More off-leash areas? Seattle Parks Board to consider draft dog plan next week
The pink dots are where the city has off-leash dog parks now – in West Seattle, for example, Westcrest Park is the only one. Will more be added – and if so, where? A key step toward deciding that could come next Thursday night, when the Seattle Parks Board discusses, and might vote on, the draft People, Dogs, and Parks Strategic Plan.
You can see documents for the meeting here – including the points that board members are being asked to decide on Thursday night, spelled out in this “decision agenda” memo. It includes proposed changes to the draft plan, and also asks the board to affirm whether new off-leash areas would only be fenced sites – ruling out “leash-optional trails.” And the board will be asked to affirm the plan’s proposed policies for regulating professional dog walkers if they use off-leash areas – with a $100 annual license and requirements for certification if they seek to bring more than three dogs to an OLA after the first two years following passage of the plan.
Ahead of next Thursday’s meeting, the group Citizens for Off-Leash Areas has been circulating a survey asking for more suggestions for “pilot” off-leash spots – find it here. The survey’s introduction says Seattle Parks asked the group to come up with more possible locations. We asked Parks if that was indeed how they were soliciting site suggestions, rather than putting out a call to the public. Spokesperson Christina Hirsch replied:
When the final People, Dogs and Parks Plan is released in March, it will outline a process for the public to submit applications for off-leash locations. This process will be open to all, including groups and individual residents. Seattle Parks and Recreation will form a committee to review the applications and the Superintendent will make the final decision. This process will go through a public involvement process and community outreach.
COLA has worked in collaboration with SPR during the Off-Leash Area Master Plan process. COLA came to SPR with a list of off-leash location recommendations and we suggested that they develop a more comprehensive and geographically balanced list. It appears they are developing that revised list by soliciting community feedback.
COLA’s recommendations will go along with submissions from the community application process.
In the meantime, Thursday night’s board meeting considering the strategic plan is open to the public – 6:30 pm January 12th, at Parks HQ downtown (100 Dexter Ave. N.).
UTILITY UPDATES: Water break; tree removal; streetlight switchovers
Three utility updates today:
ARBOR HEIGHTS WATER-MAIN BREAK: Late last night, a reader mentioned a water-main break at 35th/107th in Arbor Heights. The crew was already gone when we got a chance to go take a look. Seattle Public Utilities spokesperson Ingrid Goodwin tells WSB it was a four-inch water-main break around 8 pm and crews had it fixed within a few hours.
The next two involve bucket-truck work for Seattle City Light:
TREE REMOVAL: Alan sent this photo and wondered about tree-removal work visible in the right-of-way near SW Holly and 14th SW:
SCL’s Scott Thomsen tells WSB:
When the trees in this area were last trimmed four years ago, the contractor doing the work did not follow best practices. This compromised the health of some trees with rot and multiple new starts. We stopped using that contractor.
In this cycle of trimming, we are resolving some of the problems that were created. Some of the trees that were damaged are indeed being removed based on their deteriorated condition.
STREETLIGHT SWITCHOVER: As mentioned here toward summer’s end, SCL is continuing to switch arterial streetlights to LEDs. Last night in The Junction, Paul Weatherman took these photos of crews working on SW Alaska just east of California SW:
The arterial work follows the completion of the switchover on residential streets. Here’s the wider view from last night:
SCL told us in August that the arterial conversions should be completed this year.
FOLLOWUP: Hit-run crash victim’s father says suspect arrested
We’ve been following the case of a hit-run crash in Highland Park on December 14th that left a West Seattle man seriously injured, 24-year-old Levi Gryniewski.
Five days after the crash, we published a followup with his family asking for help finding the driver who left the scene at 16th/Thistle.
Now, they report a major development:
His father Bruce Gryniewski tells WSB that “SPD identified, arrested, booked, and released the driver of the vehicle and the driver of the vehicle that picked him up to flee the scene.” He says the 19-year-old suspect was arrested on December 21st, but he hasn’t been able to get much information (nor have we), aside that the investigation is continuing, and “according to the detective, both face serious charges for leaving the scene of an accident involving serious injury.”
Police told us last month that while the driver who hit Levi left his vehicle at the scene, its ownership was in question; Bruce Gryniewski says, “Apparently, the vehicle involved has changed hands twice during the past 6 months with no transfer of title to follow.” Nor, he says, was it insured. 
The car that Levi was driving (WSB photo at right), from which firefighters had to extricate him, belonged to a friend.
As for his son, who has run his own landscaping business since he was a teenager: “Levi’s condition has continued to improve but he has a long road ahead. Prayers and support from the West Seattle community has been incredible and moving and I want to thank everyone for keeping Levi in their thoughts and prayers. Of course there will be significant medical and rehabilitation bills ahead and we continue to look to the West Seattle community for support for his recovery.” Help continues to be accepted via this GoFundMe account to support Levi’s recovery expenses.
We will continue to follow the case.
What’s up for your West Seattle Friday, including tonight’s NB 99 closure
(Sanderlings, photographed by Mark Wangerin)
First full weekend of 2017 is almost here. We start with a road-closure reminder:
NORTHBOUND 99 CLOSURE TONIGHT: From 8 pm tonight until 8 am Saturday, WSDOT crews will close northbound Highway 99 between the West Seattle Bridge and the stadium zone to repair damaged pavement. They’re scheduled to do it again 10:30 pm Saturday through 8 am Sunday.
Now, highlights from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE: If you can donate blood, consider participating in today’s donation drive – look for it at Admiral Safeway, 1 pm-7 pm, closed 3-4 pm for a break. (2622 California SW)
WORDS, WRITERS, WEST SEATTLE: The monthly Southwest Seattle Historical Society-presented author series at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village is 5-7 pm tonight, this time featuring photographer/writer David Barnes and his book “Seattle Illuminated” – here’s his video invitation, courtesy of SWSHS:
(2600 SW Barton)
WEST SEATTLE YMCA EXPANSION CELEBRATION – FREE ‘FAMILY NIGHT’: 6:30 pm at the newly reopened/expanded West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle, nonmembers and members alike are welcome for free fun including Family Zumba, Family Swim, and an obstacle course. (36th SW/SW Snoqualmie)
HIGH-SCHOOL BASKETBALL: All three local high schools play home games tonight – West Seattle High School girls vs. Garfield, 7 pm, and boys vs. Garfield, 8:30 pm (3000 California SW) … Chief Sealth International High School girls vs. Bishop Blanchet, 7 pm, and boys vs. Blanchet, 8:30 pm (2600 SW Thistle) … Seattle Lutheran High School girls (6 pm) and boys (7:30 pm) vs. Crosspoint (4100 SW Genesee).
TX TRUMBO: Performing at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), 7-9 pm. (5612 California SW)
MORE LIVE MUSIC: See tonight’s other listings on our complete calendar!
WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Cold as ice
From Olga:
Tonight, around 9 pm, someone threw a chunk of ice (around 1 ft in diameter) at our car parked in Genesee. The ice went all the way through the car, smashing the back window and damaging the back door, and landed in front of the passenger seat.
We heard the crash and the sound of a car taking off west on SW Dakota St. This is the second time we’ve had this kind of vandalism – it was a rock the first time.
SIDE NOTE: The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council is scheduled to resume meeting this month – save the date/time to bring your neighborhood concerns, 7 pm Tuesday, January 17th, at the Southwest Precinct 2300 SW Webster).
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