Hawthorne Hills Community Council

Minutes of the June 18, 2008 Trustees Meeting

First Floor Conference Room, Building 30, Warren G. Magnuson Park

Members Present: Bonnie Miller; Arden Forray; Marsha Donaldson, George Holzapfel, Margaret Thouless, Mary Savage, Ryan Rockwell, and Gail Chiarello. Members Absent: Greg Schell, Saundra Aker, Aaron Leland, Shelley Hartnett, Carolyn Chapman, Kirk Davis, Kent Isgrig, Joan Oates, Vance Thompson.

Guest: Mike Omura, Hawthorne Hills Community Council representative to the Children’s Hospital Advisory Committee

The President, Ryan Rockwell, called the meeting to order at 7:39PM.

The agenda for the evening was approved by voice vote.

Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center Citizens Advisory Committees Report (CAC): Mike Omura reported that the Master Plan for the Children’s Hospital expansion and the draft EIS are available (http://masterplan.seattlechildrens.org) on the Children’s Hospital website. The calendar follows:

June 9th Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) releases the draft EIS

June 24th: Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting

July 15th: Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting

July 25th: Deadline for Public Comment on Draft EIS

Year-end 2008 The Final EIS will be issued toward the end of the year.

At the July 15th meeting, the Citizens Advisory Committee will be formulating comments for the DPD. The draft EIS identifies 6 Master Plan alternatives, including a No Build option. The Citizens Advisory Committee has pulled two of the alternatives. The 240-feet height limit has been lowered to 160 feet. [NOTE the tallest buildings on the Children’s campus at this time are 80 feet.]

Children’s Hospital is in the process of buying Laurelon Terrace. An amendment to State law (HB 3071) passed during the last legislative session lowered the requirement for termination of condominiums constructed before 1990 from 100% consent. Now only 80% of residents in a building must agree to sell. Most of the Laurelon tenants have agreed, in part because of the high price Children’s is paying to acquire Laurelton Terrace. Children’s is offering $600,000 for units with a market value of $214,000.

Alternative no. 7 shows expansion into Laurelon. A benefit of this expansion is that traffic access to CHOP will move from NE 45th Street to Sand Point Way. The Laurelhurst neighbors had been very opposed to increased traffic on NE 45th Street. Laurelon Terrace is at the lowest point of the planned expansion--in a valley. George Holzapfel commented that with CHOP moving down into the valley [of Laurelon Terrace], height issues are less an issue, because Children’s will be building in a valley and not on a hill.

However, the acquisition of Laurelon Terrace brings the expansion closer to 40th Ave. NE and Sand Point Way. The Hartmann Building (which houses Sand Point Pediatric Center, a low red brick building at 40th and Sand Point Way) is currently zoned L-3 and will be rezoned to NC-65-feet. Bryant area residents are concerned about blockage of their southeast views. Other impacts--the size of the footprint, and increased traffic--remain. They are adding 1.3 million of square feet and more than 3000 additional parking stalls. This is not changed in the acquisition of Laurelon. The Major Institution Master Plan (MIMP) puts it outside regular zoning. The City is planning to install a traffic light at 40th and Sand Point. Viewings of the new model campus are being held Saturday June 28th 12-2:30PM and Tuesday July 8th 5:30-7:30PM at Laurelhurst Community Center.

CHOP will take photos and super-impose. CAC will take a walking tour.

Bonnie Miller asked if there were conditions on the sale of Laurelon Terrace. Mike Omura responded yes. The Laurelon Terrace must be replaced with “like housing”--defined as market-rate medium-income housing versus low-income housing. Laurelon Terrace residents are to talk favorably about the new Children’s expansion.

At an earlier meeting, 4-5 CAC members had to recuse themselves. They then resigned. As a result, HHCC’s Shelley Hartnett who had been an alternate is now a voting member. However Theresa Doherty remains on the CAC--as long as she openly states she’s a UW employee, and her compensation is not affected by decisions of the CAC, then Seattle’s Ethics & Elections Commission issued an opinion that she could stay on the committee. [Theresa Doherty is the Vice President for Regional Affairs at the University of Washington and also serves ex officio on the City’s Department of Neighborhoods Seattle-UW Community Advisory Committee.]

Arden Forray asked about the status of the transportation plans. Mike Omura responded there were pedestrian benefits. Arden commented that the 520 expansion may divert all to north. Mike Omura said that plans for widening 520 are just in the pipeline. The worst case scenario is that nothing will be done to 520. Arden wants CAC/Children’s to analyze the traffic impacts because Children’s and U-Village will both bring more traffic to the neighborhood.

Treasurer’s Report: Ryan Rockwell gave the Treasurer’s Report (attached) in Carolyn Chapman’s absence. On May 15, 2008, Carolyn filed the IRS income tax return, and on June 15th, she filed the Washington State reports. This 2008 will be her last year as Treasurer. New member Marsha Donaldson expressed an interest in filling this position. The change will occur with the March 2009 election.

The Break-Through Institute has requested $500 from HHCC for its summer programs. Bonnie Miller moved to donate $200, the same amount as last year. Arden Forray seconded. Marsha Donaldson offered a friendly amendment that the amount be increased to $250. The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

Other Matters (Bonnie Miller)

(1) University Village will be building a second 800 parking-stall garage on the Key Bank site, near the 45th Street Viaduct. She attended a Design Review meeting two weeks ago. DPD had concerns about the height. A new building would be constructed at the 25th Ave NE entrance to U-Village.

(2) Northeast District Council has been awarded money for its project, “Bridging the Gap,” to build a sidewalk on Sand Point Way. The asphalt sidewalk will run from the Princeton Bridge 400 feet to the northeast.

(3) George Holzapfel commented that the Princeton Bridge right-hand turn was dangerous because of the abundance of overgrown vegetation. He also spoke about trash littering on the bridge and Seattle’s Adopt-A-Street program.

(4) Kirk Davis (new Board member) who used to work for the City called Ryan about the University Village expansion.

North Precinct Advisory Committee (George Holzapfel):

(1) The body of a young Hispanic male was dumped in an alley in View Ridge, between 51st and 50th Avenues NE, and NE 68th and NE 65th Street. The police determined that it was a homicide, but that it had nothing to do with the neighborhood. The police are very confident of solving the crime, although at this time, there are no details available. George noted that 92% of all 2007 homicides were solved in Seattle.

(2) The Seattle Police Build has a new contract before City Council, with an 8% increase in salaries. 150 additional officers will be hired. Police beats and shifts are being redrawn, so that the police will be deployed more effectively. The police accountability system has been revised, with an increased role for an Independent Police Auditor. The impact on the City’s budget for Year 2008 is manageable, but City Council members are concerned that the additional costs will be a burden in the 2009-2010 budget years, when the 2007 economic downturn will be reflected in the City’s revenue stream.

(3) The desecration of a house in the neighborhood is not the work of a random outside group. Ryan Rockwell stated he had written to the neighbor and received a nice reply. George noted that the HHCC has a no tolerance policy towards racial and other illegal discrimination.

Margaret Thouless described an incident from early June in which a car belonging to a young woman was vandalized on Purdue Avenue. Rocks were thrown through the side windows and through the front windshield, which was facing the road. The incident happened early Saturday AM. Within the past two years a car has been stolen from outside a Jeff Leband’s house. Several people including the Thoulesses have had their cars damaged by someone driving by, wielding a baseball bat. A teenager’s car was spray-painted with a racial slur, although the young owner is not Hispanic. There have also been a lot of car break-ins. There is sometimes a lot of noise around midnight, and in the morning, cans and bottles have been left behind. The hours between 11PM-2AM on Friday nights are especially bad.

George Holzapfel encouraged everyone present to get the word out that when anything happens, call 911, because police patrols are based on the number of 911 calls. He spoke of youth driving through the neighborhood with baseball bats, knocking mirrors off the cars. There are break-ins of cars and houses. The City of Seattle is in the throes of a methamphetamine epidemic. This, coupled with the downturn in the economy, means some youth don’t have jobs and don’t have anything to do.

In another report, kids drove around and around the University Circle Park in broad daylight one afternoon.

The Hawthorne Holler (Gail Chiarello): The Holler is finally breaking even. Expenses for the Spring Holler were $1,197.83 and revenue was $1,275, so the newsletter was about $77 positive. The next Holler will come out in the fall.

Greening of the Burke (Margaret Thouless): The Small and Simple Neighborhood Grant ends June 30th. The area between 40th Ave NE and NE 65th Street is going to be reforested. Bonnie Miller and Margaret Thouless have obtained a Washington Native Plant Society grant for $495. These plants, plus donations already held, will add up to about 1000 plants to be planted during the November work parties. The Friends of Burke-Gilman Trail at Sandpoint are working on the Sand Point Way side of the trail. The Parks Department and Green Partnership will renovate the other side of the trail. There appears to be encroachments into the Burke-Gilman Trail easement on that side. Margaret reported that the original surveys (done 60-70 years ago) were calculated from the center of the tracks, which does not necessarily correspond to the center of the current tarmac. There is a 60-foot right-of-way along the trail, and it varies in how much is to the east or to the west of the tarmac trail. Ted Houk, who moved into his current home on 51st Avenue NE, remembers a siding, north of the bench. He says there was a board there which said KEITH. He believes this is the name of the family which homesteaded and farmed down on what is now the Center for Spiritual Living and Sand Point Way. Tom Savage also remembered a siding, north of the Princeton Bridge. [NOTE Tom Savage has responded with more detail about the old railroad siding. In an e-mail dated July 20, 2008, Tom writes, “Today I finally had the time to walk on the trail and look for evidence of the siding. The main physical evidence now is the widened strip of earth next to the present trail. The siding was parallel to a portion of the straight section of track, immediately north of the first curve, north of Princeton Bridge. There now is a bench close to the north end of that curve. The siding was parallel to and just east of the main track. The southern end of the siding was about 100 feet north of the bench, just north of a present madrona tree. I don’t recall where the north end of the siding was, but I’m pretty sure that’s where the switch was for access to the siding from the main track. I don’t think there was a switch at the south end, although I’m not definite on that.”]

520 Bridge Replacement (Arden Forray): Arden provided a hand-out (attached to minutes). The Mediation Committee met June 17th. Several alternatives are being considered. One is a 6-lane expansion of the bridge with no traffic diversion to the North of the Ship Canal--the “Transit Friendly/Affordable Plan.” The Montlake neighborhood favors the “Montlake Cut Tunnel Plan” or the “K Option” in which a tunnel runs under the Ship Canal, and a light rail station placed there. Laurelhurst has joined Montlake in support of the K Option. The NE Seattle community has weighed in--nothing north of the Ship Canal. A letter is being written in support of the Transit Friendly/Affordable option; signatories are View Ridge, Wedgwood, HHCC, and North Windermere. Five more signatories are needed. Virginia Gunby has an information sheet. Arden has written also to Ken Jacobson, Phyllis Gutierrez, and Jim McIntire. Arden is not clear on what Governor Chris Gregoire’s position actually is. He thinks she may be more amenable to listening to the community. George Holzapfel volunteered that he’s hearing there will be tolls on 520. Arden and Ryan suggested that the 520 information should be placed on HHCC’s website.

Fourth of July Parade (Ryan Rockwell): The parade will start at 11AM at NE 65th Street and Vassar and end two blocks away at University Circle Park. Flyers need to be distributed. Flags have been ordered. The fire truck is confirmed. Mark Marsh of the Metropolitan Market may donate ice cream bars. Marsha Donaldson commented she had received no notice of the parade. Ryan said that the parade had been highlighted in the spring newsletter. Gail Chiarello suggested that HHCC send out postcards to its mailing list, using its Bulk Mail imprint, to remind the entire neighborhood of the event, since the newsletter came out about two months ago. Ryan thought word-of-mouth and the flyers were better for this year so that the event didn’t spin out of control. HHCC could re-evaluate for 2009. Margaret Thouless raised the issue of clean-up at the Circle. She pointed out the black plastic bags which Parks takes to the Transfer Station. Ryan said Saturday June 21st would be a weeding/clean-up party at the Circle. Also if there are clean-up or other issues involving the Circle, let Kevin Schmidt, the gardener assigned by Parks to northeast Seattle, know about them.

Sand Point Housing Advisory Committee (Mary Savage): Mary distributed hand-outs (attached). Funding is completed for spring/summer 2009 ground-breaking. The first 52 units of permanent housing are available. The south side of NE 65th is up for grabs--Seattle’s Department of Housing owns the parcel between Radford Court and UW’s Fisheries buildings on the south side of NE 65th Street. Housing could be placed there. Currently the Parks Department NE Division is using that property as a maintenance site. There is a problem of allowing “transition-in-place” to replace the original language, “transitional.” Bonnie Miller stated the ordinance is the law. The Re-Use Plan is not the law. The ordinance states 200 units of housing. George Holzapfel commented HHCC was not getting the support it needs from the other neighborhoods. The money is there for transition-in-place.

Other Business: Bonnie Miller reported a Northeast District Council study shows northeast Seattle has the lowest park density in the city. The Northeast District Council wants the City to buy The HunterTree Farm across from the Presbyterian Church, with the new levy monies, for city park land. Tom Savage brought to the group’s attention the illegal DOG BREED signs being posted on public fencing.

All business being concluded, the meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Gail Chiarello

Secretary Pro Tem