FOLLOWUP: Parking or no parking for new Alki Elementary? Checking back, post-court ruling

(WSB photo, Alki Elementary site, last month)

Two weeks ago today, a judge rejected Seattle Public Schools‘ challenge to a city Hearing Examiner ruling in the fight over whether the new, larger Alki Elementary can be built without off-street parking. That left the district having to do what the Hearing Examiner ruling in August ordered – work with the city Department of Construction and Inspections to address the parking issue.

If you’ve missed previous coverage, the city originally granted the district’s request for zoning exceptions – aka “departures” – including a plan to build the school without off-street parking (48 spaces would have been required otherwise). Four nearby residents appealed the departures; part of the appeal was settled, part was denied, and the part pertaining to parking was granted. The district challenged that in court and lost. So now, two weeks later, we wondered, what’s happening? We took the question to SPS; a spokesperson replied, “SPS is reviewing designs to include parking while also continuing to work with SDCI.” Some site work has been done, as allowed even without the building permit; the district tells us, “Demolition and site clearing have been completed. With the project paused, the contractor has been preparing the site and gymnasium building for winter. This includes weather protection, security, and temporary soil control measure, which includes hydroseeding.” Alki Elementary is holding classes at the former Schmitz Park Elementary, originally expected to last through this school year and ’24-’25.

Parent November 4, 2023 (11:10 am)

I am happy this is moving forward but absolutely saddened that it will delay construction and make the reopening date a year later. Frustrating to say the least. Neighbors parking concerns impacted my child’s educational experience.

Fellow Parent November 4, 2023 (11:53 am)

As a Seattleite, are you truly surprised a public project is experiencing delays? Poor planning makes for poor outcomes, as we see time and time again.This is on SPS; the neighbors shouldn’t be blamed for calling out basic, preventable problems.
- Chinacat November 4, 2023 (4:56 pm)
  
  The school’s neighbors have no obligation to help SPS build a facility that will unduly impact the neighborhood. They do have a right to challenge other neighbors (SPS) that are planning to cause major traffic and parking problems to save a few bucks.Please contact your state representative and ask why SPS is so underfunded they are trying to get departures from zoning requirements to skip building parking lots for new construction.
  - WarOnCars November 4, 2023 (7:30 pm)
    
    what a nonsensical idea that not adding parking was a cost savings measure. shame on them for trying to maximize what the property can give to students. you think the outdoor learning area and playground were going to cost less than a swath of pavement? pro-car folks blow my mind…
    - Why November 5, 2023 (8:28 am)
      
      The school does not have an outdoor play area, nor a playground. All property beyond the four walls of the structure is not school property, it belongs to the parks department (save a small strip of steep slope behind the school). You go on with your war on cars! But know your facts!
    - WarOnCars November 5, 2023 (3:08 pm)
      
      lol read the proposal before coming at me with “you don’t know what you’re talking about”. the whole reason to not add parking is to have an outdoor learning space and playground on the school’s property. what an embarrassingly uninformed comment.
    - Kyle November 5, 2023 (8:18 pm)
      
      That is just SPS’s PR spin to bully people into this proposal. If the school is designed to 450 students (still 150+ more than needed) they can keep the early learning center and outdoor space.
    - Why November 6, 2023 (10:44 pm)
      
      I know the proposal quite well, thanks. But my bad I do apologize – I didn’t realize your reference was to the approx 3800 (?) sq ft on the south side of the building, which I believe the planners identify as an “outdoor learning area” and playground. Sorry, my mistake. I assumed the reference was to the visible playgrounds to the north, none of which are SPS property, but whose size could conceivably accommodate a parking lot, unlike the rear lot. The good news is that Parks properties will never become parking lots. Highly unlikely any non-parceled City properties (blacktop to the north) will, either.

KA November 4, 2023 (11:20 am)

Cancel it. Rebuild at Schmitz park. People with school age children actually live in that neighborhood.

Lola November 5, 2023 (4:12 pm)

KA, I did not understand why they did not rebuild the old Schmidt Park school to begin with. The City can do nothing with this property but use it for Schools, so they should utilize that. Plus there is parking, and a playground.

Foop November 4, 2023 (11:39 am)

Greedy NIMBYs win again and once again erode our city for future generations, and all for what?

sgs November 4, 2023 (12:56 pm)

For a place for teachers and staff to park maybe? Adding yet another stress of battling for a parking space is not a great way for a teacher to start of the day.
Chinacat November 4, 2023 (4:59 pm)

Not about NIMBYs, but rather people wanting SPS to be treated like any other denizen and abide by the zoning regulations everyone else has to. Want to build a huge facility that regularly hosts large events? Yeah? You need parking to go with that.
- Wshmm November 5, 2023 (8:17 pm)
  
  Not really. The majority of families at GH (largest school in the district) either walk to their neighborhood school (gasp) or park in the neighborhood area for large events. And there’s no beach front parking either like at alki.

Thanks November 4, 2023 (1:07 pm)

There is absolutely no accountability for the school district in this city. Funds approved during BEX 2 for construction at Alki did not specify that the new school would be twice as populous and three times as large as the previous school, and would function as a super school when other nearby (and much larger) schools would close. It’s madness. The district did not have to consider that the neighborhood is a parking overlay district, one of only two in the city. The district did not consider that some ADA spaces are necessary in a school! There were none, originally and now there is one (1) across the street, totally inaccessible to those who need help exiting the car, never mind getting in the door of the school. Everyone who knows anything about the politics in this city knows that the school district is accountable to no one. If it takes some neighbors to remind the school district to serve the students, parents and community, I am grateful to them. The lawsuit however, was the district suing the city, and the Hearing Examiner’s decision.

ThisCommunityHates November 5, 2023 (7:33 pm)

the parking overlay is only specified for housing, and it requires 1.5 spaces per resident. the facts are that residents in the area have more than enough parking on their own plots (by law), but still street parking is strained b/c that street parking induces its own demand. if all street parking were to go away, people could, you know, park in their garages? but i’m suppose to subsidize all these home and car owners keeping their car out of their house for what? extra storage? “If it takes some neighbors to remind the school district to serve the students, parents and community, I am grateful to them.” color me surprised that someone is grateful for the NIMBYs. hilarious how 4 neighbors are causing so much disruption. the only real argument for parking is for teachers, and i have yet to see an actual Alki teach voice an opinion. the “community” you mention in the Alki area is selfish; they’d rather preserve the parking they feel entitled to instead of acknowledging that the trade-off (an outdoor learning space and preschool playground) will be a million times more beneficial to the kids than a parking lot.
- SoMuchHatred November 6, 2023 (10:26 pm)
  
  It’s actually the school district who is causing the disruption by suing the city instead of working within the strictures defined by the Hearing Examiner. There have been plenty of school teachers and SPS employees who have commented in the various posts about the remodel, and they have identified themselves; one I remember in an earlier post stated that the majority of Alki teachers provided input to the process but were ignored.
BeachTeach November 12, 2023 (2:28 pm)

SPOT ON CORRECT… the BEX levy that was presented to voters specifically said that the Alki rebuild would house no more than 400 students….. The voters voted to give the district the needed levy funds. Then, fast forward to the actual use of that levy money, and Seattle Schools very quietly changed the plans, to instead, build a huge school with no parking. The plans were drastically changed behind the voters backs… Seattle Schools has been dishonest about the Alki re-build from the get go.

Bob November 4, 2023 (2:25 pm)

Onsite parking at Alki elementary. End of discussion.

Reed November 4, 2023 (9:08 pm)

Not the end of discussion. Join the millions of not billions of other people in the world who manage to get to work without driving within inches of where they are going.

The Earl November 4, 2023 (9:12 pm)

Right parking for teachers should be a no Brainer. This isn’t any nimbi business

Why November 5, 2023 (8:32 am)

Children going to elementary school in the USA is not equal to people going to work in most of the rest of the urban world, which has efficient and effective mass transit.

GHill November 4, 2023 (9:32 pm)

Have they at least considered a car line/drop off scenario if parking will be limited?

Frog November 5, 2023 (9:05 am)

Parking is for staff. The school never had an off-street area for pickup and drop-off of students, even though the street is narrow. It was always a potential issue, but was made to work with 300-ish students. The school made an informal request to parents to treat 59th St. as one way heading north during pickup and drop-off times, and the rest of the neighbors got used to the routine. It might be harder if they actually managed to find 500 students for the building
BeachTeach November 12, 2023 (2:32 pm)

no, the school district and it’s designers specifically stated that there would be NO designated drop off or pickup area for kids and families…. keep in mind that THIS was stated as the #1 priority by staff members of the school…. three years ago.

Josh November 5, 2023 (9:25 am)

I love how the neighborhood somehow has capacity for an influx of hundreds if not thousands of cars on summer days and weekends but yet magically on fall and winter weekdays when no one is coming to visit the neighborhood suddenly has all of its abundant off peak street parking disappear. Gatewood has an enrollment of 100 kids higher than Alki and has 20 parking spots of which 16 get used by staff and there is no issue with parking in the neighborhood. The parking lot people insist on in Alki is unnecessary. The real sin is building the school at all, especially one with capacity for 500 kids in a neighborhood that will never ever ever have anywhere near that many public elementary school aged children in it all while talking about closing other schools that actually have full enrollment.

WShmm November 5, 2023 (8:20 pm)

Spot. On.
Wseattleite November 5, 2023 (11:03 pm)

So your saying that a school with parking has no problems with teachers finding parking? That is exactly what the neighbors looking for parking are saying.
BeachTeach November 12, 2023 (2:36 pm)

So, you are also saying that it’s ok for parents picking up sick kids during the day to park up to 800 yards away (the footage stated as “OK” by district officials) and walk back to their cars in nasty weather?!?…. and the school district requires parents to come into the building to sign kids out…. they are not allowed to wait for curbside pick up….. parents are required to park.

Sorry, comment time is over.