Madison Middle School portables: Zoning ‘departure’ gets thumbs-up

Four months after we first reported that four portables were planned for Madison Middle School, a meeting was convened tonight to consider the zoning “departure” the district is requesting. We published the calls for volunteers to be part of a committee; we went to its meeting tonight to see how the process shook out.

Short version: A majority of committee members voted to recommend approving the departure, so at this point it appears the committee won’t need to meet again.

Longer version: The four portables are needed to accommodate an extra 110 students projected to enroll at Madison next year. Two of them will take up six current parking spaces in the school’s north lot, and that’s why the departure is required. The other two are set for placement on a landscaped area adjacent to that lot. Discussion centered on increased traffic expected with the enrollment increase. The committee supported approval of the departure, with two conditions – that the portables removed and the parking spaces restored if enrollment drops, and that Seattle Public Schools work with SDOT on potential added features on nearby streets such as added no-parking signage or painted curbs. Their recommendation goes to the Department of Construction and Inspections.

just wondering May 31, 2018 (4:47 am)

Will the large tree on the north east corner of the block remain?

heartless May 31, 2018 (8:01 am)

Yes, the tree will stay.
committee participant May 31, 2018 (8:28 am)

Nothing will be removed, 2 of the portables will be placed on the upper north parking lot, overhanging into some of the landscape. Another 2 will be placed on the landscape by the lowest floor, on the NW corner.

WSMom May 31, 2018 (7:30 am)

Where are the extra 110 students coming from? Are they redrawing the lines? Are they allowing more kids in each grade into the school? Is the upcoming classes that much bigger? Just curious.

heartless May 31, 2018 (8:06 am)

The lines aren’t being redrawn–from what little I know it’s simply that the incoming class will be bigger.
committee participant May 31, 2018 (8:30 am)

There are 4 elementary schools that feed into Madison and those upcoming 6th grade classes all have more kids than the outgoing 8th grade class, in the amount of possibly 110. No redrawing, no students from outside boundaries.

Scott May 31, 2018 (8:18 am)

This sad that they (SPS) cannot build a building that will accommodate more then enough kids in the main building and prevent having to bring in portables.

Ws res June 1, 2018 (10:37 pm)

What is the district’s plan for 2019-2020 school year when even more students will be going to Madison? The classes at Genesee Hill are increasing in size every year aren’t they?