FOLLOWUP: City approves new plan for 15 parking spaces at rebuilt/expanded Alki Elementary School

(New design proposal for Alki Elementary, with 15 parking spaces in southwest corner of site)

Two months after Seattle Public Schools proposed a new plan for the Alki Elementary rebuild/expansion, with 15 offstreet parking spaces instead of zero, the city has approved it. This comes six months after a city hearing examiner told SPS it had to revisit its no-on-site-parking plan, after nearby residents appealed the original city decision allowing nine zoning exceptions (“departures”) for the project. Without a zoning exception, the rebuilt/expanded school would require 48 spaces. We discovered the decision on the plan revision while checking online files today; it’s scheduled to be widely circulated via tomorrow’s twice-weekly Land Use Information Bulletin. From the 21-page decision document, here’s the bottom line:

In evaluating the initial parking departure request, the Director reviewed the district required school program, the DON recommendations, public comment, the proposed site plan, and location of the programmatic elements such as circulation, shared learning areas, outdoor play area, and classroom spaces, and all technical information and analysis. The Director approved the initial parking departure request (for zero on-site vehicular parking stalls) with the conditions listed at the end of this report (May 2023). The Hearing Examiner Decision (August 2023) returned the parking departure request back to the Director for additional study of parking impacts. Upon further review of the proposal, including the additional parking analyses, revised site plan (to include 15 on-site vehicular parking spaces), and all public comment, the Director finds that the departure is appropriate in relation to the character and scale of the area; there is a presence of edges, a right of way, a park and a topographic break which provides a transition in bulk and scale and the departure does not exacerbate or diminish the area character; and the departure will not significantly exacerbate traffic, noise, circulation, parking or impact housing or open space in the area.

The Director finds that the educational need for this departure is met and that the impacts of the proposal could be adequately mitigated by the conditions recommended by DON and the Director. Therefore, the Director grants the departure request …

The “educational need” is explained elsewhere in the decision document as the district’s contention that providing more parking would require actions that would affect how well the new school could function, Meantime, the decision argues that the new plan is actually an increase in official parking for the site, compared to the now-demolished school:

The proposed departure request will result in no significant loss of vehicular parking on site and will establish an increase in parking for the record. First, the prior Alki Elementary had a surface service area that was informally used by staff for vehicular parking and was estimated to accommodate approximately 19-20 vehicles. The hard surface play area north of the building (and off-site) is City of Seattle property and is signed for “Community Center Parking Only” but was used for school-event parking and was estimated to accommodate approximately 27 vehicles. In addition, there was a right-of-way that was used for informal parking at the northeast corner of the site, where Parks has a community center. This city property will continue to exist. Further, Parks has two parking spots for the community center that continue to exist (one 15-minute load space and one accessible permit space). To the east of these spaces are six spaces signed for “Alki Community Center Permitted Staff Parking Only.” SPS’s revised site plan for Alki Elementary now includes 15 medium-sized vehicular parking stalls with an ADA accessible space located in the southwest portion of the Alki Elementary site. The addition of these 15 parking spaces required redesign or elimination of project elements previously included in the design such as the staging area for delivery trucks and garbage pickup, location of the transformer, building storage space, bicycle storage area, and pedestrian path.

As with the original zoning-exception decision, this approval can be appealed. The publication notice explains how, and sets a deadline of March 7. The original plan was for Alki Elementary to hold classes at the former Schmitz Park Elementary this year and next, but the construction delay already has the district acknowledging Alki will be housed there for 2025-2026 too.

18 Replies to "FOLLOWUP: City approves new plan for 15 parking spaces at rebuilt/expanded Alki Elementary School"

  • WS Taxpayer February 21, 2024 (5:17 pm)

    Really happy to see our public servants advocating on behalf of their community and the best interests of the neighborhoods, the children, and the teachers.  [rolls eyes]

  • Derp February 21, 2024 (5:56 pm)

    Wahoo…. more parking at night

  • Seth February 21, 2024 (6:18 pm)

    Maybe I am just too young to understand so someone help me out here.This area supports weekend summertime activities where a bunch of people come over from all over seattle and park in these neighborhoods right?  These generally dont coincide with school hours.  Whats the necessity of this discussion on the parking?  Couldnt they just foregoe it completely as most parents will be dropping thier kids off and most staff can find street parking within a block relatively easy?  Yall need front door parking that bad?  

    • Al King February 21, 2024 (6:41 pm)

      Seth. Here in the real world parking IS needed that bad.

      • Erik February 21, 2024 (6:48 pm)

        Right? Where is this “easy” street parking in Alki? I almost never find any, at any time of the day…

        • Sam February 22, 2024 (8:59 am)

          Drive through at 7:25 a.m. on a week day. There’s plenty of street parking.

      • onion February 21, 2024 (8:34 pm)

        I feel for parents who want/need convenient and above all safe access to drop off and pick up their kiddos. As someone who has doesn’t and won’t have kids at Alki Elementary, the bottom line is to avoid the Alki end of Admiral Way at the start and end of school days. I’m glad I’ll have that option.

  • More parking needed February 21, 2024 (6:25 pm)

    15 is better than nothing, but 25 – 30 would be optimal. A one-way, U-shaped pick-up/drop-off strip with dedicated enter/exit is needed, too.

    • MoarParking February 22, 2024 (8:54 am)

      So true. They really should have used eminent domain to purchase the land of the residents who appealed and build parking garages that can accommodate at least one parking spot for every student. How else would parents attend events there?

    • Curious George February 22, 2024 (12:06 pm)

      I think the 15 spots is inadequate but my question is who gets the 15 spots?  Is it a first come first serve? Are they assigned? Are there drop off areas or is traffic blocked?  What about handicapped / ada?  Loading zone for deliveries and service vehicles?  I too am interested if there are enough children in the area for the school in the first place?

  • Meeeee February 21, 2024 (7:51 pm)

    Peak Seattle Process

  • Kyle February 21, 2024 (8:18 pm)

    This isa good compromise. Wish the district would have done this 6 months ago instead of taking it to court.

  • westseattlebob February 21, 2024 (11:11 pm)

    The whole Alki project seems like an exercise in wasting tax dollars after hearing of the possibility of school consolidation from the district. Why can’t they just stay at Schmitz Park Elementary and the district figure out a way to sell that property and save the money on rebuild? I know i’m going to get blow back on this comment but seriously… just take a moment and think about it. Is Alki a booming area filled with children? I doubt it with the soaring home prices especially in Alki and along the waterfront including Beach Dr. 

    • WS Taxpayer February 22, 2024 (9:27 am)

      AMEN Bob – too logical for our public servants – “their money” has already been “Spent” on this borderline unnecessary and certainly excessive project.  

  • Peter February 22, 2024 (8:13 am)

    Car culture is literally destroying the earth. This goes against every city goal of reducing carbon emissions. What the Alki area and the rest of the city need is vastly improved mass transit. 

    • ws February 22, 2024 (4:18 pm)

      yes

  • Sam February 22, 2024 (8:16 am)

    What a waste of time. There IS ample street parking at 7:25 am, when school staff arrives. The area now designated for parking will still need to be used as a loading zone and path to the preschool. Well done, those who got this project postponed. Way to advocate for students, staff, and families.

    • Community Member February 22, 2024 (11:45 am)

      Sure, the previous plan would have worked for most of the people, most of the time. It’s the special cases that were ignored – the parent picking up a child who has become ill at school, the teacher needing to carry in instructional materials once a month, the elderly guest speaker who has real-life stories to share, the speech therapist who visits weekly, the substitute teacher who uses a wheelchair…   

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