2 hot topics on tomorrow’s JuNO agenda: Real Change & Triangle
Got a question/concern about Real Change vendors? Take it to the top, without leaving West Seattle, as Real Change‘s director of vendor services Tara Moss and field organizer Neal Lampi come to the Junction Neighborhood Organization‘s next meeting tomorrow night for Q/A. Also on the agenda: An update on where planning stands for the West Seattle Triangle, after a series of meetings with city planners and a local advisory group this spring. The planner who’s leading the project, Susan McLain, will talk about the progress toward creating a Street Design/Public Realm Concept Plan process for The Triangle, as well as zoning/land use. Everyone’s welcome at the JuNO meeting – 6:30 pm Tuesday at Ginomai (southwest corner of 42nd/Genesee).
West Seattle Crime Watch: ‘Night Out’ exactly one month away
(2009 WSB photo from Night Out party in Fauntleroy)
Signed up for a “Night Out” crime-preventing/neighborhood-strengthening party on your block yet? This year’s event is coming up August 3rd. And Seattle Police have changed a few things this time around, as noted here. For one – there’s a quicker way to sign up online – you can do it right here, right now. For two – they’ve set up a Seattle Night Out Facebook page (you can “like” it here). If your neighborhood does decide to have a Night Out block party, and you wouldn’t mind us stopping by for a photo, please let us know – SPD generally doesn’t share lists/maps of registered parties, so we’ve made this request to you the past two years, and have met some great folks as a result.
More West Seattle volunteering: Circle cleanup; more Rampathon
A few more West Seattle volunteerism reports have come in since last weekend, to add to the ones we’d already spotlighted. First, Michele reports from northwest of The Junction:
Patty Blair organized a traffic circle cleanup party at 47th Ave SW and Dakota [map], Saturday, May 15th. 14 neighbors came together to pull weeds, pick up trash and dig up stumps. The traffic circle once knee high in grass looks beautiful. Michele Miller supplied coffee while Patty served homemade carrot muffins and chocolate chip cookies. Neighbors helping out were Barbara and George, Art, Bobbie, Erik and daughters Addy and Riley, Heidi, Lilith and daughter Nora, along with Sherry and daughter Yasmine, also Beth who came from Queen Anne . Many others drove by thanking us and shouting support . By the end of the day we made new friends with our neighbors, strengthened friendships and found a lot of earthworms and snails. Thanks also to the city who supplied gloves, bags and safety vests.
Photo above, Erik and daughter Addy (with others in the background); below, organizer Patty:
(What’s YOUR neighborhood up to? Share it with the rest of West Seattle!) Next – one more project from Rampathon. On Saturday, we showed you the one done that day in Highland Park by Potter Construction (WSB sponsor); turns out another West Seattle-based construction company, Weitzel Construction, had a Rampathon project too – Dave Weitzel shared this photo of the completed project in Magnolia:
Morgan Community Assoc. report #1: Everything but Lowman
Tonight’s Morgan Community Association meeting at The Kenney was really two meetings in one. For the first hour, president Deb Barker cracked the whip to keep a jammed agenda galloping ahead, to leave maximum time for the second hour (and then some) to focus on the reason for a big turnout (more than 50 people) – the controversial proposals for “Combined Sewer Overflow” control in the area feeding Murray Pump Station at Lowman Beach. We’re writing a separate, long story on the latter discussion – full of “passions,” as visiting Fauntleroy Community Association president Bruce Butterfield put it – but before then, here are the highlights of what else was discussed in Hour 1, from a change in the Kenney’s redevelopment, to the case of homophobic-graffiti vandal Ryan Cox, to a RapidRide update, to park proposals, to the official date for the Morgan Community Festival, plus a followup to the Beach Drive mudslide – read on:Read More
Admiral Neighborhood Association: Concert series update & more
Toplines from Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting: Planning marches on for the second annual Summer Concerts at Hiawatha series. Aside from the West Seattle Big Band, the acts haven’t been chosen yet – more than 60 have applied – but right now the focus is on sponsorships to raise the money to stage the series. Some local businesses have signed on (WSB is a co-sponsor again this year), but they’re looking for more business sponsors and also inviting individual/family donations – the six-show series is free to attend but last year some individuals as well as businesses lent their support. If you’re interested in sponsoring or donating, contact Dave Weitzel at dave@weitzelconstruction.com. Also last night, the hardworking volunteers behind West Seattle Be Prepared and the West Seattle Blockwatch Captains Network explained those efforts to the ANA attendees (the crowd peaked around 20) – Deb Greer, Karen Berge and Cindi Barker. We’ve talked about those sites and campaigns multiple times here before, so we’ll just point you to the online spots – West Seattle Be Prepared is here (if you’re in Admiral, your hub is Hiawatha); the Blockwatch Captains Network is on Facebook here. One vote taken at the meeting: As some unfinished business from last fall’s officer elections, the group voted to drop proxy voting – if members want to vote, they have to be present.
Admiral Neighborhood Association meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month, 7 pm at Admiral UCC Church.
Junction neighborhood-plan update described as “urgent” need
(WSB photo from July 2009)
On the hottest day in Seattle history last July, the group in that photo talked about the West Seattle Junction Neighborhood Plan, as part of a West Seattle-wide meeting at Youngstown Arts Center (WSB coverage here), with breakout groups discussing all five of our peninsula’s neighborhood plans. The Seattle Planning Commission co-sponsored that gathering and others like it around the city, as a series of Neighborhood Plan Status Checks; now the commission is out with a report suggesting which neighborhood plans it believes should be updated next, and the Junction plan is among those at the top of the list. The “white paper” sent a few days ago to Mayor McGinn and other elected officials (see it here) lists five neighborhood plans as in “urgent” need of updating – and the Junction plan is the only one from West Seattle that’s in the group. The document explains:
An unanticipated, significant development opportunity exists in this neighborhood planning area because Huling Brothers Automobile has vacated/sold several acres of land. The redevelopment opportunity at the “gateway” to West Seattle, in combination with the future RapidRide stations, warrants a precisely focused subarea plan and urban design effort that would implement goals already outlined in the neighborhood plan; the current neighborhood plan calls for redeveloping this area and improving the gateway. We understand that DPD’s City Planning office has begun a small planning effort here and would encourage more resources for an interdisciplinary approach that includes transportation, housing, parks and economic development in addition to land use and urban design that will result in right of way improvements, urban design, zoning and land use. We also strongly recommend enhanced efforts designed to create transitions between the new development and the retail core on California Avenue that serves as West Seattle’s downtown heart.
The “small planning effort” refers to the Triangle planning process, which launched with an advisory-group’s first meeting two weeks ago (WSB coverage here) and continues when they meet again tomorrow night, 6 pm, Senior Center of West Seattle. Meantime, this same “white paper” also has a group of neighborhood plans around the city listed as “important” to update – those 6 plans include Delridge (see the plan here), with this explanation:
Recent assessments have shown that current infrastructure exists to support additional jobs and housing growth in this neighborhood. A neighborhood plan update would look fully at the opportunity this presents and also allow for planning that considers whether, where and how additional growth should occur.
The city’s neighborhood plans were developed more than a decade ago; an updating process has begun, but because of budget constraints, only a few are expected to be tackled each year for the foreseeable future. West Seattle’s other three neighborhood plans are Admiral, Morgan Junction, and Westwood/Highland Park, but the Planning Commission did not rate any of those three as either “urgent” or “important” to update soon.
Birth announcement: The Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council
At the front of the room, that’s Chas Redmond, co-chair of the Southwest District Council, with more than two dozen people who answered the council’s call to organize. They came to PCC West Seattle (WSB sponsor) tonight to form what they decided to call the Genesee-Schmitz Neighborhood Council. The SWDC’s goals for the year included helping West Seattle residents organize in areas that don’t currently have community councils – and this is the first. In addition to discussing procedural points – the need for regular meetings, boundary-drawing, and officer elections – they talked about hot issues in their area, with the fate of the former Genesee Hill Elementary School atop the list. The school housed Pathfinder K-8 for more than a decade till the Pathfinder move to the former Cooper Elementary in Pigeon Point. Genesee resident and realtor Alan Krell said that if the site were ever turned into a housing development, up to 60 homes could be built. So the new council hopes to have a Seattle Public Schools rep come to a meeting to talk about the building and the district’s longterm plans. Other concerns: The Genesee-Schmitz area’s lack of public meeting spaces and playgrounds. Before this kickoff meeting concluded, Dick Miller volunteered to serve as temporary chair, and a smaller group organized to work on nuts-and-bolts tasks such as mailing lists, meeting times, organizational structure, and publicity. If you’re interested in getting involved but couldn’t attend tonight’s meeting – e-mail carol.vincent@comcast.net to get on hte list.
Be ready for anything: Know your West Seattle Communication Hub
View West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs in a larger map
Watching/reading/listening to news of the Chile quake and the Hawaii tsunami alert – we are NOT under a warning here – you might be inspired to doublecheck to be sure you’re ready for what everyone hopes will never happen. So we’re reminding you about the ONE West Seattle-specific link that not only is laden with the traditional preparedness information, but also shows you where you’d be able to go to get information and help, if you couldn’t find out what was going on any other way: the Emergency Communication Hubs mapped at West Seattle – Be Prepared. Because of a two-year volunteer effort, our area is way ahead of most other Seattle neighborhoods in terms of this kind of preparation, and the volunteer effort includes this great site. The Hubs are part of it – nine sites around the peninsula where volunteers will set up gathering places/information clearinghouses – click on your nearest one on the Google Map above, then find out the full details at this page on the official site. Bookmark the site on your home and work computers – plus your smartphone if you have one – and also remember that you can find the link in the WSB sidebar (look for the mini-graphic of the Hubs map). You also can pick up postcards with the hub map at the Junction and Delridge Neighborhood Service Centers (more on that here).
Neighborhood alert: Truck seen near Arbor Heights mailboxes
This may well be coincidental, as the person who e-mailed us acknowledges, but given the recent reports of apparent mail theft in Arbor Heights (here and here), she wanted to share this information:
Tonight, around 11:30 pm, I saw a white pickup truck stopped in front of mailboxes on 40th Ave SW between 100 St SW and 98th St SW [map] heading North. The truck has loud exhaust and looked clean. Seattle Police have been notified, but also count on West Seattle Blog for a lot of important information.
Police have said repeatedly that if you see something suspicious happening NOW – even if you’re not sure it’s an emergency – go ahead and call 911, and leave it to the operator to properly route.
Neighbor Appreciation Day on Saturday: West Seattle events
The city Department of Neighborhoods has just sent out the citywide list of events scheduled for Neighbor Appreciation Day this Saturday. Three listings are in West Seattle; topping the list – you can go see your neighborhood fire station!
Event: Visit your Neighborhood Fire Station
Event Time: Saturday, February 6, 11:00 am – 3:00 pm
Event Location: Seattle Fire Stations. Visit
www.seattle.gov/fire/firestations/stations.htm for list of Seattle Fire Stations.
Event: Raise the Beds at C&P Coffee (presented by CoolMom)
Event Time: Saturday, February 6, 10:00 am
Event Location: C&P Coffee, 5612 California Ave. SW
Event: Alki/Admiral neighborhood Open House
Event Time: Saturday, February 6, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Event Location: Hiawatha Community Center
Event Contact: Lakema Bell, 206-684-7441
Though it’s not on the list, we might suggest that the North Delridge Neighborhood Council Adopt-A-Street cleanup Saturday morning – meet at Delridge Community Center 9:45 am – is a good way to celebrate Neighbor Appreciation Day too.
ADDED THURSDAY: It’s been brought to our attention that this list sent out by the city is missing at least a few other West Seattle events. We’ll be adding those to our events calendar. Thanks!
It’s official – no West Seattle neighborhood-plan update this year
The city has just announced which neighborhoods will be the two to get official neighborhood-plan updates this year – and neither is on our peninsula: They are Rainier Beach and Broadview-Bitter Lake-Haller Lake. After the recent meeting of the Neighborhood Plan Advisory Council, speculation about a possible WS choice had cooled, but there’s hope for a future plan update, and some of the local neighborhoods that have plans have decided to start revving up for the possibility by discussing statuses and goals in venues such as the Southwest District Council meeting. Ahead, read the news release just in from the mayor’s office re: today’s announcement:Read More
Alki Community Council: Lighthouse love; Beacon shines
(October 2009 photo courtesy of Greg Whittaker from Mountain to Sound Outfitters [WSB sponsor] and Alki Kayak Tours)
Story and photos by Jonathan Stumpf
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
As promised, the Alki Community Council introduced new webmaster/Alki News Beacon editor Glynnis Vaughan Thursday night in its new meeting location at ![]()
Alki UCC.
But before the introduction of Vaughan, the council was treated to a presentation by United States Coast Guard Auxiliarist Lyn McClellan (left). The room of about 20 clearly enjoyed the half-hour discussion about the history of the Alki Point Lighthouse.
The USCG is thrilled to have it open to the public during the upcoming summer weekends (Memorial through Labor Day weekends) from 1:00 to 4:00 pm, and although the light is automated now, and the neighborhood side is veiled from it, the established-in-1887 lighthouse and its history are still worth the visit, with visitors from 68 countries stopping by during the last two years. You can read lots more about it here.
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New year, new start for Admiral Neighborhood Association
Long, info-packed meeting for the Admiral Neighborhood Association Tuesday night, first one under the new slate of officers elected last fall – president Katy Walum and vice president Jim Cavin (both in the photo above), secretary Catherine Barker, treasurer Ann Limbaugh. (Their predecessors were among the 15+ people on hand.) Some new procedures, some old, and lots of looking ahead as well as looking forward – read on for the toplines:Read More
Another West Seattle neighborhood group is starting the New Year with some new features: The
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