Whatcom values favor wild places
Last week, I presented to Bellingham's Columbia Neighborhood Association the results of a growth and land use survey. he telephone survey--designed to capture residents' long term vision for Whatcom County--shows a mindset in the right direction here in Conservation Northwest's original hometown.
Whatcom residents are overwhelmingly in favor of preserving natural and farm areas and sustaining the Whatcom way of life into the future.
Last week, I presented to Bellingham’s Columbia Neighborhood Association the results of a growth and land use survey. The telephone survey--designed to capture residents’ long term vision for Whatcom County--found that residents value the beauty, natural surroundings, and scenery of their home.
Locals value the landscape and location of Whatcom County and what those things add to their quality of life including the beauty and natural surroundings, climate, clean environment, open spaces, and the small town feeling and community.
People were split as to whether the County will be a better or worse place to live in the next 50 years, with older residents and those living on working farms especially pessimistic. Optimistic residents thought the County would practice smart growth as it developed, while those who thought it would decline cited concerns about population growth and the potential loss of undeveloped and natural areas as the County grows.
It is no surprise, then, that most did not think there is plenty of room for growth in the County and that people shouldn’t worry about cities spreading as they grow. Rather, an overwhelming majority thought planning for growth over the next 50 years is vital to ensure a high quality of life for residents. High density growth in cities and existing neighborhoods were cited as good planning to preserve natural space and working farmland from development in the future. In fact, residents greatly value preserving working farmland, natural areas, and open spaces for wildlife and recreation. In addition, residents reported it is both important and desirable to invest in more public transit and trails as the County develops.
In terms of who should pay to bring public services like water, sewer, and roads to their property, residents were significantly more likely to think it should be paid by developers and not by taxpayers. Some may be of the opinion that, because they are not completely in favor of growth and development in the County, they should not have to pay for it.
Demographic differences in the survey were most often found by age, length and area of residence, and income. Younger and shorter term residents, urbanites, and those with smaller incomes were more supportive of growth and expansion in the county, however they did find the conservation of natural areas, high density development, and the use of alternative modes of transportation as very important elements of growth and development.
While most thought it likely that the County will double in size, that economic growth will receive more emphasis than environmental protection, that more people will live in their neighborhood, and that traffic congestion will cause job loss in the County, most also found all these trends to undesirable. Trends they found desirable were the increased use of public transit, biking, and walking as alternatives to the automobile, more family-wage jobs, and growth concentrated in existing cities while working farmland and forested foothills are left undeveloped.
What would you like to see happen in Whatcom or your own county 50 years into the future?
