day : 02/06/2015 11 results

QUESTION FOR DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES: Annex White Center and the rest of unincorporated North Highline, or not?

| West Seattle news | West Seattle politics | White Center

(Looking southward over the heart of White Center. Photo by Long Bach Nguyen)
Tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, as reported here Monday, the issue of White Center/North Highline annexation comes up for another briefing before the City Council’s Education and Governance Committee. Last December, that committee voted to take a step that it stressed just kept the city’s options open for potentially seeking an annexation vote in time to use a state tax credit considered vital for covering some of the costs. Now, another step has to be taken to keep that option open, councilmembers will be told tomorrow. But another vote would be required to actually pursue a vote by residents of the potential annexation area, and if that vote happens, it might not be until after the November election. As a prelude to tomorrow’s briefing – we asked the nine candidates for City Council District 1 (West Seattle/South Park) whether, and why, they do or do not support annexing WC/NH. We sent the questions to their official e-mail addresses just before noon Monday, with a deadline of midnight. Seven candidates replied; we’ve published their responses in the order received and as received, unedited:

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West Seattle development updates: New projects along California SW and Delridge Way, plus a Design Review doubleheader

June 2, 2015 9:31 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Development | West Seattle news

Eight development notes plus a photo:

EARLY DESIGN GUIDANCE SET FOR REVIVED JUNCTION PROJECT: Three months after we reported that 4532 42nd SW was active again, six years after demolition of the biggest building on the site, its new plan is on the Southwest Design Review Board schedule. As noted here in March, that new plan is for a six-story building with 84 apartments and 70 underground parking spaces, along with 3,350 square feet of commercial space. It’s set to go to the SWDRB at 8 pm July 2nd, Senior Center of West Seattle, right after this next project …

DESIGN REVIEW UPDATE FOR AEGIS LIVING: A week ago, we reported that the online files for Aegis Living‘s 80-unit memory-care/assisted-living center at 4700 SW Admiral Way showed it would go through Administrative Design Review – no public meeting. Since then, a listing showed up for a 6:30 pm July 2nd public meeting with the SW Design Review Board. We sought clarification from the city planner on the project, Holly Godard, who replied that the project WILL go before the board. The error/dual listing is unexplained, though, and even resulted in this apparently erroneous notice in the city Land Use Information Bulletin. The July 2nd public meeting seems to be for real, so if you’re interested in this project, mark your calendar. And send e-mail comments to holly.godard@seattle.gov.

Now, updates from two arterials. First, California SW:

NEW CALIFORNIA SW PROJECT: A mostly empty lot – just a storage building on its alley side – at 5431 California SW is proposed for three live-work units fronting California, with a two-unit townhouse building behind them, and two single-family houses behind that.

THIRD DEMOLITION IN TWO BLOCKS IN TWO WEEKS: The house at 4031 California SW came down last week, less than two blocks south of the 3811 California SW and 3829 California SW teardowns days earlier:

Thanks to Bryce for that photo. A two-unit townhouse and one single-family house are planned on the site.

CALIFORNIA/CHARLESTOWN FOLLOWUP: We reported last Friday night that Intracorp said it was about to get going on the ex-Charlestown Café site. The announcement didn’t have specifics on the exact demolition timetable, though; project spokesperson Dan Swallow has since told WSB that it’s expected one week from today (June 9th). **UPDATE, WEDNESDAY MORNING** As we’re covering in a separate story, the teardown is under way NOW.

Lots of redevelopment along Delridge Way, too. From north to south, three projects to mention:

4107-4111 DELRIDGE WAY SW: These two addresses are proposed for a three-unit rowhouse fronting Delridge and two single-family houses behind. (Side note: Records show that in 2008, this site was proposed for a six-unit “cottage housing” redevelopment.)

5013 DELRIDGE WAY SW: Land-use proposal for a five-townhouse building, with ground-level carports, on a vacant lot; the site plan shows the entrance will be via one curb cut on Delridge.

8139 DELRIDGE WAY SW: This house will be demolished, with four single-family houses scheduled to replace it.

FINALLY – THE WHITTAKER, FROM THE SKY: Local pilot/photographer Long Bach Nguyen, who often generously shares images via WSB, just sent this new aerial looking southward over the construction site at 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW:

We pinged a project spokesperson today to see if there’s anything new on this project (future home of 400 apartments, Whole Foods Market, other TBA retail, and 600 underground parking spaces), but haven’t heard back yet.

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Bike to work? Find out about Ride Around the Sound along the trail this Thursday

June 2, 2015 8:36 pm

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| Health | How to help | West Seattle news

If you’ll be bicycling to or from the low bridge on Thursday morning between 6:30 and 9:30 am, set aside a few minutes for a stop along the way. Just out of the WSB inbox:

Two local West Seattle businesses are teaming up to support the American Lung Association. Brad Loetel, owner of West Seattle Cyclery, will be in the West Seattle Cyclery Tent, as usual on Thursday mornings, handing out coffee, refreshments, and mechanical support to bike commuters. Mike Mulligan of AAA Washington will join Brad on this Thursday to help raise awareness of the American Lung Association’s Ride Around the Sound fundraising ride scheduled for September 19, 2015. We hope cyclists will stop and learn about this one-day, fully supported fundraising ride to support the good work of the American Lung Association.

(AAA is a WSB sponsor.)

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Shell @ Terminal 5: Next round of protest events announced, including ‘luminary flotilla’ Friday

June 2, 2015 5:03 pm

| 43 COMMENTS

| Environment | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(May 2015 photo of ‘Solar Pioneer,’ with Polar Pioneer in background, by David Hutchinson)
While Shell’s Arctic-offshore-drilling vessels might be leaving as soon as June 10th, opponents have announced another round of protest events in West Seattle. According to an online schedule (found earlier on this webpage, but it’s timing out as we write this), they’re including two “welcoming” events today and Thursday at the park adjacent to Delridge Community Center and a gathering tomorrow night across the street at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, as well as “land blockades” as soon as Friday and a Friday night flotilla near the People’s Platform/Solar Pioneer barge off Don Armeni Boat Ramp.

ADDED 6:25 PM: We went over to the Delridge CC park to check on the “welcoming” event and found two people under a canopy along with this sign near the corner of Delridge and Genesee:

They told us someone had already sent police over to check on them; the officers stopped by, and left.

(back to original report) Meantime, the state Department of Natural Resources confirmed to WSB that Shell has responded to its questions about whether the drilling platform is too big for T-5, but hasn’t made the response public yet, saying DNR staffers are “reviewing” it.

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Student robbed in Admiral area

June 2, 2015 2:05 pm

| 22 COMMENTS

| Crime | West Seattle news

2:05 PM: While we haven’t been able to get full details from Seattle Police yet, we wanted to tell you what we do know about this, given where it happened: SPD is investigating a strong-arm street robbery reported just before 10 this morning at California/Hanford [map]. The robber took the victim’s backpack. While the location is just south of West Seattle High School, we do NOT know if the victim was, or was not, a student; because the report isn’t in the system yet, SPD media relations didn’t have access to details such as the victim’s age. The only descriptive information in the system so far regarding the robber is: A Hispanic man in his 30s, 6 feet tall, wearing jeans. When we find out more, we’ll add it here.

4:09 PM: SPD has added one more detail so far – the victim is a 13-year-old girl.

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California/Dakota gets first of 3 ‘rectangular rapid-flash beacons’ set for West Seattle crosswalks; Delridge, Highland Park next

June 2, 2015 1:07 pm

| 16 COMMENTS

| Safety | West Seattle news

A video posted by West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) on May 31, 2015 at 1:55pm PDT

Have you seen the new safety lights on the crosswalk signs at California/Dakota, north of The Junction? We noticed them earlier this week, grabbed the quick Instagram clip you see above, and then asked SDOT’s Brian Dougherty if more are on the way for West Seattle. Yes, he replied, two more so far:

The new rectangular rapid flash beacons (RRFB) at California Avenue SW and SW Dakota Street were funded and installed by SDOT’s Safe Routes to School program. This is one of several RRFBs that will be installed at school crosswalks this year; the other two locations in West Seattle include the new Delridge midblock crosswalk that will be installed in front of the Boren building, and SW Holden Street and 11th Avenue SW near Riverview Playfields (funded by Neighborhood Park and Street Fund). Both of those are planned to be installed this summer.

Boren also remains a top candidate for West Seattle’s next school-zone speed camera, Dougherty confirms, but the list of upcoming installations hasn’t been finalized yet.

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TRANSPORTATION LEVY: Proposal for partial ‘alternative funding’ instead of raising all $930 million via property-tax levy

June 2, 2015 12:15 pm

| 7 COMMENTS

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Some of the concerns about the city’s proposed $930 million transportation levy – which, as mentioned in our daily preview, is the subject of a public hearing tonight – involve how it would be paid for: A property-tax levy. Councilmember Nick Licata proposes shifting a third of the cost to other sources – making it a $600 million levy, with $330 million to be raised via development-impact fees, commercial-parking taxes, and an employee-hours tax. Read on for the full news release:
Read More

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West Seattle Crime Watch: Where car prowlers/burglars hit

June 2, 2015 10:53 am

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| Crime | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

One reader report in West Seattle Crime Watch this morning, plus three incidents found on the tweeted police log:

CAR PROWL: Reported via text (206-293-6302 any time) this morning:

Sometime between 10pm and 5am our car was broken into while parked in our driveway. We are on 47th and Myrtle [map]. Everything was rummaged through but it is not clear if anything was actually taken. Fuse box was ripped out.

We checked Tweets by Beat – which shows address, type of incident, and time – and found only one other car-prowl report for the past 24 hours in West Seattle: 2200 block of SW Andover in North Delridge, reported at mid-afternoon Monday.

BURGLARY REPORTS: No reader reports so far today (editor@westseattleblog.com); two are shown on Tweets by Beat from the past 24 hours in West Seattle: One reported last night, 3700 block of SW Trenton [map] in Upper Fauntleroy; one reported Monday afternoon, 9600 block of Fauntleroy Way SW in Brace Point [map].

ONE MORE REMINDER: Crime concerns in Westwood/Roxhill/South Delridge? Be at WWRHAH tonight.

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West Seattle Tuesday: Plan an outdoor gym; explore at low tide; comment on zoning, levy proposals; talk crime @ WWRHAH …

June 2, 2015 9:04 am

| 4 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

Thanks to Dina Lydia for sharing her short video of walking/riding passersby on Alki last weekend. Though it’s damp and cool this morning, summery weather is expected this weekend. But first, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar, what’s up for the rest of today/tonight:

LOW-LOW TIDE, WITH BEACH NATURALISTS: Out to -1.8 at 11:29 am today, and even lower in the early afternoon for the next three days; here’s the chart. Starting at 9:45 am, you’ll find Seattle Aquarium volunteer Beach Naturalists out at Lincoln and Constellation Parks (look for the signs), until 1 pm.

LOWRISE ZONING HEARING: As previewed here on Monday, the City Council’s Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee has a public hearing at 2 pm about proposed changes in “low-rise” multi-family zoning; if you’re interested in commenting, just show up, and/or e-mail mike.obrien@seattle.gov. If you can’t be at City Hall, it’ll be live on Seattle Channel, cable and Web.

TRANSPORTATION LEVY HEARING: Another public hearing at City Hall – 5:30 pm, the City Council’s Transportation Committee listens to public comments on the latest version of the proposed transportation levy. (4th/5th/James/Cherry)

MADISON OPEN HOUSE/POTLUCK: 6-8 pm event at Madison Middle School to celebrate the upcoming end of the school year and to welcome incoming 6th-grade families. (45th/Spokane)

‘DRINKING LIBERALLY WEST SEATTLE’: Drop by at or after 6 pm for the confluence of politics and beverages, at Pizzeria 22. (4213 SW College)

TALK CRIME WITH WWRHAH, SPD, AND MORE: City reps including SPD and DPD will be at the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council meeting – as previewed here – for a discussion about ongoing area crime concerns (including nuisance houses). What’s the situation in YOUR neighborhood? Come be part of the conversation (or at least just to listen). 6:15-7:45 pm in the upstairs meeting room at Southwest Branch Library. (35th/Henderson)

HELP PLAN AN OUTDOOR GYM: 6:30 pm, be at Delridge Community Center to help plan the new free-to-use outdoor “fitness zone” that’s due to be installed this year. We asked Seattle Parks where on the grounds it’s likely to go – they told us, that’s up to you to help decide! More info here. (4501 Delridge Way SW)

THAT’S NOT ALL … our calendar pages for today and beyond have even more listed – see for yourself.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Tuesday watch; 47th/Admiral update; transportation-levy hearing downtown tonight

June 2, 2015 7:29 am

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| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:29 AM: Good morning! Quiet again so far this morning. We’ll update if that changes. Since our Monday traffic watch, one advance alert has come in:

47th/ADMIRAL SIGNAL UPDATE: After a stopdown while awaiting delivery of the signal equipment, the final phase of work is likely to start next week, SDOT announced:

As soon as Monday, June 8, work will resume at the intersection of 47th Avenue SW and SW Admiral Way. … We anticipate approximately 3-4 more weeks of construction while the signal is installed and configured. After we receive the signal equipment, crews will:
· Install signal equipment including poles and mast arms, signal heads and cabinets
· Stripe the intersection with new crosswalks and a new left-turn pocket on SW Admiral Way
· Remove the existing overhead pedestrian signal
· Complete remaining landscaping

When construction resumes, residents, businesses, and travelers can expect the following impacts:
· Construction activity from 7 AM – 4 PM
· Pedestrian and bicycle detours around the work areas
· Temporary parking and lane restrictions on 47th Avenue SW, SW Admiral Way and SW Waite Street
· Noise and activity from construction equipment and vehicles

ADDED 8:16 AM: Still quiet, per all the sources we monitor (scanner, transportation/public-safety agencies on Twitter, incoming messaging channels). One more reminder: If you want to tell the City Council something about the proposed Transportation Levy as it stands now, a special evening public hearing is set for 5:30 tonight at City Hall downtown – more info here.

8:34 AM: Transit alert – Metro has just sent a text alert that “the last Route 55 trip from 44th SW and SW Atlantic (scheduled for) 8:17 am is delayed about 30-40 minutes.”

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Congratulations! Madison Middle School musicians’ big wins

June 2, 2015 5:04 am

| 9 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle schools | WS culture/arts

Thanks to Sheryl Guyon for sharing photos and news of Madison Middle School musicians’ success

Madison Middle School has an award-winning Music Department. They competed this weekend at Music in the Parks in Silverwood, Idaho. Under the expert direction of Mr. Clark Bathum, the concert band won 1st place for their division!

The Orchestra and Jazz band were pleased to each win second place, most notably with an excellent rating. The competition was intense this year, with more than 1,800 music students attending from Northwest high schools and middle schools. The school is incredibly proud of Jonah Elbaum, who was awarded Outstanding Jazz Soloist:

As one of the youngest members of the jazz band, his award is exceptional. Perhaps the greatest compliment of all came at the end of the trip. The hotel manager noted that this was the most polite and respectful group of young people they have ever had stay at the hotel. Mr. Bathum expects the very best from his students and this remarkable group of young people never fails to deliver.

According to the Madison home page, you’ll be able to see the award-winning young musicians in concert before the school year ends – the orchestra and jazz concert is listed for this Thursday (June 4th), the band concert for next Monday (June 8th), both at 7 pm.

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