Delridge DESC project: County meeting tomorrow; council discussion

Two updates related to the “Delridge Supportive Housing” 75-apartment project that Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) is seeking to build in the 5400 block of Delridge Way SW:

COUNTY FUNDING MEETING TOMORROW: While the city and state have committed funding to the project, the county’s final decision isn’t in yet. Tomorrow, the advisory group that makes recommendations to King County Executive Dow Constantine, the Regional Joint Recommendations Committee, will meet on Mercer Island. They were scheduled to decide last month, but deferred the decision after hearing from Delridge residents who came to their meeting to voice concerns. Tomorrow’s meeting is at 9;30 am at the Mercer Island Community Center, 8236 SE 24th Street. 10 people will be allowed to speak, according to North Delridge Neighborhood Council‘s Kirsten Smith.

NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL DISCUSSION: The project was a major topic of discussion at NDNC’s meeting on Monday night. Patrick Baer recapped the first Delridge Community Forum, last month’s big gathering about the project, saying it had “successes and failures,” amid “logistical issues we never expected,” but overall met the goal of providing information to the community.

As he noted, he and other DCF volunteers have continued in that role, posting copious quantities of material online at delridgeforum.blogspot.com – and if you’ve been looking into the issue and have come across information to share with the community, e-mail him at delridgeforum@gmail.com.

Meantime, NDNC’s Smith says they’re trying to set up a meeting shortly before the project’s first Design Review Board meeting (6:30 pm December 8th at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center), to provide community members with information on how the process works. Since there’s “limited public comment” at those meetings, Vonetta Mangaoang suggested a “letter-writing campaign.”

That touched off a discussion about NDNC’s role in contentious issues like the DESC project – and how that role needs to be defined, before any sort of communication goes out on NDNC’s behalf; should the council be advocates, facilitators, or something else entirely? One discussion about a possible letter focused on the statement that DESC executive director Bill Hobson had made at the June 27th community meeting on the project, that if the community wanted them to exclude sex offenders from the resident population, they would. It was pointed out there already are sex offenders living in the neighborhood (as with any neighborhood), and that DESC clients have been described as “so disabled they are unable to offend.” There was no ultimate consensus on a next step re: the council’s role, except that it had to be determined before further action.

NDNC’s meeting also included another update on the 26th/Dakota project – specifically the “park”-like improvements the developers are proposing across the street – and officer elections; more on those in a separate story.

11 Replies to "Delridge DESC project: County meeting tomorrow; council discussion"

  • Instant Replay Needed November 17, 2011 (12:33 am)

    I attended the meeting and quite enjoyed how this small group of 14 most of whom where NDNC officers or spouses struggled to keep NDNC appear neutral in regards to DESC.
    Several spoke up in favor of DESC, but Tom in attendance from DESC and himself a neighbor (openly declared himself a supporter) accurately described (at least to me) the tenor as mostly opposed.
    A few of the leaders pressed firmly and repeatedly in favor of drafting a letter to DESC about Bill Hobson’s (apparently recorded on video)statement.
    The discussion was quite circular, with discussion of what NDNC’s role could or should be.
    I could feel the frustration of the group’s leader at not achieving any consensus on the issue of the letter demanding Hobson keep his apparent pledge, although their was confusion as to whether he had left himself wiggle room. One person brought up her concern that such a letter could be turned to use by DESC as proof that NDNC was condoning the project if the DESC project was acknowledged in the letter about limiting sexual offenders.
    Nobody seemed to know what the statutes are regarding sexual offenders at the proposed DESC facility. One fellow queried whether NDNC could officially support such discrimination, even against sexual offenders.
    The acting chairperson revealed her exasperation and bias in support of the letter when she said, “Bill Hobson, has not given us anything else.”

    Regarding the Design Review Board meeting, I would clarify WSB’s “limited public comment” to add that the comments are limited to Design Review
    aspects of the development such as set-backs, height and code related issues. It is not the forum to express general opposition, or support, for the building’s intended use as a homeless shelter.

  • DelridgeV November 17, 2011 (10:54 am)

    To clarify, the “limited public comment” I was referring to was the fact that there is only 20-25 minutes allowed for community member comment at the hearing itself. To be clear–the Design Review Board gives a lot of consideration to public comment and accepts those comments in advance in writing.

  • Instant Replay Needed November 17, 2011 (2:31 pm)

    Fair enough Vonetta, there may be 20-25 minutes allowed for public comment and letters are are accepted.
    But the content of those letters is still limited to Design Review issues.
    Concerns about the fragility of Delridge, tax dollars being spent, food deserts, transportation, property values, drug use, homelessness, alcoholism, mental illness, proximity to schools & parks are not within the purview of the Design Review Board.
    Such non-Design Review comments can be aired here at WSB, NDNC and Delridge Forum Blogspot, city, state, federal agencies and DESC.

  • Instant Replay Needed November 18, 2011 (9:55 am)

    Yesterday, after meeting and hearing from four residents of the community speaking (three in opposition, one in support), the Regional Joint Recommendations Committee voted overwhelmingly for recommendation of funding to Dow. The sole vote in opposition was from the Burien/White Center mayor.
    Members of the committee addressed community concerns of food deserts, transportation, security, property values, retail, DESC guidelines, the granted waiver, and the effect of established DESC facilities on other neighborhoods.
    Members of the committee complimented the Delridge community for taking such an active interest.
    The committee also agreed to recommending additional stipulations of DESC screening of and not allowing sexual offenders in their facility upon receiving a letter from the community requesting such. They determined that the community be represented by NDNC in the letter.
    The other stipulation being that DESC enhance and continue community outreach, which has been a major complaint of DESC foes.

    • WSB November 18, 2011 (10:05 am)

      Yeah, we’re still waiting for formal confirmation from county staff, who haven’t returned my messages yet.

  • Been There November 18, 2011 (1:06 pm)

    Instant Replay Needed – If the DESC staff person named Tom that you reference is the same fellow I am thinking of he does not live in North Delridge. He lives on Puget Ridge, a block or so from South Seattle Community College. It is a completely different neighborhood and is separated entirely from North Delridge by natural boundaries and geography. It is not within the NDNC By-Law instituted geographical boundaries.
    =
    Sure, the NDNC meets in a public space and is a public entity and therefore anyone can attend, but it gets really old watching or read about people who do not live in an area interject themselves and start tossing their ideas and opinions around when they themselves will not live with the consequences. It would be like me going to Alki Community Council or Admiral District Neighborhood Association meetings and sticking my nose in their neighborhood issues.
    =
    Tom, get involved in Puget Ridge issues. There are plenty. Or better yet, actually move to North Delridge by purchasing one of the houses on 23rd behind the DESC project. There is at least one currently For Sale. Others I believe have been foreclosed upon and are sitting empty. Tom, from your new home on 23rd you can be the guy who keeps an eye on the DESC construction site when the tweakers and thieves show up in the late hours of the night to strip the place. Step up guy!

  • Instant Replay Needed November 18, 2011 (2:39 pm)

    Been There, I don’t know how your attack on one individual has any place in this forum.
    I openly question why WSB allows such a mean spirited post to remain as you are attacking the person not the idea.
    Your territorial claim (of NDNC turf) may be accurate, but is without merit as the Puget Ridge community is without such an organization, is even more stranded, also a food desert, lacks transit and is also a poor crime ridden neighborhood.
    Besides who are you to say who should or should not be able to participate in your community?

  • Instant Replay Needed November 18, 2011 (5:42 pm)

    ?

  • sam-c November 19, 2011 (6:01 pm)

    ?
    what’s the point of attacking another neighborhood ?

    it’s not really more crime ridden than other areas in WS. based on perusal of the 911 seattle.gov 911 incident responses.

    (if it lacks transit now, I guess I am not looking forward to the cuts the 125.)

  • Instant Replay Needed November 22, 2011 (10:24 am)

    sam-c, please re-read my post that you incorrectly reacted to.
    You will see that I did not write that Puget Ridge is “more crime ridden than other areas in WS.”
    From my causal perusal of WSB crime reports, I will say it appears all of West Seattle is crime ridden.
    I was simply reacting to “Been There’s” attack of another person in the general neighborhood.
    I also would point out that by “the NDNC By-Law instituted geographical boundaries,” parts of Puget Ridge would be included.
    Form NDNC bylaws, “the tops of the ridges to the East and West” are included. This is quite fuzzy and non-specific. If you go by elevation data, this area would include area West of 35th and East of 21st which is not included in Patrick Baer’s map on NDNC site.
    All said, I did not intend to demean or attack your or any other neighborhood and I regret the interpretation you have reached.

  • Been There November 23, 2011 (1:05 pm)

    Instant Replay Needed – The formation and existence of the NDNC did not just come out of nowhere. It took a few people to get off their butts to get it started several years ago. They stayed on task to solve plenty of nasty crap. Crap that still lingers on. For someone like Tom, who has stated publicly where he lives on Puget Ridge and who has a conflict of interest in promoting his/her own agenda regarding the proposed Delridge DESC to latch onto the NDNC is really lame. This is not the first time that the DESC has infiltrated a neighborhood council in this city. A lot of damage has occurred because of this.

    Puget Ridge had a budding neighborhood council back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s but it kind of died on the vine. All it needs is people like Tom and a few other Puget Ridge neighbors to kick-start it and get it up and going so that Puget Ridge has a voice for ITS citizens to work together to solve THEIR issues. Currently on Puget Ridge there is an email listserve administered by a thoughtful neighbor so there is place for Tom and other Puget Ridger’s to get connected, reach out and start the formation of a council representing 21st east to 16th.

    Puget Ridge is a completely different neighborhood than the area represented by the NDNC. With the exception of SSCC, Puget Ridge is predominantly zoned Single Family whereas the NDNC has land zoned SF, L, NC, C, IG and IC. Granted, the issues of food deserts, crime, transit and lack of safe pedestrian mobility are shared by both neighborhoods, but presenting them as one neighborhood, or trying to combine them into one neighborhood council would be a mistake as they are geographically and topographically isolated from one another. Plus, bigger is not necessarily better when it comes to land area represented by a neighborhood council.

    I will reiterate my initial posting. Anyone who lives on Puget Ridge, including people such as Tom, get engaged with opportunities in your own neighborhood such as the restoration of Puget Creek, the Puget Ridge Edible Park, set up block watches, etc.
    Or, if you are so jazzed about the DESC project for Delridge Way and the North Delridge neighborhood then go ahead and BUY one of the houses on 23rd behind where the DESC monstrosity is going to be built so you actually live with what is being shoved down North Delridge’s throat. Otherwise it is all talk, no action.

Sorry, comment time is over.