Lots of West Seattle/South Park info was shared at this month’s meeting of the District 1 Community Network. This month, D1CN met at The Kenney, with Cindi Barker from West Seattle Be Prepared/Emergency Communication Hubs as facilitator.

SPOTLIGHT TOPIC – LIGHT RAIL PLANNING: Jason Hampton from Sound Transit recapped the process to this point. Then the city’s Radcliffe Dacanay explained the “different roles” of the city and ST. They’re “co-planning stations,” for one. The city’s accountable for planning housing and businesses around stations, and issuing permits. The city’s working right now to identify early issues, among other things. So after Dacanay ran through city priorities from equity to climate action a, there was time for a few questions/comments.

First question: What about potentially eliminatng the Avalon station? “Legally we are required to build three stations,” said Hampton.

Second question was more of a comment: What about senior transportation to the stations? The systems currently have a lot of shortcomings.

Third question/comment was about tunnel possibilities and how does the train come down after the Duwamish River crossing. ST replied that the only tunnel options under consideration currently are in The Junction, and as for coming down after the crossing, there are multiple options under consideration.

Fourth question, what about access to the stations for underserved areas, like South Delridge? They are working to ensure there will be funding for buses to get to the station, and some “duplicative” service’s funding might be repurposed.

Other questions included parking and the fact none is planned at the 13 stations on the West Seattle to Ballard light-rail extension. They’re dense areas and the city doesn’t want to encourage more cars, it was explained. But there WILL be more cars, countered one attendee. Maybe not, countered city rep Dacanay. What about bike parking and e-bike charging? Hampton said ST facilities DO include bike parking, though he’s not sure about charging.

Third-party funding deadline? By early 2021, sources have to be identified, and then by the time a route is chosen in 2022, the funding would have to be secured. (The City Council is due to get an update on the funding search in July, by the way.)

Can station planning more closely involve community leaders so more-accessible sites can be identified, for example?

The question then resurfaced: What about physical-disability accessibility? “Not my expertise,” said Dacanay, but they’re “trying to find an inclusive way” to ensure everyone is served.

With all three stations in north West Seattle, how will south West Seattle be served? Keep asking that question at events like the upcoming station-area-planning forums, she was told.

How have other extensions’ planning processes worked out elsewhere in the region? they were asked – in terms of lessons learned. The reps said they weren’t the best ones to answer that, though another ST rep sitting on the side of the room said there ARE some people in the agency who can speak to it. More conversation opportuniteies ahead, everyone agreed.

Other, briefer topics/updates:

AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Cindi Barker, who facilitated the meeting, said she and Morgan Community Association president Deb Barker had met with Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who had numbers showing very little “affordable housing” had been developed n District 1 in 2018 (2019 numbers aren’t out yet); they’re still waiting for 2019 numbers. They’re thinking about arranging a dialogue with affordable-housing developers to ask what the barriers are. South Park Neighborhood Association’s Aley Thompson noted the Duwamish Valley Affordable Housing Coalition should be involved, as they are working on that.

WEBSITE: D1CN.org is live. Next: Content development.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT COMMISSION: Landscape architect Jasmine Aryana will be representing District 1 on the CIC, a long-vacant spot. Some discussion ensued about whether the new commissioner should be invited to meet with the D1CN.

RIDGE TO RIVER: A community member is being sought to join the steering committee for this trails grant that the Duwamish Tribe has received.

YOUR VOICE, YOUR CHOICE: One month of idea collection will run Feb. 16-March 16. Then the ideas will be evaluated for feasibility and those that area will move into the voting process.

FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: FCA’s annual Food Fest and membership meeting is coming up March 17th, 6 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy (elections at 7 pm).

WEST SEATTLE JUNCTION ASSOCIATION: Still taking adoption orders for flower baskets this spring and signing up free community-table slots and vendors for West Seattle Summer Fest (July 10-12).

HOUSING VOUCHERS: King County Housing Authority‘s waitlist for vouchers is opening Wednesday.

UNCORKED: Highland Park Improvement Club‘s annual wine fundraiser is coming up in June.
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ROXHILL BOG: Big meeting is this Tuesday.

WEST SEATTLE TIMEBANK: Game night coming up February 20th – all ages welcome

WEST SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION COALITION: WSTC will talk T-5/Harbor Island with the port and NW Seaport Alliance on February 27th.

PREPAREDNESS: West Seattle Be Prepared will have two Urban Survival Fairs this year – High Point and South Park are the most likely plus a “giant field exercise” involving all hub captains in the city

NEXT MONTH’S D1CN MEETING: Wednesday, March 4th, 7 pm, Senior Center/Sisson Building (4217 SW Oregon).