‘Not as bad’ summer discussed @ Alki Community Council

| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news

Roughly midway through the summer season at Alki, it’s “not as bad as years past.” So observed Seattle Police Southwest Precinct Officer Tammy Frame, first guest at this month’s Alki Community Council meeting online and in person this past Thursday night.

That’s not to say the beach has been trouble-free. Some residents were there with complaints. But there was general acknowledgment that the early beach closure – 10 pm, with fires to be out at 9:30 pm – makes a “significant difference.” One resident said, “A lot of the noise and rowdiness has evaporated.’ Even the Fourth of July was “much quieter,” attendees agreed; Officer Frame said the (unannounced) street closures that night were planned because police were “expecting a bigger crowd.”

Fast, loud driving continues to be a concern on Alki and Harbor Avenues, though, and one attendee specifically wanted to discuss aggressive driving and other problems on 56th SW, especially from people coming downhill toward the beach from Admiral Way. Neighbors have been asking for traffic-calming measures but “getting the runaround” including suggestions to apply for a variety of city grant programs that are either inactive or not applicable for transportation projects. Officer Frame suggested contacting Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner for clearer information on possible solutions.

As for the Harbor Avenue concerns – not just aggressive driving, but also the continuing presence of RVs – one local condo complex is hosting a meeting with police this week and has invited reps from other complexes too. Asked how best to voice concerns about RVs, Officer Frame mentioned the Find It Fix It app, as well as contacting the Parks Department, which she described as the current “lead” on encampment issues. But she also stressed, if/when you see crime or “suspicious activity,” call 911 – “we need data” to quantify concerns, she stressed.

One more note before the shorter-than-usual meeting wrapped up – the Alki Elementary rebuild project has an “environmental checklist” online now for comment – find it linked from this page (scroll down to Alki Elementary, click the plus sign to expand; you’ll also find info on how to comment).

NEXT MEETING: The Alki Community Council will take August off, so next meeting is September 22nd.

Blbl July 25, 2022 (9:34 am)

Huh. Kick people out and the neighborhood is quieter? Shocking news. Maybe we should just lock people in their homes and only let them open their doors for Amazon. That would solve even more “problems”.

pelicans July 25, 2022 (12:09 pm)

Blbl,
Rhetorical questions, but are you new here? Are you even from here? And if so, are you paying any attention to what is going on? Even though, out of the last three summers, this is a quiet one? Do you even live anywhere close to Alki?News Flash: Alki isn’t just just a rich neighborhood with a bunch of NIMBYs living here. There is a very long-lived, historical population here. And we are becoming fewer every year. Not just that we are dying off, but that our kids and grandkids cannot pay the taxes to continue to live here. The 1, 3, 10% are moving in.There is much “affordable/renters’ housing” here (but much less than there was ten years ago.) It’s all old and any developer that (I refuse to refer to them as a “who”) buys it is buying a “teardown.”David Horsey, where is your crusading artwork for us, or don’t we count?Tbe city is making sure that our perfectly safe, older, 2 to 3 story, apartment houses are being torn down, to be replaced by buildings that cater to a new, richer demographic. Revenue enhancement, higher property values, more $.Retirees/renters like I and my neighbors are being forced out by higher property taxes on building owners, who pass the “savings” on to us.Equitable, inclusive, fair, safe. Yeah, how’s that working out for ALL of us?Blbl,Get to know your neighbors and ‘hoods around here before you criticise the awful conditions that SPD can no longer/is no longer allowed to control.. And if you’ve LIVED in Alki for more than eight or ten years, then maybe you have the right to say something about that. But, please, justify your criticism. I would like to hear from newbies with stars in their eyes. I was one once 40 years ago.I would love to look at Alki with fresh, hopeful, eyes.
- Blbl July 25, 2022 (9:54 pm)
  
  Sorry I didn’t reply sooner, Pelican, I was taking my daily walk on Alki, like I have pretty much every sunny day for the past 20 years. I had to hurry, though, since now I can’t linger on the beach. Gotta get out before the sun even goes down. The “curfews” are bad for everyone: bad for me as a resident, bad for tourists, bad for business, and bad for my community neighbors off this island. But mostly, it’s just a lazy policy.
- Pessoa July 26, 2022 (10:24 am)
  
  Seattle is a cautious, moderate company town posing as a radical progressive city. There is always a cratering towards the center of the political dial – from both sides – when things get too “radical.” Since you mention Dave Horsey, after being dumped by the LA Time (his bitter take on politics was too much even for the LA Times readers) he slunk back to Seattle to continue this tradition. Now, he’s carrying water for Harrell and other “progressives.” I am beginning to lose hope that anyone in this corner of the country is really who they say they are.

Jeepney July 25, 2022 (10:29 am)

Encouraging news, hope the trend continues.

jay July 25, 2022 (11:56 am)

I’m a NNIMBY. No NIMBYs In My Backyard. I don’t like that I can’t peacefully and quietly enjoy my local parks in the way I used to before 2020.

Charles July 25, 2022 (12:02 pm)

>The Alki Community Council will take August off, so next meeting is September 22nd.So they’re basically skipping the rest of the summer?

Pessoa July 25, 2022 (1:11 pm)

Why not just make Alki a gated community with crabby people who go to bed at 9:00 sharp? You know, install a gate and guardhouse with a sentry who can interrogate people as to their intentions for coming to the neighborhood.
Just secede already, West Seattle, maybe you can get it done (how many tries has it been?) this time.

Alki Jack July 25, 2022 (10:43 pm)

The police must be blind. Just look at the rubber burn marks all over the street on Alki Ave SW. Plus the spinning rubber burning circles on Alki Ave. SW and Harbor Ave. SW. They apparently have no clue what it’s like to be a resident of these neighborhoods and hear that loud scary sounds at night….and with zero enforcement by police. The longer there is no enforcement the more embolden the drivers and street racers have become. Plus the extremely loud exhaust has got way out of hand. It’s like SPD has recreated the Wild West….. every citizen for themselves.

Jim August 2, 2022 (5:12 am)

During the buck Moon I was down on Alki and couldn’t believe all of the people that were clearly up to no good and as you mentioned there were people burning rubber all over and I didn’t see one single cop anywhere but they still get all those premium parking spots along Alki Avenue

Sorry, comment time is over.