West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
Before you get entirely into holiday mode … a reminder about a process that’s playing out right now, and seeking your comments on major zoning changes:
(Direct link to draft West Seattle Junction Urban Village rezoning map)
(Direct link to draft Westwood-Highland Park Urban Village rezoning map)
(Direct link to draft Admiral Urban Village rezoning map)
(Direct link to draft Morgan Urban Village rezoning map)
Those are the newest versions of the city’s “draft maps” showing proposed rezoning in West Seattle’s four “urban villages” as part of the mayor’s Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA). Besides what’s shown on the maps, all multifamily zoning in the city is proposed for upzoning as part of the HALA component called Mandatory Housing Affordability – adding more development capacity in exchange for requiring developers/builders to either include a certain percentage of “affordable” units, or pay into a city fund that will be used to build “affordable” housing elsewhere.
Right now, the city is planning one open house-style meeting to answer questions and take comments about all four of these maps (and the one for South Park), 5:30 pm-7:30 pm on Wednesday, December 7th, at Shelby’s Bistro and Ice Creamery in The Junction (4752 California SW). You might already have received a mailer about it, though as the recipient who shared the mailer with us pointed out, it doesn’t mention the word “rezoning” (below, photos of its front and back):
Since the open-house event has no presentation scheduled, local community members are planning a pre-meeting to explain the maps and the process – including the guiding principles – in hopes of helping you understand what’s being proposed and comment most effectively, whether you’ll be doing that at the December event and/or via the special city website hala.consider.it. As explained in this announcement earlier this month, that meeting is one week from tonight – 6:30-8:30 pm Tuesday, November 29th, at Highland Park Improvement Club (12th SW/SW Holden), and everyone is welcome.
TIMELINE: At last week’s Junction Neighborhood Organization discussion of this, Nick Welch from the city Office of Planning and Community Development said that after the comment and review period this winter, final rezoning maps are likely to go to the City Council around June.
Back on Sunday, a text resulted in this report about a dead seal south of Alki Point. Commenter Jenny mentioned there was another carcass nearby. Tonight, we have an update from David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:
Thanks to those of you who have reported these two dead marine mammals to Seal Sitters’ Hotline (206-905-7325). As of the evening of 11/21, the California Sea Lion is at the north end of Constellation Park and the adult Harbor seal is at the south end of the park. Seattle Parks has been notified of their current location. Seal Sitters has been tracking the position of both dead animals since first reported back on November 16th when one was onshore at Cormorant Cove and the other on private property to the north.
When Seal Sitters responds to dead marine mammals, the animal is photographed, measured and examined. An official report is then completed and entered into NOAA’s online marine mammal database. If the location is on a public beach, we typically bag the smaller animals, remove them from the beach and contact Seattle Parks for disposal, unless the animal will be transferred for necropsy by WA Department of Fish and Wildlife. In certain situations if a necropsy is performed, Seal Sitters pays for blood and tissue lab tests on the animal.
In this case, both animals are too large to be easily removed from the public beach – the sea lion is over 7 feet in length. Disposal of animals on private beaches is the responsibility of the property owner. Thankfully, the ebb and flow of tides will most often return carcasses back to the sea, to nourish other marine life. For smaller animals not suitable for necropsy due to decomposition, that is the ideal end result as well.
(WSB video of Jazz Night School All-Stars outside West 5 on Summer Fest Eve in 2015)
One week from tonight, here’s another way to celebrate Giving Tuesday – dine out, and enjoy live music, at West 5 in The Junction, as it supports Jazz Night School, which has been spotlighted outside the restaurant/bar the past few years on Summer Fest Eve. Here’s the announcement:
Jazz Night School, Seattle’s only all-ages jazz education institution, is partnering with West 5 Restaurant and Lounge in West Seattle on Giving Tuesday, November 29.
Proceeds from restaurant sales on Giving Tuesday will benefit Jazz Night School’s Bring Jazz to Life capital campaign to fund construction of a new facility for the school. “We are thrilled to partner with West 5 Restaurant for this year’s Giving Tuesday,” said Erik Hanson, founder and Executive Director of Jazz Night School. “Funds raised in support of our Bring Jazz to Life campaign will help us build our new school in Seattle’s Rainier Valley and will greatly increase our capacity for people to learn, study and enjoy jazz.” said Hanson.
To celebrate Giving Tuesday, a performance ensemble from Jazz Night School will provide live jazz entertainment (no cover charge) at West 5 starting around 7:00 pm.
Might be blocks from where they were stolen, or miles … but thanks in advance for keeping an eye out for these stolen cars (and others noted in previous West Seattle Crime Watch reports):
Jim reports his green 1997 Toyota Corolla, WA license AVM1612, was stolen overnight from the 3000 block of 44th SW. “It has kayak racks (at least it did) on the roof.”
And CJ reports her friends’ car, a dark gray 2007 Toyota Matrix, license plate number 125VUH, was stolen recently in WS and has yet to be found. One distinguishing feature: “I seem to recall it has a small crack in the windshield which had been filled.”
Thanks to Holy Rosary Preschool teacher Tauna Evans for the photo from the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive: “This is our Pre-K class posing after sorting and counting the collected food.” Final tally: 110 cans!
P.S. Looking for ways to give this season? The list of donation drives in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide keeps growing. If you have one to which the public can contribute, please let us know so we can add it – editor@westseattleblog.com – thank you!
(WSB photo)
(WSB photos)
2:15 PM: If you saw the big Seattle Police response in Sunrise Heights/Westwood – with a brief appearance by the Guardian One helicopter – here’s what we’ve found out: Someone saw a package theft in progress, called 911, and gave police a description of the alleged thieves’ vehicle. Police arrived, spotted the car, stopped it in an alley east of 35th and Thistle, and took two people into custody. (Thanks to @MetPatrick22 for the tweet about the search, which was first we’d heard of this.)
2:30 PM: Since this happened such a short time ago, SPD media relations doesn’t have details yet, but they were able to tell us that the original theft report was near 35th/Trenton, not too far from the arrest scene.
(WSB photo from October; shelters proposed for removal are the two on the right)
Last Friday was the deadline set by Metro for comments on the proposal to remove the two westernmost bus shelters on the south side of SW Alaska, east of 44th SW. It originated as part of a “problem-solving plan” promised by Metro and Transit Police (who are part of the King County Sheriff’s Office) reps following a walking tour/outdoor meeting in early October that also included reps from Seattle Police, the city Department of Human Services, the West Seattle Junction Association, and the WS Chamber of Commerce, as well as some local merchants.
Metro subsequently announced, via posted paper notices, that the two shelters, considered a draw for loitering and drinking, would be removed in mid-November; a subsequent uproar led them to “pause” the plan and take comments through November 18th. Now that the deadline has passed, we checked today with Metro to see what’s next; spokesperson Jeff Switzer replied, “We’re reviewing the comments that we received and will make a decision in coming weeks.”
(Texted photo)
Thanks to the texter who alerted us this morning that Little Prague Bakery and Delicatessen has re-opened its storefront at 6045 California in Morgan Junction. It’s a “soft open” for now; they’re offering not only the bakery treats you’ve long seen at the West Seattle Farmers’ Market, but also lunch and dinner items. Today, it’s Hungarian goulash and wienerschnitzel for lunch.
(WSB photo)
Little Prague tells us the regular hours will be 7 am-7 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 7 am-10 pm Fridays and Saturdays, 10 am-5 pm Sundays. If you want to check whether they’re open before checking them out sometime soon, the number is 206-734-5976.
(From Seacrest, photographed by Creighton)
Thanks to everyone who sent rainbow views from this morning’s sunrise – the sun broke through in the east, and rainbows resulted in the west/northwest. We’re interspersing four with today’s list of highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar and Holiday Guide:
(From Beach Drive, photographed by Scott Lipsky)
DINE-OUT FUNDRAISER FOR FAIRMOUNT PARK ELEMENTARY: 2-9 pm, Shelby’s Bistro and Ice Creamery in The Junction is donating 10 percent to the Fairmount Park Elementary PTA. (4752 California SW)
MATH BUDDIES: 4-5 pm drop-in program for K-5 students at West Seattle (Admiral) Library. (2306 42nd SW)
(Photographed from Alki by Dan Ciske)
COTTAGE GROVE COMMONS CONCERNS? The community advisory committee is reconvening tonight at 6:30 pm at the Delridge supportive-housing complex, as recently previewed here. (5444 Delridge Way SW)
FAMILY STORY TIME: 7-7:30 pm at Delridge Library, bring your kid(s) for songs, stories, and rhymes. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
(Photographed from Alki by Lynn Hall)
SOUTH SOUND TUG & BARGE: Live music, 8 pm, Parliament Tavern. (4210 SW Admiral Way)
LOOKING AHEAD TO THANKSGIVING … lots of info (restaurants, free community meals, coffee shops, grocery stores) in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide!
Just in from King County Water Taxi management, a reminder that both WT routes – West Seattle and Vashon – will be out of service on Thanksgiving Day and the day after, so after tomorrow, the next day of service will be Monday. Also, if you were wondering too, no extended service for tonight’s Sounders FC playoff match; King County doesn’t do that during the reduced-schedule fall/winter months.
(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)
(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)
7:11 AM: Good morning – no incidents in/from West Seattle so far this morning.
STADIUM-ZONE ALERT TONIGHT: 7 pm at CenturyLink Field, soccer playoffs – Sounders FC vs. Colorado Rapids.
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