day : 06/11/2017 11 results

CITY BUDGET: Noise enforcement, bus-lane crackdown cameras, and other proposed changes to be discussed Tuesday

The next list of possible city-budget changes is out tonight – in advance of a discussion with the full City Council (meeting as the Select Budget Committee) tomorrow morning – and there are some items of West Seattle interest.

These two are proposed by our area’s Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who is chairing the budget committee this year:

‘SPD ENFORCEMENT OF VEHICLE NOISE AND CRUISING ON ALKI’: That’s the title for the budget proposal spelled out in this document, though it doesn’t actually order or fund enforcement – it would order this:

By February 23, 2018, the Seattle Police Department is requested to submit a report to the Councilmember representing Council District 1, the Chair of the Gender Equity, Safe Communities, and New Americans Committee, and Council Central Staff Director on SPD’s enforcement policies and practices with respect to vehicle noise and cruising in the Alki neighborhood during the warm-weather months.

This was teed up by the recently announced results of this survey. The report would also be required to include “identification of and consideration of emerging technological approaches to vehicle noise
enforcement,” possibly a reference to something proprietary that’s being worked on by an entity including a citizen who made repeat appearances at local community-council meetings over the past year-plus. The proposal also notes that Fauntleroy also deals with vehicle noise issues, and that this report should address “how approaches to noise and cruising enforcement” could be applied there and elsewhere, too.

‘AMEND THE DELRIDGE MULTIMODAL CORRIDOR PROJECT CIP … AND IMPOSE A PROVISO’: This one is more-bureaucratic, as the title suggests. You can read it here. It would put a spending lid on the Delridge Multimodal Corridor Project, which is currently largely focused on the Metro Route 120 conversion to RapidRide H, until a council committee sees its 10 percent design and then passes an ordinance to lift that lid.

Speaking of Delridge RapidRide:

‘IMPLEMENTATION OF MOVE SEATTLE BRT CORRIDORS’: This one (read it here) would ask SDOT to report by next July on ways to make sure Delridge RapidRide and the six other “bus rapid transit” projects in the works happen, despite “the uncertainty with federal transportation funding under the current administration.” Councilmember Mike O’Brien is proposing it.

Not West Seattle-specific but also of interest:

‘AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT OF BLOCK-THE-BOX AND TRANSIT-ONLY LANE VIOLATIONS’: The latter comes up often in WSB comment discussion – suggestions for cameras to catch bus-lane violators. This proposal (read it here), also from Councilmember O’Brien, would require SDOT to report by next March on what it might take to implement them, as well as cameras to enforce “block-the-box” intersection violations.

HOMELESSNESS RESPONSE: A variety of proposals are on Tuesday’s list of possible changes, including:
Add $1.2 million for four more authorized encampments (locations not specified), proposed by Councilmember Kirsten Harris-Talley
Add $450,000 for two more authorized encampments (“one in each Council District that does not currently contain an authorized encampment”), proposed by Councilmember Kshama Sawant
Proviso on “unauthorized encampment removals in certain areas,” also from Councilmember Sawant. This would basically prohibit removals “except when the persons or property are on school property, active rights-of-way including sidewalks and stairways, activated park spaces, City utility rights-of way, or controlled-access areas of City-owned property, or unless authorized by future ordinance.”
-“Proviso on unauthorized encampment removals,” from Councilmember Herbold. This includes various provisions to ensure that removals follow the laid-out rules for prioritization, including:

(1) Objective hazards such as moving vehicles;
(2) Criminal activity beyond illegal substance abuse;
(3) Quantities of garbage, debris, or waste;
(4) Other active health hazards to occupants or the surrounding neighborhood;
(5) Difficulty in extending emergency services to the site;
(6) Imminent work scheduled at the site for which the encampment will pose an obstruction;
(7) Damage to the natural environment of environmentally critical areas; and
(8) The proximity of homeless individuals to uses of special concern including schools or facilities for
the elderly.

And there’s much more in the 50+ proposed changes – some of which will likely get big citywide scrutiny – these are just a few of the items that caught our eye. The discussions start at 9:30 am Tuesday, and will continue in a 2 pm session; if you have something to say and can get down to City Hall (600 4th Ave.), there are public-comment periods in both. You can e-mail council@seattle.gov too. And if you just want to watch/listen from wherever you are, it’ll all be live on seattlechannel.org (and cable channel 21).

VOTED YET? Deadline Tuesday night

(WSB photo – High Point ballot dropbox, around 6 pm tonight)

If you haven’t voted yet – you have 24 1/2 hours left. Tomorrow is Election Day, aka “voting deadline day” – you have to get your ballot to a dropbox by 8 pm Tuesday, or if you’re mailing it, be sure it’ll be postmarked Tuesday (or today). More than 80 percent of Seattle voters’ ballots had NOT been turned in as of midday today, according to the county Elections Department. So here’s what you need to know:

WHERE TO VOTE: The full list of ballot dropboxes around King County is here. West Seattle’s dropbox is outside High Point Library, on SW Raymond just east of 35th SW [map]; there’s also one outside the White Center Library, 1409 SW 107th [map]. Other ways to vote are detailed here.

WHAT/WHO’S ON THE BALLOT: Here’s what and who you will find on your ballot (each link below takes you to more information about the measure/candidate).

*One countywide ballot measure – King County Proposition 1, formally titled “Levy Lid Lift for Veterans, Seniors and Vulnerable Populations.”

*King County ExecutiveDow Constantine*, Bill Hirt

*King County SheriffMitzi Johanknecht, John Urquhart*

*Seattle MayorJenny Durkan, Cary Moon
(Undecided? Our coverage of their two recent West Seattle forums, with video, is here and here)

*Seattle City Council Position 8 (citywide) – Jon Grant, Teresa Mosqueda

*Seattle City Council Position 9 (citywide) – M. Lorena González*, Pat Murakami

*Seattle City AttorneyPete Holmes*, Scott Lindsay

*Seattle Port Commission Position 1Ryan Calkins, John Creighton*

*Seattle Port Commission Position 3Ahmed Abdi, Stephanie Bowman*

*Seattle Port Commission Position 4Preeti Shridhar, Peter Steinbrueck

*Seattle Public Schools director, District 4 (citywide vote) – Herbert J. Camet, Jr., Eden Mack

*Seattle Public Schools director, District 5 (citywide vote) – Zachary Pullin DeWolf, Omar Vasquez

*Seattle Public Schools director, District 7 (citywide vote) – Chelsea Byers, Betty Patu*

*Court of Appeals, Division 1, District 1, Judge Position 2Michael S. Spearman*, Nathan W.S. Choi

*State Advisory Vote 16

*State Advisory Vote 17

*State Advisory Vote 18

Once you’ve voted – track your ballot here. And tomorrow, watch for the first round of results around 8:15 pm.

P.S. As noted in a comment, we forgot to include this link – if you need a replacement ballot and/or envelope – yours got lost, or damaged, or didn’t arrive – here’s what to do.

TUESDAY: Neighborhood safety @ Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition

November 6, 2017 5:48 pm
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 |   Arbor Heights | West Seattle news | Westwood

Live, work, study, shop in Westwood, Roxhill, and/or Arbor Heights? Be one of the neighbors making things happen via the Westwood-Roxhill-Arbor Heights Community Coalition, which gathers Tuesday night, 6:15 pm at Southwest Library. Neighborhood safety is a big topic for tomorrow night, with guest speakers Community Police Team Officer John O’Neil and Southwest Precinct city-attorney liaison Joe Everett, who will talk with you about “empowering the community and leveraging city resources to deal with chronic neighborhood issues” such as abandoned houses (with or without squatters) and problem houses. Also from SPD, Operations Lt. Ron Smith will have the area’s newest crime trends/stats. And lots of “quick discussion items” (see them all in our calendar listing – and bring your own!). Just go to the upstairs meeting room at the library, which is at 9010 35th SW.

‘We need a hero’: Urban Homestead Foundation has weeks left to find dollars to help dream come true

(Photos courtesy Urban Homestead Foundation)

“We need a hero to save this land and legacy before it’s lost forever.”

That’s what it’s come down to for the West Seattle volunteers who founded the Urban Homestead Foundation, as they now have less than 8 weeks left to finish raising the money needed for a rare remaining open-space site in West Seattle, right across the street from the area’s most-populous elementary school.

The grass-roots group won a $281,000 matching grant from the King County Conservation Futures Fund, as reported here last June. That was a major achievement. But the key word there is “matching.”

The land at stake, dubbed the Dakota Homestead, is at 50th SW and SW Dakota [map], to purchase the lot, on the corner of SW Dakota and 50th Avenue SW. It’s city-owned – a decommissioned substation – and holds 20 mature trees, six of them with “exceptional” status. The foundation has been working for more than a year and a half to manage the land as a neighborhood preserve and gathering space, a hub for urban gardening and environmental education.

But they have to have the money to buy it by the end of the year. That’s where the hero, or heroes, come in, says foundation board member Phoebe Ingraham: “We are confident a visionary family, an energized community member or local businesses will respond to this call and save the day with a major gift. We need a hero to save this land and legacy before it’s lost forever. It’s the 11th hour on this unique opportunity. This green space represents West Seattle’s past, present, and future.”

The Urban Homestead Foundation has raised money and awareness, and along with securing the grant, they’ve pulled together $30,000 from neighbors. On the same June day that foundation supporters celebrated the big matching-fund grant, for example, a Girl Scout troop stopped by to donate $350:


(Photo courtesy UHF president Katie Stemp)

And now, they need major gifts totaling at least $300,000 before the end-of-year deadline.

The community supporters include Gerrit Kischner, principal of Genesee Hill Elementary across the street. He sees the site as “a natural classroom. Right now, much of the space is closed up and cut off from the community. Urban Homestead Foundation wants to do better for students and neighbors. I urge local families, individuals and businesses to consider their deep ties to this area, learn about the vision, and to step forward. It would be an incredible legacy to capture this moment in time and preserve the Homestead for future generations.” He’s one of the people you’ll hear from in this video about the site:

Donations are tax-deductible; information about how to give is here. December 31st is the deadline.

OFF WEST SEATTLE: Purse-seiner fishing

Thanks to Jim Borrow for the photo – it answers the question several have asked us today, about those fishing boats seen off Alki. They are purse seiners, which often show up right about this time of year, fishing for chum salmon. (WSB archives have photos from past years including 2009 and 2014.) The chum run might also be what has drawn the orcas we’ve been tracking today – though the Southern Residents prefer chinook, those salmon are harder to find right now.

DEVELOPMENT: Demolition starts at 4754 Fauntleroy, ex-pawn shop & future Foundry

1:09 PM: Thanks to Brian for the tip – demolition has begun at 4754 Fauntleroy SW, where the Capitol Loans pawn shop closed a year and a half ago, and where construction is expected to last the next year and a half for The Foundry. After the telltale No Parking signs went up last week, we sent a note to developer Holland Partner Group; no reply yet, but a notice sent by its construction company to some nearby businesses and residents says demolition is expected to last through November 17th, and that the project includes “108 residential units with 10 live/work units on 8 levels with amenity spaces throughout and parking for approximately 100 vehicles will be provided below grade …” That’s the same scope as it had when finishing the Design Review Board process back in April.


(Edmunds side of The Foundry – rendering by Mithun)

This is the third of three redeveloping corners of Fauntleroy/Edmunds, after The Whittaker (WSB sponsor) on the NW corner and the under-construction LIV Fauntleroy on the SW corner. The Foundry’s site is also immediately south of the two-building, 300+-unit Legacy Partners project at 4722 Fauntleroy SW that’s still in the Design Review process.

3:17 PM The building is down now – and there’s a bit of trouble – a leaning streetlight along Fauntleroy. Outside NB lane was blocked by police when we went by. Will check again in a bit.

4:56 PM: Added a photo from Brian above this line – City Light has been on site a while working on the streetlight. We just went through again a short time ago, and noted that traffic is getting through.

UPDATE: Comcast internet trouble? It’s not just you

10:53 AM: Thanks to Cami for flagging us to this – which we’ve since discovered is affecting service here at HQ too: Comcast acknowledges its internet service is having trouble:

Via Twitter, among other places, the problem appears to be affecting people in multiple states.

12:27 PM: Comcast describes the problem, via Twitter, as “an external network issue.” Cami, meantime, says her service (in the Alki area) is better now.

1:38 PM: Comcast says the problem should be fixed. If yours still isn’t working, be sure to let them know. (If you use Twitter, you can DM @comcastcares.)

10:38 PM: CNN reports that, believe it or not, CenturyLink had something to do with the Comcast problems.

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Stolen gold/ivory Honda Accord

10:39 AM: Tim‘s car was stolen overnight on Charlestown Hill:

It’s a golden/ivory 1996 Honda Accord. Very clean 110% bone stock. 5-speed manual. Tan interior. It has a small dimple dent with a green scuff on passenger rear door, and the bumpers have small scratches/scuff marks with “color match paint” to cover. Last seen parked out front on Charlestown St. (near 52nd SW; map) Stolen Sunday night 11/5/17. License plate #BEZ9764. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Call 911 if you see or have seen it. (Tim was in the process of reporting it to police and we’ll add the report # when we get it.)

ADDED 1:28 PM: SPD incident # is 17-411669.

West Seattle Monday: Preschool open house; college-related workshops; more…

(Olympic Mountains this morning, photographed from Gatewood by Mark Dale)

Got a future preschooler in the house? Or a future college student? Education-related events are a big part of the highlights for today/tonight, from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:

RENTAL REGULATIONS: City-organized workshop at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 1-3 pm, open to all but mostly geared toward information that rental properties’ owners need to know about the newest city regulations. (4408 Delridge Way SW)

SSC ADMISSIONS WORKSHOP: Planning to study at South Seattle College (WSB sponsor)? 2-3:30 pm, get help with the process in this workshop at the SSC library. (6000 16th SW)

GET HELP WRITING COLLEGE ESSAYS: It’s college-application time and 11th/12th graders who are applying can get essay help today (and next Monday) with the Bureau of Fearless Ideas in Room 252B at Chief Sealth International High School, 4-6:30 pm. (2600 SW Thistle)

A CHILD BECOMES PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE: 6-8 pm, prospective families are welcome to visit A Child Becomes Preschool (WSB sponsor) to see the school and meet staff during tonight’s open house. (4320 SW Hill)

SING OUT YOUR MONDAY: Two Monday night karaoke events on our calendar – Yen Wor Village starting at 7:30 pm in The Admiral District, and Talarico’s starting at 10 pm in The Junction.

WHAT ELSE IS ON THE CALENDAR? See for yourself – and look into the future! – by going here.

WEST SEATTLE WHALE WATCHING UPDATE: Orcas in the area again

(Added 4:55 pm: Photo by Trileigh Tucker)

8:37 AM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for sharing the report: Orcas seen off Alki this morning, headed southwest. Let us know if you see them – commenting here is great, and/or use our 24-hour text/voice hotline, 206-293-6302 – thank you!

12:28 PM: Alisa from the Orca Network is reporting that the orcas are confirmed as Southern Residents and are now northbound again, passing the Fauntleroy ferry terminal area as of less than 15 minutes ago.

2:10 PM: Now reported to be off Lowman Beach. Thanks again for the updates!

3:33 PM: We are at Constellation Park, where the orcas are visible – albeit in major sun glare – north of Blake Island.

TRAFFIC/TRANSIT/WEATHER TODAY: Monday watch

November 6, 2017 6:30 am
|    Comments Off on TRAFFIC/TRANSIT/WEATHER TODAY: Monday watch
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle traffic alerts | West Seattle weather

(SDOT MAP with travel times/video links; is the ‘low bridge’ closed? LOOK HERE)

6:30 AM: Good morning! The temperature’s above freezing and no reports of iciness in our area. But it’ll be a chilly day – highs in the 40s.

SHORT SCHOOL WEEK: Since Veterans Day is on a Saturday this year, it will be observed this Friday (November 10th) by many, including Seattle Public Schools.

7:35 AM: Still no incidents reported in/from West Seattle.