West Seattle, Washington
05 Sunday
From time to time, someone will e-mail or call about a disturbing/unexplained smell of some type, somewhere. Someone who talked with us at Summer Fest even asked about something he’d noticed repeatedly. We don’t always publish these reports – we’ve referred people directly to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency – but now we’re thinking “crowdsourcing” just might help solve the mystery, so here’s one that just came in from Heather:
I’m not sure whether this is the sort of thing that justifies a request for information from the readers, but this morning there’s a terrible, noxious, plasticky smell over our neighborhood (west side of 35th and Holden) [map], and I wonder if anyone else notices it, and whether anyone knows what it is. This is maybe the third time I’ve noticed this, and it worries me. It reminds me of the smell of pesticides sprayed by crop dusters.
Our first line of advice was to complain to PSCAA so they at least have a record of it. Here’s how to do that.
As reported here last month, SDOT is proceeding with the Alki Point sidewalk project, which has sparked controversy on the partly-sidewalkless side of the west end of Alki Avenue. Project manager Sandra Woods expects to present the next major update at September’s Alki Community Council meeting, but in the meantime, resident Bill Leaming wrote to ask what’s in the plan for “traffic calming” — Woods replied, “We are moving forward with a design that maintains existing traffic conditions and provides accessible sidewalks for the entire project area using public right of way. We are also including several traffic calming measures in the design including improvements to the intersection of Alki Ave SW and 63rd Ave SW and raised crosswalks at both ends of the project.” Bill also inquired about the possibility of a Residential Parking Zone (RPZ); the city notes those have to be “community-initiated’ (more info here). He plans to bring it up for discussion at this week’s ACC meeting (7 pm Thursday, Alki Community Center).
As you can see in that video, not an easy task to move an iguana from one container to another. That’s Seattle Animal Shelter animal-care officer Michael Kokernak making the transfer earlier this afternoon at the shelter’s HQ in Interbay, watched by Sean, the High Point resident who rescued the iguana he’s nicknamed “Lucky.” If you missed it over the past few days, the story first started unfolding here with this post early Saturday, after another High Point neighbor, Ann, saw a couple drive up to the High Point pond, where they abandoned “Lucky.” She and others worried about the iguana’s fate, went looking for it; then Sunday, Sean wound up finding it in a tree near his home – appropriately enough, since he’s an arborist; here’s the photo he took after the rescue, which left him fairly scratched up because “Lucky” was somewhat stuck in that tree:
Sean didn’t want to talk to us on camera; he just wants to make sure “Lucky” finds a good home, and Seattle Animal Shelter is fairly confident it can help make that happen. So if you ever find yourself with a pet you can no longer care for – please don’t just abandon it somewhere – most such cases don’t turn out as well as this one. The shelter promises to let us know when “Lucky” gets adopted. And re: “citywide fame” – at least two citywide-media outlets picked up this tale of neighborliness and animal-welfare concern after seeing it on WSB; the first bit of coverage we know of for sure is via our ex-co-workers at Q13, who were at the shelter for the handoff, so you might see something at 9/10 pm tonight. 10:23 PM UPDATE: Short story on Q13, though they didn’t attribute to WSB, just said “according to a local blog.” Our material is copyrighted, FYI, and we have a strong policy of giving credit where credit’s due when we get info somewhere else, so we’re hopeful that will be remedied if the story is rerun.
The Fauntleroy Community Association sends word from FCA members Sherry and Ron Richardson that City Council President Richard Conlin liked their suggestion of “please turn off your engine” signs for the Fauntleroy ferry-queueing zone (first reported here a month ago), and asked SDOT to make it so. So we checked with SDOT communications boss Rick Sheridan today regarding a timetable, and here’s what we heard back:
SDOT did receive the request from Council President Conlin. Following the mayor’s lead on climate change, SDOT is very supportive of reducing vehicle emissions whenever possible. We recently installed signs reminding drivers to turn off engines while waiting for city bridges along the Ship Canal.
SDOT will install signs along Fauntleroy Way SW, near the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. (Though the signs will only be informational as there is no authority provided by the Seattle Municipal Code to force compliance.) We are working on the language and siting for them now, and expect that roadway users should see them within the next month.
(photo courtesy Alma Taylor-Smyth, who lives in one of the “flower houses”)
Followup to yesterday’s story about the Alki Ave “Flower Houses” evergreen tree and the neighboring condo owners’ plan to trim it — which is getting attention in citywide media today (two TV stations and one newspaper counted so far) — the condos’ homeowners association has posted this response:
Hi, I’m Wendy, the president of the 1402 Condo Association. I’d like to make a comment in response to the tree trimming controversy. We have never talked about cutting down the tree, topping it off, or trimming it back so that it would die. In fact, we are willing to give up some of our view so that it can grow. We bought our units having been told by Randie that we had unblockable and wireless views, which is no longer the case for the lower units.
Since the tree has grown to this size in the last four years, the arborists have said that the tree could be blown down in a wind storm–on our building, her house, or the cars below. The root system is beginning to buckle the sidewalk, and will eventually pose a problem for the walkers.
Over the last three years, we have offered to move the tree to the back, which is no longer possible, and replace with a different tree, but Randie refused.
Recently, we tried to meet with Randie to discuss and come up with a solution that would work for both of us, and she refused. We have shared our arborist’s report as well as the legal research with her and her attorney, which we did not have to do.
It is our sincere desire to meet with her and find an amicable resolution.
– 1402 Homeowners Association
We have messages out to those who originally contacted us, seeking a response. 6:21 PM UPDATE: We have heard back from Randie Stone:
Here is the first paragraph of a letter that was left on my front door just prior to the Fourth of July weekend:
Dear Randie:
On behalf of the 1402 Alki HOA I’d like to give you the heads up that we will be trimming the limbs and foliage of the two Douglas Fir trees that encroach our property line as early as Monday, July 7, 2008. Although we are not legally required to do so, we are extending the courtesy of advance notice in hopes that we will be able to maintain a friendly, neighborly relationship.
My only goal is to maintain the health and integrity of my tree which was there before the condo was built. The safety of my tree was my only concern.
Please let the record show that I am acting as a private citizen and protecting my rights as a private citizen.
Randie Stone
Two weeks ago, we reported on a proposal to build a playground at California Place, the mini-park shown above (California/Hill, next to Admiral UCC Church). Now we have word from Manuela Slye, who outlined the idea at the Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting last month, that a new group is forming and has just filed an application with the city Department of Neighborhoods to seek funding for the first phase of the project, including design work. As part of the process, you are now invited to the first community meeting planned by the new group, FANNA (Friends and Neighbors of North Admiral), to “discuss the status of the project, proposed timeline, and (seek) input and help from the community,” says Slye (who operates Cometa Playschool preschool). The meeting is set for 6:30 pm July 23rd at the West Seattle (Admiral) branch of Seattle Public Library; FANNA expects to hear from the city about its grant application by mid-August.
If you’ve ever passed the “Flower Houses” on Alki Ave, you’d remember them – two of the few houses left among the condos (map). We’ve received multiple notes about a protest campaign brewing over the reported plans of the condos next door to trim the big tree you see in the photo. We first heard about it, and received the above photo, from tenant Alma Taylor-Smyth, who wrote:
My husband, nephew, and I live at 1396 Alki (the left-hand house in the attached photo taken by my nephew, William Harman), and our landlady, Randie Stone, lives at 1400. She is the one who turned the flower houses into the gorgeous landmarks that they are today. We moved in in February, and every day someone local comes up to us to tell us how long they’ve loved the houses and how much they enjoy seeing the beautiful plantings, and someone who isn’t local comes up to ask about the houses and tell us how beautiful they are.
Randie was informed last week by the home owners’ association at 1402 Alki (the condo on the right in the photo) that they would be hiring someone to “trim” the branches of the 2 Douglas fir trees on her property that are on their side of the property line, although they admit that this would be something like 80% of the total branches the trees have!
I cannot imagine anyone with a soul who would think this constitutes an improvement to a spot that brings so many people enjoyment every day. Mind you, the trees were there before the condo was ever built.
I’m not a lawyer, and it does seem like the condo owners have the right to trim branches on their side of the property line (although I don’t see how their right can possibly extend to an action that would almost certainly kill the trees). However, my guess is that if they do go on to trim those branches, a great many people will see what they’ve done and wonder how they could have done such a thing and whether it could have been prevented. What I would love is to find a way to let those people know ahead of time that the condo owners want to cut off all those branches, so that they can let the condo owners know how outrageous an act that would be.
Randie has given so much to this community in providing so much beauty year-round. Is there any way that the community can give back, in the form of helping to convince the condo owners not to denude these trees that contribute to the beauty and serenity of this oasis among the condos?
We also heard from Gayle, who wrote, “The residents at the 1402 Condominiums want to butcher this beautiful tree for the sake of improving their view! They say it’s raising and cracking the sidewalk, but the owner says, ‘Not true! The sidewalk was cracked before the tree grew! Now those butchers intend to whack off half of my tree for their view!’ There are indiscriminate tree killers on the loose on Alki and they must be stopped! Please let Condomanagements.com @ 206 937-4856 know that you are pro-nature and anti-pettiness!”
We just passed the site and the tree hasn’t been trimmed yet; there’s now a big pink sign out front of the “Flower House” urging people who enjoy the tree to hang a ribbon to show their opposition to the reported trimming plan. We have a call out to the management company, where we were told the executive “who’s been dealing with this” is out of town, but we told them we’d be posting about this today, and they said they’ll have somebody else get back to us with a comment. We’ll update when we get that call back. Meantime, here’s a closer look at the tree (sent by Gayle):
Highland Park Action Committee leaders continue their tour of West Seattle community groups, tonight visiting the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s monthly meeting. HPAC chair Dorsol Plants and vice chair Rory Denovan told the FCA about a letter that’s being drafted asking the Port of Seattle to support them in opposing the two potential city-jail sites in West Seattle, particularly the West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way site; HPAC contends the site’s location near the Duwamish Waterway and its industrial area means a jail “has enormous potential to permanently impair efficient movement of freight” and would run counter to the port’s Seaport Shoreline Plan, which the HPAC draft letter says “calls for discouraging non-industrial uses in the industrially zoned area around Terminal 115.” Next scheduled event in the city’s jail-site-vetting process: A public forum at 9 am Saturday at North Seattle Community College, intended to focus on the Aurora site that’s on the “final four” location list (with the two West Seattle sites as well as a spot in Interbay), but open to anyone. All WSB coverage of the jail-sites fight, by the way, is archived here.
That was the request when we talked with cleanup organizer Nancy Driver after tonight’s JuNO meeting (more on the main topics, development, later). We’ve told you before about the plan for a huge community cleanup from Walking on Logs to Fauntleroy/35th on September 13th, including the recent details that it’ll be 9 am-3 pm, and volunteers 14 and up can sign up for 2-hour shifts. Nancy explains that she needs signups now because this is a major organizational effort – everything from loaner orange vests to donated treats – and she has to have a rough head count. No obligation if you have to change your plans later, but if you think there’s even a remote chance you’ll be able to help out on September 13th, please e-mail Nancy right now: ndriver@quidnunc.net
What’s missing in that picture? Kids enjoying a city wading pool on a sunny Sunday afternoon — according to people who live near that pool, which is in the park next to Delridge Community Center. It’s always closed on Sundays – as are the two other wading pools in eastern West Seattle (Hughes and Highland Park), as well as not-too-distant South Park wading pool, while the two wading pools in western West Seattle (Lincoln Park and Hiawatha) are open seven days a week. In correspondence with the concerned neighbors, as well as in a response to a WSB inquiry, the Parks Department says the wading-pool schedule is carefully considered by geography. More on that ahead – but first, we took a look at the online citywide schedule and made this map, with blue markers showing the 7-day-a-week pools/spray features and red markers showing the ones closed Sundays (most of those are closed both weekend days, with a few exceptions; Delridge is open Saturdays):
The schedules aren’t new but the Sunday closures became particularly glaring for neighbors in the 90-degree heat a week ago, when the pool had a “rogue opening” as one neighbor described it, after somebody figured out how to turn on the water – and now they are trying to get the Parks Department to make a change – read on:Read More
CLOSURES: Southwest Community Center, all week (maybe a little longer), related to the renovations at adjacent Southwest Pool … West Seattle Driver Licensing office, reopening Wednesday.
NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP MEETINGS: Big night on Tuesday, highlighted by Junction Neighborhood Association with guests including BlueStar reps to discuss the latest design for Fauntleroy Place (received and published here hours before the June 12 groundbreaking ceremony), 6:30 pm @ Ginomai; also Tuesday, Westwood Neighborhood Council gets a Denny/Sealth update and discusses the neighborhood vision for the Denny site’s future, 7 pm @ Southwest Precinct (location changed because of SWCC closure); Admiral Neighborhood Association meets @ 7 pm Tuesday, Admiral UCC Church, and Fauntleroy Community Association meets @ 7 pm at the schoolhouse.
EVENTS: The BizJam Seattle entrepreneur/small-business conference takes over Youngstown Arts Center on Wednesday and Thursday (your editor here is among the presenters, 2:30 pm Wednesday); it’s the West Seattle Second Thursday Art Walk 6-9 pm Thursday; and Friday is the first of 3 days/nights for West Seattle Summer Fest in The Junction (come see us at the Information Booth!).
NOT IN WEST SEATTLE BUT IT’LL AFFECT YOU: The City Council‘s public hearing on the proposed foam ban and bag tax is 7 pm Tuesday at City Hall downtown.
TONS MORE GOING ON … check the WSB West Seattle Events calendar page for the full list.
A party’s under way celebrating the official opening of High Point’s Commons Park; we went up the knoll on its southwest side for these views that show how sweeping the park is:
The mini-amphitheater on the south side of the knoll had live entertainment – we were there for the end of a jazz combo and the start of these young performers:
Commons Park is most easily reached from Graham, at 31st (map).
Jam-packed agenda last night for the Southwest District Council (representatives from neighborhood groups and other key organizations in the area of West Seattle that the city defines as the “Southwest District”; you can see the map here), with a Spokane Street Viaduct project update, the latest from Seattle City Light on street lights, and more – read on:Read More
This morning, we mentioned tonight’s Neighborhood Center volunteer event in High Point. Also in the hours ahead: Youngstown Arts Center is offering free events for youth Wednesdays at 4 pm, starting with All-Access Open Studio for young artists, 4 pm today. Heading south from there, North Delridge Neighborhood Council invites everybody with an interest in ND to join its nonthly meeting @ Delridge Library (excellent a/c there, we hear), 6:30 pm. At South Seattle Community College, the Southwest District Council — representatives from neighborhood groups and other key organizations in the part of West Seattle that the city considers the “Southwest District” — meets in the board room at 7 pm; City Light and Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle have spots on the agenda. Also at 7, at C & P Coffee south of The Junction, West Seattle Cool Moms are having their July get-together, with a presentation including ways to live a less-toxic lifestyle.
That’s nationally renowned activist Van Jones, talking about how High Point’s new Neighborhood Center is going to set a national precedent, during his Seattle appearance in May. (That’s actually the third of three videos from his speech; part 1 is here, part 2 is here.) Tonight is your next chance to get involved with the Neighborhood Center and its “green revolution,” looking ahead to its groundbreaking next month – tonight there’s an orientation/training session for volunteers. First, find out more about what’s happening with the project — read the article sent to us by Cathy Cooper, then check out several different ways to help with NH:Read More
New info today about the new pedestrian flags at 3 West Seattle spots, including replacement of stolen ones:Read More
As mentioned in our preceding post, this community event is happening right now — prayers and hopes for a safe summer. We stopped by toward the start of it for the clip you see above. If you are not stuck in, oh, say, an office outside West Seattle, it is a spectacular day and High Point Pond Park (30th/Juneau; map) is in an amazingly panoramic spot. “Food, games, music, and fun” are promised too.
The jail forum (much more to come) was tonight’s biggest event but not tonight’s only event. At Youngstown Arts Center, area Democrats gathered to help West Seattle’s three state legislators kick off their re-election campaigns: left to right, it’s State Sen. Joe McDermott, State. Reps. Sharon Nelson and Eileen Cody.
And on the other end of Delridge, at Cafe Rozella, that’s Branden Born and Alon Bassok from the University of Washington, who will be there for the next few Thursday nights to chat with anyone and everyone about how the Delridge and White Center areas could be even more livable, framed in the issues central to the King County Food and Fitness Initiative. (6:30 pm next Thursday, join ’em there!)
We’re at the Machinists’ Union Lodge in South Park for the first of two city-organized public forums on the two proposed West Seattle sites in the running for a possible city misdemeanor jail. The Highland Park Action Committee has a big presence here, of course – that’s HPAC’s Dina Johnson above, in the lodge hall with one of the signs group members have brought (cameraphone photo, sorry it’s not clearer). We’re NOT currently planning to liveblog the meeting – but if you are interested in occasional updates, follow us on Twitter, where we probably will post a few updates (twitter.com, and sign up to follow westseattleblog) if the wireless signal holds – a little spotty so far. The actual meeting doesn’t start till 6:30 – right now folks are milling about chatting; some citywide media crews are here. The agenda will include a “brief background presentation” at 6:40, small-group sessions to gather public comments and report back to the full group; at 8:40, it’s “city responses to issues raised,” closing comments at 8:55, meeting scheduled to end at 9 pm. (If you missed this one, the second city-organized public forum is July 26 at South Seattle Community College, 9 am, and HPAC will meet again 7 pm July 21.) 7:39 PM UPDATE: Highland Park Elementary teacher Laura Drake brought down the house with a speech full of fury and heartfelt emotion – some people are actually crying – we have it on video and will post it as soon as we get home when this is over; we can guarantee you’ll see part of it on the 11 pm news (though tv self-limits to about 20 seconds – we’ll show you the whole 2 to 3 minutes).
TONIGHT: The Highland Park Action Committee meets tonight (7 pm, Highland Park Improvement Club, 11th and Holden) to continue strategizing opposition to the two HP-vicinity sites (map) on the city’s “final four” list of potential jail locations. THURSDAY: The first of two city-organized public meetings focusing on those two sites — this one’s in neighboring South Park (6 pm @ 9125 15th Place S., map here); the second meeting is July 26 at South Seattle Community College. More on all planned city forums here; city info page on jail-site search here; HPAC jail-sites info page here; all WSB coverage on the jail-sites issue is archived here.
Feet First, which helps make our area more walkable, is close to kicking off The Cart Project – distributing carts like the one shown above, for a nominal price – and that means two things for people in West Seattle. First, the carts will be initially offered to Westwood-area residents. Second, volunteers are needed to help match carts with takers. Here’s what Ellie Taylor from Feet First sent us to share with you:
Meet new people, and give neighborhood residents a reason to get out and walk! This is a volunteer opportunity for Feet First’s new Cart Project, which aims to make it easier for people to do their everyday shopping on foot with personal hand-carts.
Location: The pilot project is in Westwood Village, West Seattle. Volunteers would help distribute carts to neighborhood residents who come through the QFC in Westwood Village.
Times: Throughout the day; evening availability (5-7) is especially appreciated.
Tasks: Volunteers will ask people if they are within the target area, describe the project, administer a short survey, and collect some money.
To find out more, e-mail Ellie at ellie@feetfirst.info
Belated report on last night’s monthly meeting of the Delridge District Council, one of two “district councils” in West Seattle (as per the city’s “district” map) – Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle is getting ready for the second year of its program to harvest fruit from residents’ trees; City Councilmember Sally Clark talked about the latest changes in the process for reviewing neighborhood plans (and got to hear about some hot local issues since she arrived early, including the jail-sites fight); details ahead:Read More
Want to hear from/meet the city councilmember whose committee has a stack of development/neighborhood issues on its plate — issues that could affect the livability of our neighborhoods for decades to come? Councilmember Sally Clark speaks at the Delridge District Council‘s monthly meeting tonight, 7 pm, Southwest Precinct community room, all welcome, agenda here. (WSB coverage of her recent townhouse-design forum is here; we also covered her recent Junction walking tour.)
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