By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The next big Fauntleroy Community Association-organized event, this year’s Egg Hunt, is just three days away. It was one of the major topics at last night’s FCA board meeting, led by FCA president Frank Immel. FCA’s annual membership meeting was just three weeks ago; its board meets most months on the second Tuesday, but community members are always welcome at those meetings too.

EGG HUNT: Candace Blue coordinates it for FCA andprovided an update. It’s at 1 pm this Saturday (April 12) at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW). She said there were so many returned and donated plastic eggs that they have 600 to hide this year, up dramatically from the 359 last year; if you’re participating, look for the bins to use to recycle your eggs afterward. The littlest kids will get a head start right at 1, before the older kids get their turn; last year, Candace said, the hunt began with 60 kids. Another number she’s happy about – a dozen-plus volunteers have signed up to help hide eggs before the hunt. The eggs will be filled with non-candy treats, and there will be 10 “special prizes” (only one per family, please). If you’re going, look for wayfinding signs that will point you to where it’s happening on the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse grounds.

Other major topics last night:

SEATTLE POLICE UPDATE: Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite represented SPD, with year-to-date stats. Overall, she said, stats for the precinct coverage area (West Seattle and South Park) and for Fauntleroy are “looking wonderful” – SWP crime is down 17 percent, with all but two categories down – sexual assaults are up, three more this year than last in the SWP; arson is also up, two so far this year compared to one YTD last year. Burglary is down 35 percent in SWP as a whole, 80 fewer incidents; motor-vehicle theft is down 40 percent, with 125 fewer incidents in SWP as a whole. Fauntleroy-specific, Satterwhite said there’s a 43 percent drop in crime compared to YTD last year – 15 fewer incidents this year than last, so far. Fauntleroy motor-vehicle theft is down 64 percent (7 fewer), burglaries are down with two fewer than YTD last year. Heading into summer, she said, they’ll be focusing on burglary-prevention education, among other things..

We asked about the Delridge 100-plus-shots-fired incident; Satterwhite hadn’t heard any investigation progress reports, but she said that at an internal department meeting, the phenomenon discussed was that, citywide, there are fewer shots-fired incidents but “exponentially” more shell casings being recovered. One board member talked about a law-enforcement friend outside Seattle discussing an increase in modifications to make pistols “fully automatic,” and that might play into it; Satterwhite said that’s being seen in this area “a bit” too. They continue submitting casings as evidence to see if the database shows them matching any other incidents.

What’s the theory for reasons behind the crime drop? she was asked. Among other things, she said, 2024 had some historic highs so the decreases may just be bringing our area back to “status quo.” She was also asked about recruiting; six new officers graduated from the academy just last week, she said. In relation to a mention of improved officer morale, she mentioned the ability to “thank an officer” online if anyone has a positive experience to report.

ANNUAL MEETING: Board member David Haggerty recapped the March 18 Food Fest, FCA’s biggest event of the year, as “great … it was one of the best we’ve had in a long time … an all-around enjoyable evening.” It went so well that discussion of how to improve it last year focused on small things like the sticky name badges for board members. They’ll talk about it again in the fall, looking toward next year, to see if there’s anything anyone wants to change. (Here’s our coverage, with story and photos by WSB contributor Jason Grotelueschen.)

MEMBERSHIPS: Residential and business memberships help support events like the Food Fest, spring egg hunt, and fall pumpkin hunt, as well as expenses like meeting space and web hosting, so, as all were reminded, the group is grateful for the support from those who choose to buy memberships. (You can do that here.)

TOUR WITH COUNCILMEMBER SAKA: FCA and Morgan Community Association reps toured recently with the city councilmember’s staff, to show them some possible effects of the proposed rezoning – a giant sequoia that could be lost, a hillside house on a parcel that didn’t appear it could densify. Three FCA and three MoCA members rode along, half an hour for each neighborhood. What was the message? Be aware of the natural features, and be aware of areas that already are zoned for more-dense development. Board member Dave Follis said they’re hopeful that there might at least be a buffer along the creek, for example. “You can’t just do the same thing everywhere because things are different,” exclaimed Immel. If there can’t be exempted areas, at least look at “how can we accommodate (growth) without it being detrimental?” He said they talked about utilities, who will pay for service that needs to be expanded with denser development, etc. But what’s the goal? it was asked. Answer: Enough housing to accommodate the thousands more people expected to move here. (The proposals have been challenged by north-end organizations, so their path through the city council has been slowed – watch the agenda list here for upcoming “Select Committee on the Comprehensive Plan” meetings.)

FERRIES: FCA president Immel said the most-recent WSF event about the Fauntleroy dock replacement didn’t present anything new – the agency is still focused on a wider/longer dock. He said in his view, it doesn’t need to be that big – “what they’re doing is creating an overwater parking lot.” Right now the boat always leaves with cars still on the dock, so, he said, there’s never going to be a point when all the cars on the dock are cleared. The signal installation at Fauntleroy/dock intersection is still set for this fall; Immel voiced concerns that it will lead to a traffic snarl. WSF is also working on a Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth schedule modification, years in the making, he said, with a goal of having it in place by June 30. As noted in the WSF head’s newsletter, there hasn’t been a problem with cancelled sailings lately.

FAUNTLEROY CREEK CULVERTS: The 45th SW project, said David Haggerty, is still moving toward construction next year. They’ll see if an SPU rep can attend an upcoming meeting, with the community encouraged more broadly to attend. It might be twinned with a discussion of affordable housing, springboarding off the tour discussion mentioned above. Haggerty also said he was part of a panel to choose an artist who’ll be working on the California leg of the culvert project – community engagement is what’s next. Part of the church parking lot will be dug up to daylight more of the creek – so that’ll be a dramatic change for the area. (Here’s the project page for the culvert work.)

WHAT’S NEXT: Watch for updates on those possible guests of public interest at the next meeting, which would be on May 13, location TBD if they do want to make it a wider public forum, since their regular venue is a fairly cozy conference room at the schoolhouse.