Sept. 28 - Oct. 4, 2017
FREE
Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Driver dies in crash Suzan DelBene visits Blaine Borderite football team for public forum, page 4 loses to Bellingham, page 6 south of Blaine, page 13
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Blaine City The Vault Wine Bar and Event Space now open Council appoints new member B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
(See City, page 3)
s The Vault Wine Bar and Event Space, located at 277 G Street in Blaine, celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 21. From l., Harry Robinson, Luke Button, Jacob Finston, Alan Finston, Isabelle Finston, Jule Button and Joni Finston. Photo by Stefanie Donahue
Birch Bay berm construction project facing more delays By Oliver Lazenby Construction on the Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility, also known as the Birch Bay berm, will likely be postponed until next year. While the protect was originally supposed to start in September, Whatcom County doesn’t have the permits and property easements it needs to begin work on the 1.58 mile-long beach revitalization project. The project aims to protect the beach from floods and storm surges by adding about 130,000 cubic yards of material
to create a more natural beach and safer paths for pedestrians and bicyclists. It’s the second year in a row the project didn’t start as scheduled. The same thing happened for the same reasons in 2016. The $11.5 million project was first proposed in 1975 as a way to restore the beach after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed between 200,000 and 300,000 cubic feet of material from the beach for the Blaine Air Force Station and other facilities in the early 1950s. In the last year, the county has obtained 22 easements but still needs easements
Horizon at Semiahmoo project strides forward B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e The gears are finally turning on the Horizon at Semiahmoo development project and this time the firm that owns the property is promising a more affordable price tag for single-family homes the developer plans to build over the next few years. Horizon at Semiahmoo was acclaimed as the area’s first residential mixed-use development project to use building and
land-use strategies that combine contemporary architecture with sustainable design, according to early site plans from 2008. Seventy-five lots ranging 2,000 to 4,000 square feet in size were set aside for the construction of single family homes. Condominium, cluster houses and mixeduse retail would occupy the remaining portions of the property. A model home and sales center was built after the plans were released in 2008 and has been vacant ever since. Over the
years, the development was swallowed by overgrown foliage and hit by vandals. At one point, the property was listed for $46 million with $35 million indebted against it. After the U.S. housing market crashed, it was sold to Everett-based Frontier Bank, which went under in 2010, and later San Francisco-based Union Bank. North America CC Chang Jiang Investment, LLP, a Canadian firm, purchased the property for
from six owners of 10 properties. Owners of six of those parcels have agreed to a price but are waiting for their lawyers to approve, said Cody Swan, project engineer for Whatcom County Public Works. The project will pass over 40 separate properties. “Negotiations for any kind of property rights can be lengthy and obtaining easements over waterfront property that is valuable and that in many cases involves multiple vested property owners, lengthens the negotiation time,” Swan said in an email. (See Berm, page 3)
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Coming Up . . . . . 14 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
INSIDE
Blaine City Council is back to fullstrength after a string of applicant interviews and deliberations enabled councilmembers to appoint a seventh member this week. Nine applicants vying to fill a vacant position on council took part in interviews that focused on their community involvement, qualifications and vision for Blaine’s economic future. After a 40-minute closed session on Monday, September 25, four out of the six sitting city councilmembers voted to appoint Meg Olson to Position 3, representing Ward 2; both Harry Robinson and Bonnie Onyon voted in opposition. “I love community and I love collaboration for the betterment of my community,” Olson said to the council during her interview. “I feel strongly that neighbors should help neighbors and serving on Blaine City Council is one of the higher forms of simple neighborliness.” The seat became vacant after long-serving public official Dennis Olason announced his resignation in August, citing health concerns. Olson will fulfill the remainder of his term, expiring December 31, 2019. She is now one of two city councilmembers who represent Ward 2, which includes all of the area within city limits that lies south of H Street, excluding areas west of Peace Portal and north of Boblett Street. Olson moved to Blaine with her husband and two children about three years ago, after living in Point Roberts for 20 years. Her ties to both communities stem from her years of experience as an editor and reporter for Point Roberts Press, which publishes The Northern Light and All Point Bulletin, among other publications. Olson reported for The Northern Light from 1996 to 2006. Since then, she’s continued to write for the All Point Bulletin newspaper, serving Point Roberts. During her interview with the Blaine
TheNorthernLight.com
(See Horizon, page 2) TheNorthernLight
@TNLreporter
@PointRobertsPress