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MAKING IT WORK
The purpose of this newsletter is to provide information, inspire involvement, and make things work in this great city. You can request additional information or comment on the newsletter by emailing richard.conlin@seattle.gov.
CONTENTS:
HEALTH CARE FORUM ON MARCH 14, 12:00-1:30
On March 14 I will host a panel in the Council Chambers on Health Care Disparities in our region with several representatives of public and private health agencies. The Affordable Care Act will take effect January 2014 and it will significantly improve peoples' ability to access health insurance. However, there are gaps in coverage for racial and ethnic minorities, the poor and other at-risk populations. These disparities will be discussed at the brown bag.
[read more...]
SR 520 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS
On Monday, February 11, the City Council unanimously approved a resolution committing the City to work with WSDOT to improve walking and biking connections on the west side of Lake Washington as the SR 520 project proceeds, including a shared use trail on the Portage Bay Bridge. I introduced this resolution as the next step in making sure that the rebuild of SR 520 creates a system that effectively serves all modes of travel, enhancing the ability of Seattle residents to travel both across the Montlake interchange and on the SR 520 mainline.
[read more...]
PLANNING AND LAND USE 2012 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PRIORITIES FOR 2013
In 2012 I announced a set of priorities for my Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability (PLUS) Committee. Here's a review of how we did, and the top ten priorities for 2013.
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UPDATING NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS
On Monday, January 28, the Council unanimously adopted a resolution I introduced laying out a strategy for reviewing, updating, and implementing neighborhood plans. Seattle's 37 adopted neighborhood plans are a critical part of our Comprehensive Plan because they designate where new growth should be targeted and identify priorities for neighborhood amenities such as open space and street improvements. The plans are now almost twenty years old. Many neighborhoods have experienced increased household and business development beyond what was anticipated in their neighborhood plan. It is time for revisits and updates.
[read more...]
SOUND TRANSIT 2012 ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND 2013 PLANS
Sound Transit has entered an extraordinarily busy time, with new light rail construction entering a whole new phase of activity. The connection from downtown to the University of Washington is moving towards completion; the extension to Northgate and Lynnwood is actively proceeding; light rail to Bellevue and Redmond is in design; and light rail south of the airport is also underway. Here are some of the highlights of what happened in 2012, and what to expect in 2013.
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HEALTHY FOOD IN VENDING MACHINES
On Wednesday, February 27, the PLUS Committee unanimously approved an ordinance I have introduced that will increase the amount of healthy options in vending machines operated on City property. Council Bill 117710 requires all vending machines operating on City Property to include “Healthier” and “Healthiest” food and beverage selections as defined by Public Health Seattle & King County “King County Healthy Vending Guidelines.” [read more...]
SOUTH LAKE UNION REZONE SCHEDULE AND ISSUES
After months of review and work, the Council is now moving towards decisions on the South Lake Union rezone. The rezone has been in development since 2004, when the Council adopted a revised neighborhood plan and designated South Lake Union as an Urban Center. Since then, South Lake Union has become one of the most sought after neighborhoods in the country, with large numbers of new commercial and residential development projects constructed and planned. The legislation will provide more height and density to accommodate this remarkable growth. [read more...]
FOOD WORK 2013
In 2012 my office began a new phase of our work on the Local Food Action Initiative (LFAI). We have completed many of the key initial land use and funding actions identified in the LFAI. In 2013, we will be completing work on several specific priorities, and then taking our systems approach to a new level in moving towards a strategy for systematic transformation of the food system. [read more...]
QUOTE
“The job of the leader is to tell the truth and then to point towards hope.”
Bill Grace
DEEP THOUGHT
“In real life, justice is rarely poetic and too often invisible. Good sits in a corner, collects a cheque and pays a mortgage. Evil builds empires.”
Shehan Karunatilaka
Citizen participation and engagement are critical for maintaining democracy -- fostering it is a key task of elected officials. It's my hope that this newsletter will inform you about issues, inspire you to get involved, and that together we can make things work better in this great city. Please send me your feedback, so we can keep things lively, interesting, and useful. And please forward it along to friends who might be interested. You can get more information or send me feedback at richard.conlin@seattle.gov.
Richard Conlin
Your Seattle City Councilmember
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