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Neighborhood Plan Updates Passes Council
Finally! After more than a year of thoughtful discussion with people all over Seattle, my colleagues joined me yesterday in passing legislation opening the doors to updating our Neighborhood Plans. Now the fun begins.
In the weeks ahead, a Neighborhood Plan Advisory Committee (NPAC) will be created to provide input and advice to shape the update process. The committee will consist of one representative from each of the 13 Neighborhood District Councils (to be selected by the District Councils themselves); the chair of the City’s Neighborhood Council Neighborhood Planning Committee; two members from the Seattle Planning Commission; four at-large members chosen by the Mayor; and four at-large members chosen by the Council. We’re hoping for a great array of voices with a good mix of institutional knowledge and new passion.
With NPAC’s guidance, the process to update neighborhood plans will begin soon in three changing neighborhoods in Southeast Seattle and with a planning area status review throughout the city. City staff will work with neighborhood residents and business people to gather information to create snapshots of each neighborhood compared to 10 years ago, including demographic shifts, zoning, housing units and affordability, transportation upgrades in the past 10 years, new parks, and a neighborhood plan implementation report. The status reports will help neighborhood advocates and the city recognize gaps and inform decisions about whether or how to update particular plans.
While the status assessment phase proceeds through 2009, light rail will start rolling through Rainier Valley and Beacon Hill to Downtown. Three neighborhoods in Southeast Seattle with light rail stations and significant multi-family and commercial area around them are about to become very popular, very fast – North Beacon Hill, North Rainier and Othello. Updates of the neighborhood plans for these three areas gets under way immediately.
You can check out the legislation approved yesterday here:
I want to thank everyone who has provided input along the way. The plan has developed and changed shape significantly over the last year, and that’s in large part thanks to residents caring about their neighborhoods and about true participatory planning. I recall a forum we held at the University of Washington where neighborhood participants seized on the concept of mutual accountability. We’re all responsible for the future of our neighborhoods and our city. We’re all responsible for making neighborhood plan updates a true partnership for government, residents, and business.
Keep reading future newsletters to stay up-to-date on overall plan update work, and feel free to get in touch if you have questions.
A community meeting to highlight youth anti-violence intervention successes in Central and Southeast Seattle.
Please join me for "What Did You Do On Your Summer Vacation?" a meeting of the Seattle City Council’s Planning, Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee in Rainier Beach Wednesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m.. This special meeting of the committee will highlight current and summer 2008 programs run by the City of Seattle that keep youth engaged, safe, off the streets and in school. This meeting is an opportunity to hear from the youth themselves about what works.
In addition, the Seattle School District will present the Southeast Schools Initiative designed to improve academic achievement in the classroom. Student success, both in and after school, is intrinsically linked to making neighborhoods vibrant, safe and great places to be.
This has been a tragic year for too many young people and their families in Seattle. The loss of life reminds us to redouble our efforts to help youth make life-affirming choices. The City worked with a number of great community partners over the summer and continues that work into this fall on programs to provide those options.
Please join me and Councilmembers Tim Burgess, Tom Rasmussen, Bruce Harrell, Jean Godden, Richard McIver and Richard Conlin to learn about the great programs the City offers, how the School District is working to improve student achievement in the classroom, and to share your feedback with Councilmembers, staff, and program participants.
What:
"What Did You Do on Your Summer Vacation?"
a special meeting of the City Council’s Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee
Who:
Councilmembers Sally J. Clark, Tim Burgess, Tom Rasmussen, Bruce Harrell, Richard Conlin, Richard J. McIver, and Jean Godden; young people who have participated in programs run by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, the Department of Parks & Recreation, and the Department of Human Services; and representatives from the Seattle School District and Seattle’s Office for Education
Where:
Rainier Beach High School Auditorium, 8815 Seward Park Avenue South
When:
Wednesday, September 24, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Upcoming Planning, Land Use & Neighborhoods Committee (PLUNC) Meetings
Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held in Council Chambers
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