West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
The photos are from West Seattle 4th of July Kids’ Parade organizer Jackie Clough of Alki Party Treasures (WSB sponsor) – as of tonight, Walking on Logs alongside the Fauntleroy end of the West Seattle Bridge is decked out as a red, white, and blue reminder that the holiday is just a week and a half away.
As always, the parade starts at 10 am on the 4th (which is on a Saturday this year) at 44th and Sunset in North Admiral (map) – all welcome to participate – walking, biking, riding in a stroller or wagon. The route goes through the neighborhood and then over to Hamilton Viewpoint Park for post-parade games (sack races, etc.). Three ways to help:
1. Bring diapers for WestSide Baby
2. Volunteer to help with the post-parade games
3. Loan Jackie a bullhorn/microphone so they can bag the equipment that in the past has cut out on the national-anthem singer and announcements
E-mail her at jackie@alkipartytreasures.com if you can help with #2 and/or #3 – for #1, just bring them on the 4th!
(Photo taken this evening, looking westward at 47th/Admiral/Waite)
Two messages tonight about the 47th/Admiral/Waite signal and crosswalks project. First one is a progress report from SDOT:
Work resumed last week at the intersection of 47th Avenue SW and SW Admiral Way. Crews installed the signal poles and striped the intersection, including new crosswalks. They also began installation of wiring in preparation for the new signal heads that we expect will be delivered later this week. We anticipate approximately three more weeks of construction while the signals are installed and configured.
The striping of the crosswalks before the signal’s installation, however, led WSB reader Jennie to e-mail this safety concern and ask if we’d share it:
I was wondering if you might be able to highlight a safety concern and an extra need for people to slow down and use caution when driving through the new Admiral stoplight intersection that is being created near Alki Mail and Dispatch.
There are not lights yet to control this intersections, yet they have decided to lay down all of the crosswalks. I am *very* concerned that someone is going to use one of these new crosswalks (potentially even young kids now that they are out of school) and get hit. The one crosswalk that was always there was placed in about the best position for line of sight for cars and it obviously didn’t do its job well with crossing deaths and accidents.
Crosswalks don’t require lights – don’t even require striping (as explained here) – but nonetheless, since the painted crosswalks are new features and the light is still a few weeks away, it’s a good idea to take extra care in that area as people using all modes get used to the new features.
(2012 photo by Gary Jones)
It’s been a fixture for years on Alki Beach, right next to the Seafair Pirates’ Landing (which is coming up this Saturday)- the Alki Swashbuckler Beach Vault pole-vaulting competition. 19 years, according to its website, which is where we found out that it’s NOT happening this year for the first time since 1996. The website mentioned only the Pirates’ Landing date change as a reason, but this is the second year since the landing moved up to late June, so we contacted the presenting group to find out more.
Becca Gillespy Peter of Pole Vault Power explained in response to our inquiry, “The early date is bad for us, we have multiple conflicts, primarily the USA National Championships in Eugene, Oregon, and our local Junior Olympic Association Championships.” She said that while one of those conflicts existed last year, they made the choice to give it a try anyway, but the weather was iffy – more of a risk in June than July – and the turnout seemed lower. With all that and some communication challenges with the Seafair Pirates organization, they decided to cancel: “We are bummed to have to cancel the event after 19 years, but hope to return next year … We do hope to return next year, it may conflict with the Olympic Trials, depending on what date they choose, but I should be able to find enough volunteers to run the event in my absence, if necessary …” And if you just want to get your annual fix of pole-vault spectating, Becca reminds us, “We also have a beach vault every year on July 4 at the city of Tacoma’s Freedom Fair Festival; this will be the 21st year in a row for pole vaulting at that event.”
(West Seattle section of Parks map showing ‘natural areas’ in purple, parks in green)
Remember the GoApe/Lincoln Park kerfuffle three years ago? In short – Seattle Parks spent one year talking with a commercial zipline operator about a potential facility in Lincoln Park without any public notification/discussion. A local advocate got wind of it, asked us about it, we reported on it, local community advocates organized against it, the proposal was withdrawn.
No specific proposal of that type has emerged since. But natural-space advocates say they’re afraid a new Seattle Parks policy proposal that has a public hearing this Thursday (June 25th) – sparked by the controversy over a mountain-bike course elsewhere in the city – would open the gates for it, and for much more. They are circulating an online petition and sounding the alarm.
You might already have seen discussion of this in the WSB Forums. The “briefing paper” about what’s formally known as “Natural Area and Greenbelt Supplemental Use Guidelines” explains in this preface:
The purpose of the Supplemental Use Guidelines is to provide a transparent tool to evaluate use proposals in Parks’ classified Natural Areas and Greenbelts. (See map, Appendix B of the Guidelines.) The impetus to develop use guidelines came from the difficult process Parks, the Board and the community have been through regarding locating a new use – a bicycle trail – in the Cheasty Greenspace, one of Parks classified Natural Areas. We need to ensure that as an agency, we are meeting the needs of all of our residents and that policies reflect the
changing needs of residents and long-term goals for the city and Parks.
Here’s the full document:
One of the loudest opposition voices is from the Seattle Nature Alliance statement, which has major roots in West Seattle. Its statement includes a link to its petition:
Seattle Parks Department proposes to change the use policy for Natural Areas and Greenbelts, allowing previously prohibited uses in protected areas. After heated community debates over a proposed commercial zipline in Lincoln Park (2012), and more recently, a mountain-bike skills course in the Cheasty Greenspace, Seattle Parks seems to be proposing this policy change to streamline future projects and is ignoring the growing concerns about Seattle’s booming development and its effect on natural areas.
Concerned by equitable access to nature and potential damage to wildlife habitat from overuse, the Seattle Nature Alliance launched a Change.org petition. – ‘Preserve Seattle Parks Natural Areas and Greenspaces’. The Seattle Nature Alliance is opposed to the expansion of ‘specialized’ recreation in our natural areas and greenspaces. Co-director Denise Dahn believes “these revisions give privileges to a select few at the expense of everyone else. This is unfair as well as environmentally unsustainable. Parks are for everyone.
Parks staff is recommending that the Parks Board approve the new guidelines. First comes this Thursday’s public hearing, during the board’s 6:30 pm meeting at Parks HQ downtown (100 Dexter Ave. N.) Their vote is expected four weeks later, on July 23rd.
(2012 photo: Illegal fireworks at Hamilton Viewpoint Park while spectators awaited view of legal Lake Union show)
With the 4th of July a week and a half away – plus an extra-long spell of warm, dry weather already well under way – the Southwest Precinct asked us to share a reminder that’s more important than ever:
The Seattle Police Department and Seattle Fire Department would like to remind the public that fireworks are illegal in the City of Seattle.
The possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling and use of fireworks are prohibited. Fireworks offenses are gross misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.
Fireworks pose a fire hazard to property and present a safety risk to those who use them. Every year the Seattle Fire Department responds to fireworks-related fires and injuries. The holiday-related fires and injuries are preventable.
On the 4th of July, 911 centers become overloaded with non-emergency fireworks calls. DO NOT call 911 unless you have a life-threatening emergency and need immediate help from police, fire or medics. Unnecessary 911 calls block people with real emergencies from reaching 911 and getting help.
Any fireworks-related fires or injuries should be reported directly to 911. Other fireworks violations may be reported by calling the Seattle Police non-emergency number at 206-625-5011.
Via Community Police Team Officer Jon Flores, we also have SPD info-sheets to share on preventing/deterring crimes that are even more common in the warm season:
*Car prowls
*Making sure your windows are secure
*Making sure your doors are secure
*Burglary deterrence, outside your home
*Suspicious behavior and when to report it
P.S. More crime-prevention info is just a few hours away at tonight’s West Seattle Block Watch Captains’ Network meeting.
The restaurant that’s moving into the north section of what was Admiralty House Antiques has set its opening date.
Via Twitter, Mioposto told us today that it’s planning to open the 2141 California SW restaurant on August 6th. News of Mioposto’s West Seattle expansion came back in January; our most-recent update was in March, when proprietor Jeremy Hardy told us they’ll open for lunch in Admiral as well as dinner. This will be Mioposto’s third restaurant, after Mt. Baker and Bryant. (Here’s the current menu.)
Mayor Murray is breaking up the Department of Planning and Development, and longtime director Diane Sugimura is retiring. Those are the bottom lines from an announcement this morning at City Hall. The mayor is creating a new city department, the Office of Planning and Community Development, that is supposed to have the big picture in terms of planning – not just construction/development but also transportation, among other things – and dismantling DPD, whose other functions such as permitting will be handled by a department to be named later. Read the full announcement ahead:
Days or even weeks before the formal notices of Southwest Design Review Board meetings are sent out, the dates appear on the city Department of Planning and Development website, which is where we find two more early alerts, for a doubleheader meeting at the Senior Center of West Seattle on July 23rd. Both projects will be reviewed for Early Design Guidance (EDG), first of the Design Review process‘s two phases:
4801 FAUNTLEROY WAY SW: This former parking lot currently being used for The Whittaker‘s construction-project trailers (map) has its own future project proposal, as we first reported in April, and it’s now set for the 6:30 pm spot on the July 23rd SWDRB agenda. Above is David Foster Architects‘ early version of the “packet” for the meeting, as found in the city’s online files; keep in mind that since the meeting’s a month away, it might change. In the packet, the project is described as a “four-story mixed-use building with 30-40 apartments, 2-8 retail or live-work spaces. Between 0 and 7 parking spaces.” (Projects can be somewhat fluid in the EDG phase, depending on which of the potential size/shape options are viewed favorably by the board – if you browse the packet above, you’ll see the three variations proposed so far.)
5414 DELRIDGE WAY SW: No packet yet for this project that we first wrote about in February; a house (map) north of Cottage Grove Commons is proposed for demolition and replacement with a four-story building including seven residential units, 1,100 square feet of commercial/office space, and seven surface parking spaces. It’s the 8 pm project on the board’s July 23rd agenda.
Thanks to Beef for the photo from 11th SW and SW Holden in Highland Park, where SDOT’s installing another set of “rectangular rapid-flash beacons” in hopes of making it safer for people to cross. West Seattle’s first set has been up for about a month at California/Dakota north of The Junction, as reported here; a third set is in the works for the new crosswalk in front of the Boren Building at 5950 Delridge Way SW, home to K5 STEM and interim home to Arbor Heights Elementary (for one more year).
Take two minutes for a calming close-up look at West Seattle sea life, courtesy of “Diver Laura” James, who shared that with us last night, to share with you. And now … a look ahead to what’s happening above water today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
BABY STORY TIME: 10:30 am at Southwest Library, bring your newborn-through-1-year-old to enjoy fun stories, songs, rhymes. (35th/Henderson)
ZYDECO DANCING AT SALTY’S: 6-9 pm event at Salty’s on Alki (WSB sponsor), including dance lesson, dancing, cocktail, appetizer – but call quick to make sure room’s still available! (1936 Harbor SW)
TUESDAY TUNEUP: Also at Salty’s tonight, starting at 6:30 pm, no-cover live piano, accordion, and saxophone, and fundraising for ReAct Theatre – details here. (1936 Harbor SW)
WEST SEATTLE BLOCK WATCH CAPTAINS’ NETWORK: 6:30 pm at the Southwest Precinct (and you’re welcome to come as early as 6 pm to network and get your materials for this year’s Night Out), with special guest SPD Crime Prevention Coordinator Mark Solomon talking about the new safety plan in the works for Denny International Middle School and vicinity. Last WSBWCN meeting until September – more info on the WSBWCN website. All welcome, Block Watch involvement not a prerequisite. (Webster/Delridge)
FAMILY STORY TIME: 7 pm tonight at Delridge Library – all ages welcome to enjoy stories and rhymes. (5423 Delridge Way SW)
NIGHTLIFE TONIGHT … see the listings on our calendar!
(Four WS-relevant views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
7:41 AM: Nothing to report so far on the outbound commute.
Meantime, it’s the last scheduled day for this closure in The Junction:
42nd Ave SW just north of SW Alaska St will be closed until 5 pm today. More info: http://t.co/glcMw7Jjse
— seattledot (@seattledot) June 23, 2015
8:50 AM: Still quiet. Meantime, in case you’ve been wondering about the ongoing Delridge/Orchard work, this is the latest from Seattle Public Utilities:
The daytime single-lane restriction on SW Orchard Street (east of Delridge Way SW) will remain in place off-and-on through the end of July as crews complete paving and striping. As has been the case throughout this project, the lane may be closed Monday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., and will be opened to traffic during non-work hours. During closures, all westbound traffic will be diverted to the eastbound lane with the assistance of a traffic flagger.
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