HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, South Delridge, and Riverview – met in-person this month for the first time in a while. New venue, too – Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery in South Delridge. The centerpiece of Thursday night’s agenda was the South Delridge Action Plan, which kicked off back in January with a survey to which about 300 people responded. The city’s point person for the plan is David Goldberg, who shepherded the North Delridge Action Plan almost a decade ago, and he was at the HPAC meeting to talk about this plan, listen to suggestions, and answer questions, following up on his appearance in March.

The goal of the SDAP is to “create a shared community-city [government] vision and an action plan that builds community assets an capacity and aligns city investments to achieve this vision.”

Goldberg said the city was working on the foundation of the plan by gathering data on how people are connected to their neighborhood – where they gather, where they shop, other places they visit. When that information is all gathered, it’ll be presented, and the city will ask about how people get around. That’ll include transit – including Metro‘s RapidRide H Line and Route 128.

Goldberg said the overarching goal is to connect government with the people in the neighborhoods to create a narrative of what a given neighborhood is all about. Part of that is building relationships between city agencies and the people in studied areas – in this case, South Delridge.

That relationship-building needs to happen sooner rather than later, suggested HPAC co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick. She noted as an example that the new Highland Park Improvement Club has multiple city hurdles to clear before it can be built, even though it’s a building intended to strengthen the neighborhood. In general, attendees said they want more in-depth relationships with the departments/agencies that are supposed to be planning action for the community’s future.

NEXT STEPS: Goldberg’s department – the Office of Planning and Community Development – is working with the Department of Neighborhoods and Seattle Public Utilities to “draft a shared Racial Equity statement for community review over the summer,” intended to “establish a shared framework for equity across the [South Delridge Action Plan] work.” OPCD also is convening seven local nonprofit community organizations to have a say in Station Area Planning and Equitable Transit Oriented Development for the future North Delridge light-rail station to which buses from South Delridge will connect. Watch for reps at community events this summer, such as the Low Rider Block Party (which will be presented for a third year by Nepantla).

HPAC’S NEXT MEETING: Usually the fourth Wednesday, 7 pm, but some months (like this one) may vary, so check hpacws.org for updates.

Another chance for community involvement before the holiday weekend. HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – is meeting on the fourth Thursday this month instead of Wednesday, so that’s 7 pm this Thursday, May 25th. Also different: This meeting is happening in person, and at a first-time location, Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery in South Delridge. That’s especially appropriate because this meeting will focus on the South Delridge Action Plan, as HPAC leadership explains:

The meeting is open to all residents and business folks in the area. Learn what progress has been made on the City planning so far, and give thoughts on their efforts to work with the South Delridge Community.

What unique issues does this southernmost area of West Seattle face? What can we learn from successes and failures of growth plans elsewhere? How can we keep our homegrown spirit vibrant and healthy, providing food, housing, and community for all – while dealing with the wave of development speeding our way? What City services are lacking? How can the City work more closely with unincorporated White Center/ King County to better integrate community services currently provided?

Head to 9414 Delridge Way SW on Thursday night to discuss all that and more.

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The biggest news at last night’s meeting of HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – was from another organization, HPIC.

While there’s been a fair amount of post-session grousing about what the State Legislature did and didn’t do this season, for the Highland Park Improvement Club, there’s pure delight in news that almost a million dollars in state grant money is on the way. HPIC is raising about $3 million to rebuild after its historic building at 12th/Holden was gutted by fire in 2021, and HPIC’s Rhonda Smith told HPAC last night that legislators gave final approval for a previously mentioned $400,000 grant plus another for $500,000.

We’re expecting to hear more from HPIC about this soon, but in the meantime, Smith exulted, “Not only can we break ground, but we can also do some construction,” even as they continue raising the rest of what’s needed. “When you keep pushing and pushing, your voice gets heard.”

The main guests at the HPAC meeting, held online, were there to talk about a different construction project – the West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility, centered on a 1.25 million-gallon underground storage tank meant to keep combined wastewater and stormwater from polluting the Duwamish River during heavy rains. Demmelash Adera from the project team led the briefing. They’re well into design, he said, adding that they incorporated community concerns and suggestions voiced in a survey last year. Greenspace around the facility near the 1st Avenue South bridge, at 2nd/Michigan, is important, Adera said.

They plan a solar installation to supply some of the power to run the facility, he added. Much of the rest of the briefing focused on what they’re doing to be sure people in West Seattle and South Park neighborhoods know about the project. Visiting meetings like HPAC is just part of the plan – they’ll also be out at summer events like the Duwamish River Festival, and they’ll be sending mailers to 6,000 addresses. They’re also working with community connectors like a group of South Park women known as Mujeres Conectoras.

Next milestone for the project – they’ll announce two artists next month. Construction is still expected to start in 2025. And yes, the planning and design is taking climate change into consideration, KCWTD’s Maud de Bel assured the attendee who asked about it: “This size should be good enough for a long, long time.”

Another meeting guest was the Southwest Precinct‘s night-shift commander Lt. Nathan Shopay. Asked about last weekend’s home-invasion robbery near 14th/Henderson (WSB coverage here), Lt. Shopay said he didn’t have anything to divulge, but detectives have it “under full investigation” and are very interested in community tips and information. That goes for all crimes or suspected crimes, he said. They’re particularly interested right now in anything that can help stop the escalating trend of auto thefts; Lt. Shopay said they’re beginning to suspect it might be the work of an organized theft ring rather than a large number of one-offs.

He was followed by Michelle McClendon of LEAD, who said the work to clean up the situation at South Delridge’s Rozella Building was continuing to progress. She said its owner is looking at seeking historic-landmark status for the building. She added that outreach workers are continuing to meet with tent and RV campers along sections of SW Holden.

HPAC meets fourth Wednesdays of most months, 7 pm, online for now – watch hpacws.org for updates.

HPAC, the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge, is “interested in getting your feedback on issues you feel are important to the area that we can bring up with the folks running for the D1 City Council seat.” That’s just one of the reasons to check out HPAC’s monthly meeting online Wednesday night (April 26), 7 pm. They’ll also get a design update on the West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility, the 1.25-million-gallon storage tank that’s planned for a site near the West Seattle side of the 1st Avenue South Bridge, to reduce overflow pollution in the Duwamish River. Find out about what else is happening in the community, too, and bring your questions/concerns/ideas. Connection info is on this page of the HPAC website.

One more community meeting to recap for you before the weekend’s out – HPAC, the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge, gathered online this past Wednesday, with HPAC co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick facilitating. Major agenda item: The South Delridge Action Plan, announced by the city when a survey was launched in January.

David Goldberg, who led the North Delridge Action Plan in the mid-2010s, is shepherding this one too. He noted that he’s worked on West Seattle neighborhood plans back in the late ’90s – Admiral, Delridge, Westwood-Highland Park – and on local park projects including Ercolini, Myrtle Reservoir, and Cottage Grove in the ’00s.

So why does South Delridge need an Action Plan? Goldberg listed multiple reasons including public-safety concerns, food insecurity, health inequities, and the fact none of its neighborhoods has had a new plan since 1999.

The desired goal: A vision shared by the community and city.

Though light rail is only going to North Delridge, buses from South Delridge will take people to it, so this planning is taking that into account, Goldberg said:

Longfellow Creek, whose historic headwaters are in Westwood, is another focal point:

So how is the plan going to be developed, if it’s to be a “shared” vision? Goldberg said they weren’t expecting to have “large” community events, but more direct engagement with smaller groups and institutions, and looking for other ways to reach people to ensure “all voices are heard.” Almost 300 people responded to the winter survey, he added.

After listening to the presentation, HPAC co-chair Craig Rankin observed, “This doesn’t feel community-driven.” Goldberg insisted it’s intended to be, and that right now they’re simply “trying to understand how to start the work.” He promised Rankin and HPAC that it would indeed be collaborative, and said he “will have failed” if when all is said and done they don’t agree it turned out that way. They do already have a “rough schedule,” though:

He promised to return to HPAC to talk more about the SDAP in May.

RV ENCAMPMENTS: Brief update from outreach leader Michelle McClendon – she noted that the 2nd/Michigan (1st Avenue South Bridge) outreach work had just concluded (as we’ve reported, 30 people were said to have been placed in shelter or housing), so they have moved on to other areas, including RVs at Henderson/Barton.

DAY OF SERVICE: Kirkpatrick noted that May 20th is the One Seattle Day of Service this year and welcomed community ideas for what could be done.

NEXT MEETING: HPAC meets most months at 7 pm on the fourth Thursday, so that’ll be April 27th. Topics planned for the agenda so far include the SW Holden Natural Drainage Systems and West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility projects. Watch hpacws.org for updates and meeting-access info.

Two months after the city Office of Planning and Community Development announced the South Delridge Action Plan by launching a survey, you can find out more about it at tonight’s monthly meeting of HPAC. At centerstage during the community coalition’s 7 pm online meeting will be OPCD reps led by David Goldberg. HPAC’s announcement says they plan to discuss:

-Their partnerships with SPU and other City Departments
-Engagement that’s already completed to help guide their understanding of priorities
-Ideas about what the Outcomes of the work might be
-Rough phases of work moving forward

They’re interested in hearing ideas on engagement for 2023 and any opportunities to partner and hearing about outcomes of interest to HPAC members.

All are welcome at tonight’s meeting, to listen/watch and/or ask questions. You can get the video/call-in info by going here.