West Seattle, Washington
25 Thursday
11:53 PM: Police are in the 9700 block of Myers Way after a 911 call from the tiny-house village Camp Second Chance reporting drive-by gunfire around 11:40 pm. Officers told dispatch they have found at least one casing; no injuries or property damage so far. Officers reported that a witness says shots were fired “into the air” by someone in a black SUV as it traveled southbound on Myers Way. They’re blocking off those lanes temporarily to look for additional evidence.
12:04 AM: Officers just told dispatch they’ve reopened the street.
Another jewel in the crown for West Seattle High School‘s basketball prowess – statewide success for the WSHS Unified Basketball team! Here’s the photo and announcement sent to us to share with you:
The West Seattle High School Unified Basketball team has reason to celebrate after placing 2nd at the Special Olympics Washington State Unified Basketball Tournament held in Wenatchee. The team is coached by head coach Tim Bauer and assistant coaches Jessica O’Connor and Brandon Marks.
The tournament was part of the 2024 Winter Games.
(WSB/WCN photo of Justin and family last year as Full Tilt marked 15 years)
Eight days ago, family and friends of Justin Cline announced the untimely death of the man known not only as Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s co-founder but also a tireless White Center community advocate, husband, and father. Community members have been reaching out to help Justin’s family, wife Ann Magyar and their kids Moss and Ruby, and tonight we have news of another way you can help: West Seattle restaurateur Khalid Agour of Itto’s is hosting a benefit dinner at the West Seattle Eagles‘ headquarters this Sunday (March 17th). All ages are welcome, 5-7:30 pm, and along with dinner, a fundraising auction is planned too. Donation for dinner is $30 (cash-only, please). If this doesn’t work with your schedule, the Eagles are collecting donations at other times too; they’re at 4426 California SW. Here’s a flyer for the dinner/auction benefit.
As announced at last month’s Alki Community Council meeting, the ACC is teaming up with SPD for a free personal-safety training session, this Wednesday (March 13), 3:30 pm at West Seattle Library (2306 42nd SW). ACC president Charlotte Starck tells WSB tonight that they still have room for more people – you can register here right now! The training is summarized as: “Officers will teach you how to be safer in a variety of situations with a specific focus on shopping areas and neighborhoods from Alki to North Admiral and the West Seattle Junction. This is not a self-defense tactical class, but an engaging lecture and run-through of various scenarios, with Q & A following.” It’s for anyone age 14 and up.
From weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) summaries made public late this afternoon, two incidents we hadn’t previously heard about:
(WSB photo, added Tuesday morning)
JUNCTION CRASH-AND-GRAB: West Seattle Smoke Shop in The Junction (4750 California SW) was hit by crash-and-grab burglars around 4:30 am Saturday. According to archived audio, three vehicles were seen nearby, including a dark minivan, with five to 10 people milling about them, and police got word of the crash-and-grab while on the way to check out that report. The summary says that “suspects backed an unknown-model Hyundai over the cement bollards installed in front of (the business) and plowed into the already boarded-up smoke shop. The suspects entered the store, taking various vape products, and caused damage to the building.”
MORGAN JUNCTION GUNFIRE: This happened just after 4 am Friday: “Officers responded to the 6500 block California Ave SW to a report of a shot fired following an argument in the street. Officers arrived and located a single shell casing in a business driveway. Caller reported that possible suspect left in a vehicle NB after firing the round.”
And a little more information on a break-in we covered Sunday:
48TH/CHARLESTOWN BREAK-IN FOLLOWUP: We reported initially that the man arrested in this incident was taken to Harborview. He subsequently was booked into King County Jail, we confirmed today, and is still there. According to the SPD summary of the incident, he “broke a large window at the front of the home and crawled through the broken glass” to get in, where a man and woman living there confronted him; while the three fought/struggled, one of the residents hit him, and that’s how they got him “pinned down” before police arrived.
(WCN/WSB photo)
On partner site White Center Now, we’re covering a shooting that put at least three schools into lockdown for a while this afternoon. King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Eric White told our crew in White Center that a man was shot near 11th SW/SW 114th [vicinity map] just before 2:30 pm; the lockdowns have since been lifted, but no one’s been arrested yet. We’re continuing to update our WCN coverage here.
This week brings the monthly second Thursday West Seattle Art Walk – this time with a bonus – a St. Patrick’s Day-themed scavenger hunt! You’ll be able to participate 5-8 pm Thursday (March 14). You’ll be asked to complete tasks and upload photos for a prize pot that’s still growing, including:
Canvas tote and t-shirt from Jet City Labs
A piece of art from Space Gallery
A pair of wine glasses from Compass
Gift card for Northwest Art and Frame
Gift card for Talarico’s
Dessert at Camp West
Gift certificate for Hawthorne Massage and Self-Care
Gift card for The Nook
Wine from Welcome Road Winery
Gift card from Easy Street
Greeting cards from Lars Gesing Art
Larry Halverson Clay mug from Alki Arts
Wine from Viscon Cellars
Gift card for West Seattle Salon
Gift card for Beveridge Place Pub
A bottle of Tendrills Red Wine blend from Pine Lake Cellars
Wine from Windermere RE
Gift card for Matador
Gift card for Sopranos Antico Pizza
Here’s the link to the page with the clues, where you’ll submit your photos once you’ve solved them on Thursday night! (And go here for even more reasons to enjoy Thursday night’s Art Walk.)
If you happen to see this damage at Jefferson Square – no, it was NOT a crash-and-grab burglary; this was a crash that happened this past hour, blamed on driver error – accelerator pressed instead of brakes, we were told at the scene. The damaged business is the former UPS Store (still operating, under a different name). No injuries reported.
If you plan to vote in our state’s presidential primary, tomorrow (Tuesday, March 12) is the deadline. As with other elections, you either need to ensure your ballot has a USPS postmark no later than tomorrow, or put it in a King County Elections dropbox by 8 pm Tuesday (West Seattle has three, plus there’s one each in White Center and South Park). If you haven’t voted in a Washington state presidential primary before, note that it’s unique in one factor: You have to declare a party, and then vote on that party’s section of the ballot, for your vote to count. (Your party choice will remain on the record for 60 days.) And yes, as has been pointed out previously, the ballot contains some candidates who’ve withdrawn – each party had to finalize its list by January 9 as part of the ballot-printing process. These and other questions are addressed in the FAQ on the Washington Secretary of State website. It even includes past presidential-primary turnout stats (49 percent four years ago) and current ballot-return stats (23 percent as of last Friday).
A quick look at what’s happening at three Seattle Parks project sites in West Seattle:
HIAWATHA COMMUNITY CENTER: After Friday’s announcement that work would start today, we went by this morning to see if a crew was truly in view – and yes, as our photo above shows, mobilization is indeed under way.
WESTCREST PARK PLAY AREA: Thanks to Phillip for sending that photo over the weekend, showing work is progressing. You’ll recall that the project was “bundled” with the long-delayed Lincoln Park South Play Area, so we went over for a look at that:
LINCOLN PARK SOUTH PLAY AREA: No workers in sight there this morning, and work does not appear to have progressed beyond digging; it’s been two months since work began here. We’re asking Parks about its status, and whether it’s still on track to open in June.
(Jerry Simmons photographed ‘Bey’ the Bald Eagle at Alki)
Here’s the list for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: 2 pm at City Hall, the weekly meeting in which councilmembers talk about their plans for the week ahead. Here’s the agenda, featuring an overview of the draft One Seattle Plan Update. Watch live via Seattle Channel.
TODDLER GYM PLAYTIME: Free indoor drop-in playspace 3-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center. (9050 16th SW).
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE’S GEORGETOWN OPEN HOUSE: As previewed here, today you are invited to visit the Georgetown campus of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) to learn about its programs and facilities, 3:30-6:30 pm – RSVP here. (6737 Corson Ave. S.)
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: Second week of cookie booths continues at various locations this afternoon/evening. Search here for your nearest locations.
GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday brings “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
D&D: Open D&D starts at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), all welcome, first-time players too. $5.
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Four options tonight – 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm music quiz at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW) … 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
MEDITATION ON ALKI: The Alki Dharma Community invites you to Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) for meditation. 7 pm.
FREE FITNESS CLASS: Fit4Mom‘s final free class is tonight at 7:30 pm – sign up here. (2707 California SW)
MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
KARAOKE: 9 pm, Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar and/or Holiday Guide? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
If you’re thinking of going to Lumen Field this season to see a Reign FC soccer match, here’s a way your ticket purchase can help local student athletes:
The West Seattle High School Girls’ Soccer team is in dire need of funds for uniforms and equipment this year. The Reign FC has graciously offered to support the team and give $5 for every ticket sold for a Reign FC match this year. See their schedule here.
Use this link to buy tickets as part of the fundraiser.
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, March 11th.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
More rain expected, high in the upper 40s. Sunrise will be at 7:29 am, sunset at 7:10 pm.
ROAD-WORK ALERT
Work on the north section of the East Marginal Way project is likely to start this week.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
(2022 photo of eggs awaiting Fauntleroy Community Association hunt – photo from volunteer Al)
Almost time for a spring tradition. From Fauntleroy to North Delridge, this year families have at least six West Seattle egg hunts to choose from. One even has a chaser of legendary burgers. Here’s what we have so far:
SUNDAY, MARCH 24 – FAUNTLEROY: The Fauntleroy Community Association starts the season on the playground at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW), 1-2 pm Sunday, March 24. This one will happen in two waves – first the little ones 4 and under, then the older kids. Eggs will contain non-candy “treasures,” promises FCA. And if you can help – “join coordinator Candace Blue and Scott Wiesemann at an egg-stuffing party or help hide the eggs. Email her at blueyvette47@gmail.com for specifics and to volunteer.”
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – LINCOLN PARK: Eastridge Church is again promising thousands of eggs and inflatables for bouncing when it takes over the park’s south meadow, 10 am. (Fauntleroy Way SW/SW Cloverdale)
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (4001 44th SW): 10 am, “come enjoy an Easter egg hunt, spring-themed activities, and an Easter Message!”
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – SEATTLE PARKS & REC: The city is offering three West Seattle egg hunts this year:
–Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW), March 30, 10 am
–High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), March 30, 10 am
–Roxhill Park field (29th SW/SW Barton), March 30, noon
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – OUNCES + DICK’S TRUCK (3809 Delridge Way SW): The annual Beer Garden Easter Egg Hunt is back at Ounces at 3 pm, followed by the Dick’s Drive In burgers-and-shakes truck 4-7 pm. (Update: Ounces says truck canceled – a hot-dog food truck will be there instead)
SUNDAY, MARCH 31 – CHURCHES WITH EGG HUNTS: See our services list for church-by-church specifics and locations:
-Admiral Church
-Alki UCC
-Bethany Community Church
-Fauntleroy UCC
-St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church
-West Side Presbyterian Church
Anyone else? Let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com – so we can add you to the list!
(WSB photo from last Tuesday’s City Council Transportation Committee meeting)
The Transportation Plan, the Comprehensive Plan, the Parks and Open Space Plan … the city is in a season of looking to the future. If you have a question about any of those for District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka – or about something happening right now – you’ll want to be at the Admiral Neighborhood Association gathering this Tuesday (March 12) – it’ll be his second West Seattle neighborhood-group appearance in less than a week (after this one). ANA meets at 7 pm, in-person only, at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill), and other guests will include Southwest Precinct police. All welcome (even if you don’t live or work in Admiral).
(Birds, including a Bald Eagle, on cleared Alki Elementary site – photo by Don Brubeck)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Alki Elementary rebuild is being appealed again.
To recap: This all traces back to Seattle Public Schools proposing a new, larger school that, as announced in 2022, would require nine zoning exceptions, officially known as departures. City reviewers approved the departures last May. Nearby residents filed appeals shortly thereafter. All but one of the challenges were either dismissed or settled. The one that was not involved parking – under zoning rules, 48 offstreet spaces would be required, but the district wanted to build the school with none. A city hearing examiner told the district in August to go back to the drawing board on that. Instead of coming up with a counterproposal immediately, the district went to court. Its challenge was dismissed in October, not on its merits, but on the premise that the court only had jurisdiction on a final decision, and that’s not what the district was challenging. In December, the district came up with a new plan that would include 15 parking spaces. Last month, the city said OK. And now, that’s what’s being appealed.
The appellant is different this time – it’s a group calling itself Friends for a Safe Alki Community, led by local “semi-retired lawyer” Steve Cuddy, who says the group has more than 50 members. The appeal contends in part:
The Revised Decision has not ensured that the proposed facility is compatible with the character and use of its surrounding area and the Decision fails to consider and balance the impacts on traffic, noise, circulation, and parking in the area. For example, the Revised Decision erroneously concludes that 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. That is simply false. The school of approximately 300 students and 30-40 staff had approximately 29 parking spaces and the adjacent Community Center had approximately 27 spaces and still experienced persistent parking, traffic, and safety issues. The Revised Decision grants the departure to almost double the number of students and staff while reducing the number of parking spaces down to 15. The Revised Decision also fails to consider impacts to emergency/first responder access in the area.
Among other contentions, the appeal says the information used for the city’s approval of the revised plan was still faulty – with another parking study done after the old Alki Elementary was demolished last year, with its student and staff now housed at the former Schmitz Park Elementary.
In addition to the parking issue, the new appeal includes safety concerns, as did the previous ones. The appeal documentation uploaded to the city Hearing Examiner‘s website includes Cuddy’s personal 22-page letter of opposition written one year ago, including background that he worked more than 15 years ago to get the traffic-calming speed humps installed on 59th Avenue SW alongside the school and adjacent playfield, and a decade ago to get stop signs at 59th/Stevens, near the campus’s north edge. It also includes a letter to the city from his wife Linda Cuddy, written this past January, and noting she worked years ago to get a sidewalk installed along the north side of Alki Playfield. She wrote, in part, summarizing some of the safety concerns that also were aired in the first round of appeals:
The Alki School, SPS’s smallest parcel of 1.4 acres, is located in an incredibly busy environment, in the midst of regional parks and Alki Beach attractions, all within a “Parking Overlay.” As the Hearing Examiner said, “The school site has limited street access, with just one right-of-way, on the east side of 59th Avenue SW, from SW Admiral Way looking south. 59th Ave SW is signed for on-street bus loading and unloading on the east parallel to the school and for parent drop-off north of SW Stevens Street also on the east side. Due to its limited and cramped street access, difficult vehicle circulation patterns and the narrow width of 59th Ave SW, during peak drop off and pick up times, passage on 59th Ave SW effectively becomes a one lane street creating unsafe and unmanageable traffic and parking issues.” Parents are forced to park in an unsafe and illegal manner in the parent drop off zone. Otherwise, traffic issues would be much worse and restrictive on 59th.
So what happens now? The city Hearing Examiner’s Office will schedule a hearing on the new appeal, which will be followed by a ruling, which may be appealable in court. The school construction remains on hold pending a building permit, which can’t be granted until all this is decided. The new school originally was projected to open in fall 2025 but even prior to this new appeal, the district had moved that to fall 2026. (Planning for the rebuild dates back to 2018, when the district was deciding what to send to voters in its 2019 BEX V levy, and it was described even then as a potential expansion of capacity to 500. Our archives show parking questions arose before the 2019 vote, too.)
4:08 PM: That’s smoke, not fog, drifting over the West Seattle Bridge in our framegrab from an SDOT traffic camera near the 4th Avenue South exit. That exit is blocked off right now because of what’s logged as an “encampment fire” toward the end of the ramp. So if you’re headed for 4th any time soon, you’ll want to use 1st and surface Spokane Street instead.
4:41 PM: SFD has cleared the scene and the ramp is reopening.
(City-provided aerial view of stadium and proposed dog-park area)
If you have something to say about the city’s proposal for a second West Seattle dog park – aka off-leash area – south of West Seattle Stadium, this Thursday (March 14) brings a formal public hearing during the next meeting of the Seattle Board of Parks and Recreation Commissioners. They’re a city-convened advisory board that meets twice monthly, and you can speak either in person or remotely. Seattle Parks released its recommendation for the site – and other future off-leash areas around the city – last month (WSB coverage here; citywide info here). To sign up to speak during the hearing at Thursday’s 6:30 pm meeting (attendance info is here), email benjamin.burtzos@seattle.gov.
We don’t know if these two burglaries late last night and early this morning less than a mile apart are related; the second one resulted in an arrest. Here’s what we know so far:
BURGLARY THIS MORNING: This happened before 7 am near 48th/Charlestown, and we heard about it via a texted tip when a sizable police and medical response resulted.
At the scene, police told us it was an attempted burglary, and that the medical response was intensified when the suspect, believed to be under the influence of drugs, became combative. Listening to recorded dispatch/officer exchanges, 911 got a call for help, and police arrived to find a resident had “pinned down” the suspected burglar, who was quickly taken into custody. The initial medical dispatch was described as being for minor injuries in the scuffle; then it was beefed up with more units about 15 minutes later when the suspect, described as a man about 30 years old, exhibited “acute behavior disturbance.” We were told at the scene that he would be taken to the hospital.
BURGLARY LAST NIGHT: Dennis sent this report early today:
I’m sad to report that our home was broken into (Saturday night) between the hours of 9-11 pm. We were out but our two dogs were home. Whoever did this did not hurt our dogs, but they did enough to frighten them. We live in the neighborhood between Frater and 56th, to the west of Schmitz Park. They entered our home on the side of the house without cameras, so they must have known or seen the location of our cameras and bypassed them. Unfortunately, they stole personal belongings, rifled through our drawers and belongings, stole work laptops, and just created chaos in our home. Police were called and a report was filed.
ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: Report # is 24-66348. We also asked Dennis about items to watch for:
We’ll be following up tomorrow to see if the two might be related, given the time frame and relative proximity.
Family and friends will gather this afternoon to celebrate the life of Margaret Culbertson, and are sharing this remembrance:
In Loving Memory of Margaret L. Culbertson
June 19, 1927 – February 27, 2024Margaret L. Culbertson, born on June 19, 1927, peacefully passed away on February 27, 2024. She was a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, auntie, sister, and dear friend. Margaret’s life is a testimony to love, resilience, and the bonds of family. She touched the hearts of everyone who knew her.
Born to John and Jenny Bugenhagen in Wardner, ID. They then moved to Yakima, where Margaret spent her childhood and began working in orchards and canneries. She had 2 sisters; Remona and Dorothy preceded her in death. In 1945, Margaret moved to Seattle, where she met her soon-to-be husband, Louis “Tex” Culbertson. They were married for an impressive 64 years, having exchanged vows on July 31, 1946, at Fort Lawton in Seattle.
Margaret and Louis were blessed with three sons: Dale, Jim, and Sam. Her family continued to grow with the arrival of two grandchildren: Cherie’ and Sean. Seven great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren brought joy and laughter to her home.
Margaret enjoyed bowling and was an active participant in leagues at Roxbury Lanes and West Seattle Bowl with friends and family. She also enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, playing many card games, Mexican train, and board games with family and friends.
Margaret had a green thumb and found solace in her garden, where she especially loved her roses, dahlias, and violets. Her flowers’ blooming was a testament to her nurturing spirit. She also had an amazing vegetable garden where she worked with Louis, and then she would do a lot of canning to provide delicious food for the year. The best canned peaches, pears, green beans, tomatoes, corn, and salsa would come from Margaret. But what she is most famous for is the best strawberry jam in the world! She couldn’t make enough to keep up with the demand.
She was always known for her warm hospitality and open arms. Thanksgiving dinners at her house were a cherished tradition. The warmth of the family gathered around the table, sharing stories and laughter, made those moments truly special.
Margaret’s life was woven with love, laughter, and the bonds that span generations. While we celebrate her life, let’s remember the impact she made and the memories she leaves behind.
Margaret’s Celebration of Life will be held from 2 to 4:30 pm, March 10, 2024, White Center Eagles, 10452 15th Ave SW. Please feel free to come by and share a story or two and enjoy hearing other stories.
There will be a private family-only graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation in Margaret’s name to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital – Support Health and Healing – MultiCare Foundations in Tacoma. This charity was near and dear to her heart, and she still made donations to them.
(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)
(Photo by Lynn Hall, as seen on Elliott Bay Friday afternoon)
Check to be sure you’re on Daylight Saving Time – then browse our list to see what’s up today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: Second weekend for cookie booths at various locations – starting as early as 8 am. Search here for your nearest locations.
MINI-POLAR PLUNGE: 9 am every Sunday, you’re welcome to join a group plunge into Puget Sound off Alki – meet at Statue of Liberty Plaza (61st/Alki).
WESTIES RUN CLUB: Meet at 9 am at rotating locations – today it’s Natalie’s on Alki (2532 Alki Avenue SW).
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: 10 am-2 pm, the market is open as usual on California SW between SW Alaska and SW Oregon, offering late-winter vegetables and fruit, plus cheese, fish, meat, baked goods, condiments, fresh-cooked food, beverages (from cider to kombucha to beer/wine), nuts, candy, more! Here’s today’s vendor list.
WEST SEATTLE TOOL LIBRARY: Need to borrow something for a home project? Visit the WSTL 11 am-4 pm. (4408 Delridge Way SW, northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center)
ART EXHIBITION: Second weekend for Lucha Libre-themed show at South Delridge’s Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery (9414 Delridge Way SW). Open today noon-6 pm.
GRAND REOPENING + POP-UP MARKET: 12:30-4:30 pm at Good Sister‘s new location (6959 California SW), it’s a grand reopening celebration with a multi-vendor pop-up market – participating businesses are listed here.
INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF THE RAINBOW FOR GIRLS: Girls and young women 11-20 are invited to this group’s St. Patrick’s Paint Party, 1-3 pm at Alki Masonic Center (40th/Edmunds) – details in our calendar listing.
(added) BARBECUE POP-UP: From Andrew at Ounces (3809 Delridge Way SW): “We’ll have a special pop-up today from Outsider BBQ at Ounces. Outsider will be serving their Texas-style BBQ from 1 pm – 6 pm (or sellout).”
‘KING X’ FINAL PERFORMANCE: 3 pm at Acts on Stage Theater in White Center (10806 12th SW) – ticket link is in our calendar listing.
LADIES’ MUSICAL CLUB: Free classical-music concert at West Seattle (Admiral) Library (2306 42nd SW), 3 pm – see the program in our calendar listing.
SOUND BATH: 7 pm, presented by Inner Alchemy at Move2Center Studio (3618 SW Alaska), $35.
LIVE MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: See and hear the Triangular Jazztet at The Alley (4509 California SW), 8-10 pm.
Are you planning something that should be on our community event calendar – one-time or recurring? Please email us the basics – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
First thing you should know about the draft “One Seattle Plan” announced this week – aka an update to the city’s Comprehensive Plan, meant to guide growth and change for the next 20 years: The city hopes you’ll tell them what you think of it, and there’s a West Seattle meeting (April 3 at Chief Sealth International High School) set up for that, among other ways.
If you think this sounds a bit deja vu, yes, the current plan was supposed to last through 2035. (It was going through a feedback phase, including this West Seattle event, exactly 10 years ago.) And that wasn’t the first one – the city’s had a Comprehensive Plan since 1994.
The new one spells out the latest city philosophy on a wide range of areas affecting you and your citymates – housing, transportation, parks, climate among them, each one addressed in a section of the plan called an “element.” Most notably, it relabels some areas of the city, when suggesting how and where increased housing density and other types of growth should happen. For example, the once-reviled term “urban village” would be retired. (It dates back to that first Comprehensive Plan in 1994.) The plan update would rename current UVs as Urban Centers. In West Seattle, there are four: Admiral, Morgan Junction, West Seattle Junction, and Westwood-Highland Park. The growth philosophy there would be a lot like it has been in recent years; those areas have absorbed much of it.
Next on the map is an entirely new concept/label, Neighborhood Centers. The map below shows blue circles representing six for West Seattle – followed by the list (with a city caveat that these are NOT necessarily the official names for the “centers”):
35th Ave SW & Barton – 35th Ave SW & SW Barton St
Andover Junction – Delridge Way SW & SW Dakota St
Brandon Junction – Delridge Way SW & SW Brandon St
California & Findlay – California Ave SW and SW Findlay St
Endolyne – 45th Ave SW & SW Barton St
Gatewood – 35th Ave SW & SW Holden St
(Since Barton doesn’t go through to 45th, we believe they mean the Wildwood vicinity.) Here’s what the draft plan says about Neighborhood Centers:
*Zoning in Neighborhood Centers should generally allow buildings of 3 to 6 stories, especially 5- and 6-story residential buildings to encourage the development of apartments and condominiums.
Much of the rest of West Seattle would be designated Urban Neighborhoods. Here’s how the draft plan sets that up:
Many neighborhoods outside [current] Urban Centers and Villages have few housing options beyond detached homes. As documented in detail in the Housing element and Housing Appendix, zoning that exclusively allows low-density detached housing is rooted in a history of racial and class exclusion marked by policies and real estate practices such as redlining and racial covenants. With the prices of these homes rising dramatically, especially in the last 10 years, these neighborhoods are increasingly out of reach for most people, perpetuating patterns of racial and economic exclusion and contributing to market pressures that cause displacement and gentrification.
Meanwhile, many Seattle residents seek housing options and neighborhood choices that our current growth strategy does not provide. Housing types such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, small, stacked flats, cottage housing, courtyard apartments, and other low-scale residential types, all examples of what is frequently referred to as “middle housing,” are not allowed in most areas currently. Middle housing can provide comparatively affordable family-sized housing, options for homeownership, and opportunities to reside in neighborhoods with key amenities, such as large parks and schools. The updated growth strategy includes expanded middle housing options in all neighborhoods. These changes are consistent with new state requirements which will expand housing choices in cities across the region and state.
Urban Neighborhoods wouldn’t be housing-only, as many of these areas are now. Here’s the specific proposed description:
Urban Neighborhoods are places outside centers that are appropriate for primarily residential development. While lacking the larger business districts located in centers, Urban Neighborhoods still provide opportunities for mixed-use and commercial development along major streets along with at-home businesses, corner stores, and small institutions located throughout to support small business and institutions and let people walk, bike, and roll to everyday needs.
(The city would) allow a mix of lower-scale housing types such as detached homes, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, sixplexes, and cottage housing throughout Urban Neighborhoods. Allow moderate-scale housing of 4 to 6 stories in areas currently zoned for such housing and along arterials where zoned densities may be increased to provide more housing options near frequent transit.
The plan notes that increased housing density is important for reasons including that the number of jobs in Seattle rose 38 percent from 2010 to 2020, while the housing supply grew by 19 percent.
Reader reports about stolen vehicles:
PLYMOUTH MINIVAN: The photos and report were sent by William:
Stolen over Friday night or early Saturday is a white 1992 Plymouth Grand Voyage mini-van from in front of our house near Admiral and 62nd Ave SW. We were moving someone into a senior home, so it was unfortunately loaded with items. I know this will likely be emptied of contents and then abandoned – sad enough. Sadder yet though is that this was one of dad’s prize possessions, and it is stolen on the weekend we are moving him. If nothing else, we certainly want to have his Retired Army license plates back !
If seen, please call 911. Plates: AR 07246 Police report #24-66045
HYUNDAI SUV: This report is from Christina – it’s near the scene of this morning’s 3:30 am hit-run crash, so we have a followup question seeking more details about her neighbor’s car and whether it might be related to that, but while we await a reply, here’s her report:
My car was stolen early this morning or last night at the Strata Apartments on California Ave near Fauntleroy. My neighbor’s Hyundai was also stolen and she found out it was totaled when the drivers crashed into a business off of Fauntleroy. A witness said they saw the drivers jump into a black SUV after, which we believe could have been my car. I would appreciate if you could have people on the lookout for my car, which is a black Hyundai Tucson with tinted black windows and a California license plate (#7ZEB142).
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