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Councilmember O’Brien to Unveil Backyard Cottage Proposal

Posted: May 18, 2016

Councilmember Mike O’Brien

EVENT DATE

May 19, 2016

11 a.m.

Councilmember O’Brien to Unveil Backyard Cottage Proposal

Seattle – Councilmember Mike O’Brien will release a proposal to make it easier for more homeowners to build backyard cottages and mother-in-law units. Councilmembers recently held community meetings and received a report, “Removing Barriers to Backyard Cottages,” which helped shape the draft regulations being unveiled tomorrow.

Councilmember O’Brien (District 6, Northwest Seattle) will unveil the proposal outside of a backyard cottage in the Sunset Hill neighborhood. An architect and backyard cottage owner will also provide remarks.

Backyard cottages, also called detached accessory dwelling units, are separate living spaces on the same property as an existing single-family house. Council adopted legislation in 2009 allowing construction of backyard cottages on eligible lots in single-family zones throughout the City. Fewer than 200 have been constructed to date. If only 5% of eligible lots in Seattle built a backyard cottage, it would result in over 4,000 housing units.

WHAT:

Unveiling of a proposal to encourage Backyard Cottages and Mother-in-Law units

WHEN:

Thursday, May 19

11 a.m.

WHERE:

3002 NW 72nd St (outside a backyard cottage)

Seattle, WA 98117

WHO:

Councilmember Mike O’Brien

Backyard Cottage owner

Backyard Cottage architect

Seattle City Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21, HD Channels 321 Comcast, 721 Wave and on the City Council’s website. Copies of legislation, Council meeting calendar, and archives of news releases can be found on the City Council website. Follow the Council on Twitter and on Facebook.

Viewlands Elementary Playground Improvement Steering Committee

by Susan George

Posted: May 15, 2016

Viewlands Elementary PTSA (VEPTSA), Playground Improvement Steering Committee, is in the final preparations to start Phase I playground improvements, summer 2016. This project is funded in part by Neighborhood Matching Fund award from Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.

Now through June 10th, VEPTSA is embarking on a Spring Legacy Campaign to invite donors to help us raise the final $25,000 needed to secure the remaining components of the project, including: the embankment slide with rubber surfacing and log/boulder seating area to benefit the entire community. Your donation, of any amount, will help us reach our goal. Please actively show your support by completing donor form provided here and personally leave a legacy for the future, to better our local community and surrounding neighborhoods.

viewlandsplaygrounddrive_apr_form

A link for printing: http://viewlands.org/donor-drive-legacy-campaign/

NW 120th Street Outfall and Drainage Improvements Project Update

by Susan George

Posted: May 13, 2016

From: Katie McVicker@SEATTLE.GOV

The Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Checklist and Determination of Non-Significance for the NW 120th Street Outfall and Drainage Improvements Project were issued in February 2016.

On May 12, 2016, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) issued a SEPA Addendum. It describes project changes and assesses how these changes affect analyses in the Checklist. SPU has concluded the project changes do not substantially alter the analyses and will not result in any significant environmental impacts. The Addendum is available for comment through close of business Friday, May 27, 2016.

The SEPA documents are available at: http://www.seattle.gov/util/Documents/index.htm.

Please forward these updates to others who may be interested in the project. We continue to encourage people to sign up directly to get future project updates at: http://www.seattle.gov/lists/spu_nw120th.htm.

For more information, please contact Arnel Valmonte, Project Manager, at (206) 615-1438 or arnel.valmonte@seattle.gov.

Broadview Community Council Meeting

by Susan George

Posted: May 10, 2016

Tuesday, May 17

7 pm to 8:30 PM

Luther Memorial Lutheran Church 13047 Greenwood Ave N.

Doors open at 6:30 PM

Please join the Broadview Community Council on Tuesday, May 17 at 7 PM as we report back on our shared community priorities collected at the March membership meeting, and begin work on a Community Development Action Plan.

You shared your concerns and hopes at the March membership meeting. Now it’s time to create a plan of action. With the new District 5 structure, we need your help to set the priorities for Broadview/Bitter Lake and begin work to make them happen.

The agenda is attached. Please join us!

BCC Agenda

Have you paid your 2016 BCC Membership yet? It’s easy and secure to pay via PayPal. Thank you!

Broadview Community Council

Email: broadview.communitycouncil@gmail.com

US Mail: PO Box 77761 Seattle WA 98177

Member: Northwest District Council and City Neighborhood Council

Annual Plant Sale Broadview Garden Club on Saturday May 14

by Dale Johnson

Updated: May 8, 2016

Visit the Broadview Garden Club on Saturday, May 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the annual Broadview Garden Club Plant sale. It is in the parking lot at Broadview Thomson School, 13052 Greenwood Avenue N. Ample parking available. For details see the poster, below.

Click on poster for larger view.

Updated Seattle Public Utilities Broadview Projects Plans

by Dale Johnson

Posted: May 3, 2016

Recently Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) updated its website for Broadview projects, with the most recent version of its plans. SPU has somewhat changed direction from earlier plans that looked to link its projects in Broadview to larger regional sewage plans. You can view SPU’s current plans at its site for the Broadview projects. Both the 12th Ave. NW basin and the Dayton Ave. N basin are addressed.

Call to Action on Sound Transit on the 130th Street Station!

by Susan George

Updated: April 28, 2016

From Councilmember Debora Juarez.

If we are going to see some an amendment to the Draft ST3 Plan we need you to write in and tell the Sound Transit leadership that we need a commitment to build the 130^th Street Station!

I am not sitting around hoping there will be a change, I am out here pushing every button and looking for all the possible ways to get North Seattle what it needs. I met with Sound Transit Board Members, Sound Transit Director Peter Rogoff, other Seattle City Councilmembers, King County Councilmembers, our Legislative delegation in the 46^th District, the Federal Transportation Administration WA liaisons and even Senator Patty Murray’s Office. We have been meeting with community groups representing Haller Lake, Lake City, Pinehurst and Broadview. We have met with advocacy groups like Transportation Choices Coalition. We have discussed the need for a station at a 130^th with major employers like the University of Washington, North Seattle College, Northwest Hospital, Northgate Mall and Thornton Place. I recently wrote an Op-ed that was published in the Seattle Times. And through all these meetings I have learned that what is really going to change the course of the ST3 draft plans depends on the demands of the community. They need to hear from us, and we need to be loud.

I want to thank the North District Council, Lake City Neighborhood Alliance, Olympic Hill Neighborhood Council, Pinehurst Community Council, 46^th State Legislative delegation and all the individual neighbors that have sent in their survey and are sending in letters to Sound Transit.

Please consider attending the next Sound Transit Board meeting on April 28^th at 2pm to testify in person about the importance of Sound Transit making a commitment to build the 130^th Street Station. The meeting will be held at the Union Station building at 401 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104.

We need to keep the pressure on. The public’s opinion really does matter, I need your voice! Fill out your survey and send in a letter of your own to:
soundtransit3@soundtransit.org EmailTheBoard@soundtransit.org and cc: me at debora.juarez@seattle.gov

Write in as an individual, as a representative of your community council, as a business representative, as a person who uses public transit or as a person wants to!

Feel free to use our sample letter below, and thank you for advocating with me!

Response Letter from the community to Sound Transit

How do I set up a meeting at our District 5 Office? – It’s easy! Follow the link and fill out the form.

Email: debora.juarez@seattle.gov
Phone: (206) 684-8805

City Council members voted to hire more legislative staff

by Susan George

Posted: April 26, 2016

Seattle City Council Insight by kevinsch 4/25/16

Mayor Murray announces funding plan for North Police Precinct

by Dale Johnson

Posted: April 23, 2016

Mayor Ed Murray on April 22 announced the funding strategy for the new Seattle Police Department North Precinct, to be built at N 130th St. and Aurora Ave. N, slated to break ground in 2017 and open for business in 2019. The mayor will propose no new taxes to pay for the project.

“Because of our vibrant local economy and vigorous real estate sales, we can construct our new North Precinct within existing and projected resources,” said Murray. “While we do have other public safety infrastructure projects on the horizon, there is no need to send a public safety levy to the ballot in near future.”

Seattle continues to collect large receipts in the Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) from the sales of residential and commercial properties, which can only be used to pay for City capital projects, including transportation infrastructure, Parks buildings and public safety facilities.

Due to projected ongoing strength of REET receipts, the mayor will not propose a public safety levy in 2016 or 2017.

To date, $21 million has been appropriated toward the $160 million precinct project, which will be located at Aurora Avenue North and North 130^th Street. The mayor is proposing to fund the remaining $139 million through a combination of REET receipts, 30-year bonds financed by future REET receipts, and the one-time sale of other City assets.

The new North Precinct will accommodate future growth in the Seattle Police Department and replaces the existing North Precinct facility at 10049 College Way North, which is seriously over-crowded. Expansion at the current site is not possible and the existing building constructed in 1984 to house 154 staff, is now home to more than 250 personnel. Planning work began on this project in 2013.

In 2015, Seattle collected a record $73 million through REET on commercial and residential real estate transactions. The City projects that REET collections will continue to remain strong: $56 million in 2016, $56 million in 2017, $60 million in 2018 and $64 million in 2019. A portion of these revenues will be directed towards the construction of the new North Precinct facility.

“Public safety and community policing are high priorities for Seattle residents,” said Councilmember Debora Juarez. “A new police station will house more officers in a better location, which will help ensure police are available to residents when they call. Safe communities are healthy communities. The proposed financing approach for this facility means we can make a significant investment in our community without asking voters for a new tax increase.”

“With the current North Precinct overcrowded and sitting on a swamp, a new precinct building cannot come soon enough,” said Councilmember Tim Burgess, chair of the Council’s finance committee. “The Council has long pushed to move this project forward as quickly as possible, and I’m pleased that Mayor Murray has developed a solid funding plan to advance construction.”

As part of the City’s effort to respond to homelessness, the City continues to partner with Mary’s Place to provide additional temporary shelter for homeless families within the old PI Bank building at 130^th and Stone Way, which currently stands on the site of the new precinct.

CARKEEK PARK’S 36TH ANNUAL EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

by Susan George

Posted: April 15, 2016

CARKEEK PARK’s
36^th Annual EARTH DAY Celebration
Saturday, April 23, 2016

Join us the Saturday after Earth Day for opportunities to help keep Carkeek Park thriving, meet volunteers and learn about ways to sign-up for future involvement.

Come celebrate and learn more about your park community.

Schedule of Activities

11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Piper’s Orchard drop-in work party, weeding and mulching. Meet at the Orchard. Bring gloves and small trowels for weeding * 11:00-3:00

Forest Restoration Work Party – Help with hands-on forest restoration * 11:00-1:00

Master Gardeners Clinic Table at the lower meadow to answer your gardening questions 11:00-3:00

Demonstration Garden tours at 12:00 and 2:00

Children’s activity in the Demonstration Gardens- Roots and Shoots- at 11:30 and 1:30

Visit and feed the Chum Salmon Fry in the Imprint Pond. 11:00-3:00

Meet park volunteers in the Lower Meadow to learn about year round volunteer opportunities in Carkeek Park. 11:00-3:00

7:30 to 8:00 p.m. – Salmon fry release into Venema Creek at the Imprint Pond

* For work activities, please dress appropriately including sturdy footwear and raingear.

Earth Day 2016 flyer