Pinehurst Seattle

Donations for Tent City #3 (at St. George Church through 12/29)

Jeanne Gleason asked me to pass on that Tent City #3, which is at St. George Episcopal Church (2212 NE 125th St NE) through December 29th, would be very grateful for any of the following donations:

D and AA batteries
flashlights
blankets and sleeping bags
gloves
socks
juice (orange and apple)
instant oatmeal for breakfast
sugar (packets)
coffee
hot cocoa
lunch for Sunday, December 22nd
– would be good if the sandwiches were meat and/or cheese
– other items could include fruit/yogurt

Donations can be taken at any time directly to Tent City #3.

Please take all donations to the Security Tent and give them directly to a member of the Executive Committee (who should be sitting at the desk in the Security Tent).

Thank you all for your kindness in thinking of those less fortunate than us.

Northgate Urban Center Park

Seattle Parks Department is beginning the planning process for a new park that will be located at 5th Ave NE and 112th where the Park and Ride is currently. The first community meeting to discuss the park will be held in February 2008.

If you are interested in this project and would like to make sure that you receive mailings, send an e-mail to Pam Blake, pamela.blake@seattle.gov, with a subject line of NORTHGATE URBAN CENTER PARK MAILING LIST and provide her with your snail mailing address.

A web site for the project will be established in 2008. I will link to that site when it is available.

Many thanks to Velva Mae of Haller Lake for all the effort she put into working for this park to become a reality!

Zillow

Zillow updated their definitions of neighborhoods in Seattle and now recognizes Pinehurst as a neighborhood. Previously, Zillow had lumped Victory Heights, Maple Leaf, Pinehurst and other neighborhoods together. Check out Zillow’s Pinehurst information at: http://www.zillow.com/real-estate/WA-Seattle/Pinehurst. Thanks, Zillow.

Pinehurst Planning and Development Group – Update

Pinehurst Planning and Development Group is a group open to all interested Pinehurst residents. The mission of the group is to help to make Pinehurst an even more vibrant and walkable community.

Some of our issues include 1) influencing developers to build more pedestrian friendly buildings that have attractive designs and green building elements; 2) helping existing businesses to be more successful and attracting new businesses such as pubs, coffee shops and restaurants; and, 3) facilitating ways in which we can continue to grow in our identity as a community.

We have had two meetings so far and are working on scheduling additional meetings in 2008. The upcoming meeting topics will include:

Presentation by Mike McGinn of Seattle Great City Initiative on sustainable neighborhood development. (http://www.greatcity.org/)
“Good Design” tour and discussion of Pinehurst design dreams and concerns, then subsequent meeting with NE Design Review Board to communicate these thoughts
Discussion with Kurt Fisher of Gibraltar and Sy Iffert (both commercial property owners in Pinehurst) about future development they are contemplating in Pinehurst
15th Ave Clean Up and Business District Improvements (Patrick Blaine and Ryan Jones)
Creation of a Pinehurst walking map
Possibility of a walking/biking trail around Jackson Park Golf Course
Possibility of Flexcars in Pinehurst

If you have any questions or if you are interested in participating in Pinehurst Planning and Development Group (whether simply as a listener or as a more active leader), please contact Renee by e-mail or at 206-366-9472.

Greendrinks Seattle

I have told a few folks about Greendrinks, a social networking group for Seattle’s environmental community.

Greendrinks meets at various locations in Seattle on the second Tuesday of each month. Check their website for details on their upcoming meetings and other upcoming events that may also be of interest.

Creating the Greenest Neighborhoods in North America

Please join in celebration of the final Urban Sustainability Forum of 2007!

ONE PLANET COMMUNITIES: Creating the Greenest Neighborhoods in North America
Greg Searle, One Planet Communities
http://www.oneplanetliving.org/

Monday, December 10, 2007
5:00 – 5:30 pm – Artist Reception
5:30 – 7:00 pm – Main Presentation

Bertha K. Landes Room
Seattle City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave, Seattle WA

ABOUT THE EVENT: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/GreenBuilding/OurProgram/Events/DPDS_007557.asp#upcoming
One Planet Communities, a non-profit joint initiative of the global conservation network WWF-International and sustainability experts BioRegional, is an endorsement given to a select handful of the greenest neighborhoods in the world. These Zero Carbon/Zero Waste mixed-use developments integrate the highest standards in green building, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and transportation, biodiversity regeneration, and “green lifestyles” and set the most ambitious targets for green community development yet seen in North America. The goal: reduce the ecological footprint of residents by 80% to a truly sustainable, “one planet” level. This talk will share strategies that participating developers are using to achieve ambitious targets, as well as lessons learned at the multi-award winning BedZED – the UKs largest urban eco-village and the prototype for One Planet Living. The average BedZED resident uses 87 liters less water and 58% less electricity per day, saves 1.3 tons of carbon emissions each year through green transportation, and saves 2.7 tons of carbon emissions each year through renewable heat & energy generation on-site. Total carbon savings per resident: 5.1 tons per year.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Greg Searle is the Executive Director of BioRegional North America. He is responsible for catalyzing partnerships with forward-thinking local authorities and real estate developers to build ambitious One Planet Living neighborhoods in North America, with initial projects in Washington DC, California, and Montreal. Greg speaks widely on sustainable neighborhoods and ecological footprinting, recently appearing at GreenBuild and the AIA National Convention, and guest lecturing on sustainability at Ryerson University and Texas A&M. Greg has lived in London, Rome, and Boston, and previously served as a strategic consultant to clients such as the United Nations (FAO – Rome) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN – Brussels).

MEET THE ARTIST: Join us at 5:00 p.m. for a catered reception and performance by public artist and phonographer, Perri Lynch, thanks to the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Using live improvisation and raw field recordings, RADIUS explores the beats, harmonies, rhythms, and tones of sustainable practice. Drawing inspiration from the ten principles of One Planet Communities, sounds are reduced, reused, repaired and recycled to frame new perspectives on built environments and the natural world in a global context. This is in conjunction with Artist Trusts Meet the Artist program, an integral component of the annual Artist Trust/Washington State Arts Commission Fellowship award. Meet the Artist events bridge our artistic community with the diverse communities in Washington State, increasing awareness about the vital roles art and artists play in our culture. Find out more at http://www.artisttrust.org/ .

ABOUT THE URBAN SUSTAINABILITY FORUM:Our energizing public forum is an opportunity for business leaders and citizens to discuss urban sustainability issues and create a shared vision for the future of Seattle. Join us to hear nationally and internationally recognized leaders in sustainable community development speak about ways we can transform Seattle into a 21st century city that is climate-neutral, pedestrian-friendly, transit-oriented, community-focused and sustainably designed. These events are sponsored by the City of Seattle (Department of Transportation and Department of Planning & Development), BetterBricks, and the Cascadia Region Green Building Council. Artists participate thanks to sponsorship from the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. Information on all 2007 speakers is available on our website at www.seattle.gov/dpd/greenbuilding

If you have any questions, please contact Janet Stephenson.
e: janet.stephenson@seattle.gov
t: 206 615 1171

An Inconvenient Safeway (from The Stranger)

Thanks, Jonah, for another Stranger article on the Pinehurst Green Safeway.

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=454792

Full Council Passes Legislation

Today, Seattle City Council unanimously approved the legislation that enables Safeway to apply for the rezone required for redevelopment of the Pinehurst Safeway. With this major milestone accomplished, we anticipate the rezone process can now begin later this spring.

In his comments during the Council meeting, Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck noted the strong support that has been shown by the Pinehurst Community for the Pinehurst Safeway redevelopment project. We would not have gotten to this point without all the effort put in by so many members of our Pinehurst Community.

Over the past few years, so many of us in Pinehurst have spent countless hours trying to find a solution to this complex issue. The outcome and unique solution that we have discussed is something that we should all be proud of. We know how it feels to be passionate about our neighborhood or an issue, and as such, we respect the passion and long history the Maple Leaf, Haller Lake and Laurelhurst communities brought to the discussion as it relates to single family zoning in our city.

We have been particularly grateful to Councilmember (and Pinehurst resident) Peter Steinbrueck for his continued leadership on this issue – especially in light of the many large and high profile issues he is working on as he ends his tenure at City Council.

We are also very grateful to the leadership, thoughtful contribution and guidance from: Neil Powers, Legislative Aid to Peter Steinbrueck; Councilmember Richard Conlin; Councilmember Tom Rasmussen; Councilmember Sally Clark; Diane Sugimura, Director, Department of Planning and Development; Michael Jenkins, Council Central Staff; Brennon Staley, Department of Planning and Development; and, Ed Pottharst, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.

Finally, thank you to Safeway for the great effort and flexibility they have shown in their discussions with Pinehurst neighbors. The dialogue with Safeway has been a positive process and has helped us to grow as a community.

You can view the Council discussion and vote at: http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=2020749

The Legislation is Moving to Full Council for Vote

The City Council Development and Planning Committee (Richard Conlin, Tom Rasmussen, Jean Godden and Peter Steinbrueck) voted unanimously to send the proposed legislation that would allow Safeway to apply for a rezone to build a new “green” store to full council for vote.

Thank you to all who wrote letters, sent statements and who came to the hearing. It was very clear that the Pinehurst neighborhood supports this project – a new Green Safeway. Richard Conlin noted in his comments before the vote that the positive and comprehensive dialogue that we have had with Safeway over the past year and a half is the type of communication between neighborhoods and businesses that Council wants to encourage.

Thank you all.

I will keep you posted on when this goes before full Council and the next steps after that which would include Safeway’s application for a contract rezone and design review.

You can view the Urban Development and Planning Committee meeting at: //www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=2140727.

The Pinehurst discussion occurs at: Council Bill 116066 Single-family zones in the Northgate Overlay District. Click on this when you get to the web site to advance to that part of the meeting.

Article from this week’s Stranger – by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee

PINEHURST The city council’s Urban Development and Planning Committee met November 28, after The Stranger went to press, to discuss whether Safeway should be allowed a rezone in North Seattle, which would allow them to build a new “green” store. “The entire store needs to be leveled and rebuilt,” says North District Council cochair Renee Staton, who’s been a liaison between the city, the neighborhood, and Safeway for the last two years. Staton says the neighborhood is excited about the possible expansion of the store, which would be designed to reclaim heat from the store’s refrigeration systems, use local materials for construction, and possibly use nonpermeable materials for the sidewalks and parking lots. So far, the city has been supportive. “We really feel like we’ve been listened to,” Staton says

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=449322

And in the SLOG at: http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/11/neighborhoods_scrap_over_safeway_redevel

Pinehurst Seattle

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