FOLLOWUP: Closing arguments filed, ruling expected Monday in Alki Elementary rebuild/expansion parking appeal

(Rendering of new Alki Elementary entrance on north side of school)

Monday (July 1) is the day that Deputy Hearing Examiner Susan Drummond is expected to issue her ruling in the second appeal of a proposed zoning exception for the new Alki Elementary School. Thursday was the deadline she gave to the three parties in the case – the nearby residents who filed the appeal, Seattle Public Schools, and the city Department of Construction and Inspections – to file their closing statements, and all three did. You might recall that the only issue is whether SPS will be allowed to build the expanded new school with less parking than city zoning rules require. The rules require 48 spaces; the district originally sought to rebuild with no offstreet parking; a separate group of area residents appealed that and other zoning exceptions the city granted. Last August, Drummond ruled in their favor regarding the parking issue, ordering the district and city to go back to the drawing board on that. (Other exception appeals were either dismissed or settled.) The district subsequently revised the design to create 15 spaces on the southwest side of the campus; the city said OK, and then this appeal was filed.

The case was argued in a three-day hearing we covered in late May and early June (here’s our report on Day 1, our report on Day 2, and our report on Day 3), and now the ruling is awaited. The closing arguments are all in the case file – you can download and read the appellants’ argument here, the district’s argument here, and the city’s brief argument here.

Depending on what Drummond rules, a subsequent court challenge is possible; that was the first action the district took after the previous ruling, but a judge threw it out because it wasn’t a land-use decision, it was just an admonition to revisit the issue. Meantime, Alki Elementary spent the just-concluded school year in temporary quarters at the former Schmitz Park Elementary and will be there at least two more years. The school’s enrollment last year was ~271 (100 under the old Alki’s capacity), and the new school is planned for up to double that, counting two preschool classes expected also to be housed on the campus.

Eva Chappell June 28, 2024 (4:00 pm)

I think the facts are not correct here.Current enrollment without preschool: 271.Max capacity K-5 of new school: 500.SPS is only building 2 types of elementary schools as far as I know 500 capacity or 650 capacity. Nobody is talking about doubling capacity at Alki. It’s a max increase of K-5 students by 35% (assuming that 371 is really max capacity. It sounded as if enrollment was over 400 just about 10 years ago.).

WSB June 28, 2024 (4:26 pm)

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As written above:
Current enrollment = 271
That’s ~100 under the capacity of the old Alki (I’m adding the phrase “of the old Alki” above, in case anyone is confused), which has been described as 370
The capacity of the new school as described would be 540 students *40 preschoolers in two classrooms and the 500 elementary students*
That is double the current enrollment (no preschool)
- Frog June 28, 2024 (9:55 pm)
  
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  Just as background, Alki’s old capacity of 360 or 370 included two portables. The last time both portables were used as classrooms was seven years ago. One of the portables was mostly used for storage of musical instruments and other stuff. Also, one classroom was dedicated to art, which was a luxury and wouldn’t be possible if the school was at capacity. The old school’s “comfortable” capacity was more like 310.

Pete June 28, 2024 (4:38 pm)

I live one block away on 60th and stevens. Get it built!

JM June 28, 2024 (5:57 pm)

I’m still shaking my head as to why they’re building a brand new school when they’re talking about closing multiple schools…

Pete June 28, 2024 (9:42 pm)

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Probably because the existing schools are all absolute dumps
- Jim June 29, 2024 (1:38 am)
  
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  That is absolutely untrue

Alki Parent June 28, 2024 (6:18 pm)

I’m embarrassed to have these so called Friends for a Safe Alki Community as neighbors. Please go away and let the school be built.

Mike June 28, 2024 (7:37 pm)

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Nailed it! Build it already, no one is gonna be happy one way or the other.
- Scott June 29, 2024 (4:30 pm)
  
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  Don’t build it there. Sell the land and build it at Schmitz Park. Makes more sense at that location.
  - SHNA Resident June 30, 2024 (7:05 am)
    
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    Curious as to your logic given the two other elementary schools already at the top of the hill (Genesee and Lafayette). Wouldn’t it be better to a school kids in the area could walk or ride a bike to?

S June 30, 2024 (1:20 pm)

Out of curiosity, what would have to happen for the appeals to stop and construction to start?

WSB June 30, 2024 (1:38 pm)

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What happens next is in the story. Depends on what the deputy hearing examiner rules. If she rules against the district, construction could start soon (building permits are pending because of all this) IF the district said, we’ll build a school with 48 spaces, and then there’d be nothing to appeal. If she rules against the appellants, that could clear the way for construction if they decided to accept the decision.