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Guests:
- Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin
- King County Councilmember Bob Ferguson
- Liz Gotterer and Gary Prince, Metro King County to discuss Route 41, Northgate Park and Ride changes and other topics of interest to the Pinehurst community
- Cascade Bicycle Club
- We will also have updates on: Jackson Park Trail, sidewalks/crosswalks, Safeway, safety issues, Gibraltar and the Pinehurst Summer Social Event.
Monday, June 2nd
7-9 PM
St. Matthew’s Gym Conference Room
(the smaller meeting space in the gym building)
1240 NE 127th St
Seattle, WA 98125
Pinehurst Planning and Development Group is a group open to all. The mission of the group is to help to make Pinehurst an even more vibrant and walkable community.
Here are the comments that I made at the Northgate Rezone Draft EIS Public Hearing tonight.
Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to all of our comments and for answering our questions. y name is Renee and I live in the Pinehurst neighborhood. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to make a statement tonight.
First off, I think that an upzone and increased density in the Northgate Urban Core is an excellent idea and I support this process. It is needed to increase housing in the transit corridor and to add to the pedestrian orientation and walkability of our neighborhood. Density in urban cores is clearly the right thing to do from an environmental perspective both in preventing urban sprawl and in reducing dependence on cars.
The linking of a rezone with affordable housing is also an excellent goal. In this, I hope that the City can find a way to make the incentive zoning work such that developers will include affordable housing in their projects rather than paying a buy out and that we will retain and have a net gain of affordable housing in the Northgate Urban Core. Affordable housing should be available in dense, transit accessible areas where residents can more easily choose to live without the additional expense of cars.
I have four concerns:
1. Parcel E which lies outside the Northgate Urban Core should be excluded from this analysis. We can revisit this at a later date, perhaps as part of the upcoming neighborhood plan updates.
2. Transition between the proposed rezone area and the adjacent single family neighborhood along the north edge of this proposed rezone should be stepped. Perhaps more creative zoning ideas such as cottage housing could also be considered for these edge areas.
3. Neighbors in Pinehurst would like to see the pedestrian-oriented transportation infrastructure addressed before auto-oriented transportation infrastructure. In order to be a sustainable community, we need safe ways to walk. We need to implement the Northgate Coordinated Transportation Investment Plan, especially those projects near the areas that would be upzoned. One of the first projects that needs to be implemented is the proposed sustainable street design on NE 115th between 5th Ave NE and Pinehurst Way Way NE.
4. While the areas that are currently being proposed for rezone are a great first step, there are other areas of opportunity that are not included here that should also be considered for rezone. The Northgate Mall has an enormous surface parking lot. Let’s rezone that for housing. Also, the business park south of the south lot is another wonderful opportunity for high-rise housing and mixed use development. In ways, it is a much better location for housing due to it’s proximity to the potential light rail station site.
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Seattle City Council is taking up the issue of townhouse design. They have heard feedback from about every neighborhood in Seattle and from developers. It is likely that a lot will change as the result of a dialogue that is starting at the City Council level. This is your chance to be involved if you fell strongly about this issue.
“Town Homes – Can the Patient be Saved?”
Special Meeting
June 7, Sat. 10 a.m. – Noon
Capitol Hill Arts Center
1621 12th Ave
From Seattle City Councilmember Sally Clark:
Have you noticed townhomes propagating in your neighborhood? Not thrilled with much of what you see? Curious why this happens? If you’re like me, you answered “yes” to each of those questions. So, in my ongoing effort to take the Planning, Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee (PLUNC) into the neighborhoods once a quarter, I bring you: “Townhomes – Can the Patient Be Saved?” This will be a special PLUNC meeting slated for Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m.-noon at the Capitol Hill Arts Center (1621 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122).
The morning will start with a few examples of the good, the OK and the fatally wounded. Then we’ll hear from a panel of developers, neighborhoods activists, architects and planners with suggestions and ideas for remedies. I guarantee time for questions and comments from you, the attendees. I anticipate that PLUNC will receive the Mayor’s proposed changes to the City’s Multi-Family Code sometime this spring. Townhomes are just one issue among many that will be addressed in those changes. This meeting will be a great chance to talk proactively about housing choices, affordability and neighborhood-friendly design.
Thank you to everyone who attended the City Budget Meeting last night and who stood up for safe sidewalks and crosswalks in North District!
It was a strong turnout from North District folks. And, Councilmembers Jean Godden, Nick Licata, Richard Conlin and Sally Clark seemed very interested in hearing our thoughts on this issue. Nick Licata approached us after the meeting and expressed his own commitment to safe walking in Seattle.
The next steps are for folks to get information and photos of proposed projects back to us so that we can assemble our materials for talking with Council and with City departments We are working now to set up meetings with Council, Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and the Mayor’s Office.
We’ll keep you posted on how this is going as we have more information.
Safe Walks – North District
Good evening. My name is Renee and I represent North District Neighborhoods of Meadowbrook, Cedar Park, Lake City, Olympic Hills, Pinehurst, Victory Heights and Maple Leaf.
Collectively our group recognized as Safe Walks North District, represents 70,000 people and 12 elementary, middle and high schools. We are coming forward because we see a need for funding for critical sidewalks and crosswalks in our neighborhoods not being met through existing programs such as the Neighborhood Street Fund, Cumulative Reserve Fund, Bridging the Gap, Neighborhood Matching Funds, Safe Routes to School and the recent Sidewalks Initiative.
When representatives from the North District Council met in 2007 and again in 2008 to discuss our prioritization of applications for the Neighborhood Street Fund, Cumulative Reserve Fund and Bridging the Gap, we unfortunately had to choose projects that would benefit one neighborhood’s children and seniors over those of another. We recognized that we must address these serious public health and safety issues as one voice. We shouldn’t be making a “Sophie’s Choice” about sidewalks.
In the North District, as in other late annexed sections of Seattle, we lack infrastructure that other parts of the City have benefited from including sidewalks to safely get from one place to another. As the city grows and looks to areas like the North District to accommodate more residents, it needs to provide the proper infrastructure to make getting around without a personal vehicle easy and efficient. A walkable neighborhood is the backbone to a healthy, sustainable community.
As you know the mayor and the city have taken big steps to address carbon emissions by proposing a fee on bags in grocery stores and issuing executive orders to eliminate the purchase of bottled water. However transportation makes up over 50% of carbon emissions in the city. We want to do the right thing when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint, which means things like biking, walking or taking the bus to school, but we need to be provided reasonable choices. Moving vehicles continues to be a priority, while safe walkways for people have been overlooked by the city for over 50 years.
Lack of drainage and sidewalks force folks in our neighborhoods to walk unsafely in arterial streets. Our organized group Safe Walks, has waited long enough. It is time we are safe walking and biking in our community.
We have a list of projects identified by our neighborhoods. At this time we are in the process of rating each project using the SDOT rating scale. Additionally, our rating recognizes the projects that might qualify for some existing funding.
Thank you for this opportunity to speak with you tonight. On behalf of the North District Neighborhoods of Meadowbrook, Cedar Park, Lake City, Olympic Hills, Pinehurst, Victory Heights and Maple Leaf, I ask that you support our future funding requests for the most critical sidewalks and crossings in our neighborhoods.
Paul Krugman at the New York Times wrote a great Op-Ed piece, Stranded in Suburbia, this week. He discusses the impact on current and future high oil prices on how we live and design our cities – denser communities with good public transportation.
(thanks to Hugeasscity blog for pointing this out)
Bike Helmet Sales and Fitting
For adults and children over age 1. Come have your own bike helmet fit properly or buy a new one for $10-wearer must be present for fitting. Sponsored by Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in conjunction with Cascade Bike Club.
Date/Time: Saturday, June 9, 2007
Place: Metropolitan Market
5250 40th Ave NE, Seattle
Contact: Katie Fath 206-987-2836
Cascade Bicycle Club/Seattle Parks and Recreation
2008 Bike Helmets Sales Dates
- June 21, July 19, August 16, Septmeber 20, Evans Pool, 10am – 2pm, 7201 E Green Lake Drive North, Seattle, WA 98115 (206.684.4961)
- July 15, 2nd Annual Northgate CC Birthday Party , 6pm – 9pm, Northgate Community Center
- August 5, Bike Mania, 12 – 3pm, Magnuson Park, Hangar 30
Learn more:
Bicycle helmet usage in King County (includes information on free and low cost bike helmets)
Cascasde Bicycle Club Education Foundation – Helmet information ((includes information on low cost bike helmets)
Pinehurst and other neighborhoods in North Seattle are working together to advocate for much needed sidewalks and crosswalks. This is a public health and a public safety issue that all of us feel strongly about. However, for our efforts to be successful, we need your help to show that our communities feel as strongly as we have been telling City officials that you feel about sidewalks and crosswalks.
How can you help:
Join us at the Tuesday, May 20th City Budget Meeting – A representative from each neighborhood (Meadowbrook, Cedar Park, Lake City, Olympic Hills, Pinehurst and Maple Leaf) will be at the meeting and will have stickers that will identify all of us as a group. Wear a sticker and stand up with our group when we make a formal statement asking City Council to find additional funds for sidewalks and crosswalks in our neighborhoods.
Seattle City Council – Community Budget Meeting
Tuesday, May 20th – 5:30 – 7:30 PM
Ballard Northwest Senior Activity Center
5429 – 32nd Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107
Complete and return a Seattle Walks Survey – Be sure to state in your survey that you want to see specific sidewalks or crosswalks installed. We will have surveys at the the City Budget Meeting on 5/20. Also, I can mail or bring a survey to you personally if you call (366-9472) or e-mail me.
Let me know of any sidewalk or crosswalk needs that you see in Pinehurst – E-mail me with the location and what you think is needed. Also, send a photo if you are able to do this. We are assembling a book showing all sites in our neighborhood to show to Council we we meet with them one on one in June.
If you were not able to attend a Green Legacy Levy meeting this week, please consider completing and returning the survey at this link. Be sure to state in your survey that you would like to see a Jackson Park Trail. If a Jackson Park Trail is included in the levy and the levy passes, it would go a long way toward making the project a reality.
My friend, Anne, passed on this link to a San Francisco program for victory gardens – community supported agriculture.
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