The Morgan Community Association (MoCA) held its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, from 7 PM to 9 PM, at the West Seattle Church of the Nazarene and via Zoom, drawing community members for updates on local issues and upcoming projects. Deb Barker, President of MoCA, opened the hybrid meeting, noting the unseasonably hot weather and ensuring the meeting started on time.

Crime Statistics Show Overall Decrease An Officer from the Southwest Precinct provided updates on crime statistics for the Morgan area, indicating an overall positive trend. "For the last 28 days, we have here everything has gone down, which is awesome," the officer reported. Key reductions include burglaries (from 10 to 9) and thefts (from 16 to 8) compared to the prior year. Vehicle thefts also decreased to two, and there were no robberies reported in the last 28 days. Year-to-date figures also showed significant drops in robberies (from 7 to 1), aggravated assaults (from 7 to 4), and motor vehicle thefts (from 66 to 31). Shootings in the area decreased from two to one compared to last year.

The offiicer attributed these improvements to "directive patrols in problematic areas" and the "emphasis unit" targeting hot spots. When asked about quality of life crimes like drug use, The officer mentioned a recent narcotics bust on an RV in West Seattle where drugs and weapons were seized, though the individual could not be booked due to medical issues. A community member expressed encouragement regarding the decrease in violent crime but remained "discouraged by them generally" for quality of life crimes.

One Seattle Plan and MoCA's Advocacy MoCA continues to advocate for changes to the city's One Seattle Plan for Morgan Junction. The association had provided feedback at a May 23rd public hearing, leading to some successful revisions. The city listened to MoCA's recommendation to remove parcels south of Southwest Willow Street from the urban center comprehensive plan due to inadequate infrastructure (no curbs, gutters, or sidewalks) and adjacency to critical natural areas like the Pigeon Place Natural Area.

MoCA also recommended deleting the proposed Fairmont Park neighborhood center, which is five blocks away from Fairmont Park itself, and instead adding that area to the Morgan Junction Urban Center. Michael Bridge added that comments were also made regarding the High Point planning area, suggesting it include the library and medical center. City Council deliberations are ongoing, with discussions on phase one amendments expected in August and a final vote in September.

October Elections for MoCA Board The MoCA board announced upcoming elections for the next board at their October 15, 2025, meeting. Christopher Miller, MoCA Secretary, explained that the bylaws allow for five to nine board members, but currently there are only four executive positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These positions, along with non-executive roles, are open for new individuals.

Deb Barker, as President, highlighted her role in setting meeting agendas and running orderly meetings. The Vice President assists the President, suggests topics, and coordinates with city agencies. The Secretary, Christopher Miller, takes meeting minutes and handles website updates and payment problems. Michael Bridge, the Treasurer, manages the bank account, tax reporting, and annual finances. Board terms are two years with no term limits. Interested individuals can contact mocacnc@gmail.com.

New Business Introductions Delayed New businesses like Happy Doggy (dog grooming & self-serve wash at 6529 California Ave SW) and a local restaurant/bar were unable to attend the meeting. MoCA suggested they record introductory videos for a future meeting, as Happy Doggy is closed on Wednesdays.

Morgan Junction Community Festival Faces Uncertain Future The Morgan Junction Community Festival, held on June 14, 2025, concluded its 18th year. A post-festival review on June 25th led to a stark conclusion: the festival "must either grow or die," as "it's not worth it in its current form". Several challenges were identified:

• Locational challenges: The park is separated from the vendor parking lot.

• Programming refinements: A need for more vendors aligned with the event's theme.

• Volunteer power: At least four new volunteers are needed to continue the event.

• Concrete purpose: The event needs a clearer mission.

• Sponsorship needs: The event requires standalone, larger sponsorships.

Despite efforts to reduce expenses, sponsorships were down this year, and there were no day-of donations. The committee is awaiting a $1,200 grant, which might allow them to break even. A "go or no-go" decision regarding the festival's future will be made by December 15, 2025.

Pedestrian Safety Project at Fauntleroy and Rose Street Detailed by SDOT Ching Chan from the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) presented the design for the Pedestrian Safety Project at Fauntleroy and Rose Street. The project aims to improve pedestrian safety by:

• Installing a median island (9 ft across, concrete) to provide a safe refuge and break up crossing lanes.

• Reducing travel lane widths from 12 ft to 11 ft, which still accommodates freight and buses.

• Upgrading and installing new ADA-compliant curb ramps and crosswalks.

• Adding a push-button rapid flashing beacon to signal drivers when pedestrians need to cross.

• Improving lighting on the west side of the street near Lincoln Park.

The design will necessitate parking restrictions on Fauntleroy, with about 46 ft north of Rose and 140 ft south of Rose being restricted. A bus shelter is planned for the median, primarily serving southbound buses, but its design and installation will be a later phase due to coordination with King County Metro, possibly due to funding limitations. Community members raised concerns about the maintenance of planted medians, citing issues in Delridge. Construction is anticipated by summer 2026.

Morgan Junction Electric Vehicle Charging Station Update Lizzy Pay, a project manager with Seattle City Light, provided updates on the new EV charging lot between Fauntleroy and Southwest Morgan.

• Site Lighting: Four new LED light poles will be installed at 16 ft mounting height (lower than existing streetlights) to focus light on the lot for safety and deterrence.

• Site Access: The entrance and exit will be from Southwest Morgan Street, with right and left turns permitted. Access from the alley was not feasible due to width and paving issues, and access from Fauntleroy was deemed too busy. The lot will have only eight spots and is not expected to significantly impact traffic.

• Construction Timeline: The project is out to bid, with a contractor expected to be chosen by early August. Construction is anticipated to start in October 2025 and be completed by April 2026. Trenching across Fauntleroy will occur early in the process, managed with traffic control.

• Vandalism Prevention: To combat cable theft and vandalism, the project will use Charge Point chargers with "cut detection" technology and "cut proof" hardened cables. Additionally, actively monitored security cameras will be installed as part of a new pilot program by City Light's security team. Tesla pays rent and for electricity at the station.

Morgan Junction Park Expansion Faces Budget Scrutiny Olivia Reed, a planner with Seattle Parks and Recreation, provided an update on the Morgan Junction Park expansion project, joined by Deputy Superintendent Andy Schffer.

• Commitment: Andy Schffer reiterated the department's commitment to the project, stating they are "diligently and vigorously moving forward completing the remediation," with plans to start construction in Q4 2026.

• Budget Confusion: A significant point of discussion revolved around the project's budget. While the "construction cost amount" is stated as $900,000, Olivia clarified that an "additional $1.2 million" was added to the total project budget in 2025. However, the exact total budget remains unclear, prompting a request for a detailed accounting spreadsheet. This confusion stems from previous meetings where community members were told the budget had "disappeared".

• Scope and Timeline: Soil remediation is ongoing and anticipated to be complete in late Fall 2025, allowing for a "green open space" reopening in late fall after three mowings. The full park development, including site prep, earthwork, concrete paving, limited landscaping, benches, and stormwater improvements, is projected for construction from Winter 2026 through Summer 2027.

• Skate Dot Funding: The project's budget cannot cover the costs of the skate dot, which will require community fundraising. If full funding is not secured in time, the skate dot will be decoupled from the larger park development to avoid delays. Josh from the Morgan Junction All Wheels Association expressed frustration over escalating cost estimates for the skate dot, questioning the added "hard costs" like drainage and piping, pushing the cost from $300,000 to $900,000.

• Visuals and Transparency: Community members emphasized the need for visual diagrams to understand the scope of work, particularly regarding hydroseeding and the closure of Southwest Eddie Street, as the current descriptions were confusing. Olivia committed to providing visuals and maintaining transparency. The project will undergo schematic design review with a subcommittee of the design commission before public input. The transfer of jurisdiction (TOJ) for Southwest Eddie Street to Seattle Parks and Recreation is anticipated by the end of Q3 2025, with SDOT leading the process through city council.

Gatewood Elementary School's Disaster Support Team Cindi Barker updated the association on the Gatewood Elementary School Neighbor Disaster Support Team, an initiative focused on preparing for potential disasters and supporting school reunification efforts. The team aims to assist during events where the school might go into lockdown or need to reunify students with parents, especially when neighborhood streets become congested due to anxious parents. Items discussed and still subject to change and input from others including the Principal and  School District include:

• Developing one-way traffic signs for school streets during reunification events to manage vehicle flow.

• The neighbor team providing support outside the school, such as handing out water to parents.

• Addressing the school's need for emergency food supplies for students in case of extended shelter-in-place situations.

• Seeking clarity on inspection processes for school buildings after an earthquake, including the possibility of local West Seattle architectural companies conducting rapid assessments.

• Improving parent familiarization with reunification procedures through clear packets at the start of the school year and periodic "reunification education" and "urban survival skills fair" events.

This initiative began with Gatewood as a pilot, and the model is being expanded to other West Seattle schools like Pathfinder. Cindi noted that new volunteers were recruited at the Morgan Festival to assist with this effort.

The meeting concluded with many questions still lingering, particularly regarding the park expansion budget and specific project visuals, highlighting the community's desire for consistent and transparent communication from city agencies.