By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Fauntleroy Community Association board vows “quick” action to let the City Council know it’s against proposed legislation that could change the rules about camping in city parks (the subject of this much-commented-on WSB report last Friday). That was one of the major topics on its agenda last night:
CAMPING IN PARKS? FCA’s jurisdiction includes Lincoln Park, and that made the proposed legislation a major topic at tonight’s meeting. Several members, said president Mike Dey, had asked whether FCA would consider “getting involved” as an organization, and if so, what would the response be, and that’s how it ended up on the agenda.
One attendee said she had never come to a neighborhood meeting before, until she saw this was on the agenda. “This is something that I’m passionate about, I cannot have my kids’ safety” (jeopardized). She said that her job brings her into contact with families experiencing homelessness, but a park is not the appropriate place for anyone to live.
All it does is degrade neighborhoods AND people, said one FCA board member. It’s going to perpetuate the problem.
“It’s not a solution, it’s a nightmare,” said another one.
“What if we did a survey, and put data” behind the response? suggested another member. Unfortunately, time’s running out, the point was made.
Is this an issue on which to burn political capital? was one question. Public opinion seems overwhelmingly against it. But is the council listening? Most didn’t think so: “I’m scared to death they’re going to approve it.”
After a further short round of discussion, the FCA board voted unanimously to draft and send a letter expressing opposition to the ordinance. “We will respond, and will respond quickly” was the promise.
The discussion happened at mid-meeting, but even before the meeting began, it was the major topic of discussion. Referring to the incident earlier in the day in which Seattle Police shot and killed one of two people in a reported knife fight near the clearing of “The Jungle” on Beacon Hill, one person said, “Hoping this doesn’t happen at Lincoln Park.”
Another expressed interest in acquiring a tent “because I am ready to go camp outside the mayor’s office.”
The agenda is now up for the 9:30 am Friday meeting at which the City Council’s Human Services and Public Health Committee is scheduled to consider the proposal, but as of this writing (11 am Wednesday) the updated version of the legislation is not yet available online. (Added 12:28 pm: There are multiple reports that the committee will not VOTE on Friday. But the meeting is still scheduled.)
Next hottest topic:
FERRY UPDATES: This briefing by Gary Dawson, FCA’s point person on Washington State Ferries-related issues, brought first word that WSF is planning public meetings to talk about the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route’s issues.
Dawson announced – and we have since confirmed today with WSF – that on Thursday, October 27th, 5-6:30 pm, there will be a public meeting at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse WSF spokesperson Brian Mannion told us today that the official public announcement will be out in a few days, and added:
WSF’s goal for these meetings is to get a holistic picture of what people around the route are seeing, and what is important to each community. This feedback, along with traffic, safety, and performance data ferry staff have been collecting on the route, will form the starting point for a route-wide public process to identify attainable solutions to help make things better on the Triangle.
At the FCA meeting, Dawson said he believes ferry-system boss Lynne Griffith will be in attendance, and FCA will do what they can to start mustering turnout to express concerns about dock traffic (which at one point over the summer backed up on Fauntleroy Way past Morgan Junction and into the Fairmount Springs area).
(WSB photo from August)
Some talk ensued about whether passenger-ferry service between Kitsap County and downtown Seattle could take the pressure off the WSF car ferries; Kitsap voters have a tax increase for that kind of service on next month’s ballot. As for Fauntleroy, it’s not a case of being anti-ferry, one board member said, it’s that “we’re maxed out.”
SEATTLE POLICE: Lt. Steve Strand, who is daytime commander at Southwest Precinct, represented SPD at the FCA meeting. He mentioned (as the Pigeon Point Neighborhood Council had been told the night before) that the precinct has five new officers – some are attrition replacement, but it means at least the precinct is not short-staffed, and hiring is going fairly well, “good quality recruits, lateral transfers,” etc. Burglaries and car prowls remain major problems. The precinct continues to have one Community Police Team Officer Todd Wiebke assigned to deal with people experiencing homelessness. Lt. Strand said that currently, they have no indication that anyone is camping in Lincoln Park, and asked if anyone in the room had seen campers there; they had not.
One community concern: Loitering and drug use in the Solstice Park area just off 44th SW, including during the hours when kids are walking by on their way to nearby Gatewood Elementary. Lt. Strand said that “the best thing to do is to call us when that’s happening.” He says that when neighbors insist “it happens every night, all night long,” officers might go by and not see anything, so call when it’s happening. And, the consensus was, call 911, since the calls all go to the same place, if something is happening RIGHT NOW. “Almost NOBODY calls 911 more than they should,” Lt. Strand said.
He was asked about the Westwood Village/Roxhill Park area, and reiterated – as has been said at other community meetings lately – that it’s an emphasis spot.
Various other related topics came up – from obvious signs of prowling, to solicitors; sometimes the latter might be casing, sometimes not, according to Lt. Strand, who also advised people to heed the anti-car-prowl advice that SPD has circulated. Reporting even car prowls in which nothing has been taken will help them track what’s happening and where, Lt. Strand said.
PARKING SUBCOMMITTEE: Gary Dawson had an update on a letter that’s in the works to go to SDOT about parking challenges in areas south and east of the Fauntleroy ferry dock. They’re hoping to make changes to the terms of the RPZ, and are hoping to restrict car-share parking, which has been particularly prolific due to the proximity of the ferry dock. The letter is still in draft form; any changes to the RPZwould require a public-comment period, the group says.
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: Deb Kerns says musical favorites are back – including the West Seattle Big Band and the Endolyne Children’s Choir – for the 2-5 pm festival on Sunday, October 23rd, along with a variety of activities – as always, it will be a “hub of activity” behind the schoolhouse and around Fauntleroy Church/YMCA. All free except for the food that will be offered for sale by Tuxedos and Tennis Shoes, Endolyne Joe’s, and “the tamale guy” – and if you would like to donate to support the festival (which costs ~$8,000 to present), volunteers will be circulating with ways to do it online, via portable devices on-site. The festival dates back to 2002 – when community leaders decided that it was time, in the wake of 9/11 the year before, that neighbors needed a chance to get together face-to-face.
WELCOME BAGS: Fauntleroy might be the only neighborhood that does this for people moving in – and some discussion last night involved what should be in what’s given to newly arrived neighbors. Should the various informational items and tchotchkes be consolidated into, perhaps, a directory? The discussion will continue.
The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets second Tuesdays, 7 pm, at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse. Updates and other community info are online at fauntleroy.net.
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