West Seattle, Washington
21 Wednesday
If you live in a single-family home within the city limits, the land it sits on is likely zoned SF 5000, SF 7200, or SF 9600. Those names will go away under a city proposal unveiled in today’s Land Use Information Bulletin. The city already is in the process of changing neighborhood plans to show “neighborhood residential” as the new name for areas that had been “single-family’; now it’s planning to change the actual zoning designations citywide. The notice is an early alert that the City Council’s Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee will hold a public hearing next month. Here’s what the proposal would do:
• Single-Family 9600 (SF 9600) zones would be renamed “Neighborhood Residential 1” (NR1);
• Single-Family 7200 (SF 7200) zones would be renamed “Neighborhood Residential 2” (NR2);
• Single-Family 5000 (SF 5000) zones would be renamed “Neighborhood Residential 3” (NR3); and
• Residential Small Lot (RSL) zones would be renamed “Neighborhood Residential Small Lot” (RSL).
Zoning district names would be updated on the zoning map and in the Land Use Code (Title 23 of the Seattle Municipal Code (SMC)), short-term rental regulations (SMC 6.600), traffic administration regulations (SMC 11.16), street use regulations (SMC Title 15), building and construction codes (SMC Title 22), and environmental regulations (SMC Title 25).
Though there’s talk of eventually changing the actual zoning, all this does for now is change the names. The public hearing is planned for the Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee’s 9:30 am meeting on December 8th; you’ll find the agenda here when it get s closer. In the meantime, you can read the entire 218-page bill here. You can also email comments through December 7th to Noah An in the office of Land Use/Neighborhoods chair Councilmember Dan Strauss; noah.an@seattle.gov is the address.
This week’s update of COVID-19 cases in Seattle Public Schools shows fewer new cases than a week earlier – 59 newly reported cases among the district’s 90+. schools, down from 65 new cases in last week’s update. Here are the school-by-school breakouts for our area, with the changes compared to what was on the dashboard last week – as always, the totals are cumulative for the entire school year so far:
Denny International Middle School – 19, unchanged
Chief Sealth International High School – 19, unchanged
Roxhill Elementary – 12, up 1
Genesee Hill Elementary – 11, up 1
Highland Park Elementary – 11, up 1
Madison Middle School – 10, up 1
West Seattle Elementary – 8, up 3
Arbor Heights Elementary – 8, unchanged
Lafayette Elementary – 8, unchanged
Gatewood Elementary – 6, unchanged
Concord International (Elementary) – 6, unchanged
Louisa Boren STEM K-8 – 5, up 2
Sanislo Elementary – 4, up 1
West Seattle High School – 4, unchanged
Fairmount Park Elementary – 3, unchanged
Pathfinder K-8 – 3, unchanged
Alki Elementary – 2, unchanged
BRIDGES @ Roxhill – 1, unchanged
In discussion following last week’s report, a commenter reported that four cases attributed to the IN/Tandem program elsewhere on the dashboard were from the program’s location at the old Roxhill Elementary site. This week, one more case is attributed to that program, but we don’t know whether that case also has a local link. Meantime, now that vaccination is authorized for children 5-11, the district is offering clinics – dates, times, locations, and registration links are all here.
The report is from Virginia:
I am a resident of Alaska House at The Junction. My catalytic converter was stolen sometime before Saturday morning (the 6th) while my car was parked in the Alaska House garage. A care-support person, who was also parked in the garage, reports that his was stolen as well.
Alaska House is the building between the 42nd SW parking lot and Junction Plaza Park. Virginia has filed a police report.
Thanks to everyone who’s reported in recent days (including Jonny, who sent the photo) that the legendary 367-step Thistle Street stairway, which runs between Northrop Place and 46th SW just east of Lincoln Park [map], is partly closed. The sign, at the west end of the stairway on 46th, is the only sign, and the steep stretch between Northrop and 44th is not affected. It’s a city-owned structure so we first inquired with SDOT, which said it wasn’t a project of theirs, and then finally obtained this info today, that “a nearby private homeowner’s sewer line is being repaired. They estimate that the area will be closed for 1.5 weeks.”
If you’re interested in the future of the closed-to-through-traffic Stay Healthy Streets in West Seattle, here are two more events of note:
HIGH POINT: One of Seattle’s first Stay Healthy Streets is also under consideration for permanent designation, so SDOT is coming to the area Wednesday afternoon for feedback:
We are evaluating options for the High Point Stay Healthy Street and need your feedback on ways to create a space that reflects your community values and needs.
Visit with the High Point Stay Healthy Street team
Date: Wednesday, November 10
Time: 2 to 4 PM – Stop by any time!
Location: On the High Point Stay Healthy Street near the corner of 34th Ave SW and SW Myrtle Street. (map) Our High Point Stay Healthy Street team will be available to hear your input on this Stay Healthy Street and answer any questions you may have.
If you can’t stop by that afternoon, this webpage includes other ways you can offer feedback.
ALKI POINT: This is technically a Keep Moving Street but works the same way – closed to through traffic. SDOT has been seeking feedback on options for its future via a survey and will also brief the Pedestrian Advisory Board at that group’s monthly meeting, online at 6 pm Wednesday. The meeting includes a public-comment period. Participation information is on the agenda.
The Duwqmish Tribe Longhouse and Cultural Center (4705 W. Marginal Way) is usually open Tuesdays-Saturdays, but not this week. The longhouse is closed “to get ready for the Native Art Market and Holiday Gift Fair,” which as usual is set for the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday after Thanksgiving (November 26-28). The Longhouse plans to reopen at 10 am Tuesday, November 16th. If you’re doing early shopping, the announcement includes a reminder that you can shop with them online any time – art, apparel, books, toys, more – by going here.
Washington State Ferries‘ planning process for the Fauntleroy terminal/dock replacement remains in the very early stages. Two of the three advisory groups for the project met last week, and another one meets tomorrow afternoon. We covered the first two meetings, which mostly reviewed the same material, then invited questions from advisory-group members. All meetings in this process continue to be held online. Here’s the slide deck, followed by highlights of what we saw/heard:
One of West Seattle’s literary luminaries has won two major awards.
E.J. Koh is the winner of the 2021 Washington State Book Award for her memoir, “The Magical Language of Others.” The book is described on the publisher’s website as “a powerful and aching love story in letters, from mother to daughter,” letters written after Koh’s parents returned to South Korea for work after more than a decade in the U.S., leaving the then-15-year-old author and her brother in California. “The Magical Language of Others” has also won the Pacific Northwest Book Award and was longlisted for the PEN Open Book Award.
Koh has also published a poetry collection, “A Lesser Love.’ And she is curating the Jack Straw Cultural Center Writers’ Program this year.
Two West Seattle elementary schools’ support groups have dine-out fundraisers this week:
ROXHILL ELEMENTARY: Wednesday (November 10th) at MOD Pizza in Westwood Village, 10:30 am-10 pm:
20% of your order will be donated to Friends of Roxhill Elementary.
WEBSITE ORDERS:
1. Visit MOD website: orders.modpizza.com
2. Choose MOD Westwood Village location
3. Use the coupon code: GR207998F and 20% of your meal’s price will be donated back to our school.STOREFRONT WALK-IN ORDERS:
1. Mention that you are with Friends of Roxhill Elementary before placing your order and 20% of your meal’s price will be donated back to our school.
HIGHLAND PARK ELEMENTARY: 4-9 pm Thursday, Proletariat Pizza in White Center (9622 16th SW):
Please join Highland Park Elementary and Proletariat Pizza for a fundraising event on November 11 to raise money for Highland Park Elementary PTA. Order food, eat pizza, mention Highland Park Elementary, and a portion of the night’s proceeds will go to the school.
6:03 AM: Good morning.
WEATHER
Today’s forecast: Partly sunny, high around 50.
NOTE FOR BICYCLE COMMUTERS
As this month’s Ride in the Rain Challenge continues, riders are invited to stop at the Light Up Your Trip event under the bridge 7-9 am tomorrow (Tuesday) – food, lights, more.
BRIDGES AND DETOUR ROUTES
597th morning without the West Seattle Bridge. Here are views of other bridges and routes:
Low Bridge: No new trouble reported over the weekend. Automated enforcement cameras remain in use; restrictions are in effect 5 am-9 pm daily – except weekends; the bridge is open to all until 8 am Saturday and Sunday mornings. (Access applications are available here for some categories of drivers.)
The 1st Avenue South Bridge (map):
South Park Bridge:
West Marginal Way at Highland Park Way:
Highland Park Way/Holden:
The 5-way intersection (Spokane/West Marginal/Delridge/Chelan):
Are movable bridges opening for vessels? The @SDOTBridges Twitter feed is working again; 1st Ave. South Bridge openings are also tweeted on @wsdot_traffic.
See all local traffic cams here; locally relevant cameras are also on this WSB page.
ROAD WORK
26th SW – Continuing southbound closure between Roxbury and Barton for RapidRide H Line prep work. Also, new work at 26th/Roxbury. This flyer has full details.
Delridge Way – Trees for the medians have started arriving; SDOT says planting is expected later this month.
BUSES, WATER TAXI, FERRIES
Regular Metro schedule, except for the rerouting in RapidRide H Line work zones, including 26th SW. Watch @kcmetrobus for word of trip cancellations.
For ferries and Water Taxi: WSF continues a two-boat schedule on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run. Check here for alerts/updates. The Water Taxi continues on its modified schedule for this fall/winter (7 days but no weekend or off-peak shuttle buses).
Trouble on the streets/paths/bridges/water? Please let us know – text (but not if you’re driving!) 206-293-6302.
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