: Fairhaven Plant & Tree Sale Donations
The Fairhaven Neighbors board is pleased to announce the sharing of its neighborhood portion of the proceeds from the 36h Annual Fairhaven Plant and Tree Sale with five other local non-profits, donating a total of $1,750 to the following organizations:
* Max Higbee Center
* HomesNOW.Not Later
* Whatcom Million Trees Project (WMTP)
* Whatcom Clubhouse
* Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVAS)
Thank you for your support! And thank you to our wonderful vendors who contributed a portion of their sales.
January 2024: Update on the Forty by Forty tree planting project
Please click on the link below to review the full report. Thank you for your consideration and participation in this ongoing neighborhood project.
The Fairhaven Neighbors Urban Tree Canopy and Biodiversity Analysis and Report
Fall 2023 NEWS
Fairhaven Neighbors’ Urban Canopy Project: FORTY BY FORTY [40% by ‘40]
Plant Street Trees in the Fairhaven Residential Neighborhood!
Our goals:
Increase the street tree canopy in the residential area to 40% by 2040
Encourage the planting of tree and shrub species that accomplish one or more of the following:
Protect Padden Creek & other vital water resources by reducing stormwater runoff
Promote carbon sequestration – removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storage in solid or liquid form
Produce healthier, more erosion-resistant, fertile soils (by planting ‘nitrogen fixers’)
Provide a nurturing habitat for pollinators
Forty by Forty volunteers and a professional landscape planner/consultant will assist residents on the proper selection, planting, and maintenance of trees, and will provide supplies to care for, stake and water your new tree. Trees may be planted in private yards (with homeowner approval) and in city street right-of-ways (with permit):
Free consultation on tree selection (and delivery of a beautiful free tree!)
City of Bellingham Street Tree permit assistance (for trees planted in the right-of-way)
Planting assistance - Free tree stakes, ties, compost
Water bags for the dry months
Tree Delivery & Planting: 1Q 2023
To volunteer or to learn about planting on your property, contact Bill Liddicoet:
wtlidd@gmail.com 404-909-3431
Please provide your address and contact information. If renting, please provide contact information for property owner and/or manager. City of Bellingham Street Tree permit applications must be approved/signed by property owners.
This is a multi-year project; the first year is funded by a Small & Simple Grant from the City of Bellingham.
Examples of trees you can plant:
* Ash (Fraxinus species)
* Beech (Fagus species)
* Black Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)
* Incense Cedar (Calocedrus decurrens)
* Linden (Tilia species)
* Maples (Acer species)
* Oaks (Quercus species)
* Parrotia (Parrotia cultivars – narrow)
* Plane Tree (Platanus species)
* Serviceberry (Amelanchier species)
* Sourwood (Oxydendrun arboreum)
* Zelkova species
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December 14, 2022
STREET SIGN UPDATE. Thank you for neighbors for providing feedback on the Fairhaven street sign designs. Most commentary was favorable for both designs. Design A, which features an orange sunset and flying heron, was preferred by the majority of those who submitted their opinion via Facebook or email. All of your comments were heard and considered and we appreciate you taking the time to contribute to the discussion. The FN board voted 6-3 in favor of Design A. This was also the preferred design of the City’s arts commission (who approved two of three designs submitted), and the favorite of Shew Design, the designer which created three design options.
Jennifer and committee will take the next steps needed to create neighborhood signs utilizing the City of Bellingham’s Small and Simple Grant program. Up to eight of these metal signs will be posted on existing utility poles throughout Fairhaven, as approved and installed by the City.
Many thanks to our neighborhood sign committee: Jennifer Dolese (chair), Paul Schissler, Heidi Vogel and Russ Crandall.
The Whatcom Watch has published an excellent article on the upcoming changes in Bellingham’s sewage treatment plan. GET INFORMED, this affects all of us now and in the future.
Many thanks to Whatcom Watch for creating this PDF to share with the public. Just click on the link to read the article.
“City Leaders and the Community Struggle With Sewage Waste” co-authored by Michael Lilliquist and Rick Eggerth
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April 20, 2022:
Dear Fairhaven Board, FN ad hoc committee and other active neighbors
Attached is a copy of our statement that I sent this morning to the Mayor, City Council, Planning Department Director, Senior Planner Sundin, and Public Works Director. This statement is a composite of the FN ad hoc committee and others with Paul Schissler leading the way. Excellent work. Our next regular neighborhood meeting is May 4 at 7 pm on Zoom where we continue our pursuit of working together to preserve, protect, and enhance our neighborhood. See you then. - Brooks Anderson
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Nov. 4 2020 Meeting Highlights from Brooks Anderson:
Participants gave thanks for our neighborhood. Several offered gratitude for friendliness, helpfulness, and safety in our neighborhood. It was expressed by some who live alone that they feel supported and included by their neighbors. Several gave thanks for the proximity to business resources and the plethora of close outdoor abundant access. We were joined by City Councilperson Ward 5, Lisa Anderson. Lisa shared information on the progress of the Samish Way affordable housing development, stating that local contractors have benefited with many construction jobs supporting our local economy. Lisa provided additional helpful information regarding the City's endeavors within this challenging pandemic time. We had a discussion on how to address the November 19 Bellingham Planning Committee's Public Hearing concerning five requests to docket an amendment to the 2016 Comprehensive Plan for review in 2020-2021. Of particular interest to us is the request to rezone in Area 1 of the Fairhaven Neighborhood from Industrial 2 to a Commercial designation. Denis Hayner provided a useful map of the location of the rezone. Materials are available at www.meetings.cob.org. Staff contact is Moshe Quinn at 360 778-8354 or mquinn@cob.org Our next Zoom meeting is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, December 2. It will be holiday focused, but sadly without our usual caroling because of incompatibility with Zoom. Everyone who lives, works or owns a business in Fairhaven is a member of Fairhaven Neighbors. Everyone is welcome to our meetings. The Zoom invitation will be posted toward the end of November. Our purpose is to preserve, protect and enhance our neighborhood. - Brooks Anderson, President, Fairhaven Neighbors