Embedded Files
During the 2023-24 academic year, I worked along with ten of my peers in the senior cohort to design a 159-acre urban village proposal for an area in the City of Bellingham, Washington. The area encompassed a portion of the Birchwood Neighborhood and the southern section of the Alderwood Neighborhood's urban growth area. At the time of the research, the majority of the study site was zoned for heavy and light industry. Considering the City of Bellingham's growth and an unprecedented need for more affordable housing, the South Alderwood Urban Village plan outlines a policy framework that transitions the industrial landscape of the study area to a center for economic and community development while helping the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County meet future housing needs.
South Alderwood Final Report 2024.pdfAccess the full report above or at Western Washington University's Department of Urban & Environmental Planning & Policy planning studio publications here
This studio course was divided into three sections for each academic quarter. During Studio I (Fall 2023), the study's focus was to gather necessary research into the area's economy, geography, natural and built environment, demographics, and history. I completed the environmental section of the research, relying on resources from Washington's Department of Ecology, USGS Soil Surveys, Western Regional Climate Center, amongst other environmental data collection organizations. During Studio II (Winter 2023), the team shifted towards plan conceptualization, public input, policy and survey drafting. Our team coordinated with a local grassroots group, the Birchwood Food Desert Fighters, to distribute prelimanry surveys and gather insights from community members relying on the weekly food pickup program in the neighborhood. In addition, we hosted a public input meeting and share-out hosted in our planning studio on the WWU campus. We invited representatives from the Birchwood Neighborhood Association, members of the Alderwood neighborhood, representatives from Bellingham's Department of Planning and Community Development, and other stakeholders. During Studio II, I created artistic concepts for our urban village plan to be used in the report, to advertise our public meetings, and at public input events.
River tabling at the Birchwood Food Desert Fighters food share popup, distributing surveys.
Studio team's first public input meeting at the WWU planning studio.
River tabling at the final public input meeting and share out at Birchwood Elementary School.
By Studio III (Spring 2024), my team shifted towards creating an implementation plan, a fiscal feasibility assessment, a final public input meeting, hosted at Alderwood Elementary School, and plan finalization. I was charged with compiling our final report, as seen above, in Adobe InDesign. Our report was later published by the WWU's Department of Urban & Environmental Planning & Policy in the College of the Environment. After our report was complete, we presented our plan at the Bellingham City Hall to our department chair and staff as well as several members of the City of Bellingham's Planning Commission.
My rendering of a viewshed park in the urban village plan where an industrial cement terminal currently stands, looking south over Bellingham Bay.
My rendering of a traffic redesign including a round about where a current three-way intersection stands at Marine Drive and Bennet Drive.
My rendering of planned townhomes adjacent to an exisiting business park on Marine Drive.
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