West Seattle, Washington
25 Sunday
That’s City Councilmember Sally Clark (Avalon Glassworks glass pumpkin in the foreground) at the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce office last Thursday, when we sat in on the monthly “Lunch with LEO” (local elected official) brownbag at which she guested. Clark chairs the council’s Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee; a related issue we asked her about is coming to a head tonight, and while the meeting is not in West Seattle, it’s open to the public and those with an interest in neighborhood planning will want to attend.
This all links to the big event at Youngstown last July, in which more than 100 people from five West Seattle “neighborhood plan areas” showed up to talk about what’s changed since the Neighborhood Plans were approved a decade ago, and what should happen next. (The followup to that meeting is coming up Nov. 5 at Mercer Middle School on Beacon Hill, and it’s important to be there too.) The big questions now include, what happens with the neighborhood plan update process; will the city budget ehough money next year to continue proceeding with some plan updates each year; and whether a few updates per year is fast enough. That issue is so far up in the air, there’s a question about whether the citywide Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee will even continue to exist – Councilmember Clark told us on Thursday that if it doesn’t, perhaps there could be a citizen committee as an adjunct to the Seattle Planning Commission paying attention to planning issues.
So tonight, the Advisory Committee has a special meeting to discuss its future, and to clarify city government’s commitment to the process. (Thanks to West Seattle NPAC rep Sharonn Meeks for the tip.) The meeting starts at 6:15 pm at City Hall downtown (Bertha Knight Landes Room) and a public-comment period is scheduled close to the end, around 8:10 pm.
EARLY WEDNESDAY UPDATE: Meeks says the committee voted to continue its work; now the question remains how the funding will fare in the budgeting process.
(WSB photo from December 2008)
THINK SNOW – LONG BEFORE THE TEMPS DROP: Two weeks ago, the city rolled out its all-new snow plan (here’s our report; here’s the plan). Tonight, your chance to hear from, and ask, the experts, in person, 7-9 pm, Delridge Community Center. If you’re still not sure what’ll be different if we have a Snowpocalypse rerun, this is the place to launch your flurry of questions.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Huge agenda for MoCA‘s quarterly meeting, 7 tonight at The Kenney, including transportation, park, preparedness and utility issues.
FAIRMOUNT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: This group doesn’t meet often but when it does, there’s lots to talk about, as previewed here. Development (with Harbor Properties‘ update on Link) and crime are two major components of tonight’s agenda, 6:30 pm, The Mount.
(added 8:52 am) DELRIDGE NEIGHBORHOODS DISTRICT COUNCIL: Thanks to Pete Spalding for one additional reminder – the Delridge Neighborhoods District Council also meets tonight, 7 pm at Youngstown Arts Center. Two city department heads will be there: Finance director Dwight Dively with a presentation on the mayor’s budget proposal; Neighborhoods director Stella Chao with a briefing on proposed changes to the Neighborhood Matching Fund.
As noted here, the followup to the big July Neighborhood Plan Status Check meeting is coming up November 5th. Today, Sharonn Meeks, who’s on the citywide Neighborhood Plan Advisory Council, sends word that the city’s official summaries are now online. You’ll find them in this document, interspersed with the rest of the city – alphabetical order – listed as Admiral, Delridge, Morgan Junction, West Seattle Junction, Westwood/Highland Park.
PIGEON POINT NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL: Short meeting last night – with “getting the word out” about PPNC and its activities a major topic. The group recently switched to a new type of mailing list and is reviewing how it’s working. Also noted, the upcoming Green Seattle Day – November 7th – find out here how to get involved. PPNC’s next meeting will be a holiday potluck in December.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: Both meet tonight. FCA‘s at 7 pm at The Hall at Fauntleroy; Admiral’s at 7 pm in the basement meeting room at Admiral Congregational Church. (Added 7:38 am – ANA president Mark Wainwright says the agenda will include updates on the Admiral Safeway redevelopment project, next summer’s concert series, officer nominations and a discussion of next month’s election.)
ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: Larry Carpenter sends details on the ACC meeting coming up Thursday night at 7, Alki Community Center:
ACC member Ed Hanson will report on the potential impact on West Seattle of Alaska Airlines’ “Greener Skies Initiative.” Ed is the West Seattle representative on the Roundtable advisory group to the King County Airport Administration (Boeing Field). Changes in the altitudes and flight patterns of Alaska’s Sea-Tac flights could impact Boeing Field operations and increase traffic over West Seattle and Elliott Bay. Other agenda items include an update on the Homestead property and discussion of members’ goals and priorities for the coming year.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Official announcement from Steve Sindiong of MoCA‘s 7 pm October 21st meeting:
The Morgan Community Association (MOCA) Quarterly Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 21, at 7 pm at The Kenney at 7125 Fauntleroy Way SW. Agenda items include the Neighborhood Plan Update, Pro-Parks levy and park opportunities, Murray Pump Station and Lowman Beach Combined Sewer Overflow projects, Kenney status report and emergency response. For more information, contact Steve Sindiong, 206-679-5915 or e-mail at: gnoidnis@comcast.net
FAIRMOUNT COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: Official announcement from Sharonn Meeks of the 6:30 pm October 21st meeting:
I have arranged for the Southwest Precinct of the Seattle Police Department to come to our meeting on October 21st at 6:30 in the chapel at Providence Mount Saint Vincent. Officer Mazzuca will discuss the issues that relate to our community as well as West Seattle at large. Benjamin Kinlow, Community Crime Prevention Coordinator for West Seattle, will also make a presentation and answer your questions. Harbor Properties will be making a presentation of the very soon to be under construction LINK Project at the corner of 36th and Alaska.
Other meetings are coming up in the next two weeks too, of course (see the WSB Events calendar), but these are the neighborhood-association meetings on the horizon.
When more than 100 people gathered to talk about neighborhood planning, past/present/future, in that air-conditioned room at Youngstown Arts Center on one of those record-setting-sizzler nights in late July (WSB coverage here), city reps promised there’d be a followup meeting this fall. As noted here last week, the date was recently set for November 5th; tonight, we have the official announcement and the official location, thanks to Sharonn Meeks, who’s president of the Fairmount Community Association and is on the citywide Neighborhood Plan Advisory Council. Here’s the city announcement she forwarded:
During June and July, many neighbors joined in meetings and many other hundreds participated in on line questionnaires to review the Draft Neighborhood Status Reports and comment on changes— good, bad, and unexpected —that have occurred since Seattle’s Neighborhood Plans were written in the late 90’s. We explored growth, transportation, housing, economic development, utilities, neighborhood character, open space and parks, public services, public safety. The Planning Commission’s reports on comments can be reviewed at http://www.seattle.gov/planningcommission
So, what did we hear?
Come to the November meeting in your area and find out.The Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee (NPAC) and the Seattle Planning Commission want to report back to you on the trends that emerged so far and to get your help to identify the continuing priorities and new issues that should be emphasized in the final Status Reports and a State of the Neighborhood Report that will be presented to the City Council and Mayor. These reports will contribute to policy decisions including decisions about whether or how to updates neighborhood plans. Your input will also be important as NPAC shapes its recommendations on conducting, prioritizing and funding updates to the neighborhood plans listed below.
All Meetings at 6-8 pm.
Thursday, November 5th Mercer Middle School, 1600 S. Columbian Way [map]
Admiral, West Seattle Junction, Delridge, Georgetown, Morgan Junction, Westwood-Highland Park, Columbia City Hillman City Genesee, Rainier BeachTuesday, November 10th Seattle Central Community College, 1701 Broadway
Queen Anne / Uptown, Belltown, Pike Pine, First Hill, Eastlake, Capitol Hill, Central AreaThursday, November 12th North Seattle Community College 9600 College Way N.
Broadview/Bitterlake, Haller Lake, Aurora Licton Springs, Crown Hill / Ballard, Greenwood/Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, Fremont, Green Lake, Lake City, University CommunityFor more information, contact David Goldberg at davidw.goldberg@seattle.gov or (206) 615-1447
No reason to entirely write off what technically remains of summer – some fun events are coming up later this month (including Holy Rosary’s Westfest Sept. 18-19, the Junction Car Show [co-sponsored by WSB] on Sept. 20, the Alki Beach 5K [WSB sponsor] Sept. 27) – nonetheless, starting tonight, things get serious again. Many community groups skipped August on the meeting calendar, and tonight it’s back to business. Including:
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
7 pm, Admiral Church basement meeting room (4320 SW Hill; map)
****This group scored big over the summer with its first-ever summer concert series.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
7 pm, Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW; map)
****Big events ahead this fall including the Fauntleroy Fall Festival (Oct. 18).
JUNCTION NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION
6:30 pm, Ginomai (42nd/Genesee; map)
****The ongoing Junction parking review remains a hot topic, particularly the question of whether it will result in RPZs. Also big: Fundraising completion for Junction Plaza Park.
After extending the deadline for the once-in-a-decade survey to help update neighborhood plans around the city, the Seattle Planning Commission has posted that final tally of how many surveys it received per neighborhood. Yes, technically, Ballard/Crown Hill finished first, BUT as noted before, that area has just one plan, while West Seattle is broken into five neighborhood-plan areas, so if you add them up — Admiral, Delridge, Highland Park/Westwood, Morgan Junction, West Seattle Junction — the peninsula finished first, with 1,076 total. Watch for word of followups this fall, including meetings to discuss how the survey information (and input from last month’s meeting at Youngstown Arts Center) will be used to update those plans. Never seen your (or the nearest) neighborhood plan? You can find the plans for those five areas — developed a decade ago — in the right sidebar here.
Tomorrow’s the final day – after an extension – to fill out a relatively quick survey (explained here) regarding your thoughts on the state of your neighborhood (or, if yours isn’t in the survey, one that you visit frequently) and how you’d like to see its future shape up. The Seattle Planning Commission has been updating that bar chart lately, and while on one hand it looks like Ballard/Crown Hill is insurmountably ahead, if you add up the five West Seattle neighborhoods that are included (Delridge, Junction, Admiral, Morgan Junction, Westwood Village/Highland Park) the peninsula is number one – but we still haven’t even totaled 1,000 responses – need fewer than 200 to hit that mark – so can you spare a few minutes to have a say on how you think it’s going and where you think it should go? Start here – deadline’s tomorrow.
First – the city has decided to extend the deadline for those neighborhood-plan surveys we’ve been talking about here. Now they’ll take surveys through Friday, August 21st. Take the survey here – where you’ll also see the latest neighborhood-vs.-neighborhood chart (Ballard-Crown Hill is singularly ahead but if you add the 5 West Seattle areas together, 
we’re way out in front with 732 – think we can hit 1,000?). Second – five nights left to get your primary-election ballot into the mail or into a drop box. The county posted its nightly update on how many ballots have come back – it’s up to 11 percent countywide but almost 13 percent in the County Council district including West Seattle (now almost tied for “most votes counted” – just a hair behind the metropolitan Eastside). Still lots of time to prove the “low turnout” projection wrong.
That’s the latest bar chart for responses to the neighborhood-plan survey we’ve been talking about – literally a once-in-a-decade chance to have an official say on where growth and planning goes from here. Whether or not you made it to the July 28th meeting to discuss the plans face to face, the city is hoping to get as many people as possible to fill out an online survey asking the same four questions. Yes, we know, it may not seem fair that Ballard/Crown Hill is ahead because it’s all lumped together as one neighborhood, while West Seattle has FIVE (Junction, Admiral, Delridge, Highland Park/Westwood Village, Morgan Junction), but nothing we can do about that now; it’s how things shook out a decade ago. But we’re not even being challenged by Ballard – our fellow online-only neighborhood-news providers at Rainier Valley Post are issuing a challenge to other neighborhoods. Not sure if this will turn into one of those Super Bowl bet deals where we each offer some famous local foodstuff (what IS an iconic West Seattle food, anyway? Husky ice cream, maybe?) – but we’ve up for a challenge. Before 5 pm tomorrow, go here to take the survey. If you don’t live in any of those five neighborhoods, fill it out for one that you frequently visit. The more voices are heard in this process, the better the end result; tell your friends, tell your neighbors, use SHARE THIS below to send this around.
A week and a half ago, West Seattle neighborhoods had a heartening turnout at a once-in-a-decade meeting to talk about the “neighborhood plans” for the five WS areas that created them in the late ’90s: Admiral, Delridge, Highland Park/Westwood Village, Morgan Junction and The Junction. However, just getting people to the meeting was only part of the process. A followup meeting will happen this fall – but the city needs to hear from hundreds (even better, thousands!) more residents regarding growth and planning in their neighborhoods and what they hope to see over the NEXT decade or so. You can do that by taking an online survey. The graph above shows how response is going from the neighborhoods around the city that have had these update meetings. As you can see, Ballard has had the most responses … but they didn’t even have to turn in 200 to get way out in front, so with more than 35,000 households on our peninsula, we should be able to muster a larger response. Not that there’s a prize – although there’s certainly value in having a say in your neighborhood’s future. And the city Planning Commission makes it clear: Even if the neighborhood where you live doesn’t have a plan, fill one out for the one you regularly visit (that means in West Seattle almost all of us qualify for The Junction). Example – we live in Fauntleroy, but it doesn’t have a plan, so we’re doing the one for Morgan Junction, the nearest business district, where we spend a lot of time. The deadline is DAYS AWAY (the actual site says “Tues 8/12” but Tuesday is the 11th so we’re checking on the real deadline) – so please take a few minutes now – it really will make a difference.
“Ca” sent that photo, describing this house only as being on Admiral Way, and noting it’s not a prank, but rather a celebration:
Everyone keeps asking us why our house was TPed the other day. My son qualified for All City Swim with Arbor Heights pool.
And here’s the proud qualifier himself:
Congratulations! We drove past a TP’ed house in the early moments of Night Out on Tuesday but seem to recall it was in a neighborhood south of Admiral; funny, hadn’t seen that phenomenon in years. Speaking of Night Out:
P and C McCormick shared photos of the Ocean View neighborhood Night Out party, pointing out it’s sponsored by Dot Beard (right, by the sign):
Over forty neighbors showed up to enjoy refreshments and the summer evening. A long-time activist and member of the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council, Dot has kept all of us neighbors in line for years. Just in case, Capt Joe Kessler and Lt. Steve Paulsen from the SW Precinct came by to make sure our new Block Watch signs were installed to specifications (!) and to schmooze Ocean View Community Beach Club presidential candidate “Murphy” (in the striped red sweater). Our quiet neighborhood, bound by Marine View Drive, 35th Ave SW and SW 112th St [map], has annual events including an Easter Egg Hunt, Summer Picnic and Christmas Caroling/Hot Buttered Rum parties.
Here’s Capt. Kessler with Murphy.
(We published three previous photo reports on Night Out block parties around West Seattle – see them here, here and here.) Last but by no means least, Chas Redmond caught the early-evening sun in all its glory, shining on the Sound off Alki last night:
Thanks as always to everyone who shares photos and info with their West Seattle neighbors via WSB – e-mail editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – or share your photos with the West Seattle Blog Flickr group (where we just noticed some great recent additions, including this spectacular Lincoln Park sunset).
Thanks to Dina Johnson for sharing that Night Out photo from the 9000 block of 12th SW – she says some 13th SW neighbors joined in, too, and that the party had live music – piano and drums – adding:
The singer/piano player’s name is Danny (in gray tee), we’re posing in front of his house. Red-haired guy in green shirt is the drummer. Thanks for the entertainment! Samantha Updegrave (at left) is holding her 8 week old baby, Blair Johnson is to her left, I’m at lower right in African print shirt. Marie Figgins, blonde at lower left is holding her blonde son Lincoln. The older gentleman at upper right is a good dancer. In the purple tee is a UW student majoring in bioengineering.
We had two people roaming West Seattle to drop in on some of the peninsula’s 250+ Night Out block parties; our first report included photos and video primarily from the north half of the peninsula, where we published notes as the night unfolded; now, here are pix from our other stops. Like Fauntleroy, where Gary Dawson invited us to the SW Henderson celebration just east of Fauntleroy Way:
Near Gatewood Elementary, we met the neighbors of quiet Sylvan Lane (thanks to Hilary for the invite here):
Uphill in Gatewood, Engine 37 made a post-dusk visit to the 39th/Elmgrove vicinity:
Thanks to Mark Ahlness for sharing that photo. In nearby Westwood, there were games aplenty at 32nd/Thistle, like bean-bag toss:
Kelly had alerted us her block party would have “a lawn/street game triathlon (croquet, bean-bag toss, and ladder golf), chalkboard pictionary, and a potluck (serving Ube and Mexican chocolate ice cream from Full Tilt).” Enticing eats in many places on Night Out – even sushi on 26th SW in North Delridge:
Thanks to Gary for telling us about that party, which he explained was either the first-ever two-block party in that area, or the first in a long while! Side note: Night Out celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, according to this online history. If you want to get a jump on next year, and help keep your neighborhood safer all year round, one thing you can do now is make sure you have a Block Watch – here’s more info on the program.
(added more photos inline @ 9:30 pm)
(47th/Admiral-area barricades)
ORIGINAL 6:35 PM REPORT: So far, we’ve seen more barricades than people gathered in the streets beyond them – but we know, everyone’s just getting home to work. Just stopped at 44th/Hill, where neighbors are gathered in a triangle between streets, rather than closing off the road; they’re getting ready to barbecue.
It’s their first-ever Night Out party; thanks to Kim for the note. More to come – we’ve got two people roving, one north, one south.
6:48 PM: Just stopped in the Sunset/48th vicinity – they’ve got a long table, beautifully decorated, with homemade desserts planned later after their barbecue (and lights strung in the trees to enjoy when the sun goes down).
Thanks to Deborah for welcoming us there.
7:02 PM: 47th/Admiral, where Charla (at left) gave us the party tip:
They’re hoping for a candidate visit before the night’s out. We expect to see at least one ourselves – we’ve got word of where the mayor will wind up his rounds tonight.
7:20 PM: We’ve been to two stops south of Admiral, including the Hinds/45th party, where the Block Watch reins have just turned over after a quarter-century; we found Eric in charge of the hot dogs:
Then, Al‘s party near 42nd/Hinds:
Al had a luau last year (went with the theme for his 60th birthday party just before Night Out), and this year it’s a Mexican beach fiesta (we said hi just as he was preparing the fajitas), including this decorated tent-side:
7:31 PM: About to check out Howie‘s party near 32nd/Andover, over the Luna Park business district. First, just got this photo from Desiree in Gatewood:
7:44 PM: The party up here (on the other side of the Fauntleroy end of The Bridge) is the biggest one we’ve been to so far. Here’s the long shot before you finish walking up the Andover dead end:
Howie invited us, but turns out, it’s Dave’s house – and he counted 70 people! (Sorry this crowd shot’s a bit blurry.)
Meantime, the other half of the team is in Highland Park and spotted our first SPD sighting of the night – Officer Adonis Topacio, near 12th/Trenton.
And we’ve received a photo from Daniel at the big party near 31st/Othello:
Next, we’re heading to Junction-area stops, including one that reportedly has a live band!
8:10 PM: Live band indeed – and a live young musician, 9-year-old Connor, in the 4400 block of 40th SW.
We’ll add a bit of video later (here’s the video, added 10:43 pm)
Just passed Ercolini Park, where Engine 32 is visiting block-partiers.
And now we’re headed south of The Junction. Sunset’s getting close – fiery pink-red again tonight.
8:22 PM: Just checked in with Cheryl, Rosina and dozens of neighbors on 48th in the Erskine/Dawson vicinity. They were kind enough to gather for a group shot:
Ladder 11 just wrapped up its stop here as we walked up (one thing about Night Out – you can’t just pull up, hop out, shoot a photo and go – you’ve got to park near the barricade and walk to where the people are), and two parties in adjoining blocks have agreed to combine forces next year.
8:53 PM: We’re folding up the Night Out caravan. Lots more pix to add from these stops and others – tried to catch up with the mayor here in his North Admiral neighborhood and we seem to have missed him. Reminder, if you have pix from your party, we’d be happy to publish some of those too – editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – thanks! (Once we’re done filling in the pictorial blanks in this report, we’ll start on a second report from our travels on the south half of the peninsula.)
More than 250 Night Out block parties are registered for tonight in the Southwest Precinct‘s coverage area (West Seattle and South Park), according to info we just received from SWP crime-prevention coordinator Benjamin Kinlow – that’s up from 200+ on the advance list last year. Thanks to the dozens of party-throwers who’ve given us clearance to drop by – we’re mapping strategy right now to get to as many as possible, but we also welcome YOUR photos, in progress or afterward – editor@wsb.blackfin.biz. Watch here for “live” coverage (on Twitter, too) in a few hours – and have fun – more than a few people we’ve heard from are planning live bands and/or games, above and beyond the heart of the matter: Strengthening your neighborhood by getting to know your neighbors.
(iPhone photo taken during final Blue Angels flyby Sunday, north of Boeing Field control tower)
BLUE ANGELS’ DEPARTURE: Finally found some ballpark time info, for anyone else interested in seeing them leave: Len Anderson IV — aka @lead_solo on Twitter, a former Blue Angels pilot traveling with the group and providing behind-the-scenes info, came through again: He says Blues 1-7 are scheduled to leave Boeing Field around noon today; check his Twitter page for the latest. Their next stop: The California International Airshow in Salinas (near Monterey/Carmel).
NIGHT OUT: Neighborhoods all around West Seattle will close their streets and get together for block parties during tonight’s annual Night Out celebration, in the name of building bonds and fighting crime. We’ll be reporting “live” as it happens, thanks to the dozens of WSB’ers who answered our second annual call for locations we can visit. If you’re not participating – since arterials aren’t eligible for block-party shutdowns, you shouldn’t find any major traffic effects, though your favorite side-street route might be off-limits for a few hours.
HIGH POINT MARKET GARDEN: Lots of rave reviews since this once-a-week produce stand opened last month. 4:30-7 pm today, 32nd/Juneau (map), fresh and reasonably priced produce grown in the gorgeous “market garden” right by the stand.
We mentioned this on Thursday, but now that it’s the weekend and maybe you have a few more minutes to mull the idea, here’s a reminder – Seattle Police extended the deadline for signing up to close your street for a Night Out block party this Tuesday, so you have till Monday morning to register online (do it here; then go here to print out collateral including neighborhood flyers if you need/want it). And if you ARE having a party and wouldn’t mind being photographed for WSB, please send us a note – editor@wsb.blackfin.biz – we’ll be covering the night again this year as it unfolds.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
As a member of the citywide Neighborhood Plan Advisory Council, Sharonn Meeks facilitated several groups during the series of plan-status meetings that ended in Delridge last night.
The turnout along the way had been spotty. For First Hill’s discussion, for example, Meeks says she facilitated a table of one.
Last night, however, a different story. By the time late arrivals had found their seats in the air-conditioned Youngstown Arts Center auditorium — a last-minute substitution for the non-air-conditioned Delridge Community Center across the street — more than 100 people had arrived. Asked after the event how that compared to the others she’d facilitated, Meeks enthused, “This is huge!”
It’ll take us a few hours to do the story justice in long form so for now, we’ll just publish a quick topline: More than 100 people filled the air-conditioned Youngstown Arts Center auditorium for tonight’s long-awaited Neighborhood Plan Status Check meeting. The photo above doesn’t even show them all – the floor of the auditorium held the groups for Admiral, Delridge, Highland Park/Westwood and Morgan Junction (as well as Georgetown), while the stage held the biggest group of all (not pictured here), for The Junction. One thing you can do RIGHT NOW, whether you attended or not – take an online survey. Meeting organizers say the neighborhood that’s turned in the most so far is Ballard with about 150 – certainly West Seattle can beat that! Go here; deadline is August 11. And watch for our full report (focused on The Junction – the heart of WS – with scenes from the other tables too) later.
Between that burned-out plumbing shop photographed at 37th and Alaska in the ’30s …
… and the 44th/Alaska fire station (photographed in the ’20s) whose crews likely responded to the plumbing shop fire … we have a unique business district that’s going through growing pains, as new developments like this one arrive …
… others are on the drawing board …
… and we all wonder what will eventually happen here:
What will our peninsula look like in five years, 10 years, 20 years? What SHOULD it look like? Is the vision written down a decade ago still relevant now? This is a rare chance to say what you think, on the official record. Tomorrow night, five West Seattle areas with Neighborhood Plans, including The Junction, get their first chance in a decade to revisit them and discuss whether they still work. Among the other areas – Morgan Junction, where “Mr. Jerome’s house” was photographed in the 4000 block of Orchard way back when …
A couple blocks west of that scene, you’ll find new townhouses and not-so-new apartments. A few blocks north of there, businesses new and old. It’s the same story all over West Seattle. Take a couple hours out of your night Tuesday, come out of the sun and into Delridge Community Center, and join the Neighborhood Plan Status Checks for Admiral, Delridge, Highland Park/Westwood, Morgan Junction, and The Junction. Each neighborhood will have its own “breakout” spot to discuss specifics, with two facilitators: For Admiral, it’s Mark Wainwright and Catherine Benotto; for The Junction, Sharonn Meeks and Kay Knapton; for Morgan Junction, Cindi Barker and Jerry Finrow; for Delridge, Boaz Ashkenazy and Chris Persons; for Highland Park/Westwood, Christie Coxley and Kevin McDonald – the facilitators represent the City Neighborhood Council and the Seattle Planning Commission. As noted yesterday, Vietnamese, Tagalog and Spanish translation will be available.
We have spoken with two of the facilitators; Sharonn Meeks (who’s president of the Fairmount Community Association) says she is hopeful for a good community turnout – during the original neighborhood planning process 10 years ago, she says, not enough community members participated. Cindi Barker (who’s with the Morgan Community Association) tells WSB, “I’m looking forward to seeing both old and new faces at this workshop. We’ve made inroads on the Morgan Junction projects, but the remaining projects might not be as applicable these days. It will be very interesting to hear what people are thinking about changes in the neighborhood.”
You can just come and listen – even that signifies taking a stand, showing interest in the future. Review the four questions first:
1. Most of the neighborhood plans were adopted about 10 years ago and are in their mid-life. How has your neighborhood changed in the last decade since the plan was adopted, (or since you’ve been there)?
2. What changes or aspects of your neighborhood are you most pleased about? Most dissatisfied about?
3. How well are your Neighborhood Plan vision and key strategies being achieved? Are they still the priority?
4. The city is completing neighborhood plan status reports focusing on demographics, development patterns, housing affordability, public amenities and transportation networks. What should there be more focus on (or less focus on) as the neighborhood status reports are completed in the coming months? Are there any important gaps in the draft status report?
And check out the status overviews and other documents regarding all the neighborhoods here. Then just show up, 6 pm Tuesday, Delridge Community Center. It’ll open with an explanation/orientation before everybody breaks off.
Oh sorry, we meant time travel AHEAD, not back – but the Municipal Archives are full of so many cool old photos, we had to put one up (1930, Youngstown area of North Delridge). Now, as for those two chances to shape THE FUTURE: Tuesday night is the REALLY big one – 6 pm, Delridge Community Center,, your long-awaited opportunity to join in “status checks” for the Neighborhood Plans (see them on the right sidebar here) created a decade ago — the plans that are referred to hundreds of times a year – they’re why The Junction, for example, has areas set for high-rise growth and some other neighborhoods don’t. Do the plans created a decade ago still make sense? How do you want to see your neighborhood grow? For your advance review before joining in Tuesday’s discussions, you can see the draft status “overviews” for the 5 West Seattle areas with NPs, published in preparation for the meeting, here:
Admiral
Delridge
Highland Park/Westwood Village
The Junction
Morgan Junction
Georgetown (here’s its “overview”) also will be discussed at the Delridge CC gathering; each of these neighborhoods will have its own “table” with facilitators; Spanish, Vietnamese and Tagalog translation will be available as well. There are even more documents you can review, grouped by neighborhood, linked from the city page about the meeting, the last of five citywide; this page shows you how to comment online if you absolutely can’t be there in person – but facilitators, which include local community leaders, stress it’ll be two hours well-spent – here’s what one of them, Sharonn Meeks, tells WSB:
West Seattle in particular is experiencing growing pains. There are transportation, parking and land use issues that your readers consistently respond to from your news reporting. I want to encourage all apartment residents, homeowners and businesses to bring those same comments to this Open House so they can be included in the discussions and decisions that lay ahead as we formalize our next 10 years of community.
We really aren’t exaggerating to say it’s something like “speak now or for another decade hold your peace.”
Meantime, a big discussion of where King County goes from here also is happening in West Seattle next week — your chance to suggest your “vision for the future and (to) help develop a countywide strategic plan that better aligns county functions and services.” The meeting (which will include “small group discussions”) is Thursday night, 6:30 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy, one of four this month around the county. Read more about it here.
Sharonn Meeks from the Fairmount Community Association went to last night’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting to hit the point home: West Seattle neighborhoods need to represent in a big way at next Tuesday night’s “Neighborhood Plan Status Report” meeting at Delridge Community Center (where she’ll be a facilitator). Five West Seattle neighborhoods have Neighborhood Plans crafted a decade ago — The Junction, Admiral, Morgan Junction, Delridge, Highland Park/Westwood (all linked in the right sidebar here). Some have called for revisiting them in a big way – that’s not on the drawing board yet, but next Tuesday’s meeting is designed to revisit them all in a small way, with official “status reports” and gathering of residents’ opinions.
There’s no shortage of those opinions, as evidenced in discussions here on WSB and in the few public meetings that relate to planning processes, such as Design Review Board meetings. But if ever you’ve wanted to say something about the future of West Seattle – and its state right now – this meeting is the place.
Meeks will facilitate one of the discussions at the session – each of the five neighborhoods will have its own discussion, and Georgetown will be part of this gathering too. Advance reading material, from the original plans to “status reports,” is now available on the city site – we’ll get to the direct links at the end of this story.
What Meeks told HPAC last night gets to the heart of why this meeting matters: She listened to what was discussed in the meeting before it was her turn, and she heard concerns about issues like traffic and safety. They all play into long-term planning, she stressed.
Delridge Neighborhoods District Council chair Pablo Lambinicio (seen in the background of our photo, facing the camera) then spoke. He said he’d been part of the process 10 years ago as a Westwood resident. At the time, he noted, the “urban village” was the central idea and all neighborhood planning was to revolve around the “urban villages.” That idea didn’t really draw Highland Park residents into the process a decade ago, Lambinicio noted, but now it’s a chance to take a step toward building a plan from the ground up, rather than the top down.
Rory Denovan, former HPAC vice chair, said it’s vital for this to be handled at the neighborhood level, since the neighborhoods live with the consequences. He urged others to get involved and make sure Highland Park residents are at Tuesday’s meeting to be heard. HPAC’s current chair Dan Mullins said he plans to follow up by gathering members to try to arrange a meeting with City Councilmember Sally Clark, who chairs the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee. He also offered to accept questions/concerns from anyone who cannot make next Tuesday’s meeting.
The city is taking online comments too – but it can’t be stressed enough, there’s no substitute for being there, if there’s any way you can spare 2 hours next Tuesday night. Even if you don’t live in one of the five neighborhood-plan zones, you have a stake in one or more of them – particularly The Junction, with another major new building about to open and more in the wings once the economic bumpiness is past.
Each group at Tuesday’s meeting – again, those groups are Admiral, The Junction, Westwood Village/Highland Park, Delridge and Morgan Junction – will tackle four questions:
1. Most of the neighborhood plans were adopted about 10 years ago and are in their mid-life. How has your neighborhood changed in the last decade since the plan was adopted, (or since you’ve been there)?
2. What changes or aspects of your neighborhood are you most pleased about? Most dissatisfied about?
3. How well are your Neighborhood Plan vision and key strategies being achieved? Are they still the priority?
4. The city is completing neighborhood plan status reports focusing on demographics, development patterns, housing affordability, public amenities and transportation networks. What should there be more focus on (or less focus on) as the neighborhood status reports are completed in the coming months? Are there any important gaps in the draft status report?
See the draft status report and other documents by following links from the “Status Reports” list at the bottom of this page – note that the West Seattle neighborhoods are woven in with others. The documents are at local libraries, too. Again, the meeting is 6-8 pm next Tuesday (7/28), Delridge Community Center (map). But if you absolutely cannot make it Tuesday (again, going in person sends a major message that you care about your neighborhood’s future) — participate online by going here. Then watch for word of followup meetings this fall.
Advance word tonight of two big events tomorrow:
DUWAMISH TRIBE RECOGNITION HEARING: 7 am our time, Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen will be among those testifying to the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee in D.C. regarding the latest proposal to officially recognize the tribe – a designation that happened briefly at the end of the Clinton Administration and was then canceled by the ensuing Bush Administration. We’re told it’ll be webcast live – you should be able to watch it here.
MORGAN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MEETING: Tomorrow night’s quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting agenda is jampacked with big topics – from Myrtle Reservoir (about which we reported here last night) to the Viaduct/Tunnel (with new developments today) to RapidRide (with a proposed “branding delay” as reported recently) and much more. 7 pm tomorrow at The Kenney, which itself is on the agenda because its proposed landmark designation goes to the city Landmarks Board tomorrow – read on for the complete agenda, shared by MoCA president Deb Barker:Read More
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