West Seattle, Washington
16 Tuesday
Community-group meetings are starting to resume after summer hiatus. Last night, the Fauntleroy Community Association board met, online only in a last-minute change after learning their usual venue, the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse conference room, was unavailable. Here are our topline notes:
CRIME STATS: First guest was Jennifer Satterwhite, longtime crime-prevention coordinator from the Southwest Precinct (a civilian position). She summarized the latest precinct-wide crime stats, saying reported crime overall is down 15 percent – that’s 530 fewer incidents than by this time last year. The precinct has had (corrected) 69 confirmed gunfire incidents this year, six fewer than a year earlier, with six resulting in injuries, zero deaths. She also said robbery is down 25 percent, burglary down 30 percent, and motor-vehicle theft is down 35 percent. On the subject of burglary, she said this summer has been devoid of burglaries along the lines of “broke in through an open-because-it’s-summer” window or door, but she continues to urge people to assess their own homes with a critical eye: “If you were a burglar, where would YOU break into your home?” She added that alarm systems aren’t fail-safes, because so many alarms are false that SPD only responds to the ones where an intruder is confirmed. She offers free home assessments; email her at jennifer.satterwhite@seattle.gov if interested. (Side note – the next community meeting to talk about crime and safety, the Southwest Precinct Advisory Council, is set for 6:30 pm October 7 at Alki Masonic Center in The Junction.)
FALL EVENTS: We’ve previewed these already – the FCA Pumpkin Search is October 4, the Fauntleroy Fall Festival is October 19. (The latter is supported, but not presented, by FCA, and there was a lengthy discussion of how much the association is able to give to the donation-and-volunteer-powered festival this year and how its support could or should be integrated into festival operations.)
REZONING: The City Council‘s public hearing this Friday on the Comprehensive Plan and accompanying rezoning was discussed. FCA leadership had worked with District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka on revising the boundaries for the proposed Endolyne/Fauntleroy “Neighborhood Center,” primarily to remove the schoolhouse – a nonprofit-owned community center – as well as some Fauntleroy Way frontage. Whatever you think about it, president Frank Immel said, it’s important to let the councilmembers know. Chris, a community member in attendance, asked how the FCA had arrived at the position that the Neighborhood Center boundaries should be reduced. He’s been in attendance at the board meetings and didn’t recall a vote or other way of determining that was the consensus. FCA board members explained community members had sent 600 letters expressing opposition to the rezoning as proposed, though they also said, “We don’t oppose the upzone – we are accepting change.” There was an extensive discussion of how/whether issues like this could/should be taken to the community before taking it up with the city. It was also noted that unlike other neighborhood groups, the FCA does a community survey every two years to ask what issues are of most interest and where residents stand on them; here are the 2023 results. (More info about Friday’s City Council hearing, including amendment links, are in today’s newsletter sent by Councilmember Saka.)
FERRY MATTERS: No new date for the final Community Advisory Group meeting on the terminal rebuild. In day-to-day matters, it was noted that Vashon Island schools – like others – are back in session, and while island-bound students usually head out on the 7 am boat, on Fridays the Vashon schools start two hours late, so they’re headed out at 9 am.
OTHER PROJECTS: Also mentioned fairly briefly, the Fauntleroy/Rose pedestrian improvements (as discussed at the previous Morgan Community Association meeting), the Fauntleroy Creek culvert emergency repairs (which are supposed to be complete before the Fall Festival, otherwise parking-lot activities will be moved to the schoolhouse grounds), and the Brace Point power-cable-replacement project.
The Fauntleroy Community Association board meets second Tuesdays, 6 pm, usually in person and online – go here for info.
Sweta sent the report and photos, so neighbors’ good deeds in South Alki would get wider exposure:
There’s a man and neighbors who have been hard at work improving the Spokane Street staircase.
They’ve cleared most of the bramble and added new plantings as well as adding the bench and the fish artwork (the man is a woodworker too).
I thought it might be worth noting these folks and their efforts on the blog.
(WSB photo by Dave Gershgorn: Award recipient Stu Hennessey at the mic, with WSB’s Tracy Record and ANA’s Joanie Jacobs at left)
You might know Stu Hennessey as founder of Alki Bike and Board in the Admiral District. But he’s done so much more to help make this a better place to work, live, study, and play, and so the Admiral Neighborhood Association presented him at Saturday’s Admiral Block Party with the first annual Patrick Sand Community Advocate Award. Named in memory of WSB’s co-founder, the award is meant by ANA to “celebrate an individual whose in-front-of as well as behind-the-scenes service and commitment have made a lasting impact on the Admiral District of West Seattle.” Stu was chosen from nominations sent by community members. His community work includes advocating for a Walkable Admiral, helping lead Sustainable West Seattle in its heyday, inspiring park- and garden-lovers everywhere by growing Puget Ridge Edible Park from idea to reality, leading bike rides exploring local street features like greenways, and more. As we said during the presentation, Patrick would be happy to hear he’d inspired a new honor for unsung heroes! Thanks to ANA’s Dan Jacobs and Joanie Jacobs for creating that honor, and watch for nominations to open next spring.
(Google Maps Street View image)
The parking lot shared by High Point Library and the Neighborcare Health clinic has been a hub of trouble and concern for years – with incidents like this – and it’ll be the subject of a community-safety meeting in two weeks. We were asked to help get the word out, so here’s the announcement:
Community Safety Meeting : High Point Neighborcare & High Point Library Parking Lot
Thursday, September 4, 2025 6:00 PM-7:30 PM
High Point Seattle Public Library – 3411 SW Raymond StCommunity safety meeting with the hopes of hearing from community members in the High Point area about concerns related to this parking lot. All are welcome.
Organizers hope to have representatives from not only the library and clinic, but also SPD, High Point community groups, the Seattle Housing Authority, and City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s office.
Looking ahead past this weekend, next weekend’s biggest even is the third annual Admiral Block Party, a street festival on California SW north of SW Admiral Way. The street will close for setup (and advance revelry) on Friday night (August 22), and then the Block Party is all day and into the evening on Saturday (August 23). That includes main-stage live music; we’ve published the performer plan, but the times are now set too, as provided by Dan Jacobs from the Admiral Neighborhood Association – which presents the Block Party:
Justin Kausal-Hayes – 11 am
Sad Dad Autumn – 12:00 pm
School of Rock – 1:15 pm
Michael Pearsall – 2:30 pm
Potholes – 3:45 pm
Baby Crow Flight School – 5:15 pm
Six Killers – 6:30 pm
Sun King – 7:45 pm
Again, those times are all for Saturday, August 23. We’ll have vendor highlights in our next preview.
Summer’s big West Seattle events aren’t over yet. Among those yet to come, the Admiral Block Party, two weeks from today, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, in the street on California SW north of Admiral Way:
As noted on the poster – and in our most-recent preview – the August 23rd Admiral Block Party will have something in common with last month’s West Seattle Summer Fest this year – an “Eve” where the street’s closed for setup the night before, so you can come over and wander, enjoy sidewalk cafés, etc. That’ll be Friday night, August 22.
One important thing you might be able to help with right now: Volunteer to help make the Admiral Block Party happen! Here are the details:
Help us put on our “end of summer” celebration by volunteering for the Block Party:
Friday 8/15-Sunday 8/17 – poster distribution to area businesses. This can be done anytime over the weekend.
Thursday 8/21 – 6 pm-8 pm Street / parking strip cleanup on California Ave between College and Admiral Way
Friday 8/22 – 1 pm barricade placement for restaurant seating extensions.
Saturday 8/23 – load in and load out of sound gear for Main Stage bands.
11:30 am-2 pm / 2 pm-4:30 pm / 4:30-6:30 pm / 6:30-8:30 pmSaturday 8/23 – help out at the ANA booth in vendor row.
9 am-11:30 pm / 11:30-2 pm / 2-4:30 pm / 4:30-7 pm
If you can help with any of that, email info@connecttoadmiral.org as soon as you can!
5:47 PM: Whether on a waste bin, A-board, repurposed construction sign, whatever’s handy, that’s the sign of the night. Be mindful of more than 200 authorized street closures for Night Out 2025 neighborhood parties, through about 9 tonight. We’re out visiting a few but would also love to add your photos – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text to 206-293-6302. First one in – Alyson on Angeline Street says they’re aiming for a waste-free block party:
6:20 PM: Just visited Rosalie‘s neighborhood east of West Seattle High School.
They’re playing games as well as putting together a potluck. And this might be tonight’s only block party with bees!
One neighbor is a beekeeper, and others, Rosalie included, have gardens the bees adore. Here’s the neighborhood group photo:
7 PM: It’s a Night Out tradition to visit JoDean‘s neighborhood in Arbor Heights:
Quiet neighborhood, so not much has changed since last Night Out:
They’re just enjoying a potluck and hanging out in the street.
7:06 PM: From WSB contributor Jason Grotelueschen, who’s also made some stops – pic of the night, a “foam party” for kids at the White Center gathering at Steve Cox Memorial Park:
7:39 PM: Via text, here are Seaview neighbors from the 5600 block of 47th SW:
8:52 PM: Thanks to the readers who tipped us that part of the legendary Seattle All-City Band would be performing at a few local parties tonight. Jason caught up with them at one stop – his video starts with some explanation of what they were up to, so if you just want to forward to the music, go to 3:40 in:
We’re told the performances were part of a fundraiser, and five West Seattle stops were among 20 around the city made by four groups from ACB. In West Seattle, they got around via school bus:
Founder Dr. Marcus Pimpleton was there to direct them (as also seen in our video clip):
Our photos were from 51st/Hanford. Thanks to Lindsey Pearsall for this view from their stop at her Upper Alki block party, which also had SFD in attendance:
Another band we encountered on Night Out: Los Flacos, performing in Delridge at the SW Willow block party:
The event was also a debut for Sustainable Music Northwest, whose community-building mission seemed to synergize nicely with the intent of Night Out. Here’s our group photo of the neighbors who gathered there:
On to other parties: Thanks to Allison in Arbor Heights (on 36th SW) for the neighborhood portrait:
And Jenn sent photos from 13th SW between Cloverdale and Thistle, with an SFD visit:
Firefighters from Station 37 visited Darren‘s party (thanks for the pics!) in Arbor Heights, SW 105th between 35th and 39th:
This party also did some serious grilling:
Thanks to everyone who shared photos, and to those who invited us to stop by their parties!
That photo from Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite shows ~800 swag bags for registered Night Out block/building party hosts to pick up tomorrow (if your party is registered, you should have received instructions for pickup). Hundreds of parties are planned around West Seattle for this national celebration of community solidarity and resilience, Tuesday night, August 5. If you’re not hosting or participating in a Night Out party, remember that streets will be closed for block parties, so getting around that night may mean some detouring. We’ll be out covering parties as always so if you’re having one and we’d be welcome to stop by for a photo, let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com or text 206-293-6302 – or, on Tuesday night, take a pic and send it while you’re partying!
More than 200 block and building parties are already planned in West Seattle and South Park as part of Night Out 2025 – Tuesday, August 5, just under two weeks away – and you have a few days left to sign up yours. Night Out is the longrunning annual event meant to build community solidarity, resilience, and safety, and it’s also just a generally great chance to connect with your neighbors, even if you’re too busy for that most of the rest of the time. Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Satterwhite is coordinating the local planning as always, and she tells WSB that registration closes this Sunday night at midnight (July 27) – “Folks must register in order to be eligible to close their street.” (Find the link here.) Registered party hosts will be able to pick up swag at the precinct on August 4; Jennifer will email details on that if you haven’t heard from her already. Any questions/requests? She’s your contact for that too – jennifer.satterwhite@seattle.gov
P.S. As has been our tradition for 15+ years, WSB crews will be visiting Night Out parties for photos – if you wouldn’t mind us visiting yours to see how it’s going, email us at westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
(WSB photo, July 2024)
California Place Park is a 10,500-square-foot triangle in North Admiral, just east of Admiral Church, one of West Seattle’s smallest and most-overlooked parks. If you didn’t know any better, you’d assume it’s part of the church grounds. But last year’s Admiral Music in the Parks concert series – presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association – brought a concert to California Place Park (WSB coverage here), and it worked out well enough, they’re doing it again this year. It’s the second of three parks that are home to this year’s AMP concerts, and you can see and hear for yourself this Thursday (July 24) at 6:30 pm, when West Seattle’s own Michael Pearsall and Friends will perform. The concert is free – just bring your own chair, blanket, picnic dinner (or takeout from one of Admiral’s tasty options), etc. And if you knit, remember that Seattle Yarn is hosting a circle at this year’s AMP concerts! (Community co-sponsors include WSB and other local businesses listed on the series webpage, where you can also donate to support AMP if you’re so inclined.)
Updates on Seattle City Light‘s planned Morgan Junction eight-EV-charger lot were among several major topics highlighting Wednesday night’s quarterly meeting of the Morgan Community Association, which we’re breaking into separate reports this time rather than lumping them all into one lengthy account.
First, a timeline reminder: District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka announced earlier this year that the charging lot fronting both Fauntleroy and Morgan just east of 42nd SW wouldn’t open before next spring, three years later than the original announcement. The new spring 2026 date is still the plan, MoCA heard last night:
Project manager Lizzy Kay, joining the meeting remotely, said her best guess is that construction will start in October; the project recently went out to bid. She brought information that MoCA and other community members had requested about the lighting plan for the site:
The lot’s four lighting poles will be half as high and dimmer than nearby streetlights, and they’ll be focused on a “targeted area.” Here’s a map showing where they’ll be:
Other security measures will include cameras, monitored by SCL security employees – in general, Kay said, “We are going to have more security at this site than others.” She didn’t know how many cameras, though (they weren’t part ot her planned presentation, but instead emerged as a topic in Q&A). Attendees asked what else would be done to deter vandalism and wire theft; she said the vendor ChargePoint had developed a “cut-protection technology” involving a “hardened cut-proof cable … hopefully impossible or at least harder to cut.” She also said the site would have an eight-foot Fiberglas fence; asked what would be done to deter/address tagging vandalism, she said it would be handled like other city facilities. (This is a point of particular concern, as you might recall that the site had vandalism trouble with temporary fencing that wasn’t addressed for months.)
Entry to the lot – a former substation – will only be from SW Morgan; Kay recapped why:
That led to a question about a previously revealed plan to trench across Fauntleroy Way during construction. Kay said that remained part of the plan but said it would be done “in sections” so there’s never a total closure of that busy arterial.
WHAT’S NEXT: Bids are due August 6; you can see the bidding documents for the project, which carries an “engineer’s estimate” cost of just under $800,000, by going here.
The Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meeting is coming up Wednesday (July 16) at 7 pm. You can attend in person at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd SW/SW Juneau) or via videoconference. Agenda highlights will include:
● SW Precinct, Updates from SPD
● MoCA’s Proposed Changes to One Seattle Plan for Morgan Junction
● October Elections for MoCA BoardNew in Morgan Junction
Happy Doggy – Dog grooming & self-serve dog wash
6529 California Ave SW, 206-255-4574The Neighborhood – Restaurant & Bar
6503 California Ave SW,Community Business
● Morgan Junction Community Festival Recap and discussion of its future
● Pedestrian Safety Project – Fauntleroy at Rose Street: SDOT
● Morgan Junction Electric Vehicle Charging Station: Seattle City Light
● Morgan Junction Park Expansion: Seattle Parks
● Briefing: Gatewood Elementary School Neighbor Disaster Support Team
The group might also hear from some of the candidates on the August 5 primary ballot.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
If you live/work in Fauntleroy, why should you pay for Fauntleroy Community Association membership? That’s one of the questions for which the FCA board is working to refine answers, to make the case to more residents and businesspeople, as discussed during last night’s monthly board meeting in the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse conference room. But first:
POLICE UPDATE: Officer German Barreto, attending remotely, brought crime stats – Fauntleroy has had one robbery so far this year compared to zero by this time last year, and “everything else has gone down,” including burglaries and auto thefts (21 to this point last year, 7 this year), he said. Precinct-wide, the trends are similar. Confirmed “shots fired” incidents: Fauntleroy has had two compared to one by this point last year, In the entire Southwest Precinct (West Seattle and South Park), last year has had 57 to this point, compared to 53 this year. Asked why most categories had dropped, Barreto said he’d speculate the “directed patrols” proactively targeting hot spots (Alki, Westwood for example) were at least partly to thank.
ENCAMPMENTS: Attendees brought up people camping in Fauntleroy Park. Barreto said they’d been dealing with RVs in South Park so he wasn’t up to date on tent camps in West Seattle at the moment, but advised reporting via Find It Fix It, suggesting that “flooding it” with reports might help get attention on a particular site.
REZONING: Changes proposed for some parts of Fauntleroy were taken out of the city’s latest plan, and FCA president Frank Immel said that appears to be “a win for our community.” FCA board member Bill Wellington noted, though, that some of the changes seemed to have been made without coherent consideration. Impacts to the Fauntleroy Schoolhouse and its site were discussed, particularly a parcel immediately west of the nursery site that itself is west of the schoolhouse parking lot. They debated whether to talk with Seattle Public Schools – which still owns that part of the site – about the land and its future. They ultimately voted to support the map as currently proposed for Fauntleroy and will let City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s office know.
MEMBERSHIP: The organization wants to increase its paid membership. So, how? A higher profile at FCA-presented events was one suggestion made by Immel. Board member Kris Ilgenfritz suggested that they need to be clearer about what it is they do and why they as board members are involved. “It’s because we all care about the community,” vice president Catherine Bailey suggested. Board member Amber Heinemann, point person with the busnesscommunity, suggested posting membership info at businesses in the area (including hers, The Birdhouse coffee shop/café), and thought adding a QR code to the FCA’s quarterly newsletter would help too. She also suggested a bigger community board that the FCA could sponsor at her business. Much debate ensued over how to communicate the value of membership, and why people should join. How about joining forces with other neighborhoods for a booth at future West Seattle Summer Fests, or Farmers’ Markets, to help people connect? Board member Susan Lantz-Dey noted a past tagline, “Membership matters.” Treasurer Alan Grainger noted, “There’s going to be a lot happening in this neighborhood in the (years ahead)” and membership could be explained as a way to stay informed on it all, and have a voice. They decided to create a committee to take on the topic – maybe a marketing committee that would look at, and ostensibly improve, the ways the FCA communicates with community members.
GLASS FLOAT HUNT: The West Seattle-wide event is happening again this summer; FCA will participate again by buying floats and hiding them.
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL FUNDRAISING: FCA doesn’t present the festival but supports it in a big way, so it’s a frequent topic at meetings. This year’s date is October 19. Donations cover the costs; the recent Super Deli Mart mini-block party brought in $600, and a new event – a golf tournament – will add more than $1,000, festival organizer Reed Haggerty reported …. Next month, The Birdhouse will offer a summer barbecue pop-up dinner, 5-7 pm August 19th – ribs, pulled pork, that sort of thing. Heinemann said they’re exploring closing the street for the event. They’ll probably have another fundraiser in September.
FERRY UPDATE: Immel, long the Fauntleroy rep on ferry-related committees, noted that the last Community Advisory Group meeting is set for four. weeks from now, and it’s expected that’s when WSF will unveil the final configuration of the replacement terminal. He noted, however, that while this moves the process into a new phase, there’s the issue of cost – the budgeted $95 million is not anywhere close to what the final price tag is likely to be. (The CAG meeting, online on August 6, will be open to the public as usual; you can go here to register for the viewing link.)
WHAT’S NEXT: No FCA meeting in August, so the next one will be at 6 pm Tuesday, September 9. Watch fauntleroy.net for updates in the meantime.
If your neighborhood/group/organization has a great idea but is short on money to turn it into reality, the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Neighborhood Matching Fund might be able to help. It’s accepting applications for this year’s grants, explained in this announcement:
This granting program consists of two funds – the Community Partnership Fund and the Small Sparks Fund – which support grassroots projects that build stronger communities.
-The Community Partnership Fund provides funding up to $50,000. Applications are currently open and must be submitted by 11:59 pm on September 8, 2025. This fund provides opportunities to create large and lasting impacts in your community by supporting community organizing, public art projects, park improvements, cultural events, design and construction of community facilities, and more.
-The Small Sparks Fund provides funding up to $5,000 per project, and applications are accepted on a rolling basis through October 31. This fund is designed to support small community activities such as neighborhood clean-ups, block parties, community art projects, workshops, and more.
The NMF team is hosting three virtual workshops for those interested in applying to the fund. Each workshop will provide an overview of the grant, the qualities of a strong application, and the review process.
The first workshop is a little over a week away, on Tuesday, July 15. The dates, times, and links are all listed here.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Summer has just begun, but winter fun was part of the discussion when the Alki Community Council met last night. The meeting at Alki UCC was facilitated by ACC president Charlotte Starck, and started with a discussion of public-safety issues.
PUBLIC SAFETY: A member of the SPD Community Service Officers team presented crime stats, with major categories down. Of particular note, she said confirmed-gunfire incidents in West Seattle total 50 so far this year, down three from 2024. Alki has had three such incidents so far this year, down from four in the same time period of 2024. (Our archives show four, the most recent one two weeks ago, so she may have been citing stats through the end of May.)
Concerns voiced by attendees included a perceived uptick in reckless driving by motorcyclists, and “takeover” situations – one attendee said she got trapped in one of the latter at Chelan/Spokane on June 13. We took this traffic-camera screenshot taken as it was breaking up:
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The attendee hadn’t seen a police response but we recall officers showing up that night, as shown on the live camera, as the traffic-stopping gathering was dispersing. Others surfaced concerns about reckless driving on Admiral; Starck wondered what it would take to get that street designated as a “racing zone” in hopes that would boost its eligibility for enforcement.
Also, a resident campaigning for speed humps/cushions on 63rd Avenue SW said he’s been videoing speeders to put together an argument for why the raised pavement is needed.
ALKI ‘NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER’ REVIVED? The ACC isn’t advocating any particular position on the Comprehensive Plan changes before the City Council and hasn’t had a discussion on whether to do that, Starck noted. But one attendee brought up a proposal to amend the current legislation by adding more Neighborhood Centers, possibly to be formally introduced by a councilmember later this summer. A walking tour might precede that. The attendee identified herself as pro-housing and said she has lots of family members in this area and would like them to have more housing options. Another attendee noted that the originally proposed heart of a possible Alki Neighborhood Center was 61st/Stevens, right by the Log House Museum (as we first reported when city leaders unveiled the rezoning proposal last October).
ALKI LIGHT POSTS: Starck said these had rusted hangers on them dating back more than a decade – so 16 posts on Alki Avenue between 55th and 59th are getting repainted by the city over the next few weeks, a small move toward “bringing back the vibrancy.” This is a case of “if you see something, say something,” to get something fixed, she reminded attendees.
ALKI BEACH PRIDE: Starck read a message from Alki Beach Pride co-organizer Stacy Bass-Walden seeking people to help with the flag unfurling on August 10 – much like this one we covered last year:
(WSB photo, August 2024)
The date for Alki Beach Pride this year is August 16. The event time is noon-8 pm; Alki Avenue will be closed to vehicle traffic between 57th and 61st, from early morning until late night.
ALKI CHRISTMAS SHIP VISIT: The ACC got early word of this year’s date: On December 18th, off Salty’s at Alki, 5:50 pm-6:10 pm, and then off Alki Beach that same night, 8:40 pm-9 pm. Last year the ACC synergized an event on Christmas Ship night with lights and other festive touches on shore, including treats at businesses, which saw hundreds of visitors, so this year the ACC plans something even bigger. They’re working on a grant application right now and will likely call for volunteers when fall gets closer. (Side note: The date chosen by Argosy for the Christmas Ship visit is considered good news because last year, you might recall, it happened before Thanksgiving!)
More quick items:
ALKI ART FAIR: Briefly mentioned – it’s coming up July 18-20.
BUSES: In going-around-the-room discussion, there was a mention of interest in two Alki bus-service issues – restoring the 37, and moving the bus stop at Alki/61st (possibly around the corner to 61st south of Alki), an issue that surfaced during the mayor’s tour of Alki businesses last month.
SCHMITZ PARK CREEK RESTORE: A rep of the group who was in attendance said they’ve just received their first grant, and it’s for education. Weed pulling is under way, and tours of the park are also in the current plan.
WHAT’S NEXT? Watch alkicommunitycouncil.org for word of the next meeting, tentatively set to be in person only on the third Thursday in July – July 17.
(WSB photo from 2024 West Seattle Fourth of July Kids’ Parade)
The biggest scheduled event in West Seattle on the Fourth of July will again be the Kids’ Parade through North Admiral, and it’s only 10 days away, so we’re publishing another reminder! Kids of all ages and their families can be part of the parade just by showing up – the gathering point is 44th/Sunset [map], starting time is 10 am. The Admiral Neighborhood Association now presents this community-created tradition, which proceeds on feet and wheels (bikes, scooters, wagons, strollers) along a few blocks of North Admiral, then crosses California SW and ends at Hamilton Viewpoint Park for games, food and treat trucks, and sack races. It all usually wraps up about noon, so you have tons of time to move on to whatever else you’re doing on the holiday. The parade is powered by donations, volunteers, and sponsors (we’re the media sponsor), so if you would rather help than watch or participate, scroll down to the end of this page for the volunteering contact, and/or donate to ANA here!
Also during the week ahead, two changes for otherwise-regular community meetings:
NO HPAC MEETING: The community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge has canceled what would have been its regular fourth-Wednesday meeting on June 25, and starting its summer hiatus. Next meeting, September 24 – but the HPAC announcement mentions a couple community-event dates in the meantime.
ONE-WEEK-DELAYED ALKI MEETING: The Alki Community Council delayed its monthly meeting one week instead of holding it on Juneteenth last Thursday, so you’re invited to gather with the ACC at 7 pm this Thursday (June 26) at Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds). Agenda highlights are here.
Yes, summer is busy, but if you can spare just an hour and a half for your neighborhood, the Alki Community Council would love to see you this month. But this month’s meeting date is shifting, so don’t show up this Thursday, which would be the regular third-Thursday date! This excerpt from the ACC newsletter explains:
Mark your Calendar: Our June meeting is Thursday, June 26 at 7:00 PM — stay tuned for Zoom details as we also lock in onsite details. You can look forward to Alki Holiday Lights and Alki Beach Pride Festival news + volunteer opportunities to start… Bring your Alki neighborhood concerns, ideas and we’ll do our best to connect you and your passion to make a difference.
Read the full newsletter here.
Story and photos by Jason Grotelueschen
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Neighbors gathered at the Delridge Library on Wednesday night for the May meeting of HPAC, the community coalition that includes Highland Park, South Delridge, and Riverview.
The meeting was facilitated by HPAC co-chair Kay Kirkpatrick, and featured discussion about crime statistics and prevention, an update on the Holden Natural Drainage System (NDS) project, and a presentation on RV waste outreach efforts. Meeting notes are below:
POLICE UPDATE: First on the agenda was an update from SPD’s Jennifer Satterwhite regarding crime stats in the area.
Although the numbers look good, Satterwhite said the summer months typically bring increases in criminal activity, so continued vigilance by the public is advised. She mentioned the increased summer emphasis on Alki and other hotspots, with overtime patrols and public education on burglary prevention. Regarding illegal vending on Alki: There is only one permitted vendor there; most are unpermitted, raising health and safety concerns as well as pushback from local restaurants. Enforcement is complex due to overlapping agency jurisdictions, and fines are often ineffective as vendors just pay the fine and quickly return.
Regarding the recent uptick in car crashes possibly linked to a social media challenge, Satterwhite said she’s been engaged with the community and SPD is investigating and facilitating prevention meetings. There were 4 crashes on the SW Alaska hill west of the Junction, and another in Sunrise Heights, just in the past couple of weeks.
DRAINAGE AND STORMWATER: Next up was a Seattle Public Utilities presentation from the team behind the Holden Natural Drainage System (NDS) Project, which is described on their website as follows:
More than 12 million pounds of pollution are carried into our water bodies through stormwater runoff each year. Stormwater that falls on the roofs, streets, and parking lots in your neighborhood can pick up harmful pollutants before entering Longfellow Creek, which flows into Puget Sound. The pollutants can harm fish, wildlife, and our ecosystems. The Holden Natural Drainage Systems (NDS) Project plans to build natural drainage systems, also known as roadside rain gardens or bioretention, on SW Holden St between 16th Ave SW and 17th Ave SW. The NDS will capture and treat stormwater runoff before it reaches Longfellow Creek and Puget Sound.
The NDS will be built in the space between the existing sidewalks and the edge of the road. The project will include roadway and pedestrian safety improvements such as curb bulbs and ADA ramps, in addition to new landscape plantings.
Project manager Wan-Yee Kuo led the presentation of the latest project plans and designs. Here is a PDF of the slides, provided by team member Val Bak, and you can also visit the “Project Documents” section of the project website which contains the “Final Design Concept” visuals as well as a narrated version of the presentation (“Final Design Narrated Presentation.”)
The NDS will be on the south side of Holden, using the parking lane for plantings. Some driveway and sidewalk reconstruction will be required. Underground water quality infrastructure (“tree cells”) will be installed on the north side to address flooding (which has been an issue in the area), using special filtering soil and structural elements.
Two small crabapple trees will be removed, and one new tree (hornbeam) will be planted. SPU will pay SDOT to plant five additional trees nearby. The NDS will be maintained by SPU, and the trees maintained by SDOT with annual inspections. Contractors will be responsible for plant establishment in the first year, which prompted some questions from meeting attendees about concerns with tree maintenance (or a lack thereof) on for past projects in the area — Kuo said that the contractors for this project will be carefully vetted.
Construction timeline: The final design is complete, advertising will begin in July, and construction is expected to start winter 2025 and last about a year. Planting will occur in appropriate seasonal windows. Construction will involve noise, dust, parking restrictions, and temporary bus stop relocation; clear communication and on-site engineer presence will be part of the project, according to the team.
Want to learn more? SPU will be hosting a project design drop-in Q&A session at BedHead Coffee at 1513 SW Holden St. (SE corner of SW Holden/ 16th Ave SW) tomorrow – Saturday, May 31st – between 11 AM and 1 PM (WSB event listing here). Free drip coffee for attendees! The team will also be providing the public with ongoing updates via flyers, mailers, and their website.
RV WASTE OUTREACH PROGRAM: As part of HPAC’s continuing conversations about challenges with RV camping in the area, special guest Mary Sweeney from St Vincent de Paul (SVdP) gave a presentation (see the slides here) about her group’s RV outreach & support program in partnership with SPU:
HPAC leaders reiterated that this has been an area of concern, which was brought up in last week’s walking tour of Highland Park, and is a “complex problem has no simple solutions – we need many voices and hands to make change happen.”
Sweeney said that the vehicle outreach program, powered by SVdP volunteers (which she affectionately refers to as “Vincentians”), provides direct outreach to RV residents, addressing public health and sanitation by coordinating with SPU to pump out wastewater and offer basic supplies to those in need. She said she has 20 volunteers, and sends out 2-3 people every day.
Sweeney said that many RV residents are local workers displaced by the housing crisis and pandemic. Most RVs are old and nonfunctional, leading to illegal dumping of waste. Residents of the RVs tend to face hostility, frequent displacement, and lack of safe parking options. St. Vincent de Paul initiated the program after discovering the extent of waste dumping in some areas of Seattle. Years of advocacy led to a pilot with SPU, which was later expanded due to demonstrated cost savings and a significant reduction in sewage spills, which in turn saves the city on costly hazmat cleanups and improves public health.
Volunteers accompany SPU staff and provide food (often provided by local churches and schools such as Holy Rosary with their Lunches of Love program) and connect residents to services, with an emphasis on treating residents with dignity and compassion. Sweeney said the program is unique in the U.S., and (as far as she knows) no other utility offers similar services. She said volunteers are always needed, and the program aspires to be a temporary solution until broader systemic changes occur.
OTHER NOTES: After the meeting adjourned, Satterwhite noted that registration for Seattle Night Out opens this week (Tuesday August 5th). Register your block, and hang out with your neighbors! Also, HPAC leaders said that public feedback is still welcome regarding the city’s Sidewalk Development Program, which was a driving force behind last week’s neighborhood walking tour (WSB coverage here).
NEXT MEETING: HPAC meets on the fourth Wednesdays of most months. Be sure to check the group’s website, hpaction.org, for updates and meeting confirmation.
(WSB photo – SW Alaska hill west of 45th)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Four crashes in two weeks has led to one resolute neighborhood.
More than 30 people gathered tonight in Ercolini Park on just hours’ notice for an emergency community meeting to talk about the stolen-car crashes at the bottom of the SW Alaska hill west of The Junction, most recently late last night.
The crashes were not accidental, it had finally become clear – when neighbors who’d caught part of the activity on their cameras connected, they realized the cars were unoccupied when they traveled downhill and crashed into trees, a car, a utility pole, and that the “getaway cars” carried one or more people videoing the stunt. As of meeting time, nobody had yet found exactly where on social media this was being shown off, but they were looking.
Standing around a picnic table, where the organizer had brought flyers with a QR code to set up a neighborhood mailing list, residents exchanged information and ideas.
The four crashes had happened on Sunday and Tuesday nights, neighbors noted – might that mean another is being planned for tomorrow night? they wondered. And/or might that be a clue to the culprit(s)?
One attendee said someone she knew was certain they are teenagers. If so, said another attendee identifying himself as a retired police officer, the juvenile-justice system would do nothing to stop them.
That just intensified the discussion of what the neighborhood could do. Someone said that speeding on SW Alaska had long been a concern, but these crashes had increased the “danger level.”
Traffic-calming measures were of interest to many, though they knew city involvement would take years, so some wondered if they could do anything themselves -guerrilla barriers in the street? String crime-scene-type tape across the road? Create a makeshift roundabout with sawhorses? Somehow making the stunt difficult could at least get them to move elsewhere, it was suggested.
Putting pressure on everyone from city officials to police was advocated by more than one. Referring to the saying about “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” the retired officer suggested, “We can become the squeak.” Creating an email template for contacting Mayor Harrell and City Councilmembers was suggested.
Other types of immediate action were of the most interest. Hire a security guard? Rent trailer-mounted lights that could ruin the video recording? There didn’t seem to be much hope of increased police presence, as some of the attendees said the SPD officers they’d talked to in the crashes’ aftermath appeared uninterested, claiming this happens all over the city.
But when the meeting ended after about 45 minutes, it was clear one thing already had been achieved – neighbors had met and planned to coalesce, which likely will yield benefits even if the string of hill stunts stops at four.
(WSB photo, Admiral Block Party, August 2024)
Memorial Day weekend kicks off summer, but planning has already been under way for months for big summer events. That includes the Admiral Block Party, presented by the Admiral Neighborhood Association, which asked us to let you know that vendor applications are open (and they’re still welcoming sponsorships too). The Admiral Block Party takes over part of California SW north of Admiral Way from 11 am to 9 pm on Saturday, August 23, one of summer’s last big celebrations, and ANA hopes you can help it be bigger and better than ever. Just go here to get going on vending and/or sponsoring!
(WSB photo, Wednesday night)
11:59 PM: As we reported last night, City Councilmember Rob Saka‘s community-safety meeting for three West Seattle neighborhoods ended with several frustrated attendees shouting that they hadn’t been allowed to speak.
Among them, Phil Brandt, the High Point resident whose car had been hit by gunfire in High Point last month – leaving his 3-year-old’s car seat with a bullet hole.
Today, he contacted WSB wanting to tell his side of the story, to offer context. “That wasn’t anger for the sake. of anger,” he said. “It’s important for the community to understand the three weeks that preceded last night.”
He laid out this timeline:
-April 17, in gunfire near Walt Hundley Playfield, two rounds hit his vehicle, one going through his son’s car seat. We received this photo from a reader that night:
Brandt said that was one of eight West Seattle gunfire incidents in 34 days. Two were in High Point, he said, one in an area with a longterm streetlight outage. He said he was out of town at the time and not aware of the bullet hole for a few days but once he was, he emailed a photo of the car seat to Councilmember Saka, and other emails to SPD and the councilmember’s staff. He said they got back to him and urged him to speak at the April 22 City Council meeting, which he did (with the car seat), expressing frustration there too (see it here, two minutes into the meeting).
After that meeting, he said, “multiple staffers from multiple councilmembers” asked what they could do. Talking to other High Point community members, he said, they had three demands, starting by asking that all 33 streetlight outages in High Point within a week. He said that led to staff for four councilmembers – Saka, Alexis Mercedes Rinck, Sara Nelson, Dan Strauss – contacting City Light, and fast repair action resulting.
Second, he said, was a High Point town hall with Saka and SPD, and third was a High Point neighborhood walkthrough with Saka, his staff, and local police. Saka’s staff started working on the town hall, Brandt said, and community members emphasized that they did NOT want a presentation. “They agreed to open Q&A,” he said. But, he said, he did not hear from Saka himself until a phone call on May 2. “I don’t know why it took 11 days to contact me directly.”
The meeting announcement sent to Saka’s newsletter email list said the meeting would be “about listening” among other things – here’s a screengrab:
But, Brandt told. us, “last night I had a feeling we weren’t going to get what we asked for. I’m happy that (many) city officials showed up, but it’s not what we asked for and agreed to. When I got there at 6 pm, it was the first time I had heard there would not be live questions.”
Overall, he said he found the hour-and-a-half meeting frustrating except for Police Chief Shon Barnes and Chief Public Safety Officer Natalie Walton-Anderson. Regarding the announcement promising “listening,” he said, “I don’t know where the ‘listening’ was.” Not with Saka, he alleged, “I lost track of how many times he (started sentences) with ‘I’… this was not a campaign stop, this was a community hurting.” Instead of guns, Saka focused on sidewalks, Brandt noted, saying that might have been relevant if there was data to show that a lack of sidewalks factored into crime.
Brandt has lived in High Point since last summer, after returning to Seattle from a few years away, noting that he has two sets of family members who also live in High Point. He says the organizations that manage the area have been “very helpful,” so his beef’s not with them.
He’s waiting to hear what Saka plans to do … but hadn’t heard from him or his staff by day’s end. (We’ll be asking them “what’s next?” tomorrow.)
ADDED 1:05 PM FRIDAY: We saw Councilmember Saka at an event on Alki with the mayor this morning (report to come). We asked him afterward what he had done about all this since the meeting. He told us to “stay tuned” for his next newsletter. It just arrived, including his explanation of the Wednesday meeting format.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s gathering Tuesday night was the “final meeting before our summer events!” president Joanie Jacobs exclaimed exuberantly. “And we have a full night.’
That, it was. Here’s how it unfolded across almost two hours in the community room at Admiral Church (itself the night’s last major topic):
POLICE: Southwest Precinct Community Liaison Officer German Barreto was, as. usual, the SPD rep. “Everything has been going down” regarding crime stats overall, he said, as has been the declaration at other recent community meetings. Burglaries (down by half in Admiral, 19 year-to-date this year, 38 in 2024, auto thefts also halved – 22 compared to 40 – and even gunfire incidents have dropped – in all the precinct jurisdiction, 34 year-to-date, down from 39 at this point last year.
The David Williford case came up; we’d reported his arrest five hours earlier. Barreto had no additional info to offer. Then someone asked about the Admiral stabbing/robbery incident from the previous evening (WSB followup coverage here); had the 25-year-old suspect been on police’s radar previously? Barreto said no.
One other question: How’s staffing going? Barreto said he actually had a ridealong that night “of someone interested in the department.” But “it’s going to be a gradual thing” to get staffing back up to full strength, he warned.
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