West Seattle, Washington
19 Wednesday
It’s almost April, so you might be thinking about springtime fun. Some of the community egg hunts that were annual traditions pre-pandemic won’t be back this year, but the Fauntleroy Community Association is proceeding with its multi-day event. Here’s a reminder as well as a final invitation for volunteer help.
It’s almost here! The Fauntleroy Community Association annual Spring Egg Hunt. You can begin keeping an eye out for eggs in the greater Fauntleroy area starting on April 12 and ending the evening of April 16. Volunteers will be hiding them in public areas, no private properties, between 35th Avenue SW and SW Morgan St. and basically Puget Sound. This is a “no candy” event. The eggs will come out on different days, so when you spy one, grab the little ones and have a blast!
After you open the egg and retrieve the surprise inside, we’d love you to post a picture on social media. Also, we encourage you to recycle the eggs at one of 2 bins that will be located at the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and Hall up from Endolyne Joe’s, across from the YMCA. Last year we had over 100 eggs returned.
Call or email Candace Blue if you’d like to help. 208-401-8404, leeblue2@hotmail.com
(WSB file photo)
Nine years after the city declared the old substation site at 16th/Holden as surplus, its fate remains unsettled.
Last night, it was a major topic at the March meeting of HPAC, the community council for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge.
City Councilmember Lisa Herbold and representatives from two affordable-homeownership nonprofits, Homestead Community Land Trust and Habitat for Humanity, were there to talk about the site’s possibilities – almost half a year after a similar discussion at HPAC involving Herbold and a different nonprofit (WSB coverage here).
Seattle City Light is still willing to basically give away the property, Herbold said, but, as was explained in October, it has to be for a “public benefit.” Affordable homeownership would qualify. Both organizations at the meeting said their clients are people earning no more than 80 percent of the “area mean income.” Homestead said it’s working with a similar ex-substation site on a 5-story building in North Seattle with five stories of affordable condos over ground-floor commercial, something like this:
If you live/work/study in Highland Park, South Delridge, or Riverview, your community council, HPAC, meets at 7 pm Wednesday, online. Two major agenda items:
This month HPAC welcomes back SDOT staff with updates on Home Zone and Greenways work that has been progressing throughout the neighborhood. If you have followup questions regarding projects, or ideas for new protections needed to buffer any changes you have noted in the West Seattle Bridge Detour Route traffic, agency representatives will be on hand to speak with.
We also welcome back City Councilmember Lisa Herbold and team for further updates on planning for the proposed low-income housing at 16th SW and SW Holden, site of a former Seattle City Light substation. They have been working on clarifying concerns expressed by the community at their last visit.
All are welcome – go here to get information for watching/listening/participating.
With no guests or presentations, the Alki Community Council only convened for about 35 minutes on Thursday night. We have three notes from the in-person-and-online meeting:
(WSB file photo)
ALKI BEACH PETITION: This online petition is not an ACC project, but it voices a sentiment that comes up at many ACC meetings – the need for more Seattle Parks TLC at Alki Beach. It begins: “This is a call to action for our parks department and the city of Seattle to make the necessary repairs and improvements prior to the busy season of Alki Beach Park.” The petition also calls for more education to ensure people are mindful of the wildlife with which they share “this precious piece of paradise,” noting, “This beach is also the home to 200 species of fish, 100 species of sea birds, 26 kinds of marine mammals, and 3,000 species of invertebrates.” If you want to sign it, go here.
(WSB photo, last Saturday)
STONE COTTAGE: The ACC has already donated money to the rescue effort for the beloved bungalow, currently in storage, and now is deciding whether to endorse the idea of permanently siting it between the Alki Bathhouse and Statue of Liberty Plaza, an idea that Save The Stone Cottage is continuing to pursue with Seattle Parks. (We reported on this in our update last weekend.) Attendees decided they weren’t ready to take a vote, though, and are hoping to get a Save The Stone Cottage representative to their next meeting.
WEBSITE: The group also talked briefly about its new website, which currently features a spotlight story about a nonprofit whose volunteers are often seen at Alki, Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. You can see the spotlight here.
NEXT MEETING: The ACC meets at 7 pm on third Thursdays, so that’ll be April 21st, likely also “hybrid” – online as well as in-person at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) – watch alkicommunitycouncil.org for updates.
Among the community groups that had monthly meetings this past week was the Fauntleroy Community Association. Here are the toplines:
FERRY ISSUES: While paying close attention to the ongoing planning for the Fauntleroy ferry terminal/dock replacement, FCA is also watchdogging current operational issues. Line-cutting is a major concern. Signage has been added, but FCA doesn’t feel that’s enough. They’re hoping to organize a meeting with WSF, SPD, WSP, and SDOT to discuss what more can be done. Regarding the dock project, FCA’s point person Frank Immel – who’s on the project’s Community Advisory Group – presented updates. The dock rebuild (as reported in our coverage of the most-recent meeting) might expand the its vehicle capacity. FCA is skeptical that would do much for alleviating traffic on Fauntleroy Way. He stressed that at this stage, all possibilities are on the table. The prevailing FCA sentiment so far leans toward support of rebuilding the dock in its current location with the same foot print. Meantime, FCA president Mike Dey is meeting with local elected officials including State Representative Joe Fitzgibbon and City Councilmember Lisa Herbold. FCA’s Bruce Butterfield is facilitating next month’s District 1 Community Network meeting and hopes to have the ferry project on the agenda. Meantime, the CAG meets again this Wednesday.
POLICE UPDATES: Fauntleroy’s crime rate is among the lowest in the city, Southwest Precinct Lt. Dave Terry told the FCA board. He was asked how the “emphasis patrols” at nearby Westwood Village are going. They’ve been working as a deterrent when the officers are there, he said. He also warned that those extra patrols will shift to Alki Beach when warmer weather launches the busy season there. Asked for a status report on the staffing challenges, he talked about the time it takes to train new officers, and said that while new hires are in the pipeline, there’s no guarantee any will be assigned to the precinct here.
ANNUAL MEETING: FCA has set May 3rd as the date for the return of the in-person annual membership meeting, known as the Food Fest because it usually includes samples from neighborhood restaurants, More details soon.
EGG HUNT: FCA also continues planning the community Egg Hunt for the week of April 11th.
The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets second Tuesdays, 7 am – watch for announcements at fauntleroy.net.
As with other community groups, the return of in-person events was a topic threaded through the Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s March meeting, held Tuesday night.
ANA is now having hybrid meetings – at Admiral Church but also accessible via Zoom/phone, which is how we attended. Here are the highlighted:
CONCERT SERIES: ANA would like to bring back its popular Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series this year, but there’s one big speed bump – concert coordinator Stephanie Jordan has been told that Hiawatha Community Center and its east lawn, the location going back to the series’ start more than a decade ago, might not be available, due to ongoing work that has closed the center. Seattle Parks won’t know for sure for a few months, which would be last-minute for the series, not conducive to the amount of planning and work that’s required in advance. So possible alternative locations were discussed – maybe Hamilton Viewpoint Park, maybe Lafayette Elementary‘s grounds, maybe a closed street (like Lander south of Lafayette)? None of these have been formally proposed or vetted; this was just brainstorming.
NANTES PARK PARTY: The roadside park honoring Seattle’s sister-city relationship with Nantes, France, will host an overdue 40th-anniversary party next month. (That’s the 40th anniversary of the relationship, not the park, and 2020 was the actual 40th-anniversary year, but of course an in-person celebration wasn’t possible then.) Susan Kegel of the Seattle-Nantes Sister City Association said a “sizable delegation” from Nantes would be visiting in March, so they’re planning a party in the park at 4 pm April 10th. City leaders are expected to attend too, and there’ll be music and refreshments. The pathway in the park isn’t likely to be finished because of the concrete-drivers strike, but art tiles will be set an the park should be in better shape after a March 26th work party to weed it.
SPEAKING OF WORK PARTIES: The ANA is bringing back its quarterly Adopt-A-Street cleanups, details to come.
WEST SEATTLE ART WALK: Reminder that ANA is one of the neighborhood groups sponsoring/hosting segments of the monthly West Seattle Art Walk, which is happening tomorrow night (Thursday, March 10th). ANA’s Joanie Jacobs, who runs West Seattle Grounds (2141 California SW), noted that WSG will be hosting artist Naomi Cox. You can see all this month’s Art Walk venues – and preview many of the artists – via this page on the WSAW website.
SPEAKING OF WEBSITES – you’ll find ANA info, Admiral events, and more, on the group’s new site, connecttoadmiral.org – that’s also where to watch for word of the next meeting.
No big presentations or special guests at this month’s online meeting of the District 1 Community Network, a coalition of advocates from all around West Seattle and South Park. Instead, attendees shared a variety of quick updates and announcements.
WEST SEATTLE BEE FESTIVAL: It will return this year, in May, reported Cindi Barker of the Emergency Communication Hubs, who will be participating with preparedness info, as in the past. May 21st is the date. She also said a preparedness event is in the works for South Park’s Marra Farm in the next few months.
HIGHLAND PARK: Donna Burns reported that the HP Improvement Club is planning an event for June 25th, which will mark one year since the fire that closed the HPIC building – details to come. This month’s meeting of HPAC, meantime, will feature SDOT – that’s set for Wednesday, March 23rd, online.
FAUNTLEROY: Bruce Butterfield from the Fauntleroy Community Association said FCA will bring back its Food Fest annual membership meeting this year, in May.
TALKING WITH THE MAYOR: D1CN administrator Larry Wymer is point person for getting Mayor Bruce Harrell and at-large City Councilmembers Teresa Mosqueda (a West Seattle resident) and Sara Nelson as future guests. Nothing’s finalized. yet.
LANDMARK NOMINATION: Deb Barker, who represents the Morgan Community Association on D1CN but is also a historic-preservation advocate, said the city’s Landmarks Board had voted earlier in the day to nominate the South Park Neighborhood Center as a potential city landmark.
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
The building at 8201 10th Avenue South is officially known as Former Fire Station 26. Here’s the nomination document. The board will decide at a future meeting whether to designate it as a landmark.
The District 1 Community Network meets on first Wednesdays, 7 pm, online until further notice; next meeting is April 6th.
The Admiral Neighborhood Association isn’t just for Admiral residents – it’s also for business owners, workers, students, shoppers, diners, anyone with an interest in the neighborhood. And ANA would love to connect with you at its next meeting, set for Tuesday night (March 8th), 7 pm. You can participate either in person (Admiral Church, 4320 SW Hill) or online (link’s in our calendar listing). ANA also is reminding you that it’s launched a new website – connecttoadmiral.org.
One big topic at this past week’s monthly HPAC meeting – the plan for another giant storage tank in West Seattle to contain combined-sewer overflows.
HPAC is the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge; co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick facilitated the online meeting on Wednesday night.
WEST DUWAMISH CSO CONTROL PROJECT: We mentioned this project three weeks ago, while commenting time was open for its environmental checklist. The King County Wastewater Treatment Division sent reps to the HPAC meeting to present a briefing on the plan. Project manager Maud De Bel led the presentation, calling the West Duwamish Combined Sewer Overflow Control Project‘s central feature “similar to the Murray (Wet Weather) Facility” across from Lowman Beach Park. She offered a quick refresher course on combined sewers – stormwater running off streets and roofs, going into the sewer system – “there’s a point where the sewer gets overwhelmed,” so to prevent floods and backups, the system overflows into bodies of water like Puget Sound or the Duwamish River. The county has controlled “most of those” but this project is meant to address two areas of eastern West Seattle where uncontrolled overflows go into the river several times each year.
We reported earlier this month on the 1.25-million-gallon storage tank planned in southeast West Seattle to reduce combined-sewer overflows into the Duwamish River. At its monthly meeting this Wednesday, HPAC – the neighborhood coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – gets a briefing. Here’s the meeting preview, which includes other topics:
We will be hearing from representative of the King County Wastewater Treatment Division to learn more about the upcoming West Duwamish CSO Control project set to begin soon. If you are unfamiliar with these projects, have a look at the construction at 4th South and South Michigan Street, where they are almost done with a huge holding facility. The SW Michigan site will be much smaller, but serve a similar purpose, capturing and holding excess rain runoff from Highland Park, preventing contamination of the Duwamish River during big storms.
If you attended last month’s meeting, SPD mentioned their annual report on crime trends. They will be at our meeting too for any questions or concerns, Westwood Village area ranked 4th in volume citywide in community-generated 911 calls.
Also up in the HPAC business category:
-Planning for Spring Cleanup events – sites you think need to be addressed, dates, etc.
-Helping with a Flip Your Trip outreach event? – mask mandates are lifting and traffic will be ramping up, can we help try and get more folks out of their Single Occupancy Vehicles?
-A look back at our area’s five years of hosting Camp Second Chance – what’s working? Any outstanding concerns? Do we have any guidance or response to State Sen. Joe Nguyen’s bill now in the State Senate regarding lifting SEPA requirements for new camps?
-Inviting any interested parties to help out on eBoard positions – we are an all volunteer advocacy group and rely on community energy!
HPAC will meet online at 7 pm Wednesday (February 23rd) – connection info is here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
More than three years ago, Admiral Church told community members that “big changes” were in its future.
Planning for those changes was subsequently shelved. But now it’s actively happening again, as the church has flatly declared that a “looming financial crisis” makes the status quo unsustainable.
So, church leaders told a community meeting this afternoon, they’re pursuing three potential paths for the future of the church (4320 SW Hill) and its 27,000-square-feet site:
The question of what to include on its new website led the Alki Community Council to a deeper discussion at its February meeting. We reported on the new website earlier in the week; among other features, it enables people to renew or initiate ACC membership, and ay the nominal annual dues. So why would people want to join – what’s in it for them? one attendee asked. There were no quick answers for that, aside from the fact that it’s a way to get involved in your community. The website, meantime, has infinite possibilities for being helpful, and many ideas were suggested – the volunteer who developed it, Debbie Girard, has already posted community event listings, for example, along with resource links, and is working on community spotlights. Should the website be more topical and newsy, with, for example, community safety/crime alerts? one person asked. That drew mixed reaction. The idea of promoting the Alki area drew more positive reaction. Whatever the direction, the point was made that it can’t all fall on the shoulders of one volunteer, so others will have to help. She’s working on a user manual to make that possible.
The ACC meeting (held in-person and online Thursday night) also got its usual SPD visit from the Southwest Precinct‘s night-shift Lt. David Terry. Attendees’ concerns were dominated by the perennial problems of reckless driving, even in the offseason, and Lt. Terry again explained that the department’s current staffing challenges rule out proactive patroling much of the time. They are “augmenting” – offering extra/overtime shifts to officers – just to be at minimum staffing many nights.
The Alki Community Council meets third Thursdays most months, 7 pm at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) and online. Watch alkicommunitycouncil.org for updates.
If you live, work, study, and/or play in the Alki area, and are interested in community involvement, the Alki Community Council is back on the web, at alkicommunitycouncil.org. The newly launched website is its first one at that address and it’s the work of a new infusion of volunteer involvement. It’s meant to be a central location for information including ACC meetings, which are most months on third Thursdays, so the next one is this week – Thursday, February 17th, at 7 pm. ACC has moved to “hybrid” meetings, so you can attend in person (at Alki UCC, 6115 SW Hinds) or online. On the new ACC site, you’ll also find links including Alki history, area resources, social media, and membership signup.
We “arrived” late because the Sound Transit Community Advisory Group meeting ran long, but here are three toplines from three-quarters of the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s February meeting on Tuesday night:
TRAFFIC CALMING: They’re still working with SDOT on trouble spots (many of which were spotlighted at last October’s special community meeting). Today, in fact, they got the news that the Seattle Fire Department has signed off on three speed cushions on 45th SW between SW Trenton and SW Director (plus others in other neighborhoods, as reported here).
EGG HUNT: Again this year, the FCA plans to hide non-perishable eggs around the community. This is set for the week of April 11th. Bins will be set up for later dropoff of the eggs so they can be reused/recycled. Other details are still in the works – watch here and fauntleroy.net for the official announcement.
ANNUAL MEETING: FCA is hoping that its annual membership meeting can be held in person this year. March – the usual month pre-pandemic – was deemed too soon, but they’re tentatively looking at setting a date in May.
The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets second Tuesdays, 7 pm, online, always open to community members – info here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
When you hear about “public-safety alternatives,” what does that really mean?
The spotlight topic at this month’s District 1 Community Network meeting, online Wednesday night, sought to answer that question.
Guests included both providers of those alternatives and a proponent of them, West Seattle/South Park City Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee again this year.
Herbold opened by acknowledging that crime in the city rose in 2021 crime, including categories such as gunfire and aggravated assaults, though homicides were down from 2020. Police Chief Adrian Diaz has said there’s no single cause; it has to be addressed with a public-health response, she said. The council has fully funded SPD’s hiring plan, she said, noting that SPD’s budget is down but $41 million of the cuts are because functions that used to be part of SPD are no longer part of the department – the 911 center, parking enforcement, emergency management. “The council has not made any cuts that have resulted in layoffs, but the staff is down because 350 officers have left.” Also, Herbold said, 170+ officers are on disability or extended leave in SPD, an “unusually large number” – many of them because of the vaccine mandate, many who may be “on their way out of the department.” 12 new officers were hired by year’s end but attrition is higher – in that same period, 13 more left. She supports a hiring incentive program but contends the city needs to continue developing alternatives to traditional policing.
Toward that, here’s the presentation into which she segued:
With February almost here, a new round of community meetings is about to begin. On Wednesday night (February 2nd), neighborhood advocates and organization reps from West Seattle and South Park gather online at 7 pm for the February meeting of the District 1 Community Network. The agenda is still being finalized but one centerpiece topic is public safety – particularly the status of alternative programs. All are welcome to attend; video and call-in info is in our calendar listing. (Here’s our report on last month’s D1CN meeting.)
Here are highlights of what happened at HPAC‘s January meeting online last night, led by co-chairs Kay Kirkpatrick and Craig Rankin:
PUBLIC SAFETY: First, from the Southwest Precinct, acting Lt. David Terry was there along with one of the officers who work east West Seattle, Officer Macaully Lakin. Terry showed screens from two public SPD data dashboards – crime reports and dispatches. (You can use the dashboards to check stats from various neighborhoods by choosing the MCPP option.)
Staffing shortages at two city-government agencies were part of what the Alki Community Council heard about at its January meeting, held in-person and online this past Thursday night:
TENDING TO PARKS: The ACC has had a longstanding collaboration with Seattle Parks, including stewardship of Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, which was a community-created/-funded project in the 00s. This area’s longtime crew chief Carol Baker recently retired, and the acting crew chief was a guest Thursday night.
For the first time in three months, HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – will gather (virtually) this Wednesday. The agenda includes two topics of perennial concern for every neighborhood – crime and traffic. SPD will be there for trends and Q&A about the former; SDOT will be there to talk about Flip Your Trip, which the department says is now up to 5,000 signups from people trying commute alternatives. All are welcome to the online meeting at 7 pm Wednesday (January 26th) – connection/call-in information is on the HPAC website. (Here’s our coverage of the previous HPAC meeting back in October.)
The Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meetings are always information-packed. Last night, MoCA’s online meeting spanned an especially wide range of topics:
(King County Assessor’s Office photo)
NEW BUILDING OWNER: MoCA invited Tim Overland, new owner of the Ivy Court mixed-use building (6525 California SW), to appear. He said his company owns and operates other buildings in the Northwest too. They bought Ivy Court in November (property records show it sold for $12.3 million). It was built 30 years ago by the family that once operated a drugstore where Starbucks is, about a block north at California/Fauntleroy. They plan to renovate Ivy Court – redo the roof, repaint the building, add a brick facade, remodel the apartments as tenants move. The vacant commercial space in the building has been leased to (updated) a fitness studio, moving up from Harbor Avenue. The building likely will be renamed.
EARTHQUAKE READINESS: For the next three meetings, this will be a spotlight topic for MoCA.
Here’s what happened at this week’s online meeting of the Fauntleroy Community Association:
TRAFFIC SAFETY: This has been an ongoing focus for FCA, as they continue pressing for progress on issues raised at a special community meeting in October. Two issues they emphasized: Getting enforcement for ferry-line jumpers and people making U-turns near the dock. One challenge – Those are different agencies’ jurisdictions – the State Patrol and Seattle Police. FCA president Mike Dey suggested a separate conversation with SPD and WSP might be in order to talk about a unified response. SDOT has promised signage and an “education campaign” about line-cutting; FCA doesn’t feel that’s enough.
FERRIES: FCA’s point person on Washington State Ferries matters, Frank Immel, recapped recent community meetings and said WSF’s environmental survey of the Fauntleroy dock will likely start in the next few months. He reiterated that it’s too early in the planning process for any decisions on the replacement dock/terminal.
CRIME: The Southwest Precinct was represented by Sgt. Lance Gilmore. Again this month, he said, Fauntleroy has had fewer calls than any other part of West Seattle. He also mentioned another new emphasis program is planned for Westwood Village, starting soon once the plan – and the overtime it would require – gets final approval. (The shopping center was a topic at the previous FCA meeting in November.)
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: David Haggerty said the festival’s future is clouded by rising costs and a need for volunteers. The cost could double this year, if some of last year’s price hikes on items such as pumpkins and canopies are a preview of what’s to come. Fundraisers are planned as usual but finding volunteer help can be difficult. Festival organizers are working on some questions to take to the community soon as they look ahead.
EASTER EGG HUNT: FCA is tentatively planning on one for April 16th, the day before Easter – details to come. (Last year, FCA hid hundreds of eggs around the community.)
WHAT’S NEXT: FCA’s board meetings, open to the community, are held online at 7 pm the second Tuesday of most months, so the next one is February 8th. Watch fauntleroy.net for updates.
Thanks to Mike Munson for that photo from the north end of Lowman Beach Park, where the seawall removal/shoreline restoration project continues. A short project update is one of the items on the agenda for the Morgan Community Association‘s next quarterly meeting, this Wednesday (January 19th), online at 7 pm. MoCA will also talk about the Morgan Junction Park expansion site and forming a committee to talk about what can be done with the site between (upcoming) contamination cleanup and (future) park development. Also on the agenda, the new owner of one of Morgan Junction’s major mixed-use buildings, Ivy Court. See the full agenda here or below:
Information for attending the meeting by video or phone is in the agenda and also in our calendar listing.
(Photo from HPIC town-hall presentation, building’s south side along SW Holden)
Almost seven months after the fire that severely damaged the Highland Park Improvement Club building (12th/Holden), major decisions remain about its future – how much of it to rebuild, and what purpose the new building could serve. Those have been topics of two online “town halls” so far (WSB coverage here and here), and now it’s time for the third, Wednesday (January 19th) at 7 pm. As announced by HPIC, “Architect Matt Wittman and Landscape Architect Jody Estes of Wittman Estes will facilitate the meeting again. We will be discussing the results of the Community Priority Questionnaire and how this input relates to the building, with diagrams and sketches to help visualize.” Even if you haven’t participated in the process so far, you’re welcome to jump in now. Connection information for the meeting is on the HPIC website.
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