It’s official – no West Seattle neighborhood-plan update this year

The city has just announced which neighborhoods will be the two to get official neighborhood-plan updates this year – and neither is on our peninsula: They are Rainier Beach and Broadview-Bitter Lake-Haller Lake. After the recent meeting of the Neighborhood Plan Advisory Council, speculation about a possible WS choice had cooled, but there’s hope for a future plan update, and some of the local neighborhoods that have plans have decided to start revving up for the possibility by discussing statuses and goals in venues such as the Southwest District Council meeting. Ahead, read the news release just in from the mayor’s office re: today’s announcement:

Mayor Mike McGinn and the Seattle City Council announced today that the
Rainier Beach and the Broadview-Bitter Lake-Haller Lake neighborhoods will begin an
update of their neighborhood plans in 2010.

The neighborhood plan update process is a unique opportunity for community members
to address local priorities.

Councilmembers Mike O’Brien and Sally J. Clark along with Deputy Mayor Darryl Smith
will work with neighbors to address recent growth, infrastructure, housing
affordability, and other neighborhood concerns. The Department of Neighborhoods and
the Department of Planning and Development will facilitate the updates.

“The Neighborhood Plan Update process is an exciting opportunity for these two
communities,” said O’Brien. “Recent and future transportation investments in both
communities will be an important factor to consider in these updates. I look forward
to working with these neighborhoods to fully utilize the new investments as a
catalyst for improving housing, open space, jobs, and cultural amenities that make
neighborhoods great places to live. ”

In Rainier Beach, there will be a review of potential growth around the light rail
station, with a focus on improving the commercial core and enhancing involvement of
traditionally underrepresented communities. The Broadview-Bitter Lake-Haller Lake
Neighborhood Plan Update will consider ways to take advantage of the anticipated bus
rapid transit service arriving in 2013. The challenges resulting from recent growth
in the Bitter Lake urban village will also be addressed.

“I’m excited for the Rainier Beach and Broadview-Bitter Lake-Haller Lake
neighborhoods to re-open their neighborhood plans for tuning up,” said Clark. “Both
are terrific communities with affordable housing, incredible parks and new
challenges when it comes to smartly taking advantage of transit.”

“I’m looking forward to working with Councilmember O’Brien, Councilmember Clark and
these great communities to see how best we can build our city together,” said Smith.

These two neighborhood plans were chosen to be updated based on a review of the
criteria established in Ordinance 122799, the information collected through status
reports and associated community outreach, and a review of the recommendations from
the Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee.

Pete January 28, 2010 (7:31 pm)

This is should be totally unacceptable to residents of West Seattle. When you consider that 23% of the population lives on this side of the Duwamish River and to be passed over for the second year in a row….something has to give. If West Seattle had a light rail station we would be on the list. But since they took the monorail away and have not given the peninsula any other transit options what can be done? The first thing is that everyone should express their displeasure to each and every one of our elected city council members and our new mayor. This should not be accpetable to any resident of West Seattle period…

curious nulu January 28, 2010 (8:11 pm)

Why the outrage, Pete?
We can address our concerns to all of the great neighborhood associations, whose leaders job is to convey these to the city officials responsible.

Pete January 28, 2010 (9:08 pm)

curious…neighborhood plans help steer city dollars and resources to projects in the plan area. these are resources that are only allocated when part of a neighborhood plan. if your neighborhood plan is not updated then you are missing out. that is the reason

Roger January 28, 2010 (10:13 pm)

Okay, I’m in. Time for West Seattle to start getting a bigger voice if we’re around 1/4 the pop. of Seattle then we need serious updates to the ‘neighborhood’ plan now!

dwar January 29, 2010 (10:26 am)

They (The City) never completed implementing the existing plans that were painfully wrtten by countless hours of many citizens 10 years ago. Why are we worried about this now??

Pete January 29, 2010 (2:45 pm)

dwar….these plans, as you state, are now 10 years old. Much has changed. Was it envisioned 10 years ago that the Huling dealerships would be gone and that whole section of West Seattle would not be in the process of being redevloped. Were the multiple mixed use building projects in the junctions accounted for in the plans? Was the influx of townhomes in south Delridge planned for? All of these things need to be folded into to make sure that we are getting the proper focus and resources from the city. Do you think that transportation choices for West Seattle have kept up with population growth? Do you think any other city services have kept up with increasing density on the peninsula? These are just a couple of the things that would be considered in updating a 10 year old plan. We need to make sure that our 23% of the city population is not ignored.

Dan\'a January 29, 2010 (7:07 pm)

How long has WSeattle had 23% of the population? It does seem quite a bit more populated than, say, 5 years ago.

Pete January 30, 2010 (7:27 am)

It has increased approximately 4-5% in tht time frame.

nulu January 30, 2010 (9:44 am)

pete,
It seems that the items that you list, (save for the Huling debacle) are the direct result of past neighborhood plans.
“Was the influx of townhomes in south Delridge planned for?”
Well, yes. I believe the city made code allowances that encouraged the development in the Delridge corridor. Their planning permitted this to happen and we will be suffering for decades because of some of the shoddy housing that has “sprung up”. No one is bragging about it like the new Highpoint, just blocks away.

The mixed use in the junction was also in the plans as well as the California and Fauntleroy Ave.s’ redevelopment and the Morgan Junction stuff…all in the anticipation of mass transit.
(No mass transit but we got a pocket park!)
Recently relaxed parking requirements will also lead to more parking/driving problems.

Sorry, comment time is over.