Government notes: California SW rezoning; South Park Bridge $
Two government notes of interest from today:
REZONING FINALIZED: The rezoning of a block-plus along California SW between Hinds and Hanford (and a little beyond) was approved unanimously by the full City Council 
this afternoon, two weeks after a council committee recommended approval. This means the zoning along that block will change from NC1-30 to NC2-40, meaning future redevelopment could include larger business spaces (businesses as big as 25,000 square feet) and taller buildings (up to 40 feet instead of 30). Neighbors along the adjoining single-family-residence blocks on both sides had been fighting the proposal since it emerged more than 3 years ago. Our archive of coverage along the way is here.
SOUTH PARK BRIDGE MONEY: An update from County Councilmember Joe McDermott:
This morning the King County Council reaffirmed our commitment to the South Park community by committing $30 million to replace the South Park Bridge. This money, however, is contingent on a legally binding agreement with the Port of Seattle and the City of Seattle. The Port of Seattle has already committed $5 million to the project, and I am certain that the city will as well. Our region’s economic competitiveness relies on the South Park Bridge; it serves an area that is home to 32,000 jobs and is an entry point to a community where 76 percent of the businesses are minority owned. I will continue to work with the City of Seattle, the Port, the State and the Federal government to ensure we replace the South Park Bridge under our current timeline.
This comes two months after the announcement of a federal grant completing the pledged funding (WSB coverage here), and five and a half months after the old bridge was permanently closed (WSB coverage here). The county expects to start building the new bridge next April.
Lincoln Park trail closed because of slide concern
Hope you’re not going for a walk in Lincoln Park in this weather – but if you were planning on it, you might reconsider. One of the uphill trails is closed tonight, according to Seattle Parks‘ Joelle Hammerstad, “out of concern that it may slide.” West Seattle geologist and photographer Trileigh Tucker pointed out the problem, and took the photo above, showing what she described in e-mail to Parks as “a new ground crack, about 5-6 meters long, along the west side of Trail #3, which leads gradually up from Colman Pool to the bluff.” Parks sent an inspector, and what he saw led them to cordon off the area; Hammerstad says a parks engineer will go out tomorrow for a closer look at the situation.
Dump truck lands upside-down by Youngstown, no one hurt
(8:28 PM UPDATE: Added video from the uprighting process; the dump truck’s just been towed away)
It’ll take one big tow truck to get that upside-down dump truck righted and taken away from behind Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (map). But we’re told the driver got out unhurt – and that no one else was hurt, either. Our crew at the scene is told that the driver apparently was coming down the SW Oregon hill but had brake trouble, tried to maneuver the truck to a safe stop, and somehow wound up this way. Per scanner traffic, it’ll be at least an hour before a big tow rig can make it to Youngstown to take care of this.
4:10 PM UPDATE: Thanks to Hollis and Phillippia with Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association (which is based at Youngstown) for sending photos – our crew just got back to HQ and we’re checking theirs. We also got a note from Margaret, who says the truck’s load of dirt and mud covered some of the cars in the back lot (where Youngstown artist-loft residents live).
4:52 PM UPDATE: Christina points out via Facebook that you may have traffic trouble in the uphill turn to Oregon from Delridge – the tow truck was blocking the road at last report. Meantime, we’ve added our crew’s photo, above. And scanner traffic indicates the dump-truck driver may wind up going to a hospital to be checked out, after all.
8:26 PM UPDATE: As of about 20 minutes ago, the dump truck has been uprighted and towed away – just back from watching the conclusion of the laborious process:
Ken’s Towing brought out a big rig and first pulled the upside-down truck to a right-side-up position (our video shows the second half of that) – then after a lot of securing, finally pulled it along the south Youngstown driveway and off toward The Bridge.
1 Beach Drive lane open, Routes 37 and 53 back to normal
3:36 PM: Just got word via Metro that Routes 37 and 53 are back to normal, which means Beach Drive is open again after yesterday’s slide.
4:46 PM UPDATE: SDOT says that the reopened Beach Drive is one lane at that spot for starters, but they’re hoping not for long:
To facilitate the evening commute, SDOT has reopened one lane in the 6000 block of Beach Drive. During daylight hours on Tuesday, the department will work on a barrier to protect against additional slide debris entering the roadway. Barring unforeseen circumstances, both lanes will be open to traffic by the end of the day on Tuesday, December 14.
West Seattle business news: The Bohemian has closed
3:08 PM: Just got a tip on this, and it’s confirmed on The Bohemian‘s website – they have shut down – this is the message on the home page:
THE BOHEMIAN IS DEAD, THE BOHEMIAN IS DEAD!
LONG LIVE THE BOHEMIAN!!!
To all our friends & guests of The Bohemian,
We regret to inform the community that we are closed.
The current economy and many other factors have claimed yet another West Seattle business.
Thank you all for the support and patronage over the past two years…
Good Luck,
The Bohemian staff
The Bohemian opened in September 2008.
4:29 PM UPDATE: Went over to see if there was anyone there to talk to. Found just the note on the door, with slightly different wording:
Update: West Seattle house fire in 10000 block of 42nd SW
We’re on our way to a “fire in single-family residence” call in the 10000 block of 42nd SW (map) in Arbor Heights. Per the scanner, first crews on the scene are seeing smoke. 2:47 PM UPDATE: Just added a photo. Our crew at the scene reports lots of smoke but no flames visible. It’s being described on the scanner as “a smoldering fire in blown-in insulation.” Some of the units from the big initial response have been cleared to leave. There are no reports of injuries.
(Photo by Christopher Boffoli)
3:12 PM UPDATE: Firefighters tell our crew at the scene that it appears to have started in the kitchen and moved to the roof. But they confirm everyone got out safely – including the family dog. As for how soon the residents will be able to go back into the house, and how extensive the damage is, too soon to tell. Metro has rerouted the #21 bus for now – here’s the rider alert:
At 3:00 PM – Route 21 is rerouted off 44 Av SW between SW 100 St and SW 106 St. Use stops on SW 100 St east of 40 Av SW or on SW 106 St east of 40 Av SW. Until further notice.
4:19 PM UPDATE: Metro says the 21 is back to its normal route. The fire is in mop-up mode. Neighbor Kevin calls our attention to the fact there was a call at the same address this morning around 10:30; the 911 log calls that one “food on the stove, out.”
West Seattle Crime Watch: Pickup/trailer stolen; decorations taken
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reports this afternoon – first, from Dena:
Last night 12-12-2010 between the hours of 12 midnight and 7:00am 12-13-2010
Stolen in the 6900 block of California Ave SW
1996 champagne F250 Diesel w/ USCG vanity plate and with 20′ U-Haul trailer attached.
Any information can be e-mailed to me @ dena-engen@comcast.net
And from Jen:
We had some lighted candy canes along our walkway from the street and someone made off with them sometime between late last night and this afternoon. We don’t use the front entrance much, so cannot pinpoint the time any further. We live on 44th, just north of the Junction. I’ve read other accounts of people getting stuff taken from their yards around Halloween, so I know it happens, but it’s still lame.
We also have asked police for an update on the investigation of the car vandalism we reported Sunday; no word on that yet.
Blue Angels will be back for 2011, Seafair confirms
(August 2010 photo by David DeSiga)
With the Blue Angels based at the Museum of Flight over the ridge during their annual visits, many West Seattleites see and hear them whether they want to or not. So with that in mind, and knowing that some will be excited and some will be bummed, we share the official news that they have reconfirmed for the August 2011 Seafair Air Show, per a Seafair news release. And this year, there’s a special anniversary. Details after the jump:Read More
Update: West Marginal Way SW reopened after tree cleanup
(12:09 PM: Road is open again)
(Photo added 9:05 am – we walked into the cleanup zone; more visuals to come)
ORIGINAL 7:53 AM REPORT: New reports are just in that West Marginal Way SW is closed again this morning – and that follows a report from Seattle Parks of new slide concern in the 5000 block, which is close to yesterday’s closure. So an alternate route is in order this morning. Just got a note from Erik that the closure is at SW Edmunds (map) and an image that suggests a big backup.
8:17 AM UPDATE: Official information just e-mailed by Peg Nielsen of SDOT:
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews are working to remove 25 trees which are down across the 5400 block of W Marginal Way (SW) just S of Puget [map]. Traffic is being detoured off of W Marginal between Highland and S Spokane Street. The crew is working to get two lanes open by noon; however, it could take most of the day to remove all the trees and open all lanes at that location. Local business access is being maintained.
10:06 AM NOTE: Back from checking out the site. Sizable SDOT crew working to cut the fallen/falling trees, which are going into the chipper you see in the photo above. On the south side, the roadblock/turnaround is at the Alaska Marine Lines west terminal in the 5600 block of W Marginal.
12:10 PM UPDATE: The city hasn’t sent official word yet but a KING 5 live shot shows the road has just reopened.
West Seattle storm aftermath: Golf course open, but no carts
(Sunday photo of the 13th, from the tee, courtesy of Paul)
Not surprising that when you have a golf course along a creek, you’re going to have a little excess water now and then, but yesterday was “excess” enough to force the West Seattle Golf Course to close for the day (as shown in our ongoing storm coverage). We checked this morning with Seattle Parks, and spokesperson Joelle Hammerstad tells us the golf course is OPEN today. (First tee time of the day this time of year, according to the golf course website, is 7:45 am.) She says the course is “playable, but soggy. And they have some work to do to restore some areas that eroded with the water.”
10:17 AM UPDATE: New information from Hammerstad: “We are not allowing the golf carts at West Seattle Golf Course today. The erosion on the paths is quite bad in places. We don’t want to risk a cart tipping over and injuring somebody. We’re hoping to get crushed rock and stone at the course tomorrow to begin repairs.”
Beach Drive slide update: May reopen by pm rush hour
(2:22 PM UPDATE: SDOT is hoping to have the road open again by afternoon rush hour)
6:32 AM: Just verified that, as SDOT said would be the case, Beach Drive remains blocked in the 6000-6200 block (map) because of Sunday afternoon’s slide. We took the above photo about 15 minutes ago at the south end of the closure zone, Beach/Atlas (map). And Metro has just published official word of the closure’s effect on Routes 37 and 53, saying it’s only serving stops north of Jacobsen (map) and south of 48th (map). SDOT said last night that it plans to assess the slide once it’s light today; we’ll be checking on the situation throughout the day.
2:23 PM UPDATE: SDOT says it’s installing protective blocks and hoping to have the road reopened by “afternoon rush hour.” We’ll publish a new story when the road does reopen.
Quick preview of a highlight tomorrow night from the WSB 
If you didn’t go see the
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