West Seattle, Washington
21 Sunday
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Foggy again in some spots, though the bridge/99 views look clearer today than they did at this time on Tuesday.
LANE CLOSURE REMINDER: Today’s the day SDOT plans to close the Spokane Street Viaduct‘s inside eastbound lane 10 am-2 pm, between 4th and 1st, for repairs.
VICE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to arrive this evening and stay through early tomorrow afternoon. The Boeing Field advisory indicates he’s arriving in the 6 pm hour tonight.
TRANSPORTATION NEWS: What’s happening with SDOT‘s proposal to change RapidRide C Line routing in the heart of The Junction? Here’s the latest …
7:44 AM: Regular user of the low bridge? Just another reminder that SDOT now has a separate Twitter feed for bridge closures around the area (and tweeted just a few minutes ago that the low bridge is closed) at @SDOTbridges.
(WSB file photo of West Seattle Club)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
New information tonight from the ongoing proceedings related to the proprietor of the West Seattle Club (formerly the West Seattle Athletic Club). When last we wrote about this on September 3rd, the property’s owner was trying to reopen the most recent “unlawful detainer” complaint – an action that can lead to eviction – which had been put on hold when club proprietor Sam Adams filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy organization in June.
On September 3rd, Adams, landlord John Pietromonaco, and their respective lawyers were in federal bankruptcy court downtown to argue over whether that hold (technically a stay) could be lifted. Adams hadn’t paid even the partial rent owed, his landlord’s lawyer David Tall argued, and had had enough time to do so. Judge Marc Barreca agreed the stay on the “unlawful detainer” proceedings could be lifted.
Though that case had been closed for lack of activity since the June stay, Tall filed to reopen it, and a King County Superior Court judge granted that request in mid-September. A hearing subsequently was set for yesterday morning in the Regional Justice Center courtroom where such cases are heard on Monday mornings if things haven’t been worked out before the hearing date. (When a similar action was scheduled for a hearing in February, it didn’t happen, because Adams had made a payment.)
This time, there was a hearing, albeit a brief one. The property owner’s lawyer Tall was there; no one was there on Adams’ behalf. But in these types of hearings, the documents usually say much more than the words actually spoken in court, so we waited to see them before writing this update, and by late today, they were available online.
Bottom line to the main document, an “agreed order”: If the landlord gets $1,150,000 by October 24th, the “unlawful detainer” case will be dismissed. According to the “agreed order,” that money is “being procured by financing to be extended to Hollystone Holdings Inc. pursuant to a loan contract already executed by Hollystone Holdings by its officer, Sam A. Adams.” The “agreed order” did not include any further details of that financing, but as noted in our last report, Adams’ lawyer told the bankruptcy judge in September that his client was pursuing a $3 million loan.
The “agreed order” also says that any and all “liens against the premises” must be paid with the expected loan money. Meantime, as this plays out in state court, Adams’ Chapter 11 case continues; documents in the federal file say one of the upcoming matters to be decided is the future of the club lease.
Two West Seattle Crime Watch reader reports tonight – starting with Dawnee‘s bicycle, stolen near 18th/Trenton:
Another day, another stolen bicycle. Mine was taken from our locked garage sometime between 8:30am – 3:30 pm today. It was there this morning when I fed the chickens (I keep their feed in the garage), and when I went out this afternoon to feed them again I noticed the back garage door wide open and my red 2010 Marin Larkspur hybrid (valued at $450) was gone. Police report #14-335901. The bike was in great condition, recently tuned up, and was my secondary transportation (I haul my kiddos in a trailer with it) and my workout buddy. A big loss, as I can’t afford to replace it.
Also –Kathrine‘s 2009 Honda Fit was hit by thieves:
I just wanted to let you know two wheels and tires were stolen off my car overnight [Sunday to Monday]. I went outside to leave for work … and they were gone. It must have happened overnight. The two tires that were left, all the lug nuts had been removed but the car was too close to the curb and the thieves could not get them out. Just wanted to let people know in case it happened to others. I am at 40th between Oregon and Alaska. Police report has been filed.
P.S. The West Seattle Crime Prevention Council will meet this month – 2 weeks from tonight, Tuesday, October 21st, 7 pm, at the Southwest Precinct (Delridge/Webster).
6:24 PM: If you’re heading this way from north of downtown – note that a crash has closed the southbound Battery Street Tunnel. Traffic is being diverted off at Denny Way, just before the tunnel.
7:18 PM: SDOT says a tow truck has arrived and the scene should be cleared soon.
7:40 PM: The tunnel has reopened.
(WSB photo, September 2014)
That’s the Baby Pantry at the White Center Food Bank – using space that was home to a King County Public Health clinic before it moved to Greenbridge, where it was about to be closed until the county found a private partner to help keep it open. Partnerships are a big part of the WCFB’s operations – the Baby Pantry, for example, is in partnership with WestSide Baby. And the food bank couldn’t serve thousands of West Seattle and White Center (and a bit beyond) residents without being in a partnership with you and so many other community donors. Now they’re inviting you to what’s both a celebration and fundraiser, a week and a half away:
The White Center Food Bank’s 10th Annual Harvest Dinner and Auction is taking place this year at 5:30 pm on Saturday, October 18 at the Brockey Center at South Seattle College. In addition to the festivities of a dinner, drinks, and live music, there are plenty of incredible items up for auction, including Seahawks tickets, many different theater tickets, a three stone diamond ring from Wyatt’s Jewelers, roundtrip tickets on Alaska Airlines, a week at a condo in Hawaii, and so much more.
This is the White Center Food Bank’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and allows us to continue doing great work for this community. In 2013, White Center Food Bank served more than 60,000 people in the White Center, West Seattle, and Burien community, and we count on this auction to continue serving even more people next year. We are grateful to every one of our donors for making it possible to do this important work, and we count on your continued support to continue serving our community.
Tickets are available online through Brown Paper Tickets for $75 each (here), and more information – including daily updates about items available at the auction – is available (here).
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call our Development Director Kristina Dahl at (206) 762-2848 or email kristina@whitecenterfoodbank.org.
Back in August, following up on a reader tip, we reported that SDOT is considering moving the RapidRide C Line route in The Junction onto California between Edmunds and Alaska. At the time, SDOT told us “outreach” was planned in the fall. Now that it’s fall, what’s the status? we asked SDOT’s Marybeth Turner, who replied:
SDOT staff is scheduled to meet with the West Seattle Junction Association on Oct. 22, and the SW District Council on Nov. 5 about California and Alaska, including the needs of cars, buses, and pedestrians.
In November they will mail information to some of the nearby businesses and residents, and talk in person to some of the businesses.
Turner says the recent re-sequencing of the California/Alaska signal (reported here Saturday) is NOT related to this – she describes that as having been done to improve “safety,” and is still working to get us more information from department engineers.
UPDATED P.S., CORRECTING MEETING INFO The aforementioned WSJA briefing is for the group’s membership (businesses in The Junction), but the Southwest District Council meeting is open to everyone, 6:30 pm Wednesday, November 5th, at the Senior Center of West Seattle (Oregon/California).
(Photo by Peter West Carey, shared via Twitter)
On Thursday, the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce hosts Port of Seattle co-president Stephanie Bowman at its monthly lunch meeting. Questions about the future of shuttered Terminal 5 were already expected – and now there’s something new: Today’s announcement that the Seattle and Tacoma ports are forming a “single Seaport Alliance.” Here’s the news release from the Port of Seattle:
The Seattle and Tacoma port commissions plan to unify the management of the two ports’ marine cargo terminals and related functions under a single Seaport Alliance in order to strengthen the Puget Sound gateway and attract more marine cargo for the region.
The Seaport Alliance will manage marine cargo terminal investments and operations, planning and marketing, while the individual port commissions will retain their existing governance structures and ownership of assets.
This unprecedented level of cooperation between the state’s two largest container ports is a strategic response to the competitive pressures that are reshaping the global shipping industry.
Most of what you’ll see today regarding the lunar eclipse will refer to Wednesday. Technically, that’s correct, but conversationally, it’s more like “tonight” – starting after midnight. In case you missed Alice Enevoldsen‘s latest “Skies Over West Seattle” update on WSB, published here on Saturday, it’s full of helpful info if you’re interested in staying up late tonight to eclipse-watch (or maybe, getting up VERY early – the peak is at 3:25 am). The October SOWS has the schedule, and a look ahead to the partial solar eclipse later this month.
P.S. Wondering about the forecast? “Mostly clear” tonight!
(From Chris W, via the WSB Flickr group)
Take a closer look at what’s happening around you! Ways to explore and get involved are on the list for today/tonight from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
TOT TREK AT CAMP LONG: 10:30 am, explore autumn colors with your toddler(s) at Camp Long Environmental Learning Center. $4/person and pre-registration is required, so check ASAP to see if there’s room! (5200 35th SW)
AFTER-SCHOOL NATURE HIKES AT LINCOLN PARK: 3:30 pm, join naturalist Stewart Wechsler for his next Tuesday afternoon nature hike – meet by the kiosk in the northern Lincoln Park parking lot. Suggested-donation amounts and other info on Stewart’s website. (Fauntleroy/Rose)
GO PLAY (MUSIC)! Tonight at Chief Sealth International High School, varying times, it’s the first rehearsal night of the season for West Seattle Community Orchestras, which include groups for all ages and skill levels. Our preview from last month explains how to sign up and get involved. (2600 SW Thistle)
SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ISSUES/CONCERNS? Bring them up with the School Board director elected to represent this area, Marty McLaren, at her next community-conversation meeting (drop-in format, so don’t worry if you can’t be there right at 6) at West Seattle (Admiral) Branch Library. (2306 42nd SW)
LIVE/WORK IN WESTWOOD, ROXHILL, OR ARBOR HEIGHTS? 6:15 pm tonight at Southwest Branch Library, meet your neighbors and get informed as the monthly WWRHAH community-council meetings get back to their “first Tuesday” schedule. Agenda highlights:
6:15-6:45: Introductions & Community News; New Business: Westwood / Highland Park Urban Village
6:45-7:00: Committee & Neighborhood Council Updates
7:00-7:40: Seattle Public Utilities/Parks Department, Cheryl Eastberg: Update on Roxhill Bog Rehydration Project; Q&A
7:40-7:45: Wrap Up: Break down the room; library locks up promptly at 8 pm.
The meeting has a Facebook event page, here. (35th/Henderson)
WEST SEATTLE BIKE CONNECTIONS: 6:30 pm, join WSBC for a presentation/discussion exploring on “Port Activity and Bicycle Commuting Between West Seattle and Downtown.” Details and location on the WSBC website.
(Monday sunset photo by JayDee)
PUBLIC HEALTH CAFE: 7 pm at Chaco Canyon Organic Café in The Triangle, come join the conversation about “The Quantified Self: Sharing your data for environmental-health research,” free, no registration required. The Public Health Café conversations are described as “a series of informal, interactive conversations intended to raise awareness about the fascinating and often overlooked science of public health.” Full details here. (38th/Alaska)
PINK & BLUES: 8 pm, the ongoing Tuesday night Blues To Do series at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) takes a special direction this month, starting tonight:
Throught October we’re dedicating each Tuesday night to Breast Cancer Awareness, featuring all-women hosted jam sessions in a series called Pink & Blues. This will be blues represented in all its hybrid forms, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, roots, Americana and folk.
We’ve invited special guest ational touring artists and legacy artists, further providing opportunities for mentoring as well as representing a powerful statement with this remarkable women’s musical collective.
More info on the Blues To Do page at the Feedback website. (6451 California SW)
MORE NIGHTLIFE! Including open-microphone night at The Cask (WSB sponsor), bingo at Outwest Bar, the Starlite singer/songwriter showcase at Shadowland, two karaoke locations … see all the listings on our calendar.
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Foggy as we head for the heart of the commute, and that’s the biggest challenge this morning, so far.
7:23 AM: For our Vashon Island friends – King County advises the Vashon Water Taxi is running up to 15 minutes late because of the fog. No advisories re: West Seattle, so far.
7:50 AM: If you’re headed toward Highway 509 via Roxbury and vicinity – note that police and fire are responding to a “heavy rescue” call at Olson and Myers. More when we get it.
7:55 AM: “Heavy rescue” means emergency responders might have to cut someone out of the wreckage – but scanner conversation says the people in the vehicle got out OK and won’t need that, so some SFD units are being canceled. A private ambulance is being called. Still likely to be affecting traffic.
8:50 AM – VICE PRESIDENTIAL VISIT WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY: We’ll hit this again tomorrow, but note that Vice President Biden‘s visit will be Wednesday evening through Thursday afternoon, at least according to our interpretation of the Boeing Field advisory.
Seattle City Light says it’s planning underground-cable work in two West Seattle neighborhoods, and that work will come with scheduled outages. These are the maps accompanying the announcement – first, sections of 20th and Webster:
Next, several blocks in Fauntleroy.
Click either image to see the full flyer with both maps. Here’s the SCL overview of the planned work:
Seattle City Light plans to increase reliability in five sections of its service
territory by injecting aging underground electrical cable with silicone.* Work: Seattle City Light’s contractor first tests and, if electric cable is suitable, injects it with silicone. The silicone fills cracks in the cable’s insulation and extends its life by approximately 20 years.
* Impacts and timeline: Up to three power outages per customer are required to do the work safely. Customer notification will happen on the Thursday before the next week’s outage. The start date is the week of October 13. All five neighborhoods are expected to be completed within eight weeks.
* Further information: The point of contact for customers, Website, and additional details are cited in each flyer.
(The “five sections” reference includes four areas outside West Seattle.)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Tomorrow night, West Seattle’s representative on the Seattle Public Schools board, Marty McLaren, convenes her second community-conversation meeting since the start of the new school year. And the topics are expected to include Gatewood Elementary parents’ unusual campaign to raise enough money to keep a teacher.
We first reported on the situation Thursday; because of enrollment numbers that differed from projections, the district said it planned to reduce the teaching staff at Gatewood by one, moving a teacher to newly reopened Fairmount Park Elementary. At both schools, parents say, the result would include moving students around in multiple classes.
Gatewood parents say that circumstances at their school, including its programs with full inclusion for Emotional/Behavioral Disorder students, mean they cannot afford the disruption of losing a teacher now:
The city officially has rules for microhousing – or, if you prefer, SEDUs (small efficiency dwelling units). They’ve been in the works for months and, two weeks after the final committee discussion, won official, unanimous council approval this afternoon. Read the full bill here; here are the highlights from the city toplines featured our story about them last month:
*Creates a definition for small efficiency dwelling units (SEDU).
*Clarifies the definition of dwelling unit.
*Establishes required components of SEDUs, including a 150-square-foot minimum sleeping room area, a 220 square foot minimum total floor area, a food preparation area (sink, refrigerator, countertop, cooking appliance) and a bathroom (sink, toilet, shower or bathtub).
*Limits the issuance of Restricted Parking Zone permits to no more than one per SEDU or congregate residence sleeping room.
*Requires Streamlined Design Review to be applied, in all zones, to congregate residences and residential uses that are more than 50 percent comprised of SEDUs if they contain between 5,000 and 11,999 square feet of gross floor area.
*Limits the construction of congregate residences that do not meet certain ownership or operational requirements to higher density zones that are located within Urban Centers and Urban Villages
*Increases the minimum required area of communal space in a congregate residence from 10 percent of the total floor area of all sleeping rooms to 15 percent of the total floor area of all sleeping rooms.
*Creates a new vehicle parking requirement of one parking space for every two SEDUs for areas of the City where vehicle parking is required for multifamily residential uses.
*Increases bicycle parking requirements for SEDUs and congregate residences to 0.75 bicycle spaces per SEDU or congregate residence sleeping room.
*Requires the bicycle parking required for SEDUs and congregate residences to be covered for weather protection.
*Allows required, covered bicycle parking for SEDUs or congregate residence sleeping rooms to be exempt from Floor Area Ratio limits if the required parking is located inside the building that contains the SEDUs or congregate residence sleeping rooms.
*Calls on the Department of Planning and Development to complete an analysis of the City’s vehicle and bicycle parking requirements and present its recommendations for regulatory changes to the City Council by no later than March 31, 2015.
That last item, as we noted last month, goes beyond microhousing.
West Seattle has two microhousing buildings already open – Footprint Delridge and Footprint Avalon I – and three on the drawing board. As reported here two weeks ago, two of the not-yet-under-construction projects – at 3268 SW Avalon Way and 3050 SW Avalon Way – are on hold because of a court decision that would require them to go through Design Review, or undergo a significant redesign.
During this afternoon’s council meeting, discussion preceding the vote included a rebuke by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen for city departments not catching “loopholes” he said developers exploited when first opening these projects here. (You can watch the discussion and vote in the archived Seattle Channel video atop this story; the vote is 71 minutes into the video.)
The official comment period has opened for two major local – but not residential – projects in The Triangle, according to notices in today’s city-issued Land Use Information Bulletin:
(Rendering of the future northwestern corner)
YMCA EXPANSION: As first reported here one month ago, the West Seattle Y (WSB sponsor) plans to expand on its current site at 4515 36th SW. Here’s the land-use-application notice; here’s how to comment – deadline is October 19th.
FIRE STATION 32 REBUILD: The fire station at 4700 38th SW in The Triangle also is expanding, with a total rebuild, and a City Council land-use action is required for permits, as well as other steps outlined in today’s notice. This notice also opens a comment period through October 19th; here’s how to have a say.
Back in 2009, we reported on Lettuce Pray – local faith communities collecting food donations, particularly fresh-grown produce, for local food banks. It’s been going strong ever since, and just wrapped up another season. Jane Taylor shares this update:
I wanted to pass along the success of this summer’s Lettuce Pray collection. Kristen Parsons and I were unable to carry on these weekly collections of food from the churches, so Becky Boberg from WestSide Universalist Unitarian Church took it over for us.
As you can see, she collected about 1500 pounds of food, of which 1150 were fresh produce, grown by West Seattleites and taken to church on Sunday, where Becky picked it all up and deposited it directly into cold storage at the West Seattle and White Center Food Banks.Besides OLG and WWUU, participating churches included Alki UCC, St. John the Baptist Episcopal, Tibbetts United Methodist, Holy Rosary, and St. Bernadette’s.
In its six years, Lettuce Pray has collected over 5,000 pounds of fresh produce and an equal amount of canned goods and non perishables. Our thanks to the generous souls (and gardeners) of West Seattle – and to Becky Boberg! We’ll be back next summer!
Jane also forwarded the photos – noting that’s Becky’s hand, holding those beautiful tomatoes!
Two Monday morning West Seattle Crime Watch notes:
HAVE YOU SEEN CARRIE ANN’S STATION WAGON? Silver 2002 Volvo V70 wagon, license #AAE8123, stolen in The Junction “up the street from Holy Rosary,” sometime between 8:30 pm Friday & 9:30 am Saturday. Small black spot on the back hatch, where the previous owner’s bike rack rubbed; small-medium dent in the rear passenger’s side door; long slice all along the headliner, across the front, near the windshield; multiple brightly-colored IKEA blankets left inside. Call 911 if you see it.
Also this morning:
Read More
Thanks to Mark Wangerin (psst, bought his student-benefiting West Seattle Wildlife calendar yet?) for the photo of a young Cooper’s Hawk. We now fly on into Monday. Not too much on our calendar, but here are a few notes:
MICROHOUSING VOTE: During its 2 pm meeting, the City Council is expected to vote on the microhousing rules it’s been working on – read them in full here; toplines are in our report from two weeks ago. (City Hall/Seattle Channel)
SEAHAWKS ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: 5:30 pm; places to watch with a big screen *and* food as well as beverages (it’s a dinnertime game, after all) include WSB sponsor Feedback Lounge (6451 California SW) in Morgan Junction and Skylark in North Delridge (3803 Delridge Way).
FAMILY STORY TIME: For kids of all ages (and the grownups accompanying them) – 6:30 pm at High Point Branch Library. (35th/Raymond)
LATER START TIMES FOR TEENS: Today’s the deadline if you’re interested in pursuing a position on the task force Seattle Public Schools is setting up to consider this.
(WS bridge and Highway 99 views; more cams on the WSB Traffic page)
Welcome to a new week! Perhaps the biggest traffic note of the day, so far, would be expectations that the pm commute might ramp up a bit earlier tonight, with Seahawks fans trying to get to wherever they plan to watch tonight’s game (5:30 pm vs. Washington)
TRANSPORTATION NEWS OVER THE WEEKEND: Want to help look at the “big picture” in The Junction – what it would take to truly be a “transit community”? Join a tour and conversation Saturday … Speaking of The Junction, a signal-sequence change has drawn attention … Here are two alerts for later this week.
8:50 AM UPDATE: Northbound I-5 has a lane-blocking crash described as “south of I-90,” so that’s likely to be affecting the offramp from the east end of the bridge.
8:58 AM UPDATE: WSDOT says the crash has cleared.
Tomorrow morning, Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole reports to the City Council on her first three months leading SPD. The agenda includes this written report, with multiple points of special interest here. For one, she briefly mentions a potential change in the future of the surveillance camera/wireless mesh system first reported here in January 2013 – a system that has been put on hold pending SPD development of policies for its use, as mandated by the City Council a year and a half ago. Now, it seems SPD might be seeking to hand it off:
In accordance with City Ordinance 124142 the department has not utilized the Port Wireless Mesh system. We are exploring the prospect of transferring the management and administration of the Wireless Mesh system to the City IT Department.
Our last update on the system’s status was in March, when Mayor Ed Murray told WSB he didn’t expect them to be used for a long time – if ever.
Many other aspects of SPD operations are mentioned in the report, but this one caught our eye – the subject of unsolved murders. West Seattle has at least four in the past few years – Stephen Jeffries, Jr. (January 2014), Greggette Guy (March 2012), Kaari Higgins (January 2011), and Jeremy Peck (December 2010) come to mind, for starters. The report does not mention specific cases but says this:
The Criminal Investigations Bureau Chief and Violent Crimes Captain have conducted a thorough review of all unsolved homicides twice during 2014. While I cannot discuss specifics of those open investigations in this report, I can tell you that the cases that remain unsolved have either problems with the integrity of evidence or a lack of cooperation from witnesses. I hope that we can develop greater trust and communication with our community so that individuals with information about these cases or other unsolved crimes will come forward.
Chief O’Toole’s briefing is scheduled for 10 am during Monday morning’s City Council “briefing” meeting. Immediately afterward, she and other SPD leaders will update the council on bias crimes/incidents in the city; the accompanying report says five were in the Southwest Precinct, out of 60 citywide, in the first half of this year.
There’s a lot to decide in the November 4th election, now less than a month away – closer, really, since voting begins when ballots start arriving at mid-month. If you’re not registered and want to sign up online or by mail, tomorrow’s the deadline – here’s how to register (same goes for updating your address if you ARE registered). If you miss that, you’ll be able to register in person at the King County Elections offices in Seattle and Renton on September 27th – but why delay? Easiest way to do it is to sign up right here, right now.
(WSB photos by Katie Meyer)
Sunshine again graced the annual Blessing of the Animals event presented by St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church in Admiral, drawing pets and their humans to the West Seattle High School parking lot next door this afternoon.
While St. John’s isn’t the only local church offering animal blessings, it’s the only one where you’ll find a member of the Order of Saint Francis participating in this tradition inspired by the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals:
That’s Brother Paul from the OSF, explained here. St. John’s priest in charge Rev. JD Godwin offered blessings as well – below, he blesses Waffles:
Even if you’re not religious, if you have a companion animal in your life, you might appreciate this offered prayer: “Bless those who curl themselves around our hearts, who twine themselves through our days, who companion us in our labor and who call us to come and play.”
We did spot one brave, well-behaved cat, named Purrcilla:
Rev. Godwin and Brother Paul blessed St. Francis medals and offered one for each pet blessed.
Most waited patiently for their turn.
West Seattle’s Peace Lutheran Church also offered animal blessings today, and next Sunday afternoon, they’re planned at Fauntleroy UCC Church.
We feature new Little Free Libraries as they pop up around West Seattle, as we hear about them – and today, Rose Sheppard from the Building Committee at Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation sends word and pic of theirs, and its designer:
On October 4th, our Little Free Library was installed. Designed and built by congregant John Monahan, we love the Dr Who phone booth motif. It’s a perfect model! We are sure it’s the best British phone booth on this side of the Atlantic Ocean – and much more useful.
We are very grateful to John and proud to have such a distinctive Little Free Library structure on the south side (Othello St.) of our church property at 7141 California Ave SW.
“We want to see this through your eyes – we’re interested in a dialogue.”
With that, two Seattle Planning Commissioners, both West Seattleites, are inviting you to be part of the dialogue about the future of The Junction and vicinity with a walk-and-talk event next Saturday (October 11th), 10 am.
They came to September’s Junction Neighborhood Organization meeting to initiate the dialogue, and we since have received official confirmation and the invitation itself (see above, or click here for the PDF version) – RSVP for updates on where they’re planning to meet (we’ll also have that here, later in the week).
Commissioners Jeanne Krikawa and Luis Borrero said they realize many might not even have heard about the Seattle Planning Commission, an independent, but city-convened/funded, group of appointees. That’s why they and commission policy analyst Jesseca Brand visited JuNO, to talk about not just what they do but also about looking at The Junction’s “walkshed” – what “essential components of livability” it has, and doesn’t have. Those were described as parks, plazas, libraries, community centers, wayfinding, green streets, bike infrastructure, as laid out in the Seattle Transit Communities report a few years back.
If any of those elements don’t exist in a “transit community,” they should be only “a stop or two away.” Here’s the slide deck Borrero and Krikawa showed JuNO:
This all figures into the Seattle 2035 process to update the city’s Comprehensive Plan, a major project for the Planning Commission right now, and one that has already resulted in a variety of events.
Even if this all sounds a little too wonky for you, remember that a process more than 15 years ago set the stage for much is what’s happening now. That’s what designated The Junction and vicinity as a Hub Urban Village – one meant to encourage workplaces to locate in the area, not just residences and services, the commissioners told JuNO.
In turn, JuNO director René Commons and attendees told Krikawa and Borrero that the Junction “walkshed” is definitely missing some of what are supposed to be hub characteristics – no nearby community centers, libraries, public schools.
The commissioners in turn asked those in attendance how they feel about The Junction’s growth. We’d summarize the various answers as “trepidational,” as well as eager for more transit – but join next Saturday’s walking tour, and tell them yourselves.
The bottom line of all this is consideration of how The Junction and vicinity should be viewed in the decades ahead, as a prism through which to see growth and the choices to be made. It’s a rare chance for more of a big picture look than the piecemeal decision-making so many have decried in the past few years. If you’re interested in having a say – or at least listening – be part of the tour next Saturday, and the conversation to follow.
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