day : 22/02/2016 10 results

Thanks to Alki photographer David Hutchinson for the view of tonight’s “Snow Moon” full-moonrise, looking east to downtown, from Duwamish Head in West Seattle. Might be a nice morning moonset, a few minutes before ~7 am sunrise, per the chart you can find any time on the WSB West Seattle Weather page.

They’re neighbors – so why aren’t Westwood, Highland Park, White Center being planned together?

February 22, 2016 8:21 pm

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle news | Westwood | White Center

(From draft Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Will Seattle finally ask voters in White Center and the rest of still-unincorporated North Highline to let themselves be annexed?

The answer to that question now rests with the fate of a bill making its way through the Legislature, approved by the State Senate in late January, heard in a State House committee last Friday, and headed for an executive-session discussion in another committee this Wednesday: SSB 5964.

It boosts the amount of state sales tax that can be diverted to the city to cover the cost of annexing (read the full text here).

An update on the bill was part of a briefing the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Council received from the city’s longtime point person on annexation, Kenny Pittman. He spoke during WWRHAH’s February meeting, which was focused on the status of the Westwood-Highland Park Residential Urban Village and how neighboring White Center might play into it if annexation happens.

While the city waits to see if the bill gets final legislative approval this year, the annexation proposal is on hold with the King County Boundary Review Board, which would have to give its blessing before the proposal could go before voters, as would the Seattle City Council, which has had major turnover – four of its nine members – since giving approval to an early step in the process last summer.

With the city updating its Comprehensive Plan now, via the Seattle 2035 process, WWRHAH is not content to just let this all play out and then wonder how Westwood and White Center might become part of some sort of coherent planning process later. So this month’s discussion was intended as something of a jump-start. WWRHAH, explained co-chair Amanda Kay Helmick, wants to create a joint plan that includes White Center: “Something for people to vote on!”

That underscore: If there’s a chance White Center and vicinity might become part of Seattle within a few years, why wouldn’t planning already be under way, since the city is close to launching its vision for the next 20 years?

The answer seemed to be, in part, that the planning still might be inadequate on this side of the city/county line.

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First-ever Westside Plant & Garden Art Extravaganza set for spring

February 22, 2016 6:50 pm

| 3 COMMENTS

| Gardening | West Seattle news

(Photo courtesy Alice Britt)

New this spring: The first-ever Westside Plant and Garden Art Extravaganza! Just out of the WSB inbox, here’s the announcement:

West Seattle garden-related merchants, clubs, & other organizations are invited to be part of the Westside Plant & Garden Art Extravaganza.

The event, sponsored by the Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, will be held on Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, 2016, and will feature:

*perennial, vegetable, herb & berry plants perfect for NW gardens,
*garden art created by local artists,
*advice from local garden experts,
*information on sustainable gardening practices & ways of sharing our garden bounty with those in need.
*representatives from local garden-related community organizations, businesses, & clubs

This event promises to be an enjoyable opportunity for gardening enthusiasts as well a terrific way for local merchants and organizations to promote their products, activities, services and upcoming events. Displays, brochures and portfolios, as well as live or digital demonstrations are encouraged. All participants will also be showcased on the Garden Extravaganza website, soon to be published.

Booths/tables are available both inside and outside for either one or both days. There is no charge for businesses or organizations providing information only; however, there is a $75 booth fee for artists who wish to sell their work at the event.

To secure a booth/table at the the event, please contact Alice Britt at alicebritt@comcast.net as soon as possible. Space will be allocated on a first-come basis.

WSUU is at 7141 California SW.

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Seattle Symphony, free, in West Seattle, two nights away!

February 22, 2016 4:56 pm

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| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

If this isn’t already on your calendar (it’s on ours!): This Wednesday night (February 24th), the Seattle Symphony performs a free community concert at Chief Sealth International High School‘s auditorium – and you can see the Sealth and West Seattle High School orchestras too! CSIHS’s orchestra performs at 6:15 pm, WSHS at 6:30, and the Seattle Symphony at 7, featuring a side-by-side performance with the West Seattle Community Orchestra on “Finlandia” by Sibelius. Again, everybody’s invited, no admission charge; the Denny-Sealth Performing Arts support group plans a benefit bake sale in the lobby. CSIHS is at 2600 SW Thistle.

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Macklemore & Ryan Lewis signing @ Easy Street Records on Friday

February 22, 2016 2:36 pm

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

If you’re not in line yourself by then – you’ll see one at Easy Street Records starting at 5 this Friday night, because of this:

This Friday, 6pm, @macklemore @RyanLewis signing @EasyStRecords! First 100 to preorder new album guaranteed entry! https://t.co/N6Mmkey374

— Easy Street Records (@EasyStRecords) February 22, 2016

The WSB archives remind us that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis drew a crowd for a signing at ESR in 2011, more than a year before their huge hit “Thrift Shop”:

(WSB photo, April 2011)
Friday is the official release date for the new album “This Unruly Mess I’ve Made.” More on the ESR website.

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Why SDOT planted, then removed, trees at former site of temporary Fire Station 29

February 22, 2016 1:52 pm

| 10 COMMENTS

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

The question came in via the WSB Forums as well as via e-mail: Why were trees planted, and then removed, at the city-owned triangle in North Admiral that recently served as the temporary location of Fire Station 29?

(WSB photo from late Sunday afternoon)

Here’s what we’ve found out: SDOT urban foresters chose and planted the trees without knowing a key part of the site’s backstory – what was discussed with neighbors last year about the site’s future, after a last-minute city turnabout put the temporary station there in the first place.

SDOT’s Shane Dewald responded to our inquiry today:

Seattle Department of Transportation Urban Forestry staff are so often asked to plant more conifers in the street ROW. We strive to do so when we have adequate space to accommodate them in a manner that is compatible with public safety standards for sight distance. The California/ Hill / Ferry site appeared to be well suited for conifers, which were planted based on species selection and placement by a Forester for my office – before he or I were aware of the strong community interest in the use of this site as open space, or the extent of outreach that had conducted before the recent temporary use as a fire station (including the proposed layout of new trees in the plan that I have attached to this message).

SDOT was immediately contacted and we met on site with a neighbor representing the community interests and aware that the conifers were not compatible with the use of the site. We understood from our meeting that the conifers should be removed and replaced with deciduous trees for consistency with the restoration plan discussed during an outreach effort by FAS prior to the temporary use for fire station 29. Though SDOT asked if there might be a possibility that one of the conifers could remain, we were asked to find a new location for them all.

So what’s next for the restoration? Dewald says SDOT wondered about fruit-bearing trees, but the neighborhood wants to see “non-fruit bearing deciduous street trees … for minimum maintenance and optimum compatibility with the community use of the site.” They have a “hybrid variety of Tupelo” available, “tolerant of urban conditions, has relatively small leaves with an open growth habit that allows sun to filter through etc. If this tree sounds like a good option, I expect the installation of the new trees can be done as early as this Thursday!” But – given what’s happened so far – they’re checking with the neighborhood spokesperson first.

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My Three Little Birds: New WSB sponsor ‘growing up and looking to expand’

February 22, 2016 11:54 am

| 1 COMMENT

| West Seattle businesses | West Seattle news

Today we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, My Three Little Birds in Morgan Junction! New local sponsors are invited to explain what they’re all about – so here’s what My Three Little Birds would like you to know:

My Three Little Birds is a high-quality resale boutique that has an eye for fashion-forward kids’ clothing, local artists and designers, handmade goods, and unique toys from all over the globe, that everyone can afford. They opened in West Seattle’s Morgan Junction in April of 2014, after owner and local mom Jennifer Young was inspired by her three young daughters to create a beautiful and well-organized space where families can shop comfortably, kids can play freely, and the community can come together.

As their anniversary approaches, My Three Little Birds is growing up and looking to expand, by launching what they believe to be Seattle’s first online resale store catering to upscale children’s clothing, toys, and accessories. They are working in conjunction with Community Sourced Capital, a local company that helps established small businesses expand and grow. It is a unique type of crowdfunding, in that all donors are reimbursed for 100% of their contribution. All supporters can look forward to the thank-you party if this campaign is successful! The minimum target for the My Three Little Birds Campaign is $8,000, and they have a long way to go to reach their maximum of $15,000. If you wish to help fund and support this small business in the fast-growing community we live in, please go here for more information.

What has been most amazing about My Three Little Birds‘ 2 years as a part of the West Seattle retail community is how they have been able to impact their neighborhood in new and exciting ways each year, one connection at a time. Active with the Morgan Community Association, they have sponsored the kids’ area at the Morgan Junction Festival for the last 2 years, and will be there again this summer. They have also enjoyed sponsoring the Harvest Festival and 4th of July Kids’ Parade. An active member of a local group of small-businesswomen aptly named “Ladies Who Do Business,” Jennifer enjoys sharing ideas with other local businesswomen and offering support where she can. The play area has been an ideal location for their Spanish Song and Story Times, Costume Swaps, Kindermusik, Craft Days, Santa Photos, and more. The quarterly Ladies Night Extravaganzas have created a fun following of local women looking for a much-needed night out filled with shopping and mingling with friends.

My Three Little Birds is at 6959 California SW, 206-946-6591, and online at mythreelittlebirds.net. Their message in closing: “Thank you to our family, friends, co-workers, and customers for your continued love and support for our store and our family. We are grateful for all you have done to help this little business along the way. We love West Seattle and are honored to be sponsoring the West Seattle Blog.”

We thank My Three Little Birds for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

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West Seattle development: Now you can see what’s reviewable @ 9043 18th SW

February 22, 2016 10:58 am

| 3 COMMENTS

| Delridge | Development | West Seattle news

(Rendering by architecture firm Ryan Rhodes Designs)

When we mentioned earlier this month that the “streamlined design review” comment period had opened for four 2-townhouse buidings at 9043 18th SW [map], there was one glitch – the design packet hadn’t been posted online, so anyone interested in commenting couldn’t see it for themselves. We contacted the project’s assigned city planner, Magda Hogness, to ask if that would be fixed; she replied to say it’s there now, and because of the delay, the comment period has been extended a week (that would make the deadline March 3rd). You can see the packet on the city website by going here. “Streamlined” means no public meeting, so this is your one chance to have a say. The project has eight parking spaces along an alley behind the buildings instead of built into the three-story townhouses themselves. It’s going onto a site comprised of two lots, one vacant, one with an old house set for demolition (if it hasn’t been torn down already). To comment, e-mail magda.hogness@seattle.gov and include the city’s project number in the subject line – #3020870.

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West Seattle Monday: Moonrise & more…

February 22, 2016 9:00 am

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| West Seattle news | WS miscellaneous

(Photo by Jon Shields, taken from Duwamish Head)

Welcome to the first day of the last full week of February! Highlights for today/tonight:

TEEN ARTISTS IN ACTION: 4-5:30 pm, the new art club resumes at Southwest Library, working today with chalk. More here. (35th SW/SW Henderson)

‘SNOW MOON’: That’s the official name for tonight’s full moon, and it rises at 6:01 pm:

(Photo of the weekend’s almost-full moon, by Greg Snyder)

You can get the moonrise/moonset and sunrise/sunset times any time on the WSB West Seattle Weather page, by the way.

PACIFIC NORTHWEST GAME LEAGUE: 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (WSB sponsor) – just show up and play, as explained here. (3727 California SW)

FAMILY STORY TIME: 6:30-7 pm at High Point Library, kids of all ages are welcome for this free half-hour of stories, songs, and rhymes. (35th SW/SW Raymond)

MONDAY TRIVIA: 7:30 pm at The Skylark, free and all ages, prizes – “an audio round, a picture round, three themed rounds and a random round with questions from several different categories.” (3803 Delridge Way SW)

PUB QUIZ: 8-10 pm at Shadowland in The Junction. (California SW/SW Oregon)

LOOK INTO THE FUTURE … via our complete calendar.

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TRAFFIC/TRANSIT TODAY: Monday on the move

February 22, 2016 6:03 am

| 2 COMMENTS

| West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts

(Click any view for a close-up; more cameras on the WSB Traffic page)

6:03 AM: Good morning! We start with an alert for sometime today, at 15th and Holden in Highland Park:

Traffic on SW Holden Street near the intersection of 15th Avenue SW and SW Holden Street may be impacted for up to an hour on Monday, Feb. 22, while the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) conducts electrical work to activate the newly installed pedestrian crossing signals at the intersection. Seattle Police will be present at the work zone to maintain two-way traffic during this work, which will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Pedestrian and bicycle access will remain open.

As the full alert on the city website notes, this is part of the Delridge-Highland Park Neighborhood Greenway project. Its website also notes work starting this week on a stairway along the route, and includes progress reports and photos from other spots.

WATER TAXI FYI: If you’re interested in previewing this year’s spring/summer schedule, which takes effect in early April, it’s now posted on the Water Taxi website.

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