Last call for West Seattle Volunteer Recognition nominees!
Thanks to everyone who has nominated someone (some have nominated more than one!) for the next round of West Seattle Volunteer Recognition, sponsored by the Delridge District Council (which meets tonight! 7 pm at Youngstown), Southwest District Council and WSB. Today’s the deadline – so we’re issuing one more call for you to throw a name into the ring, one of those many, many West Seattleites who works so hard for nothing more than maybe the occasional “thank you” in exchange. Give ’em the chance to get big public kudos and a hearty round of applause at the West Seattle Community Tree Lighting in The Junction on December 5th. Online nomination form is here; more details here.
Update: “Derelict housing” bill passes City Council committee
(Photo from April tour of problem spots in the Delridge neighborhood)
We reported here yesterday on two measures going to Seattle City Council committees this week, both providing potential tools for problems like the ones viewed on the North Delridge tour joined by those committee’s chairs last April. The proposals have both been approved by those committees – today’s action on the “derelict housing” bill was reported by Councilmember Sally Clark herself, in comments on yesterday’s story:
PLUNC just approved the derelict housing legislation. It will go to the Full Council (Dec. 7). The North Delridge tour was a great motivator. It gave us great examples of where the policy change could make a difference. Thanks!
During the April tour, many participants were surprised to hear that city rules kept many rundown structures from being demolished before there was a plan to replace them; it was suggested that an empty lot might be safer. City leaders explained there had been a fear at one point that the city’s “affordable housing” stock might be depleted too rapidly if that sort of demolition had been allowed to run rampant. Meantime, here’s a news release sent by council staff about both votes – read on:Read More
Before school-map vote, West Seattle board member unveils plan
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
With hours to go until the Seattle School Board votes on attendance-area maps as part of its new neighborhood-based Student Assignment Plan, West Seattle’s board rep laid his cards on the table during a meeting this morning at Delridge Library.
Steve Sundquist told the 20 people who turned out to make their cases that he is not inclined to propose major map changes to remedy potential problems — but he does have a few ideas on other ways to fix them. (There was one small map quirk he addressed at the start of the meeting, involving four homes “on a cliff” at the far south end of California SW, saying he thought he’d have an amendment ready to fix that.)
Read More
Triangle tour: Councilmember Rasmussen joins Fairmount neighbors
With almost $40,000 in the city budget to work on planning for what many consider the gateway to West Seattle, the Triangle area, leaders of the nearby Fairmount Community Association continue to work to make sure key players get a firsthand look at the area as it stands now. Four weeks after showing city planner Robert Scully around the area, Fairmount reps (from left in top photo) Nancy Driver, Joan Jeffrey and Sharonn Meeks hosted City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen this morning. He’s been involved in many of the discussions to date, but acknowledged during the half-hour tour that you get a different perspective while walking around. One corridor pointed out, the street that many walk from the homes around Providence Mount St. Vincent to the east, all the way down to the West Seattle Family YMCA (WSB sponsor) in the background of the photo:
Go all the way down 37th to Fauntleroy, and you’ll meet Seung, who recently opened 37th Shoe Repair:
Rasmussen took interest in the recent commercial developments opening in the area, which also includes Cycle U in a former Huling building on the Triangle’s west edge, and the SW Alaska storefront where Alki Kayak Tours is about to open Mountain to Sound Outfitters:
Fairmount’s concern is to make sure there’s an open public process involved with drawing up a vision for The Triangle before too much more piecemeal development happens; they’d like to see an independent urban designer involved, while the city currently is only funding staff time. Rasmussen also advised reaching out to as many local businesses as possible – from the large, like Alki Lumber, to the small, like the new shoe-repair shop, and observed so many spots along the Triangle’s streets that could be brightened with a little landscaping here, a little removal of broken pavement there. We’ll keep tracking the process.
Madison Middle School chosen “School of Distinction” again
View Larger Map
From Nina Chambers at Madison Middle School – they want to make sure everyone’s heard about this honor they received this fall:
Madison Middle School scores 2 years running as School of Distinction! Madison Middle School is one of “10 [district] schools … recognized by PDK-WA , in collaboration with the Center for Educational Effectiveness, for sustained improvement as measured by seven years of WASL test scores. Specifically, they are among the top 5 percent of schools making the greatest improvements in student achievement on the WASL,” writes Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson (Classroom Connection, Nov 17, 2009.)
Madison was awarded School of Distinction by OSPI in 2007-2008, and is a 2008-2009 Great School awardee (“Great Schools — Great Teachers — Great Leaders”) as the award title changed & sponsorship was assumed by Center for Educational Effectiveness/PDK this past year. We are proud of Madison Middle School’s students, teachers & their record of academic excellence! Go Bulldogs!
Junction traffic camera goes up – but won’t be on for a while
Six months after news of three new traffic cameras on the way to West Seattle (here’s our May story), installation is under way – but don’t expect to see the images immediately. We took the photo at left while driving through The Junction on Monday; Marybeth Turner with SDOT confirmed late yesterday that the contractor, Signal Electric, was installing a pole and camera. She added, “The contractor expects to complete the installation of this camera this week. We expect the camera will go live in March 2010. Cameras are not being turned on one at a time — the contractor will complete the various elements in the expanded system, test and coordinate them, and will turn them on all at once.” That expanded system also is scheduled to include a camera at 42nd/Alaska and one near the Fauntleroy ferry dock. Current cameras citywide are linked here (we’re still checking on when the West Seattle Bridge cameras will be working again).
Today/tonight: School maps, creek help, Delridge Council, more
SCHOOLS: 10 am, Steve Sundquist, West Seattle’s rep on the school board, is at Delridge Library for a community chat bound to be dominated by the proposed school-attendance maps the board will vote on tonight (6 pm, district HQ in SODO).
WATER: Could reclaimed wastewater mean a brighter future for West Seattle’s Puget Creek and other local natural areas? The project manager of the county’s Reclaimed Water Program will be at Sanislo Elementary‘s library at 7 pm to give an overview of the county’s plans to improve wastewater treatment, and what that could mean for the local ecology. (As noted on the Sustainable West Seattle website, neighbors at the meeting also will talk about a possible Puget Ridge pocket park.)
DELRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL: Come hear what community groups from around eastern West Seattle are up to, and see which neighborhood-traffic-related projects are being reviewed for a potential share of city funding – 7 pm, Youngstown Arts Center.
THE BIRTHDAY THAT KEEPS ON GIVING: It’s the 10th “39th Birthday Party” and fundraiser for King County Executive-elect Dow Constantine, this time with another momentous occasion less than a week away (his swearing-in next Tuesday). 5:30 pm, Kell’s Irish Pub downtown.
NO NEED TO PLAY ALONE: Alki Community Center invites you to Family Game Night tonight – board, video and challenge games. 6:30-8:30 pm ($5 activity fee).
Even more on the WSB Events calendar!
Youth Violence Prevention Initiative: Zeroing in on solutions
From tonight’s Youth Violence Prevention Initiative community dialogue at Chief Sealth High School: Attendees of all ages talked about solutions as well as the problem. We visited during the breakout sessions midway through the two-hour-plus event, and noticed the theme was jobs – a young person with a job is a productive young person, learning life skills and staying out of trouble. With the youth-unemployment rate higher than the adult-unemployment rate, it was suggested that job creation could be an important piece in solving the youth-violence puzzle.
Another topic tonight – the fact West Seattle doesn’t have an agency dealing full-time with substance abuse. Violence and substance abuse are often connected, participants noted, so more attention on that problem could bring progress.
West Seattle Crime Watch: Stolen van – and newest stats
STOLEN VAN: Stephanie hopes you can help track down the van her husband needs for his blacksmith/metal-arts work: “Our 1986 Toyota van (silver with black steel racks with red tops on four corners) was stolen last night, 11/16. It’s a work van, really important. We live on 12th Avenue near Elmgrove [map]. Anyone who sees this van, please call it in. Thanks.”
NEWEST STATS: Just as Stephanie‘s note came in, a short meeting for the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council was wrapping up. The key information presented – the newest West Seattle crime stats:
Car thefts: “Up a little bit” – 2 recent arrests, too
Car prowls: Up a LOT – 30 more in West Seattle in the past month, than a month earlier
Residential burglaries: DOWN a LOT – 47 in West Seattle in the past month, down from 62 in the previous month
Some interesting context to those trends – and some reasons for hope they might all be on the downside soon – read on for more details:Read More
Another proposed amendment to the West Seattle school maps
Since our update this afternoon looking ahead to tomorrow’s scheduled Seattle School Board vote on maps for the new Student Assignment Plan, including a letter with one proposal for amending them, we’ve received another suggested amendment. Janne Endreo and David Broadstone say they’ve sent the proposed “Equitable Enrollment Amendment for West Seattle” to all board members, explaining:
It is a proposal for boundary changes just for the middle and high school assignments (not elementary). As parents who have students at both Madison, Sealth and WSHS, we are well aware that any changes to a Student Assignment plan will affect our whole community. Our goal is that both “sets” of our secondary schools in West Seattle be the best schools possible, and that all kids will want to attend.
This proposal helps to balance some of the school-wide inequities which resulted from the most recent changes in the Student Assignment plan- most notably the 35% projected enrollment cuts at Madison & WSHS, as well as the diversity imbalance in all our secondary schools, and the issue of keeping as many kids as possible in a “walk zone” with their closest neighborhood school.
They say the amendment’s goals are:
1. To balance enrollment more equitably between the Denny/Sealth and Madison/WSHS secondary schools;
2. To keep as many students as possible in their neighborhood “walk zones”; and
3. To keep as much diversity as possible in all of our schools.
Proposal:
Re-assign the “No Walk” areas (as shown on the High School Walk Zone maps in the SPS Data Book) to the middle and high school secondary schools for:
1. Gatewood’s assignment area- The southern portion of Gatewood (which is south of WSHS’s red-lined “Walk Zone” area) to be assigned to the closer secondary schools of Denny and Sealth;
2. West Seattle Elementary’s assignment area- The northern portion of WS Elementary (which is north of Sealth’s red-lined “Walk Zone”) to be assigned to the closer Madison and WSHS schools.
You can see their proposed maps here (Chief Sealth/Denny) and here (WSHS/Madison). Again, tomorrow night’s board meeting is 6 pm at district HQ in SODO; West Seattle board rep Steve Sundquist has a community chat scheduled for 10 am tomorrow at Delridge Library; e-mail feedback on the maps, whether you love them/hate them/want to change them, is being accepted at newassign@seattleschools.org as well as in individual board members’ boxes (addresses all here).
Followup: Admiral/California traffic signal problem being solved?
View Larger Map
A followup to our most recent item about citizens complaining to the city regarding backups at the Admiral/California intersection – Tim e-mailed SDOT and got this reply from engineer Chris Faulkner – same person whose responses were shared by commenters – indicating they’ve figured out the problem:
I stand behind my timing and believe that it is working well. Unfortunately, because of malfunctions, my timing has not always been running and the signal has been working erratically. Every time that I had been out to observe it everything was worked well, within the past 3 weeks I have spent three PM Peaks and two AM Peaks at this intersection, verifying that everything is working. On my last trip the signal began skipping phases and traffic backed up very badly, like the complaints that I have been receiving. Because I was at the intersection to observe it, I was finally able to diagnose the problem and we are working on a solution.
Currently, we believe the problem was an underlying problem with the electronics and when we installed the new timing it exasperated the problem. Since last Wednesday, the intersection has been placed in a different mode, kind of like a windows safe mode. In this mode the intersection cannot skip phases, but it also cannot run coordinated timing. The consequence of this mode was that the intersection is working tolerable well during off peaks, but horrible during AM and PM Peak times. I apologize for this and want you to know that we are doing everything that we can to correct these problems. We plan on changing out some of the electronics later today in an attempt to address the problem and hope to put it back into my timing after that and observe it over the next few days to see if we have corrected the malfunctioning equipment.
Admiral/California drivers, let us know if things do get better!
Last-minute developments before school board’s map vote
Tomorrow night, the Seattle School Board‘s scheduled to vote on setting attendance-area maps for schools around the city, as part of the new Student Assignment Plan changing the district’s prevailing philosophy from “choose any school” to “attend your neighborhood school.” Anyone who wants to get the ear of West Seattle’s school-board rep hours before the vote is invited to Steve Sundquist‘s community chat tomorrow morning, 10-11:30 am, at Delridge Library; meantime, the online agenda for tomorrow night’s meeting includes one amendment that will be proposed to the West Seattle maps (current versions of which are linked here):
Make the boundary between the Alki and Lafayette attendance areas be a straight line on 47th Avenue Southwest from Southwest Admiral Way to Southwest Hanford Street, with both sides of 47th Avenue Southwest being in the Lafayette attendance area.
That would straighten out the “notch” in the current map, as shown below, changing the line instead to parallel where the blue and pink zones now are divided:
The three other amendments involve maps in other parts of the city. Other amendments are possible, but would have to be made by board members speaking at the meeting. This afternoon, we have some concrete suggestions proposed by three West Seattleites involved with local schools through the Chief Sealth International Baccalaureate Program and Gatewood Elementary – they’ve sent us an open letter with their suggestions for amendments to the boundaries – read on for the full text:Read More
Followup: Delridge-dilapidation tour promises turn to legislation
That photo’s from last April, when City Councilmembers Sally Clark and Tim Burgess joined North Delridge neighbors in a tour organized by then-ND Neighborhood Council chair Mike Dady, looking at some of the problem properties around the area – some abandoned, some with criminal/suspicious activity and landlords who seemed to be turning a blind eye, some just plain falling apart (WSB coverage here). Afterward, Clark, Burgess and city department heads who joined the tour talked about possible legislation and rule changes to ease neighbors, law enforcers and others’ powerlessness in getting something done – and now, some of those proposals are closer to reality. This afternoon at 1:30 pm, the Public Safety, Human Services and Education Committee chaired by Burgess plans a hearing on the “chronic nuisance properties” bill beefing up penalties for landlords (see it here); then tomorrow at 9 am, the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee chaired by Clark will take up the “Derelict Housing” bill (see it here), which would allow demolition of some properties even before a new plan is on the table for their sites. Both meetings are at City Hall downtown, open to the public, and will be televised on Seattle Channel (online at seattlechannel.org, or cable 21). 1:51 PM UPDATE: The Public Safety Committee hearing is under way now, with public comment from people including a West Seattle woman who says her neighborhood is a “war zone” because of problems a nearby landlord refuses to address.
Skeleton of a school: New photos from Denny/Sealth site
Courtesy of the project team at DKA, new photos taken just yesterday at the Denny/Sealth construction site in Westwood – where DKA says that as of the end of October, “60% of the structural steel needed for the construction of the new Galleria and Denny International Middle School had been delivered to the construction site. Footings for the new Galleria and Denny school are now 90% complete as are the underground utilities for the Galleria.” Here’s a view with more of the new Denny’s “skeleton” (left side):
For perspective – from an earlier story, here’s a rendering of the entire project site from the same direction – looking south – what you see above is roughly at the rear center of this (the galleria attaches the new Denny to the existing Sealth):
DKA’s update continues:
In the existing Chief Sealth High School building, the contractor completed framing walls on the first floor and is 70% complete with wall framing on the 2nd floor. The contractor continued work on the mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in in the Chief Sealth building.
This month, November, 2009, work will continue on the foundation and walls for the new Denny International Middle School. Deliveries of the structural steel for the new Denny School will continue as will the steel erection of the Commons area. The contractor will continue framing walls in Chief Sealth High School. Site work will continue on the south and west sides of the project.
More construction photos are online here. Sealth renovations are to be complete in time for classes to resume at the site this fall, after two years in temporary quarters at Boren; the new Denny is to be complete in early 2011. Work’s been under way at the site since July 2008.
West Seattle Weather Watch: Flooding report; more wind tomorrow
Two weather notes. First, a note this morning from Kimber:
I am wondering if there have been other basements flooding in the area. I’ve been up all night trying to stay on top of the foot of water in my basement. Are others having the same problems? I live SW of the Junction on 38th south of the firehouse.
Second, the forecast – sun’s out now and today looks fairly calm, but more rain, with wind gusting up to 40 mph, is predicted by tomorrow night.
Junction parking review ends – last one in West Seattle for a while
Two headlines out of tonight’s meeting of the West Seattle Junction Parking Project Committee: First, 21 months after first word of the then-impending review, it’s all over. 
Results: A relatively minor set of changes in the works – anticlimactic since the city announced in July that the Junction study would NOT result in pay stations. Second, while the city’s original plan called for the 2009 Junction review to be followed up by a 2010 Morgan Junction review, Community Parking Program boss Allison Schwartz confirmed tonight that only 2 neighborhoods in the city will be studied next year (down from 5) because of budget cuts, and neither will be in West Seattle. So, back to the conclusion of The Junction’s parking review – read on for details on the changes, and what happens now:Read More
| 4 COMMENTS