The Yorker Online

 

About The York Neighborhood Association

 

Features and Accomplishments of The York Neighborhood Association (YNA):

Security: YNA has provided forums for those living in the York Addition or Neighborhood to improve security in a number of ways. Foremost in security is getting to know your neighbors. We have also helped to foster or encourage "Neighborhood Watch". We have hosted and promoted a number of neighborhood wide events such as celebrating the 100 year anniversary of Nelson's Market with a parade, skateboard / bike ramps, live music, a huge barbeque and afternoon social.

We have invited the Police and city officials to attend many of our meetings and events to get better acquainted and to learn how to better assist them with their jobs toward our security needs and to better communicate our needs and concerns.

We have met with the Police and others well versed, or at least experienced in how to deal appropriately with "problem" residences and businesses.

YNA has sponsored a number of general socials for all neighbors, including special activities for youth.

YNA has hosted a number of targeted clean-ups of the two parks in York (Fraser and Rock Hill) as well as private lots that had become attractive to substance abusers and/or were dangerous to our youth.

Rock Hill was created from abandoned lots next to Interstate 5 (I-5) which had become an eye sore as well as a location for substance abuse. We cleared the underbrush and, with the help of the City Parks Department, bordered off the parking lot. We have since added a basketball half-court, play equipment area and picnic bench with a grant from a memorial fund.

Three outdoor sites had become "shooting galleries". All three have been cleared of underbrush and have ceased to be utilized in this manner.

Environment and Community Pride: We host an annual neighborhood clean-up, coordinated with the City's litter control officer and Sanitary Services (SSC). This is held in the spring on or near Earth Day and includes a dumpster sponsored by the City and YNA where neighbors can dispose of large refuse items without expense. Said large refuse includes items such as the odd appliances or chairs that appear in the allies or yards.

Public Forums: YNA has provided a number of forums regarding zoning issues, including parking and density levels, a high voltage line issue, traffic management, sound barriers between York and I-5, development issues and issues dealing with changes in property usages that impact localized and generalized areas of York as well as surrounding areas and districts, and more.

Quality of Life & Aesthetics: With a combination of ad hoc and loosely organized committees, YNA has provided forums and leadership regarding the interests of maintaining a quality of life, property values, character of neighborhood properties and play areas for our youth.

YNA Structure:

YNA is incorporated as a not for profit organization with the State of Washington. YNA has By Laws and an elected board of directors, including a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and other appointed positions. Appointed positions include a representative to the Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission and a representative to the Bellingham Neighborhood Associations. Other positions are appointed as needed or if a person demonstrates a desire to serve in a manner beneficial to the organization and the neighborhood.

Dues are collected on a strictly voluntary basis. However, all York residents and businesses are included in YNA activities as long as they so desire. Dues have no relation to voting status.

The Yorker: Is published as needed or roughly on a quarterly basis and ranges from simple announcements of calendar items to feature articles in many issues.

Meeting Locations:

This varies. Most common sites are Nelson's Market or the WECU Community Center in the colder months, board member's houses as needed and when attendance is not expected to be high, and the parks during warmer times and during events.

Brief History:

YNA was founded some time before 1977

Some issues that YNA has shouldered include:

Geography and Demographics:

The York Addition or York Neighborhood

Part of the original York Addition, the York Neighborhood is roughly divided into three sub-neighborhoods

North: Is bounded by Meador to the North, I-5 to the East, Lakeway Drive, to the South and Ellis Street to the West. The North section is the largest geographically and demographically (residents). The North section includes the Bellingham Grocery Outlet, Nelson's Market, Glad Bag, a hearing center, medical practices, a realtors (on Lakeway) and a number of home office businesses.

South: Is the next largest section, bounded to the North by Lakeway Drive, the East by I-5, on the South by Maple Street and Sammish Way, and on the West by Ellis Street. The South section has a number of businesses at its South end on or near Sammish Way, including a motel, three restaurants and an automotive lubrication business. The businesses are, for the most part segregated from the greater part of the South section by Edwards Street. The cul de sacs of the cross streets of Edwards help to segregate the North side (the greater part) of the South section from the retail businesses in the Southern end. However, Realty companies on Lakeway and a number of home office based businesses do reside in the North side of this section as well.

West: The West section is roughly triangular and is bordered by State Street to the Northwest, Ellis Street to the East and Holly Street to the Southwest. The West has the most businesses and is the transition from residential to business in nature as well as in zoning. The businesses range from professional to retail. The largest church in the neighborhood, the Garden Street United Methodist Church is located here as well. Most of the residences are constructed as "single family", however the largest apartment building is in this section ("Magnolia Square").

Generalized Demographics: As implied above, York is a mix of residences and small businesses. Roughly 50% of the residences are "owner occupied". The 50% mark was surpassed in the late 80's and has "hovered" there since. However, there are a number of apartment buildings scattered throughout as well as a number of single family residence rental properties, some of which have been remodeled to accommodate multiple renters. Most of the latter are rented by students attending Western Washington University (WWU) or Whatcom Community College (WCC); other renters include some of the University's professors and other residents just getting started in life.

The demographics described here is by no means the result of scientific study.

Surrounding Neighborhoods, Districts and Areas:

North: North of York is a relatively medium density business area with small to medium businesses, in one or two story structures, including car dealerships, automotive repair shops, a restaurant, small retail businesses and others.

East: Mainly a lower density business area including two of Bellingham's largest hotels to smaller strip malls with larger grocery and hardware stores as well as small retail and restaurant storefronts, realtors and other restaurants and small businesses.

Not far from I-5 and York, is the location of the Bellingham sports complex including a Civic Stadium (football, soccer, track and field), the Bellingham Sportsplex (indoor soccer, hockey, ice skating, indoor pole vaulting), the skate park, Jerry Fields (amateur baseball/softball) and Joe Martin Field (semi-pro and amateur baseball). The complex is the "home field" for the University for football and soccer and for Bellingham's high schools for most of the sports noted before.

This is also the location of the closest elementary school, Carl Cozier. However, York has been districted or Jerry-Mandered out of Carl Cozier's coverage area and York students are bussed to other schools farther away. This situation is also true at the middle school and high school levels. Not that anyone minds. It's a long story.

A little past the business area and sports complex, is one of the largest residential areas geographically and by population in city limits.

South/Southeast: The Sammish Strip includes a number of small to almost medium size motels/hotels as well as gas stations, a small strip mall and a large strip mall with a large grocery store. A number of other restaurants and small businesses are located here as well.

South/Southwest: The Sehome (pronounced see' home) Neighborhood. Aside from the parts of Sehome that merge into or border on Sammish, this is principally a residential neighborhood with a mix of owner occupied residences and the largest number of student occupied houses as well as the Northern portion of the University.

West: Bellingham's Central Business District (CBD). The CBD is where nearly all the tallest buildings are located in Bellingham and Whatcom County, including the Bellingham Towers (even though it is just one tower). The CBD has the larges concentration of Bellingham businesses including restaurants, small to medium retail storefronts, professional offices, banks, and more. Some buildings are multi-use including businesses on the lower floors and apartments on the upper floors. The city and county governments are located at the North end of the CBD.

Revised 2006-11-27

 

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©2007 York Neighborhood Association