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Civic Athletic Complex Consortium

BEL-CAC-2024-12-17 December 17, 2024 City Council Regular Meeting City of Bellingham 40 min
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The Civic Athletic Complex Consortium held its final meeting to review community feedback from the November 6th open house and online surveys, presenting an emerging design vision based on input from over 1,000 community members. Lead consultant Brice Maryman from MxM Landscape Architecture shared that the "park perimeter" option — which places high-impact developments at the north end near Fraser Street and south end near Lakeway — was the clear community preference. The meeting revealed significant community enthusiasm for the project, with substantial feedback shaping plans for a new elementary school, expanded sportsplex, community recreation center with aquatics, and improved connectivity throughout the 90-acre complex. Key decisions emerging from the community input include locating the new elementary school at the northeast corner near Fraser and Puget streets, maintaining Jerry Fields with potential interim upgrades, and developing a major community recreation center to replace Carl Kosher Elementary and expand Arnie Hanna Pool. The timeline anticipates school construction beginning in 2027, with various infrastructure improvements and critical area permitting work happening in the interim.

No formal votes were taken as this was an informational briefing to the consortium. Key community preferences identified from surveys include: - **School Location:** Elementary school positioned at northeast corner (Fraser/Puget area), impacting existing Jerry Field parking and possibly Jerry Field 1 and 2 - **Sportsplex Expansion:** Community strongly supports additional ice sheets and soccer pitches, plus improved load/unload ar…

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The consortium addressed several significant policy considerations. Housing integration emerged as a new discussion point, with Ray Dellecker proposing high-density housing within or adjacent to the complex to address Mayor Lund's housing directive. Neil McCarthy suggested exploring vertical development opportunities, particularly above the community center or integrated with parking structure improvements. Transportation and climate alignment became a focus, with Whatcom County Planning Commissioner Suneeta Eisenberg raising questions about coordination wi…
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**Brice Maryman (MxM Landscape Architecture):** Presented comprehensive community feedback analysis, advocated for implementing community preferences while acknowledging construction and environmental challenges. **Nicole Oliver (City):** Emphasized commitment to climate goals, noted ongoing capital projects at the complex, stressed importance of critical areas determination for project viability. **Curtis Lawyer (Bellingham School District):** Confirmed school construction timeline targeting 2027, acknowledged need for phasing plans t…
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**Brice Maryman, on community engagement success:** "We on the consultant side, we at the city do a lot of community meetings, and it was just so phenomenal to see how many people turned out at the open house gave really thoughtful feedback, asked tons of really insightful questions." **Ray Dellecker, on housing integration:** "My thought is this, and I recognize that at this study it it may be a bit of a curveball, but I'd like to put on the table at least the the need for us to try and see …
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- **Critical Areas Determination:** Jurisdictional determination pending for wetlands and fish passage impacts in Jerry Fields area - **Master Plan Draft:** Expected within next month, followed by community vetting process - **Approval Process:** Plan review by Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and City Council in Q2 2025 - **School Design:** Bellingham School District ramping up design efforts for 2027 c…

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This final consortium meeting established the preferred conceptual design based on extensive community input, shifting from four alternative concepts to a unified vision prioritizing the "park perimeter" approach. The meeting formally concluded the consortium phase, transitioning to broader community…
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## Meeting Overview On a cold December evening just a week before Christmas, the Civic Athletic Complex Consortium gathered virtually to hear the results of what had become a remarkably successful community engagement process. Led by Brice Maryman from MxM Landscape Architecture, the meeting brought together stakeholders from across Bellingham's recreation and sports community to review feedback from over 1,000 residents who had weighed in on the future of the city's premier athletic complex. What emerged from the evening was both validation of months of careful planning and a clear community mandate: Bellingham residents strongly favored a vision that would relocate a new elementary school to the northeast corner of the complex near Fraser and Puget streets, while transforming the current Carl Cozier Elementary and Arnie Hannah Aquatic Center site into a major new community recreation center. The enthusiasm was palpable—even through the virtual format—as participants learned that their community engagement had not only generated unprecedented response numbers but was already spurring media coverage about the urgent need for expanded indoor recreation facilities. The consortium members, representing organizations from Visit Bellingham to various sports groups, had served as ambassadors for the process throughout the fall, and this would be their final meeting as a formal group before the project moved into its next phase of detailed design and approval processes. ## Community Engagement Success and Clear Preferences Maryman opened with what could only be described as gratitude and amazement at the community response. The November 6th open house had filled a large, empty room to capacity, with engaged residents asking thoughtful questions and providing detailed feedback. But the real surprise came from the online surveys: 113 people responded to a survey targeted at open house attendees, while an additional 946 residents completed a broader community survey—representing over 1,000 total participants in the planning process. "In our world, that is a huge success," Maryman emphasized, his enthusiasm evident even through the computer screen. "That just shows the number of people who are really excited about this and want to give their opinion and are excited about the conversations that we're having here." The community had been asked to evaluate four different master plan options for the civic complex, and their preferences were decisive. The "park per…
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### Meeting Overview The Civic Athletic Complex Consortium met on December 17, 2024, led by Brice Maryman of MxM Landscape Architecture. This meeting presented community feedback from over 1,000 respondents and outlined an emerging design vision for the future of Bellingham's Civic Athletic Complex, including a new elementary school and expanded recreation facilities. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Civic Athletic Complex Consortium:** A stakeholder group representing various community organizations and users of the civic complex, working together to plan future improvements and developments. **Park Perimeter Option:** The preferred master plan concept that places higher-impact developments (like the school) at the north and south ends of the site along Fraser and Lakeway, preserving central green space. **Critical Areas:** Environmentally sensitive lands including wetlands, streams, and fish habitat that require special permitting and may limit development options. **Swing School:** A temporary school facility used while permanent schools are under construction, planned for Carl Cozier Elementary. **Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI):** Natural systems like rain gardens and swales that manage stormwater runoff while providing environmental benefits. **Jurisdictional Determination:** A formal review process to determine exactly which areas of the site contain regulated wetlands and streams, affecting what can be built where. **Community Recreation Center:** A proposed comprehensive facility to replace/expand Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, potentially including pools, gyms, meeting spaces, and other recreational amenities. **Master Plan:** The comprehensive planning document that will guide future development and improvements across the entire civic complex. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Brice Maryman | Lead Consultant, MxM Landscape Architecture | | Nicole Oliver | City of Bellingham Parks & Recreation | | Neil McCarthy | RMC Architects (affordable housing/community center design) | | Curtis Lawyer | Bellingham School District | | Melissa Bianconi | City of Bellingham | | Ray Dellecker | Community member/housing advocate | | Stephanie Morrell | Sports organization representative | ### Background Context Bellingham's Civic Athletic Complex is a 60+ acre site that serves as the community's primary re…
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Parks & Recreation Land Use & Planning Education Government Operations Bellingham School District Mxm Landscape Architecture Rmc Architects Visit Bellingham Whatcom County Whatcom Transportation Authority Amanda Ager Brice Maryman Curtis Lawyer Dylan Deane Boyle Eric Rainaud Hinds Katharine Bothel Melissa Bianconi Neil Mccarthy Nicole Oliver Ray Dellecker Stephanie Morrell Suneeta Eisenberg Affordable Housing Aquatics Civic Athletic Complex Climate Action Community Engagement Comprehensive Plan Infrastructure Investment Land Use Policy Parks Recreation Permitting Fees Transportation Policy Wetland Protection