February 2009

The Seattle City Council’s Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee could soon vote on proposed upgrades to Hiawatha Playfield, including replacement of existing light poles and 8,000 cubic yards of regrading.

The existing 10 light poles, measuring 55 feet to 84 feet in height, would be replaced by nine poles measuring up to 90 feet. Although significantly taller, the new lighting system would be aimed more directly at the field and create less light pollution in the surrounding neighborhood.

The lights would be controlled remotely, coming on at dusk and turning off when the park closes. After turning off, security lights, similar to street lights, will be lit for fifteen minutes to allow safe departure from the park.

The existing sand/silt all weather surface would be replaced with synthetic turf, and the existing track with a new synthetic rubber track.
Ted Holden, Seattle Parks and Recreation, says that the park will be less dusty and playable in all weather conditions.

“We don’t see adverse impacts to the community, we only see a benefit,” says Holden.

Community member and business owners have noticed an increase in the number of homeless people congregating at Ballard’s Bergen Place Park. Some say they are presenting a safety concern and are making the park undesirable to the rest of the neighborhood.

Victoria Sangrey, volunteer coordinator for Friends of Bergen Place, said it’s not the fact that the people are homeless that is causing concern, it is that they are engaging in illegal activities.

She said she has seen drug deals, evidence of sexual activity and defecation in the hedges. She walks by early in the morning, and there are usually beer cans surrounding someone sleeping on the bench, she said.

“People are not going to want to sit on the bench when they are drinking and doing other things,” Sangrey said. “And, it’s sad to me.”

The number of homeless gathering in the park has increased in the past four to five monhts, said Zach Milsteadt, a barista at the Chai House, located next to the park.

Sangrey said there used to be three to four individuals at a time loitering in Bergen Place, now it can be 10 to 12 at points.

1506 N.W. 62ND ST.

Home For Good project will have a second early design guidance meeting with the Northwest Design Review Board March 9, 6:30 p.m. in the Ballard High School library.

The project includes green building and residential units aimed at those earning between $40,000 to $50,000 a year.
The non-profit organization wants to build two structures on a split-zone development site.

The first structure is a four-story building with 22 residential units above approximately 700 square feet of ground level commercial space. The office space would be used for the group's first local public resource area, according to Melanie Gillespie with Home For Good. The second structure is a two-unit residential townhouse style building. Parking for 24 vehicles to be located below grade. Existing single family structures are to be demolished. 

Project 3009654 

4743 BALLARD AVE. N.W.

A Land Use Application has been submitted to the Seattle Department of Planning and Development to allow a change of use (13,800 square feet) from general manufacturing and warehouse to office, restaurant, and retail.

Alki Community Center in West Seattle is planning a series of "Music in the Park" events for the summer of 2009, and is looking for bands who are interested in playing on dates in July, August, and September.

Bands should play music that families will enjoy. Interested bands should call MaryPat Byington at 206-684-7430 or e-mail her at marypat.byington@seattle.gov by Monday, March 16.

Hopping on the sustainable bandwagon with the mentorship of Sustainable Ballard, the Green Lake neighborhood kicked off their newly organized Sustainable Green Lake group with an official inaugural gathering earlier this week.

Led by Sustainable Green Lake’s core team, Katy Broker-Bullick, Megan Horst, Christian Rusby, Leif Esplund and Pennie O’Grady, the meeting welcomed not only Green Lake residents but anyone who lives, works and plays around Green Lake.

“I’m thinking of the Green Lake neighborhood as something that people have invested in even if they don’t live there,” said O’Grady. “ I want people to still feel like they can come to the meetings just because they feel they have a commitment or connection or a sense of groundedness in Green Lake.”

The group hosted a film night in December of “Money Fix,” a movie on the truth about money, its role in many social and environmental problems of today and what individuals can do about it. It's part of an effort to get the word out about the new group.

Mandrakes Antiques, which has been located on the southwest corner of Market Street and 24th Avenue Northwest for 19 years, will close its doors Feb. 22.

The antique store announced its pending closure in mid-January with signs reading "UNCLE" in its windows but had not announced a final day until this week.

Annabelle's Consignment, also on Market Street, went out of business earlier this week.

CORRECTION: Mandrakes Antiques has been in business for 19 years, though not at its current location for the entirety of that time.

A monkey that escaped from the Woodland Park Zoo's tropical rainforest exhibit at 10:40 a.m. Feb. 19 was tranquilized and captured 35 minutes later.

No people or animals were injured during the monkey's escape.

Zoo patrons were evacuated from the area and taken to secure buildings. The zoo was put on lockdown, but reopened after the animal was apprehended.

The 12-year-old male DeBrazza's guenon named Riktus was introduced to the exhibit Feb. 18 and jumped over the perimeter of the exhibit in order to escape.

“The animal’s first introduction to the exhibit went without incident yesterday,” said Martin Ramirez, Woodland Park Zoo animal curator, in a press release. “But, sometimes unexpected things can happen during animal introductions. Keepers had been monitoring the introductions very closely and were prepared for the possibility of the new animals testing the perimeter of the exhibit.”

The monkey has been returned to its previous, nonpublic hold area for the time being.

King County Council chairman Dow Constantine, a West Seattle native, has announced that he will be running against fellow council member Larry Phillips for King County Executive.

“I spent two weeks talking to family, friends and advisors to see if it was the right time to run,” said Constantine. “I announced my candidacy on Monday (Feb. 16) and it’s very exciting. It was two weeks to the day Ron Sims was asked to serve in the Obama administration.”

Former executive Ron Sims was nominated on Feb. 2 to serve as deputy secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, although he will not resign as executive until his appointment is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

As he announced his campaign Constantine said: “At this historic moment of change for our nation, this county – 156 years old and still growing – needs to hit the ‘reset’ button. We need renewal. Now is the moment to clear away the debris of that which is no longer working, perfect that which is, and build an efficient, effective, 21st-century government for our nearly two million citizens here at home.”

King County Council chairman Dow Constantine, a West Seattle native, has announced that he will be running against fellow council member Larry Phillips for King County Executive.

“I spent two weeks talking to family, friends and advisors to see if it was the right time to run,” said Constantine. “I announced my candidacy on Monday (Feb. 16) and it’s very exciting. It was two weeks to the day Ron Sims was asked to serve in the Obama administration.”

Former executive Ron Sims was nominated on Feb. 2 to serve as deputy secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, although he will not resign as executive until his appointment is confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

As he announced his campaign Constantine said: “At this historic moment of change for our nation, this county – 156 years old and still growing – needs to hit the ‘reset’ button. We need renewal. Now is the moment to clear away the debris of that which is no longer working, perfect that which is, and build an efficient, effective, 21st-century government for our nearly two million citizens here at home.”

A group of citizens, calling themselves the Committee for Fairness in Public Safety, have organized an initiative in an attempt to stop the city from building a new jail site.

If enacted, Initiative 100 would require the City to publicly negotiate with King County to: explore alternatives to building a city jail--including extending the current City-County jail Contract, analyze ways to decrease incarceration rates while increasing public safety, analyze whether investments in social services will lower crime and arrest rates and develop a strategy to address racial disparity in arrest and incarceration rates.

The measure would also require a public vote to decide whether to build a city jail.

Organizers have 86 days to collect 23,000 signatures from Seattle voters.

Seattle’s contract with the King County Jail to house people arrested for misdemeanor charges ends in 2012 and the city will need a place to put those offenders.

Six possible sites have been identified for consideration, including Highland Park Way Southwest.