ARLINGTON Denise Schwans, who lives near the northwest corner of the Arlington Airport, does most of her shopping in the Jensen Park area, but also has some favorite spots in Smokey Point, including the pet store and the book store.
A resident for more than five hears, she joined about 30 people Wednesday, Feb. 13, who gathered at the Boys & Girls Club express their opinions on the elements of Arlingtons identity that need to be incorporated into signage for the city of Arlington.
The workshop was coordinated by four University of Washington urban design and planning students with their advisor, Jill Sterrett. They were hired by the city to come up with a plan for signage and entryways as part of the citys economic development plan.
The citys capital projects manager, Paul Ellis, hired a similar group of students of Sterretts to help downtown building owners redesign the facades of their buildings to fit the citys historical center during the Olympic Avenue renovation project.
Schwans has lived in Arlington five and a half years and she has noticed a perception among her friends south of her.
When I say I am from Arlington, people think its very far away, she said. But when I mention Smokey Point, they think its just near by.
Participants at the workshop were asked to review several maps of Arlington and provide comments on their accuracy and details.
One map showed retail activity centers with significant landmarks and another showed regional highways with major access points identified.
Another display board included 34 banners that were painted by community artists in the past two years in response to the question: What does Arlington mean to you? Participants were asked to name their two favorites and their two least favorites from the images that range from eagles, cows, horses and fish to the mountains, river, flowers, the Olympic Theater and airplanes.
The fourth display showed the dismal status of signage currently in place from a broken railroad crossing to the aged champions sign at the intersection of SR 9 and SR 530 to the newest, welcome to Smokey Point, a community of Arlington.
Feedback varied on how best to identify Smokey Point.
Until we call it Arlington, the community will never feel a part of the city, said Jim Cummins, a member of the Arlington Planning Commission. Others suggested, however, that you cant steal away the communitys identity. An Arlington architect, Gregory Minaker, noted that the situation could be compared to Seattle and all its neighborhoods.
Its like Ballard in Seattle, he said. People still call Ballard, Ballard knowing its Seattle.
To me, its all one, Schwans said.
The graduate students each presented the four panels, noting their observances and asking for opinions.
Through conversations with people, we have learned of the importance of the river in this communitys identity, said Sander Lazar, who presented the activity centers and landmarks.
The big cedar stump was also mentioned a lot, Lazar said, asking the group how many knew about the old stump now located at the northbound I-5 rest-stop between exits 206 and 208.
The city administrator, Allen Johnson, shared a story that illustrated the challenge at hand.
When I first arrived in town, my wife told me to go to the Rodda paint store in Smokey Point and when I was done there, I asked them whats the best way to get downtown. They told me I had to get back on the freeway and go to the next exit. The audience groaned.
The citys economic development director, Vic Ericson, also admitted that he has hiked along the Mountain Loop Highway many times through the years and never knew there was a downtown Arlington. Similarly, Cheri Carlson mentioned she few into Arlington Airport for
10 years before learning there was a downtown.
The students and their teacher all agreed that the challenge is to find Arlingtons unique identity amid all its diversity.
Our goal is to find a style that will encompass the whole town, Sterrett said, adding the challenge is to help make this into one town.
Cummins suggested thinking about what we have here that people would visit us for. He worked for many years as a volunteer for Snohomish County Tourism.
And please dont get so artsy that you cant read the signs, Cummins requested.
The students will use the information gathered to create a proposal that will be presented at a City Council workshop March 10.