Light Rail Interim Parking
The legislation would allow light rail parking as an interim use on existing lots in station areas in Southeast Seattle (North Beacon Hill, Mt. Baker, Columbia City, Othello and Rainier Beach Station Areas) where principal use (commuter) parking is not currently allowed.

Vacant Underused Lots
The pilot would promote the following:

1. Make it easier to allow active uses, such as food vendors and retail kiosks, on lots in commercial and mixed-use areas such as downtown and neighborhood business districts; and
2. Require accompanying active uses when allowing short-term parking (parking for business customers) on lots where construction projects are stalled in areas where principal use parking (parking for commuters) is currently restricted (i.e. downtown, South Lake Union and other business districts).

The Friends of Cheasty Greenspace at Mt. View is a group of citizens working to preserve the unique habitat, and create a safe and enjoyable space, in this unique greenspace.

We have been awarded a $15,000 planning award from the Department of Neighborhoods to create a master plan for a trail system in Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View. The greenspace project includes developing safe trails and trail way-finders, creating environmental learning and community gathering spaces and developing welcoming trailhead entrances to the greenspace. As the first step, we have hired the Columbia City firm, Johnson Southerland, to create a plan with YOUR vision.

Meeting #2 — May 13, 2010
Review ideas, priorities, and options

Community Meeting #2

Date: Thursday, May 13, 2010
Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location: Home of Amit Ranade & Jennifer Faubion-Ranade
Street: 2615 S. Edmunds St.

Please invite your neighbors and come give feedback to the planning process for a commuter/recreational trail in Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View.

Best,
Mary

Co-founder & Co-chair, Friends of Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View

• Updates to the Columbia City Gallery building
• Signage for our new hotel.
• And rehabilitation to the building where Baol and Andaluz have their stores.

I think it's pretty impressive, in this economy, that our property owners are focused on fixing their places up.

The committee meets Tuesday, April 6, 4pm in the Rainier Valley Cultural Center.

We have been awarded a $15,000 planning award from the Department of Neighborhoods to create a master plan for a trail system in Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View. The greenspace project includes developing safe trails and trail way-finders, creating environmental learning and community gathering spaces and developing welcoming trailhead entrances to the greenspace. As the first step, we have hired the Columbia City firm, Johnson Southerland, to create a plan with YOUR vision.

Community Meetings

Meeting #1 – April 1, 2010
Discussion of current conditions, ideas, priorities
(Location: ReWa-Refugee Women’s Alliance, 4443 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Seattle 98108)

Meeting #2 — May 13, 2010
Review ideas, priorities, and options
(Location: Home of Amit Ranade & Jennifer Faubion-Ranade
2615 S. Edmunds St.
Seattle, WA 98108)

Meeting #3 — June 17, 2010
Open House to present trail plan; guided walks through Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View
(Location: Street End, S. Alaska Place Seattle, WA 98108)

All meetings 7:00-8:30pm

Email ude.ups|gnojedm#ude.ups|gnojedm or moc.liamg|yksvortsoda#moc.liamg|yksvortsoda for more information about Friends of Cheasty Greenspace at Mt. View or Pamela Kliment, Seattle Parks and Recreation, vog.elttaes|tnemilK.alemaP#vog.elttaes|tnemilK.alemaP, 206.684.7356

Nominate your community for Google's fiber pilot project - By
this Friday, March 26th! Read below and see more at

www.seattle.gov/broadband/

Why does it matter?

Fiber to the home would be about 100 times faster than Seattle
customers currently have, will transform the way we live, work
and play. Here's how it would help:

For Consumers: Competition and choice will lead to lower prices,
new innovative service offerings and better service. 3D video
could be delivered in real time.

Speed Saves Time: Residents will be able to download a DVD movie
in less than 1 minute. On today's networks it takes about an hour
or more.

Save driving & help the environment: Real high speed Internet
makes it easier to telecommute, deliver something across town or
across the world, or hold meetings with others online and reduce
congestion and pollution.

Improving education: Students could take classes from home
through fully interactive high definition video connections.
Tutors & subject experts can be brought in to your home or
school.

Health: Seniors, homebound or others in need would be able to
have video visits with medical staff or use home health
monitoring equipment.

Doctors can consult with other experts quickly by sending or
receiving large xrays or other data rich diagnostic files in a
few seconds.

Public engagement and community meetings: People could connect
via real- time video conferencing in multiple locations (from
home, schools or community centers) for town hall meetings.

Jobs & business: This would bring new innovation and new jobs
here.

Researchers and business want to locate where they have access to
fiber, talent and high quality of life.

Disabilities and language interpretation: A sign or other
language interpreter could be called upon for video translation
for social services, business or government needs.

Culture & the Arts: This provides an opportunity to deliver
performances and collaborate on cultural events and creation from
multiple locations.

Less expensive computers: People would all be able to buy less
expensive computers because applications, data storage and
processing power will be accessible in real time over the web.

No one can predict all of the new applications that will be
developed over Google network. That is what makes it so exciting.
Bandwidth is the raw material of the information age and the tech
savvy residents and businesses of Seattle will experiment with
that bandwidth to create new service and applications that will
improve our quality of life.

Take action: Residents in other cities are aggressively
campaigning for the Google support to build in their communities.
Go to [2]www.seattle.gov/broadband
to find out more, and link to the Google nomination page and our
Facebook page (sign up to be a fan).

Contact vog.elttaes|zerep.ynoT#vog.elttaes|zerep.ynoT
or call 684-0600 for additional information.

Here are specifics about telling Google to pick Seattle
(nominating your community)

How Can You Help?

On behalf of your neighborhood, organization, or business, you
can fill out the section of Google’s Request for Information
(RFI) that is geared toward residents and community groups.
Responses are due back to Google by March 26.

This section of the RFI allows neighborhoods, organizations, or
businesses to make their pitch to Google for why Google should
build a fiber-to-the-home network in a particular area of
Seattle. The questions in this section focus on (a) why Google
should pick a particular neighborhood for their pilot; and (b)
what's the type, quality, and price of current internet services
in that neighborhood.

How Do I Fill Out the RFI?

Below are step-by-step instructions for filling out the residents
and community groups section of the RFI:

1. Go to Google's website
http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi/

2. Click on the Get Involved button.

3. Login (if you already have an account).

4. If you do not have an account, click on “Create an
Account Now. Follow the instructions for creating an account –
this will include responding to an “email address verification”
email that Google will email to the address you provide them.

5. Go back to where you were in the Google website and
click on Nominate your Community. This will bring up the list
of questions that you will respond to on line, and submit to
Google when you are finished.

Delia Burke

Technology Matching Fund Manager

CIty of Seattle

www.seattle.gov/tech

206-233-2751

vog.eltttaes|ekrub.ailed#vog.eltttaes|ekrub.ailed

References

1. http://www.seattle.gov/broadband/
2. http://www.seattle.gov/broadband
3. mailto:Tony.perez@seattle.gov
4. http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi/
5. mailto:Delia.Burke@seattle.gov?subject=Google%20High%20Speed%20Internet%20Pilot
6. mailto:NonProfitNetworking@yahoogroups.com?subject=Google%20High%20Speed%20Internet%20Pilot
7. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NonProfitNetworking/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJwZ2U4MnZvBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzMxMDIzNjUEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDY0MDg1BG1zZ0lkAzg2ODIEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsDcnBseQRzdGltZQMxMjY5NDY3NjE5?act=reply&messageNum=8682
8. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NonProfitNetworking/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJldmU4MzRvBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzMxMDIzNjUEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDY0MDg1BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA250cGMEc3RpbWUDMTI2OTQ2NzYxOQ
9. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NonProfitNetworking/message/8682;_ylc=X3oDMTM0MGxtNXVvBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzMxMDIzNjUEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDY0MDg1BG1zZ0lkAzg2ODIEc2VjA2Z0cgRzbGsDdnRwYwRzdGltZQMxMjY5NDY3NjE5BHRwY0lkAzg2ODI-
10. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NonProfitNetworking/members;_ylc=X3oDMTJmM2NmNWFsBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzMxMDIzNjUEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDY0MDg1BHNlYwN2dGwEc2xrA3ZtYnJzBHN0aW1lAzEyNjk0Njc2MTg-?o=6
11. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NonProfitNetworking;_ylc=X3oDMTJlZ2I2cW5zBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzMxMDIzNjUEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDY0MDg1BHNlYwN2dGwEc2xrA3ZnaHAEc3RpbWUDMTI2OTQ2NzYxOA
12. http://groups.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTJkcTdldHFnBF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzMxMDIzNjUEZ3Jwc3BJZAMxNzA1MDY0MDg1BHNlYwNmdHIEc2xrA2dmcARzdGltZQMxMjY5NDY3NjE5
13. mailto:NonProfitNetworking-traditional@yahoogroups.com?subject=Change%20Delivery%20Format:%20Traditional
14. mailto:NonProfitNetworking-digest@yahoogroups.com?subject=Email%20Delivery:%20Digest
15. mailto:NonProfitNetworking-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe
16. http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

We have been awarded a $15,000 planning award from the Department of Neighborhoods to create a master plan for a trail system in Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View. The greenspace project includes developing safe trails and trail way-finders, creating environmental learning and community gathering spaces and developing welcoming trailhead entrances to the greenspace. As the first step, we have hired the Columbia City firm, Johnson Southerland, to create a plan with YOUR vision.

Community Meetings

Meeting #1 – April 1, 2010
Discussion of current conditions, ideas, priorities
(Location: ReWa-Refugee Women’s Alliance, 4443 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Seattle 98108)

Meeting #2 — May 13, 2010
Review ideas, priorities, and options
(Location: Home of Amit Ranade & Jennifer Faubion-Ranade
2615 S. Edmunds St.
Seattle, WA 98108)

Meeting #3 — June 17, 2010
Open House to present trail plan; guided walks through Cheasty Greenspace/Mt. View
(Location: Street End, S. Alaska Place Seattle, WA 98108)

All meetings 7:00-8:30pm

Email ude.ups|gnojedm#ude.ups|gnojedm or moc.liamg|yksvortsoda#moc.liamg|yksvortsoda for more information about Friends of Cheasty Greenspace at Mt. View or Pamela Kliment, Seattle Parks and Recreation, vog.elttaes|tnemilK.alemaP#vog.elttaes|tnemilK.alemaP, 206.684.7356

Harbor once had plans to build up to 400 apartments on the entire 4-acre St. Gobain property, but backed off when the economy tanked. "We decided that if we wanted to get one good, bite-sized chunk going, this was it," Onslow said.

The Department of Neighborhoods administers committees that review new development in various historic districts around the City. It's a different process than Design Review, but it gets at many of the same sort of guidelines.

But in this case, there's no landmark district review.

http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/11/25/columbia-city-site-purchased-by-developer/

Is that parcel really in the landmarks district? Anyone got a map of what's covered by historic district?

Or frankly, can anyone explain the whole historic district/ landmark buildings/ etc. thing to me? (I'm sure I'm not the only person who finds it confusing).

November 18, 2009. 6:30-8:30
Rainier Community Center

Meeting called to order
Introductions
Review and Approval of October Meeting Minutes
Report from the representative to the NPAC
Report of the Membership and Outreach Committee
• New Member Recommendation
• Vote on Admittance of New Member- Genesee Park Neighbors
Discussion with SDOT on the King County Metro Electric Trolley Bus System and other transit issues
• Presentation
• Q&A
Discussion on 2010 SEDC meetings
Nomination of 2010 SEDC Executive Committee positions
Briefing from the Bridging the Gap Large Transportation Committee- Christie C (30
Announcements
Adjourn

Last-minute voter? That's OK. You've got until 8pm tonight to drop your ballot at any of King County's drop box locations. Our closest one is at the Southeast Neighborhood Service Center, 3815 S Othello St, about a block to the west of the light rail station.

The New School's gone, the place sits empty, the ugly portables remain, and the District's plans are unknown. The historic Columbia School building sits on a 3.5 acre site at the heart of our neighborhood. If it's no longer a school, what could it be? How can this public land best serve our community? Do we want Green Space? Community Gardens? Artist Studios? Businesses? Non-Profit Space? Housing? A Historical Museum? Some combination of these?

Without waiting for Seattle Public Schools to make a final decision about the long-term fate of the site (it could be years before they tackle this question), Friends of Columbia School is moving forward with a visioning session that will include neighbors and other stakeholders — including you! We hope to emerge with a compelling idea for a creative re-use of Columbia School, a vision our community can work toward when and if the site becomes available.

Columbia School Charrette [Do we still want to call it that?]
Date/Time/Place/etc.

Agenda: We'll start by laying out what we know about the building, the site, and the district's plans. We will review other successful conversions of former schools to community resources. We will review the parameters our vision needs to address — things like the site's proximity to Light Rail and Columbia Park, or the goal of preserving the historic building. We'll identify potential organizing themes for the site — Sustainability? Arts? Education? Social Justice? Space Travel? — and flesh those themes out in small groups. We will refine one or more of these themes into a single compelling vision for Columbia School. We will host an Open House at the end, and share our final product online and elsewhere, so the community can respond.

Outcome: We hope that by creating a specific, positive vision for the site, we can spark interest in the community and influence the decision-makers at the District. There is no guarantee that our vision will become a reality, but it certainly won't if we don't articulate it and put it forward.

Please RSVP to XXX. If you'd like to volunteer to help with outreach, snacks, set-up, etc., please let us know!

http://www.northwesthub.org/historic-preservation-portland-136

Approximately 20 people gathered to plan a “charrette”, or community visioning session, for Columbia School.

What is a charrette?
People gathering together to solve a problem in a short period of time. It doesn’t mean the outcome is what we’ll do, but provides an opportunity to produce a plan for a vision. Like a brainstorming session.

Why are we doing one?
To come away with a community vision of what we’d like to see at Columbia School.

Background of FoCS
Information on Friends of Columbia School was posted on the Wiki in April, 2009: http://columbiacitizens.net/focs:welcome

Introductions and general comments
Alex shares office with GGLO, architects working with Harbor Properties on St. Gobain site. He will see if they have someone who’d be willing to volunteer to facilitate a brainstorming meeting.

Zion Prep – finishing negotiations with buyer for current property. There will be retail and housing on current site. Information on their move to a new site will come into clearer picture in next 30 to 60 days. They are still interested in Columbia School, and have done preliminary walk-throughs and sketches. Next step would be to work with the school district to buy the school and fix it up, and they’re saving the funds to do that. Doug indicated that the Farmers Market would have a home there is they were to take ownership of the site. [Not mentioned at the meeting, but also of note is that Arts in Motion, a community arts school, is currently housed at Zion Prep and would presumable move with them wherever they go. – jlk]

There was agreement to move forward with this planning and visioning process despite so much uncertainty with the school district. Having a community vision is a good thing to have, regardless of what happens to the school property. What can we dream for our community?

Overview of the visioning process
While we agreed to let a facilitator set their own agenda based on our desired outcomes, we came up with the following suggestion of how the brainstorming session might look (process would take approximately 4 hours):

1. Intro and background / review parameters
2. Identity themes to explore (see list below)
3. Breakouts into themes – people would gravitate towards the theme they care the most about
4. Smaller groups report back to big group with flushed-out information about each theme
5. Host an open house at the end for those who couldn’t come for the full time

What parameters do we want to set for the visioning session?
We came up with a list of factors to act as guiding principles for how we frame the conversation:

1. Re-use existing historic building, and make use of the whole site
2. Acknowledge property’s proximity to existing park
3. School is public land and should be for public use and common good
4. Fit into current network of existing community centers nearby
5. Transit-oriented area – proximity to light rail
6. Acknowledge the uncertainty of SPD decision
7. Keep property as active as possible – draw people to the neighborhood
8. Contributes to the overall sustainability of the community
9. Facilitate uses that are not market-competitive but that community wants
10. Be financially viable
11. Preserve green space and existing gardens on site

Themes
The following themes emerged as “umbrella” topics for the break-out sessions:

1. Education

• Lifelong learning
• Kids / investing in young people
• Open another public school

1. Arts
2. Sustainability

• Food, farmers market, garden / local food / urban agriculture
• Home sustainability, energy center / green building, green energy
• Transportation / alternative transportation

1. Housing
2. Urban village: pedestrian-oriented development
3. Micro business/neighborhood business, fostering
4. Shared services (tool library, comm’ty kitchen, etc.)

Other Notes
Current zoning of site is L1 which allows for 3-stories, typically developed into townhomes in groups of 4 or 6. It’s not zoned for commercial. If the school district decides to sell the property, a School Use Advisory Committee (SUAC) would be formed and the City would consult the neighborhood as to future use of the school. The SUAC process can open the door for development beyond the current zoning.

This visioning process will be about what we can dream of in an ideal situation, assuming the property will eventually be available for purchase or long-term lease. A subcommittee could be formed to approach the district with short-term leasing options.

Examples of other programs that live in former schools:

• Tlth
• Phinney Neighborhood Tool library
• Phinney Neighobrhood Center
• Community kitchen at TT Minor
• University Heights
• Youngstown Cultural Arts Center
• NW African American Museum / Condos
• El Centro de la Raza

Existing community centers/resources in the area:

• NW Federation of Community Organizing Center
• Rainier Valley Cultural Center (owned by SEED)
• Boys and Girls Club
• Rainier Community Center
• BikeWorks
• Arts In Motion
• Rainier Valley Historical Society
• Healthy & Active Rainier Valley

Next Steps

Where
Determine location: at CC School? South Side Church of Christ? Whitworth? Zion Prep? Need space for break-out groups. [Mikala also suggested the Royal Esquire Club.]

When
A Sunday (or Saturday) in November for 4hours: either 2-6pm or 1-5pm
11/8, 8/15, 8/22 – preference for the 8th (will depend on when facilitator is available)

Who

• Alex to ask GGLO for volunteer facilitator
• Logistics – Kristin and Sue agreed to coordinate these and would like a 4th person to help with this. Any takers?
• Snacks – Need volunteer to ask local businesses for donations of food & drink
• Supplies: pens, paper, large sheets for theme notes, tape
• Signs for day-of
• Meet with facilitator to set agenda

Flyers

• Mikala to write copy, Joanne will lay out – try to pull together within a week
• Include RSVP [moc.liamg|sdneirFloohcSaibmuloC#moc.liamg|sdneirFloohcSaibmuloC] has been created and I can forward messages to anyone who’d like to get them]
• Need volunteers to distribute to houses within a certain radius of the school
• Try to send sample of recent 12th Avenue Streetcar flyer

“This meeting is an opportunity for you to get involved,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett, who represents the Central District, Rainier Valley and Beacon Hill on the County Council. “We need to hear from you about how these changes impact your lives.”

Gosestt said he hosted the Town Hall to hear from residents concerned about recent service changes made by Metro in order to coordinate with new light rail service. He said many of the neighborhoods he represents are urban communities for whom public transit is their primary source of transportation.

The meeting gave residents direct access to the officials at Sound Transit and Metro Transit responsible for the service changes that have occurred in the Rainier Valley.

Ron Tober, Deputy CEO of Sound Transit spoke to the audience about the agency’s effort to mesh Link light rail, the train running through the heart of the Rainier Valley, with the transit service that also travels along Martin Luther King, Jr. Way S. In response to concerns raised about the noise of the trains as they run, Tober said Sound Transit has begun using a new lubricant to reduce the noise of the wheels on the track around the Mt Baker rail stop.

With the arrival of light rail there was also a shift in transit service along the rail corridor. Victor Obeso, Metro Transit’s Manager for Service Development, stressed that with the start of Link, Metro’s focus was to “complement, not duplicate” light rail service. He said the changes were made in conjunction with a community outreach program in which Metro contacted more than 50,000 households in the area.

Obeso acknowledged that trip patterns would change for some bus riders as a result of service changes, but he said Metro remains committed to providing reliable bus service along MLK Way. He said many of the passengers served by the old Route 42 still have service available through the expansion of Metro Routes 8 and 107 into their neighborhoods.

Obeso also told the audience Metro will be adding more bus service along the MLK corridor in February, after Sound Transit starts connecting directly to SeaTac Airport. Obeso said that Metro expects to add 35,000 additional hours of transit service to Southeast King County when the light rail transition is complete.

Gossett said that while the County Executive’s budget proposal calls for a 9 percent reduction of bus service countywide over the next two years, he feels reducing service should be Metro’s last resort and made it clear that he wants Metro officials to look at all options before coming to the council with service cuts.

The Council has just started its deliberations on the 2010 county budget. There will be four public hearings on the budget proposal, which the Council traditionally adopts the Monday before Thanksgiving. For more information on the meeting and the 2010 King County Budget, go to the Council’s Budget Web site at: www.kingcounty.gov/council/budget.