Cornwall Beach Park Master Plan Alternatives

1. Cornwall Beach Park Master Plan Alternatives Presented to: Master Plan Steering Committee Presented by: Jonathan Schilk and Peter Hummel November 14, 2013

2. Overview • Agenda Review • Master Plan Schedule • Project Updates • Habitat Approach • Master Plan Alternatives • Alternatives Comparison Matrix • Questions and Comments

3. Updates since last meeting: 10 min.  Jonathan • Summary of Public Meeting #1: 5 min. Jonathan • Approach to Habitat Enhancement: 15 min. Peter • Presentation of Alternative Designs: 20 min. Peter/Jonathan • Comments on Alternative Designs: 40 min. All • Close and Upcoming Public Meeting #2: 1 min. Jonathan Tickler: • The 2.4 acre development pad • Buffer, Habitat, Enhancement, Connectivity Name the Park!!!! Open season: now to January 31, 2013

4. UPDATES

5. UPDATES • RG Haley interim clean up wrapping up and draft Remediation Investigation is being prepared. • Cornwall Ave. Landfill RI/FS status: DOE expects their responses to public comment to be complete by end of Nov 2013. • Habitat as touchstone, especially inside the shoreline jurisdiction (more about this coming up).

6. UPDATES Public Meeting #1 Some Comments Among Many • Good park to attract people to our community, creates opportunity • Stable & sandy beach, and beach access, is desirable. • Convenient access to park amenities for certain demographics. • Interest in habitat, wetland construction, be it seals, fish, deer, critters, etc. • Interest in amenities that are typical of community parks • Hill is desirable. • Places for kids. • No commercial development in parks. • Off shore marine park with floating logs, islands, scuba access.

7. Habitat Approach, Overview • Landscape Ecology Principles • Nearshore Habitat Studies • Upland/Terrestrial Habitat Guidance

8. Landscape Ecology Emphasis and Principles • Based on Work by Forman and Godron, the Main Working Concepts are: • Patches, Matrices, and Corridors • Edges and Ecotones • Disturbance and Fragmentation

9. Existing Nearshore Habitat Studies Relevant to this Project • Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot Project • Waterfront Futures • Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP) • WRIA 1 Nearshore

10. Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot Project, Habitat Restoration Portion • Purpose and Scope: Comprehensive study of the Bay looking at nearshore habitat and cleanup issues • Timeframe: FIES completed in 2000 • Recommendations affecting Cornwall Beach Park: Cornwall Landfill identified as a key site for cleanup and opportunities for habitat restoration

11. Bellingham Bay Demonstration Pilot Project, Habitat Restoration Portion

12. Waterfront Futures Project: Habitat Restoration and Water Access Report • Purpose and Scope: Workshop and report covering all of City waterfront • Timeframe: Interagency workshop and report completed in 2004 • Recommendations affecting Cornwall Beach Park: Identifies trail connections, stormwater outfalls, beaches, and intertidal habitat benches

13. Waterfront Futures Project: Habitat Restoration and Water Access Report

14. Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP) • Purpose and Scope: State and federal soundwide restoration focused effort where habitat forming processes can be restored • Timeframe: Ongoing, key reports completed in 2008-2011 • Recommendations affecting Cornwall Beach Park: Indirect; PSNERP is not focused on urban waterfronts

15. Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP)

16. WRIA 1 Nearshore and Estuarine Assessment and Restoration Prioritization • Purpose and Scope: Most recent nearshore assessment of nearshore area including Bellingham Bay • Timeframe: Completed 2013 • Recommendations affecting Cornwall Beach Park: Identifies two enhancement sites within master planning area

17. WRIA 1 Nearshore and Estuarine Assessment and Restoration Prioritization

18. Olympic Sculpture Park: Lessons from Monitoring an Urban Waterfront Habitat Restoration Project

19. Existing City of Bellingham Upland Habitat Guidance relevant to the Project • 2013 Bellingham SMP - Restoration Plan • Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan; 2008 • Bellingham Wildlife and Habitat Assessment; 1995 and 2003

20. Upland Habitat and Habitat Connectivity • Improve connectivityof the shoreline environments to one another and to adjacent habitat corridors and/or habitat blocks that support priority species and species of local significance • Incorporate unique ecological features and resources into the park system to protect threatened species, preserve habitat, and retain migration corridors that are unique and important to local wildlife • Identify and conserve wildlife habitat including nesting sites, foraging areas, and migration corridors within or adjacent to natural areas, open spaces, and the developed urban area • Aquatic to upland habitat interface is one of the most important habitat connections and riparian vegetation is essential to link upland terrestrial with aquatic and marine habitat

21. Upland Habitat Guidance

22. Alternative 1: Recreation Focus

23. Alternative 2: Habitat Focus

24. Alternative 3: Blended Approach

25. 2.4 ACRE DEVELOPMENT PAD

26. Alternatives Comparison Table

27. Questions and Comments