The city currently offers funds for the city’s various neighborhoods through its Department of Neighborhoods division, and council members questioned city officials about changes that might affect this funding at the Southwest District Council meeting Oct. 7.

Decision makers at that department floated the idea that they might divert money from their department to fund some citywide projects that failed to fit squarely under any one district’s jurisdiction. Council members, however, asked if this change might actually divert funds away from the neighborhoods on a large scale because city officials had not yet determined whether they might place a cap on the amount of funds diverted to citywide projects.

The department currently offers the city’s neighborhoods funding for projects with costs ranging from several 100 dollars to upwards of $100,000. The smallest funds even support food costs for neighborhood gatherings.

“The word ‘neighborhoods’ is in there for a reason,” said Vlad Oustimovitch, Fauntleroy Community Association delegate. “It’s the Department of Neighborhoods.”

Other members of the council concurred, suggesting the city created the department in order to address local issues but widening the scope of the funding might endanger the department’s original mission. Several council members asked whether or not the citywide council might just fund these projects.

SuJ’n Chon, Program Manager for the Department of Neighborhoods, said she would deliver the councils concerns to the city.

The council members also heard from more city officials regarding transportation issues and funding issues for the Neighborhood Street Fund.

Here are some highlights from the meeting:

The Neighborhood Street Fund is accepting funding applications for 2010 projects. Applicants who applied for funding during the past few years do not need to apply again because the city still has the applications. Krista Bunch from the Seattle Department of Transportation reminded the council $4.5 million is available in total for the whole city, meaning several projects in West Seattle that have requested upwards of that amount might not receive funding.

The Department of Transportation also finished a study that concluded the junction area of West Seattle does not meet requirements to gain restricted parking zones. Some council members suggested the Junction does need restrictions because several blocks are continually congested.

The city has, however, released a study that includes recommendations it says will improve short-term parking in the business area. Read West Seattle Herald coverage here.