Ex-City Councilmember Jeanette Williams, 94, dies; served on Seattle City Council for 20 years, services and memorial at Town Hall Seattle Wednesday, November 5, 2 p.m..
When Jeanette Williams was living in a convalescent home, she always had a Barack Obama button affixed to her clothes. She was known there as the Obama Lady, said her daughter, Patty Kraniotis.
Before Mrs. Williams died Friday (Oct. 24) at age 94, of arterial disease, she made sure she cast her absentee ballot for Obama. "She did have her say," Kraniotis said.
Mrs. Williams was a longtime member of the Seattle City Council and an ardent supporter of parks, the West Seattle Bridge and human rights.
She was also a long-time force in the View Ridge Community Council. The week before she died she held a meeting in her home to discuss Magnuson Park issues, and the day before she died, she had her son, Rusty, call City Councilman Tom Rasmussen, who worked for Mrs. Williams on the City Council, to express her concerns about leasing buildings in Magnuson Park to private interests.
"I knew she was ill, but I thought she might come down in a stretcher and testify against it," said Rasmussen, who heads the same parks committee that Mrs. Williams once chaired. He said she even got Congressman Jim McDermott to call him about the parks plan.
"That was the kind of clout she had," Rasmussen said. "She was organized right to the end."
She also advised and assisted the Seattle Community Council Federation in matters that involved her Parks Committee.
Born in Seattle, Mrs. Williams graduated from Queen Anne High School and studied music at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. She told her daughter how she and friends would sneak out of their dorms to attend a club and listen to Louis Armstrong.
A violinist who also played the viola, Mrs. Williams performed with the Chicago and Seattle symphonies and in Chicago formed a traveling women's band that played blues and jazz.
"Eventually she abandoned music for politics," Kraniotis said. "Politics became a passion of hers at an early age." She remembers doorbelling for her mother.
Mrs. Williams served 20 years on the City Council until she was defeated in 1989 by Cheryl Chow.
She was a longtime champion of Magnuson Park, fighting efforts by private pilots who wanted it to remain a private airport. When the old runway was eventually torn up, she kept a piece as a souvenir, Rasmussen said.
Mrs. Williams was also a strong advocate for transportation and even urged Metro years ago to develop a light-rail system.
She fought for a new West Seattle Bridge, helping obtain federal funds for the construction. She also fought to get rid of skybridges, and to keep Seattle Center from being turned over to Disney.
"She always had a wary eye of any mayor in office," said Rasmussen, adding that Mrs. Williams once considered running for mayor herself. "And she founded a strong commitment in the city toward human rights. She was there at the beginning. When the issues came up, everyone ran for cover, but she felt she was elected to represent everyone."
Rasmussen said Mrs. Williams was a strong advocate for women in nontraditional jobs.
He also said she was very cagey about revealing her age.
"She truly hated the effects of aging," he said. "It frustrated her deeply to be slowing down."
Mrs. Williams was a season-ticket holder to the Seattle Symphony and continued her love of music.
Mrs. Williams was chairwoman of the King County Democratic Party, the first female county chair of a large metropolitan area in the United States, Kraniotis said.
"She was very passionate about politics," she said. "She loved the city and wanted to leave green areas."
Her daughter, of Washington, D.C., and son, of Mercer Island, survives Mrs. Williams. Her husband, David Williams, died in 1993.
Services for Mrs. Williams will be at Town Hall, 1119 8th Avenue (8th and Seneca) at 2 p.m. with the reception to follow. The family wanted all who would like to go and pay their respects to have room to do so. She was an amazing woman to whom the city owes a lot. Anyone who enjoys Magnuson Park certainly has her to thank.
By Susan Gilmore, Seattle Times staff reporter, Lynn Ferguson and Rick Barrett..
The Seattle Community Council Federation welcomes guests and representatives from community-based organizations in the Seattle area. We want to be aware of issues affecting your neighborhood, and we hope that you will join us with your input at our monthly meetings at Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Avenue South. Jeannie Hale, Chair; Rick Barrett, Vice-Chair
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Ex-City Councilmember Jeanette Williams, 94, dies; served on Seattle City Council for 20 years, services and memorial at Town Hall Seattle Thursday, November 5, 2 p.m..
When Jeanette Williams was living in a convalescent home, she always had a Barack Obama button affixed to her clothes. She was known there as the Obama Lady, said her daughter, Patty Kraniotis.
Before Mrs. Williams died Friday (Oct. 24) at age 94, of arterial disease, she made sure she cast her absentee ballot for Obama. "She did have her say," Kraniotis said.
Mrs. Williams was a longtime member of the Seattle City Council and an ardent supporter of parks, the West Seattle Bridge and human rights.
She was also a long-time force in the View Ridge Community Council. The week before she died she held a meeting in her home to discuss Magnuson Park issues, and the day before she died, she had her son, Rusty, call City Councilman Tom Rasmussen, who worked for Mrs. Williams on the City Council, to express her concerns about leasing buildings in Magnuson Park to private interests.
"I knew she was ill, but I thought she might come down in a stretcher and testify against it," said Rasmussen, who heads the same parks committee that Mrs. Williams once chaired. He said she even got Congressman Jim McDermott to call him about the parks plan.
"That was the kind of clout she had," Rasmussen said. "She was organized right to the end."
She also advised and assisted the Seattle Community Council Federation in matters that involved her Parks Committee.
Born in Seattle, Mrs. Williams graduated from Queen Anne High School and studied music at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. She told her daughter how she and friends would sneak out of their dorms to attend a club and listen to Louis Armstrong.
A violinist who also played the viola, Mrs. Williams performed with the Chicago and Seattle symphonies and in Chicago formed a traveling women's band that played blues and jazz.
"Eventually she abandoned music for politics," Kraniotis said. "Politics became a passion of hers at an early age." She remembers doorbelling for her mother.
Mrs. Williams served 20 years on the City Council until she was defeated in 1989 by Cheryl Chow.
She was a longtime champion of Magnuson Park, fighting efforts by private pilots who wanted it to remain a private airport. When the old runway was eventually torn up, she kept a piece as a souvenir, Rasmussen said.
Mrs. Williams was also a strong advocate for transportation and even urged Metro years ago to develop a light-rail system.
She fought for a new West Seattle Bridge, helping obtain federal funds for the construction. She also fought to get rid of skybridges, and to keep Seattle Center from being turned over to Disney.
"She always had a wary eye of any mayor in office," said Rasmussen, adding that Mrs. Williams once considered running for mayor herself. "And she founded a strong commitment in the city toward human rights. She was there at the beginning. When the issues came up, everyone ran for cover, but she felt she was elected to represent everyone."
Rasmussen said Mrs. Williams was a strong advocate for women in nontraditional jobs.
He also said she was very cagey about revealing her age.
"She truly hated the effects of aging," he said. "It frustrated her deeply to be slowing down."
Mrs. Williams was a season-ticket holder to the Seattle Symphony and continued her love of music.
Mrs. Williams was chairwoman of the King County Democratic Party, the first female county chair of a large metropolitan area in the United States, Kraniotis said.
"She was very passionate about politics," she said. "She loved the city and wanted to leave green areas."
Her daughter, of Washington, D.C., and son, of Mercer Island, survives Mrs. Williams. Her husband, David Williams, died in 1993.
Services for Mrs. Williams will be at Town Hall, 1119 8th Avenue (8th and Seneca) at 2 p.m. with the reception to follow. The family wanted all who would like to go and pay their respects to have room to do so. She was an amazing woman to whom the city owes a lot. Anyone who enjoys Magnuson Park certainly has her to thank.
By Susan Gilmore, Seattle Times staff reporter, Lynn Ferguson and Rick Barrett..
When Jeanette Williams was living in a convalescent home, she always had a Barack Obama button affixed to her clothes. She was known there as the Obama Lady, said her daughter, Patty Kraniotis.
Before Mrs. Williams died Friday (Oct. 24) at age 94, of arterial disease, she made sure she cast her absentee ballot for Obama. "She did have her say," Kraniotis said.
Mrs. Williams was a longtime member of the Seattle City Council and an ardent supporter of parks, the West Seattle Bridge and human rights.
She was also a long-time force in the View Ridge Community Council. The week before she died she held a meeting in her home to discuss Magnuson Park issues, and the day before she died, she had her son, Rusty, call City Councilman Tom Rasmussen, who worked for Mrs. Williams on the City Council, to express her concerns about leasing buildings in Magnuson Park to private interests.
"I knew she was ill, but I thought she might come down in a stretcher and testify against it," said Rasmussen, who heads the same parks committee that Mrs. Williams once chaired. He said she even got Congressman Jim McDermott to call him about the parks plan.
"That was the kind of clout she had," Rasmussen said. "She was organized right to the end."
She also advised and assisted the Seattle Community Council Federation in matters that involved her Parks Committee.
Born in Seattle, Mrs. Williams graduated from Queen Anne High School and studied music at the Chicago Conservatory of Music. She told her daughter how she and friends would sneak out of their dorms to attend a club and listen to Louis Armstrong.
A violinist who also played the viola, Mrs. Williams performed with the Chicago and Seattle symphonies and in Chicago formed a traveling women's band that played blues and jazz.
"Eventually she abandoned music for politics," Kraniotis said. "Politics became a passion of hers at an early age." She remembers doorbelling for her mother.
Mrs. Williams served 20 years on the City Council until she was defeated in 1989 by Cheryl Chow.
She was a longtime champion of Magnuson Park, fighting efforts by private pilots who wanted it to remain a private airport. When the old runway was eventually torn up, she kept a piece as a souvenir, Rasmussen said.
Mrs. Williams was also a strong advocate for transportation and even urged Metro years ago to develop a light-rail system.
She fought for a new West Seattle Bridge, helping obtain federal funds for the construction. She also fought to get rid of skybridges, and to keep Seattle Center from being turned over to Disney.
"She always had a wary eye of any mayor in office," said Rasmussen, adding that Mrs. Williams once considered running for mayor herself. "And she founded a strong commitment in the city toward human rights. She was there at the beginning. When the issues came up, everyone ran for cover, but she felt she was elected to represent everyone."
Rasmussen said Mrs. Williams was a strong advocate for women in nontraditional jobs.
He also said she was very cagey about revealing her age.
"She truly hated the effects of aging," he said. "It frustrated her deeply to be slowing down."
Mrs. Williams was a season-ticket holder to the Seattle Symphony and continued her love of music.
Mrs. Williams was chairwoman of the King County Democratic Party, the first female county chair of a large metropolitan area in the United States, Kraniotis said.
"She was very passionate about politics," she said. "She loved the city and wanted to leave green areas."
Her daughter, of Washington, D.C., and son, of Mercer Island, survives Mrs. Williams. Her husband, David Williams, died in 1993.
Services for Mrs. Williams will be at Town Hall, 1119 8th Avenue (8th and Seneca) at 2 p.m. with the reception to follow. The family wanted all who would like to go and pay their respects to have room to do so. She was an amazing woman to whom the city owes a lot. Anyone who enjoys Magnuson Park certainly has her to thank.
By Susan Gilmore, Seattle Times staff reporter, Lynn Ferguson and Rick Barrett..
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Up to two hundred and twenty million dollars. That’s $220,000,000.00! Think about it.
That's how much the City of Seattle expects it may need to spend on siting and building its own municipal jail. We'll spend at least another 17 to 19 million a year to operate it.
Jails don't make communities safer and they're not an effective or humane response to crime. Incarceration disproportionately affects poor people and people of color. Neighborhood groups are concerned about the impact of a 7-acre jail on their
communities. Going millions of dollars into debt will affect our city budget for years to come and endanger funding for the social services that keep people out of jail in the first place. This is a bad idea.
The city has been saying that this project, while regrettable, is inevitable, that we have to put people who commit misdemeanors somewhere, and we can't put them in King County Jail. But diversion programs like drug court and mental health court, pre-arrest programs like Clean Dreams, and a bigger investment in social services like shelter, housing and mental health services will lower the numbers of misdemeanors and felonies...creating space in the county jail and removing our need to pour millions of dollars into locking people up.
Contact City Council here and tell them to reconsider. And join the Real Change group at the City Council budget hearing on Monday, October 27th. We'll be there at 5:30. Look for the Real Change banner!
REMINDER - FEDERATION MEETS TOMORROW
SEATTLE COMMUNITY COUNCIL FEDERATION
Regular Meeting
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency), Pacific Marine Center on Lake Union
1801 Fairview Avenue East
http://seattlefederation.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
CORRECTED AGENDA
(PLEASE DISCARD PREVIOUS COPIES)
Incentive Zoning—Is this the Right Direction for our City?
featuring John Fox, Seattle Displacement Coalition
SEATTLE COMMUNITY COUNCIL FEDERATION
Regular Meeting
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency), Pacific Marine Center on Lake Union
1801 Fairview Avenue East
http://seattlefederation.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
CORRECTED AGENDA
(PLEASE DISCARD PREVIOUS COPIES)
Incentive Zoning—Is this the Right Direction for our City?
featuring John Fox, Seattle Displacement Coalition
For months, Seattle’s Mayor and most City Councilmembers have been hashing over new programs designed to reward developers with tax breaks, more density, and other giveaways if they set-aside some of their new units allegedly "affordable" to the average wage earner. The most recent plan for "incentive zoning" now being considered would give away added density to developers if they set aside 10-20 percent of their new units at rent levels affordable to those earning at 80% of median.
John Fox will provide his insights on this critical issue.
The October Federation meeting will also continue our Quarterly Round Robin on neighborhood projects and issues. The Round Robin is a great networking opportunity and a chance to generate support from the Federation and its member organizations for the important work you are doing.
If you have informational materials you would like distributed at the meeting, please email electronic copies or links to Jeannie Hale at jeannieh@serv.net.
7:00 Call to Order and Introductions
Administration
1. Changes to the agenda
2. Treasurer’s report
3. President’s report
7:15 Incentive Zoning—John Fox Seattle Displacement Coalition
8:00 Round Robin
1. Jail siting—Update
2. Budget priorities
3. Updating neighborhood plans
4. Magnuson Park continuing issues
5. University Village proposed expansion
6. Neighborhood blogs—a report from the recent Seattle Public Library/City Club event
7. Noise ordinance update
8. Other Issues/Projects
9:00 Adjourn
NOAA is a federal facility on high security alert, so attendees must enter by the security gate and may need to present photo ID. If you haven't attended a recent Federation meeting, please send your name, contact information, and address to rickbarrett@gmail.com to be added to the entry list. No e-mail? Call 206-365-1267. The building is ADA compliant, with ample parking in front.
Seattle Neighborhood Summit - Tuesday, October 28th!
Posted: 21 Oct 2008 10:29 PM CDT
The City Neighborhood Council announces a Seattle Neighborhood Summit taking place next Tuesday. It’s an interesting idea, with a ton of focus groups for you to attend.
If you’ve ever wanted to get involved with focusing on neighborhood issues in Seattle, this is probably a good place to get started.
ALL ARE WELCOME AND NEEDED TO BRING YOUR VIEWS TO THE SEATTLE NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT — TUES., OCT. 28 AT CITY HALL, 601 FIFTH AVE.
THE DOORS OPEN AT 5:15 P.M., FORMAL PROGRAM IS 6-9 P.M.
Please be there at City Hall the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 28 for the Seattle Neighborhoods Summit! Express your ideas and meet with others who care about Seattle and its neighborhoods. Light supper available throughout. The event begins at 5:15 p.m. with informal networking with other volunteers and with City officials, and the program begins at 6. First on the agenda is a keynote address by the Mayor. Then your choice from fourteen focus groups, repeated twice. The summit ends with a City Council panel interacting with issues and questions from the focus groups.
Please help us publicize this important event, and urge your friends and neighbors to come. It will later be on television and in a written report. Can’t come? Send your ideas or questions to the City Neighborhood Council, c/o Department of Neighborhoods, P.O. Box 94649, Seattle 98124-4649 or cleman@oo.net (206) 322-5463. CNC is a Seattle advisory committee, made up of one representative from each of the thirteen district councils, which are also advisory committees. Free parking, for this event only, is available after 5 p.m. in the commuter lot under I-5 just north of Cherry Street (must enter southbound on 6th Avenue–left turn just before Cherry). For background: http://seattle.gov/
neighborhoodcouncil . We welcome requests soon for interpretation in different languages. Below is the program:5:15 Informal networking with other volunteers and with City officials
6:00 Welcome and introductions
6:10 Keynote by Mayor
6:30 First breakout session (see list of focus groups)
7:15 Second breakout session (same focus group topics repeated)
8:00 City Councilmember panel responds to issues and questions from the focus groups
9:00 AdjournThe topics of the focus groups are as follows:
(1) Advocacy, community-building, communications, and inclusiveness
(2) Open, participatory, and ethical government
(3) Safety from fire, crime, and disaster
(4) Neighborhood economic development
(5) Neighborhood-friendly utilities
(6) Parks, trees, and community centers
(7) Human, health and housing services
(8) Zoning, land use, design, and planning
(9) Youth and schools
(10) Libraries, the arts, cultural heritage, and historic preservation
(11) Roads, crossings, and sidewalks
(12) Transit and bicycling
(13) Pollution, noise, and public health
(14) Anything missing? This group’s for topics not covered above
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
http://rainiervalleypost.blogspot.com/2008/10/check-in-on-bridging-gap-status.html
Pardon the late notice but thought you'd want to know that the community is encouraged to attend the Bridging the Gap Levy Oversight Committee meeting today, Tues., Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Rainier Community Center (4600 38th Ave. S.).
Bridging the Gap is a nine-year, $365 million levy that addresses twenty years of deferred maintenance caused by chronic under-funding of the transportation infrastructure. Approved by voters in 2006, Bridging the Gap enables much-needed work by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), such as roadway paving, sidewalk development and repair, bridge upkeep, and tree pruning and planting. It also supports the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans, the Safe Routes to School program, enhanced transit connections and large Neighborhood Street Fund projects.
The work of the city is supported by an appointed citizens’ Levy Oversight Committee that meets quarterly. This 15-member body (see members below) monitors revenues and expenditures, and reviews program and project schedules to provide full accountability to voters on Bridging the Gap activities.
Today's meeting will begin with a public comment period, followed by a presentation specific to Southeast Seattle, 3rd Quarter 2008 Report, BTG Program Budget Update, 2009 – 2010 Work Plan Schedule, Transit Partnership and Corridor Project Update and more.
The group's next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2009.
Find the Bridging the Gap 2007 Annual Report here.
Levy Oversight Committee Members:
* Ann Martin
* Barbara Culp
* Betty Spieth
* Chuck Ayers
* Christina O’Claire
* Darryl Smith
* Michael McGinn
* Ref Lindmark
* Rick Sepolen
* Thao Tran
* Jeff Frkonja
Pardon the late notice but thought you'd want to know that the community is encouraged to attend the Bridging the Gap Levy Oversight Committee meeting today, Tues., Oct. 21, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Rainier Community Center (4600 38th Ave. S.).
Bridging the Gap is a nine-year, $365 million levy that addresses twenty years of deferred maintenance caused by chronic under-funding of the transportation infrastructure. Approved by voters in 2006, Bridging the Gap enables much-needed work by the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), such as roadway paving, sidewalk development and repair, bridge upkeep, and tree pruning and planting. It also supports the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plans, the Safe Routes to School program, enhanced transit connections and large Neighborhood Street Fund projects.
The work of the city is supported by an appointed citizens’ Levy Oversight Committee that meets quarterly. This 15-member body (see members below) monitors revenues and expenditures, and reviews program and project schedules to provide full accountability to voters on Bridging the Gap activities.
Today's meeting will begin with a public comment period, followed by a presentation specific to Southeast Seattle, 3rd Quarter 2008 Report, BTG Program Budget Update, 2009 – 2010 Work Plan Schedule, Transit Partnership and Corridor Project Update and more.
The group's next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2009.
Find the Bridging the Gap 2007 Annual Report here.
Levy Oversight Committee Members:
* Ann Martin
* Barbara Culp
* Betty Spieth
* Chuck Ayers
* Christina O’Claire
* Darryl Smith
* Michael McGinn
* Ref Lindmark
* Rick Sepolen
* Thao Tran
* Jeff Frkonja
Monday, October 20, 2008
SEATTLE COMMUNITY COUNCIL FEDERATION
Regular Meeting
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency), Pacific Marine Center on Lake Union
1801 Fairview Avenue East
http://seattlefederation.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
CORRECTED AGENDA
(PLEASE DISCARD PREVIOUS COPIES)
Incentive Zoning—Is this the Right Direction for our City?
featuring John Fox, Seattle Displacement Coalition
Regular Meeting
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency), Pacific Marine Center on Lake Union
1801 Fairview Avenue East
http://seattlefederation.blogspot.com/
Thursday, October 23, 2008
CORRECTED AGENDA
(PLEASE DISCARD PREVIOUS COPIES)
Incentive Zoning—Is this the Right Direction for our City?
featuring John Fox, Seattle Displacement Coalition
For months, Seattle’s Mayor and most City Councilmembers have been hashing over new programs designed to reward developers with tax breaks, more density, and other giveaways if they set-aside some of their new units allegedly "affordable" to the average wage earner. The most recent plan for "incentive zoning" now being considered would give away added density to developers if they set aside 10-20 percent of their new units at rent levels affordable to those earning at 80% of median.
John Fox will provide his insights on this critical issue.
The October Federation meeting will also continue our Quarterly Round Robin on neighborhood projects and issues. The Round Robin is a great networking opportunity and a chance to generate support from the Federation and its member organizations for the important work you are doing.
If you have informational materials you would like distributed at the meeting, please email electronic copies or links to Jeannie Hale at jeannieh@serv.net.
7:00 Call to Order and Introductions
Administration
1. Changes to the agenda
2. Treasurer’s report
3. President’s report
7:15 Incentive Zoning—John Fox Seattle Displacement Coalition
8:00 Round Robin
1. Jail siting—Update
2. Budget priorities
3. Updating neighborhood plans
4. Magnuson Park continuing issues
5. University Village proposed expansion
6. Neighborhood blogs—a report from the recent Seattle Public Library/City Club event
7. Noise ordinance update
8. Other Issues/Projects
9:00 Adjourn
NOAA is a federal facility on high security alert, so attendees must enter by the security gate and may need to present photo ID. If you haven't attended a recent Federation meeting, please send your name, contact information, and address to rickbarrett@gmail.com to be added to the entry list. No e-mail? Call 206-365-1267. The building is ADA compliant, with ample parking in front.
Friday, October 10, 2008
September 25, 2008 Federation Meeting Highlights (Corrected)
NOTE --- These Meeting Highlights have been revised to incorporate additional information and clarifications, and to correct typos. The revisions appear in red boldface in the paragraphs “The Parks Strategic Action Plan”, “Megahouses”, “Magnuson Park” and “Tree Ordinance”.
(These pages are based on the editor's notes --- they are not official minutes)
Land Use issues predominate as communities struggle against special interest legislation. Read on.
President's Report: The Federation sent letters to City Councilmembers seeking amendments to the draft of a revised ordinance on sidewalk cafes to preserve pedestrian passage, and other letters opposing sweetheart leases of two waterfront buildings to developers in Magnuson Park for 30 to 40 years; Anna Nissan testified at the City Council on the MegaHouse legislation (see below). It also sent out e-mail action alerts on public hearings and major events. Our president alerted members to seven September 25, 2008 Federation Meeting Highlights
The Parks Strategic Action Plan is now available at http://seattle.gov/parks/Publications/ParksActionPlan.htm
Pike Place Market Levy: The levy authorizes $73,000,000 in property taxes ($2.16 per $1000 of assessed value) over 6 years to fix-up the Pike Place Market. It would pay for new plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, roofs, elevators, windows, floors, facades, restrooms, and fire and seismic upgrades. The representative of the Market's constituency said that the fix-up is badly needed; the ordinance provides for genuine oversight by the City through an oversight committee selected in part by the constituency, the City, and the Pike Place Market PDA; that rents are set too low to cover major capital expenditures in order to keep the variety of small business, handicrafts, and artists viable; and the City will have to approve overruns of the budget. The advocates of "No" say the Ordinance is flawed and the amount is more than need be. The rebuttal replied that those critiques apply to almost all levies; this levy tries to address those concerns.
Motion passed to support the Pike Place Market Levy, Ordinance 122737 (Three abstentions),
Parks Levy: The Parks levy (Ordinance 122749) would raise $145,500,000 over 6 years in property taxes ($2.50 per $ 000 of assessed value). It allocates:
(a) $35,697,000 for buying land for new parks ($
(b) $87,292,000 for "development" of existing parks ( $11,500,000 for improving the
the Asian Art Museum and the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, $10,500,000 for renovating four playfields, six million for Jefferson Park and five million for four other parks; and $7,250,000 for trails);
(c) $8,000,000 for the environment on such projects as stream restoration; and
(d) $15,000,000 for an Opportunity Fund. The proponents say that the programs speaks for itself; and the list has a project in almost every neighborhood. The discussion pointed out that the levy appropriates the funds lump sum and the project list is in an attachment. It's a spending plan that lets the City move the money around without notice to the neighborhoods, without a public hearing, and without findings. All it has to do is consult with an appointed Oversight Committee. In the last three levies, the City has shifted 15-20% of the money quite inconsistently to the plan in the levy. In fact, the only money for Magnuson Park in this levy would complete a project promised by the last ProParks levy and not yet done. The list caters to special interests, e.g. the Asian Art Museum and Langston Hughes moneys were put in at the last minute by the mayor and City Council; $1,250,000 goes for skateboard facilities; the playfield money would put in synthetic turf and lights that many neighborhoods oppose, etc. The Opportunity fund has no criteria -- just questions for an applicant-- and resembles a slush fund. The City Council rejected safeguards that the communities sought to secure accountability.
Representatives decided to take no position on Proposition No. 2.
Megahouses: Councilmember Richard Conlin, who had sponsored the legislation as a reform measure, revised it to housekeeping amendments. Megahouses are now 3 story high -- five on some slopes. Conlin dropped the section that would have cut that height to conform with the height limit of the lower three multi-family zones that more closely approximates the pattern for single family housing generally (any 3rd story must be in an attic).The Master Builders Association objected to Sunset Hills' initial proposal and declared this package "benign." The Council passed it along with a Work Plan for further study. In lieu of a lowered height limit, the MBA and several young residential architects have proposed substituting floor area ratios commonly used in commercial and industrial zones. A residential calculation can be subjective about what is included, but includes upper stories as well, not just the "foot print" as does lot coverage. Suburban towns with very small houses on very large lots have been armor plating their already strict setbacks, height limits and lot coverage limits with "FAR" (floor area ratios). This is redundant when FARs are set very close to lot coverage limit, e.g. a ratio of .4 with a lot coverage of 35% (which is similar to Seattle's). And if substituted for traditional limits readily understood by all as is proposed in the Multi-family Update, it is contrary to the predictable compatibility being sought. Community Councils are urged to inform their neighborhoods and write in.
South Lake Union: SLUFAN, the Vulcan-sponsored development-minded association, has proposed a massive upzone of the South Lake Union area. It would allow two towers per block, each up to 400' high -- taller than Queen Anne and Capitol Hill. The Regrade is its model. The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is scheduling a scoping meeting on the upzone. It cites the west end of Vancouver, B.C. as an example, but Vancouver requires set-backs, tree planting, and compliance with strict design standards -- none of which are in this proposal. The Mayor would assist the plan with his Incentive Zoning proposals that doubles height limits; and it would provide tax holidays for including a few "affordable" units in the condo towers. The infrastructure is not there for so many tall towers. The Cascade Community Council, other residents and owners in the area have formed the Lake Union Opportunity Alliance (LUOA) to oppose the plan. LUOA may have to appeal a rezone to the Growth Management Hearings Board.
Motion passed to oppose the upzone as unacceptable; to support the principle that growth should pay for the utilities needed to accommodate it, and to insist on following the regular procedures for a rezone.
Residential Parking Zones (RPZ): The Seattle Department of Transportation wants to limit the number of permits to a maximum of four per address; to replace the one year-round guest pass with day-use coupons abutters may buy; to increase permit fees; to relieve traffic generators of paying to support the program; and to give SDOT more discretion to create RPZ's. The Federation will send a comment letter containing recommendations from member organizations e-mailed to our President.
Magnuson Park: The City is set to pass ordinances granting long-term sweetheart leases of Buildings 11 and 27 at Magnuson Park to special-interest for-profit organizations, including commercial and office space uses. It has to go through more process before passing the rezoning Ordinance. A citizens' group is planning to go for referenda. It will need 16,000 signatures to each petition in 29 days. The City also plans to remove the cap on housing in the zoning overlay, to tear down the fire station in the historic district and to contract with a developer to build an ersatz building there.
Motion passed to authorize letters to the City Council to delay acting on the leases and the rezoning, giving reasons for opposing the action; and to authorize letters to federal authorities against granting the City permission to introduce commercial and office uses into a park conveyed to the City exclusively for park purposes.
NOTE -- The Magnuson Park sweetheart deal has gone down. For the details of Council Bill Number 116313 and Ordinance Number 122814 go to http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?s1=&s2=&s3=116313&s4=&s5=&Sect4=and&l=20&Sect2=THESON&Sect3=PLURON&Sect5=CBOR1&Sect6=HITOFF&d=CBOR&p=1&u=/~public/cbor1.htm&r=1&f=G
Children's Hospital: Laurelhurst explained the latest alternatives for building placement on the Children's campus. The gross square footage remains the same. It asks for an accurate up-to-date traffic study, consideration of cumulative impacts with University Village expansion and parking garages, compliance with concurrency requirements, and a supplemental draft environmental impact statement.
Unanimous concurrence to support the requests made by Laurelhurst and authorize appropriate letters.
Air Pollution: Our September newsletter on page 2 summarized a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services about an alarming elevated cancer risk in South Seattle linked to air pollution. Eastlake reported that I-5 traffic fouls its air like trucks and traffic do along U.S. 99 and it asked that our call ask for action wherever the problem exists.
Motion passed to set up a special Health Committee under Chas Talbot to recommend action, including proposing a letter(s) for approval at our October meeting.
Noise Ordinance Amendments: Chris Leman is appealing to the Hearing Examiner some sections of the amendments to the noise ordinance. Those sections allow DPD to give contractors carte blanche exemption on any public project for its duration. Instead of doing an environmental impact statement, the City determined that the amendments had no significant impact. Chris has found volunteer experts who will explain that the noise exemption allows noisy nightime construction and that has major impacts. The City moved to have the hearing examiner dismiss the appeal as a matter of law; the motion failed.
"Biodefense" Labs: After the anthrax letter attacks, the U.S. Congress authorized spending about $57 billion for research in protecting the population from biological and genetically modified pathogens and bioterror attacks. It spawned extensive research at federal installations, at pharmaceutical companies subject to federal inspection, and at academic and private sector laboratories that have little oversight. Labwatch asked the Federation to join in a call to appropriate federal authorities to halt development of new "biodefense" facilities and put operational controls on existing programs until serious questions are resolved related to public safety, biosafety and biosurety compliance, laboratory regulation, research focus, select agent use and control, and appropriate locations for high containment labs.
Motion passed to support the call in concept. The consequences of an accidental or intentional spread of such pathogens are great, and when a substantial, informed segment of the population expresses serious concerns, prudence advises that federal officials should pause in expanding the program until the concerns are resolved.
Tree Ordinance: The City Council will consider two tree preservation ordinances. The City now limits cutting "exceptional" trees after an application for development has been filed; no restraints apply beforehand except in Critical Areas (i.e. slopes that are prone to slide). Save Our Trees supports a strong ordinance that defines "exceptional" trees; sets up a process for identifying them; and applies the restraints applicable after an application has been filed to a duration beforehand. The Mayor proposes a much weaker ordinance which would apply to a "stand" of trees i.e. 12 trees or more. "Exceptional" would remain without a definition. So far, DPD has yet to find a tree to be "exceptional" on private land.
Here’s some additional information from Maple Leaf Community Council’s David Miller:
The City Council is considering two different interim tree ordinances, one from the Mayor and one from the "Community."
The Mayor's ordinance effectively closes a loophole that allows trees to be cut on non-single family lots outside of a development permit process. This is the loophole the Seattle School District tried to use before the Save Our Trees group stopped them in court. DPD has also proposed an amendment to their code guidance "Director's Rule" document that defines a tree "grove" as any group of eight or more trees 12" or more in diameter, and call that grove "exceptional." While this is certainly an improvement over current policy that ignores groves altogether (in violation of city code, according to the City Council), the Mayor?s is a hollow proposal.
As an illustration, there are two "Exceptional" trees located on the Waldo Hospital site that the city will allow to be taken out. One is the tallest tree on the site, a 100+ foot tall Douglas fir on 86th that is over three feet in diameter. The second is the western white pine that is at the southeast corner of the Waldo building. Therefore, a designation of "exceptional" does not require the city to preserve these trees.
The Interim Tree Grove Ordinance proposed by the community actually protects trees, preventing any grove of 20 or more trees from being removed or harmed by construction. Importantly, it puts this protection into law (as opposed to a Director's Rule) by amending both SMC 25.11 and SEPA codes.
The easiest way to keep updated on the progress of these ordinances is to join the Maple Leaf Community Council's Waldo mailing list at this link: http://www.mapleleafcommunity.org/mail_list_join.html
Think Tank funds:
Motion passed to authorize its use by our task force on multifamily rezoning.
Thank you to Dr. Glover Barnes for hosting the August potluck.
Passed unanimously.
NOTE --- These Meeting Highlights have been revised to incorporate additional information and clarifications, and to correct typos. The revisions appear in red boldface in the paragraphs “The Parks Strategic Action Plan”, “Megahouses”, “Magnuson Park” and “Tree Ordinance”.
(These pages are based on the editor's notes --- they are not official minutes)
Land Use issues predominate as communities struggle against special interest legislation. Read on.
President's Report: The Federation sent letters to City Councilmembers seeking amendments to the draft of a revised ordinance on sidewalk cafes to preserve pedestrian passage, and other letters opposing sweetheart leases of two waterfront buildings to developers in Magnuson Park for 30 to 40 years; Anna Nissan testified at the City Council on the MegaHouse legislation (see below). It also sent out e-mail action alerts on public hearings and major events. Our president alerted members to seven September 25, 2008 Federation Meeting Highlights
The Parks Strategic Action Plan is now available at http://seattle.gov/parks/Publications/ParksActionPlan.htm
Pike Place Market Levy: The levy authorizes $73,000,000 in property taxes ($2.16 per $1000 of assessed value) over 6 years to fix-up the Pike Place Market. It would pay for new plumbing, mechanical and electrical systems, roofs, elevators, windows, floors, facades, restrooms, and fire and seismic upgrades. The representative of the Market's constituency said that the fix-up is badly needed; the ordinance provides for genuine oversight by the City through an oversight committee selected in part by the constituency, the City, and the Pike Place Market PDA; that rents are set too low to cover major capital expenditures in order to keep the variety of small business, handicrafts, and artists viable; and the City will have to approve overruns of the budget. The advocates of "No" say the Ordinance is flawed and the amount is more than need be. The rebuttal replied that those critiques apply to almost all levies; this levy tries to address those concerns.
Motion passed to support the Pike Place Market Levy, Ordinance 122737 (Three abstentions),
Parks Levy: The Parks levy (Ordinance 122749) would raise $145,500,000 over 6 years in property taxes ($2.50 per $ 000 of assessed value). It allocates:
(a) $35,697,000 for buying land for new parks ($
(b) $87,292,000 for "development" of existing parks ( $11,500,000 for improving the
the Asian Art Museum and the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center, $10,500,000 for renovating four playfields, six million for Jefferson Park and five million for four other parks; and $7,250,000 for trails);
(c) $8,000,000 for the environment on such projects as stream restoration; and
(d) $15,000,000 for an Opportunity Fund. The proponents say that the programs speaks for itself; and the list has a project in almost every neighborhood. The discussion pointed out that the levy appropriates the funds lump sum and the project list is in an attachment. It's a spending plan that lets the City move the money around without notice to the neighborhoods, without a public hearing, and without findings. All it has to do is consult with an appointed Oversight Committee. In the last three levies, the City has shifted 15-20% of the money quite inconsistently to the plan in the levy. In fact, the only money for Magnuson Park in this levy would complete a project promised by the last ProParks levy and not yet done. The list caters to special interests, e.g. the Asian Art Museum and Langston Hughes moneys were put in at the last minute by the mayor and City Council; $1,250,000 goes for skateboard facilities; the playfield money would put in synthetic turf and lights that many neighborhoods oppose, etc. The Opportunity fund has no criteria -- just questions for an applicant-- and resembles a slush fund. The City Council rejected safeguards that the communities sought to secure accountability.
Representatives decided to take no position on Proposition No. 2.
Megahouses: Councilmember Richard Conlin, who had sponsored the legislation as a reform measure, revised it to housekeeping amendments. Megahouses are now 3 story high -- five on some slopes. Conlin dropped the section that would have cut that height to conform with the height limit of the lower three multi-family zones that more closely approximates the pattern for single family housing generally (any 3rd story must be in an attic).The Master Builders Association objected to Sunset Hills' initial proposal and declared this package "benign." The Council passed it along with a Work Plan for further study. In lieu of a lowered height limit, the MBA and several young residential architects have proposed substituting floor area ratios commonly used in commercial and industrial zones. A residential calculation can be subjective about what is included, but includes upper stories as well, not just the "foot print" as does lot coverage. Suburban towns with very small houses on very large lots have been armor plating their already strict setbacks, height limits and lot coverage limits with "FAR" (floor area ratios). This is redundant when FARs are set very close to lot coverage limit, e.g. a ratio of .4 with a lot coverage of 35% (which is similar to Seattle's). And if substituted for traditional limits readily understood by all as is proposed in the Multi-family Update, it is contrary to the predictable compatibility being sought. Community Councils are urged to inform their neighborhoods and write in.
South Lake Union: SLUFAN, the Vulcan-sponsored development-minded association, has proposed a massive upzone of the South Lake Union area. It would allow two towers per block, each up to 400' high -- taller than Queen Anne and Capitol Hill. The Regrade is its model. The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is scheduling a scoping meeting on the upzone. It cites the west end of Vancouver, B.C. as an example, but Vancouver requires set-backs, tree planting, and compliance with strict design standards -- none of which are in this proposal. The Mayor would assist the plan with his Incentive Zoning proposals that doubles height limits; and it would provide tax holidays for including a few "affordable" units in the condo towers. The infrastructure is not there for so many tall towers. The Cascade Community Council, other residents and owners in the area have formed the Lake Union Opportunity Alliance (LUOA) to oppose the plan. LUOA may have to appeal a rezone to the Growth Management Hearings Board.
Motion passed to oppose the upzone as unacceptable; to support the principle that growth should pay for the utilities needed to accommodate it, and to insist on following the regular procedures for a rezone.
Residential Parking Zones (RPZ): The Seattle Department of Transportation wants to limit the number of permits to a maximum of four per address; to replace the one year-round guest pass with day-use coupons abutters may buy; to increase permit fees; to relieve traffic generators of paying to support the program; and to give SDOT more discretion to create RPZ's. The Federation will send a comment letter containing recommendations from member organizations e-mailed to our President.
Magnuson Park: The City is set to pass ordinances granting long-term sweetheart leases of Buildings 11 and 27 at Magnuson Park to special-interest for-profit organizations, including commercial and office space uses. It has to go through more process before passing the rezoning Ordinance. A citizens' group is planning to go for referenda. It will need 16,000 signatures to each petition in 29 days. The City also plans to remove the cap on housing in the zoning overlay, to tear down the fire station in the historic district and to contract with a developer to build an ersatz building there.
Motion passed to authorize letters to the City Council to delay acting on the leases and the rezoning, giving reasons for opposing the action; and to authorize letters to federal authorities against granting the City permission to introduce commercial and office uses into a park conveyed to the City exclusively for park purposes.
NOTE -- The Magnuson Park sweetheart deal has gone down. For the details of Council Bill Number 116313 and Ordinance Number 122814 go to http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/~scripts/nph-brs.exe?s1=&s2=&s3=116313&s4=&s5=&Sect4=and&l=20&Sect2=THESON&Sect3=PLURON&Sect5=CBOR1&Sect6=HITOFF&d=CBOR&p=1&u=/~public/cbor1.htm&r=1&f=G
Children's Hospital: Laurelhurst explained the latest alternatives for building placement on the Children's campus. The gross square footage remains the same. It asks for an accurate up-to-date traffic study, consideration of cumulative impacts with University Village expansion and parking garages, compliance with concurrency requirements, and a supplemental draft environmental impact statement.
Unanimous concurrence to support the requests made by Laurelhurst and authorize appropriate letters.
Air Pollution: Our September newsletter on page 2 summarized a report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services about an alarming elevated cancer risk in South Seattle linked to air pollution. Eastlake reported that I-5 traffic fouls its air like trucks and traffic do along U.S. 99 and it asked that our call ask for action wherever the problem exists.
Motion passed to set up a special Health Committee under Chas Talbot to recommend action, including proposing a letter(s) for approval at our October meeting.
Noise Ordinance Amendments: Chris Leman is appealing to the Hearing Examiner some sections of the amendments to the noise ordinance. Those sections allow DPD to give contractors carte blanche exemption on any public project for its duration. Instead of doing an environmental impact statement, the City determined that the amendments had no significant impact. Chris has found volunteer experts who will explain that the noise exemption allows noisy nightime construction and that has major impacts. The City moved to have the hearing examiner dismiss the appeal as a matter of law; the motion failed.
"Biodefense" Labs: After the anthrax letter attacks, the U.S. Congress authorized spending about $57 billion for research in protecting the population from biological and genetically modified pathogens and bioterror attacks. It spawned extensive research at federal installations, at pharmaceutical companies subject to federal inspection, and at academic and private sector laboratories that have little oversight. Labwatch asked the Federation to join in a call to appropriate federal authorities to halt development of new "biodefense" facilities and put operational controls on existing programs until serious questions are resolved related to public safety, biosafety and biosurety compliance, laboratory regulation, research focus, select agent use and control, and appropriate locations for high containment labs.
Motion passed to support the call in concept. The consequences of an accidental or intentional spread of such pathogens are great, and when a substantial, informed segment of the population expresses serious concerns, prudence advises that federal officials should pause in expanding the program until the concerns are resolved.
Tree Ordinance: The City Council will consider two tree preservation ordinances. The City now limits cutting "exceptional" trees after an application for development has been filed; no restraints apply beforehand except in Critical Areas (i.e. slopes that are prone to slide). Save Our Trees supports a strong ordinance that defines "exceptional" trees; sets up a process for identifying them; and applies the restraints applicable after an application has been filed to a duration beforehand. The Mayor proposes a much weaker ordinance which would apply to a "stand" of trees i.e. 12 trees or more. "Exceptional" would remain without a definition. So far, DPD has yet to find a tree to be "exceptional" on private land.
Here’s some additional information from Maple Leaf Community Council’s David Miller:
The City Council is considering two different interim tree ordinances, one from the Mayor and one from the "Community."
The Mayor's ordinance effectively closes a loophole that allows trees to be cut on non-single family lots outside of a development permit process. This is the loophole the Seattle School District tried to use before the Save Our Trees group stopped them in court. DPD has also proposed an amendment to their code guidance "Director's Rule" document that defines a tree "grove" as any group of eight or more trees 12" or more in diameter, and call that grove "exceptional." While this is certainly an improvement over current policy that ignores groves altogether (in violation of city code, according to the City Council), the Mayor?s is a hollow proposal.
As an illustration, there are two "Exceptional" trees located on the Waldo Hospital site that the city will allow to be taken out. One is the tallest tree on the site, a 100+ foot tall Douglas fir on 86th that is over three feet in diameter. The second is the western white pine that is at the southeast corner of the Waldo building. Therefore, a designation of "exceptional" does not require the city to preserve these trees.
The Interim Tree Grove Ordinance proposed by the community actually protects trees, preventing any grove of 20 or more trees from being removed or harmed by construction. Importantly, it puts this protection into law (as opposed to a Director's Rule) by amending both SMC 25.11 and SEPA codes.
The easiest way to keep updated on the progress of these ordinances is to join the Maple Leaf Community Council's Waldo mailing list at this link: http://www.mapleleafcommunity.org/mail_list_join.html
Think Tank funds:
Motion passed to authorize its use by our task force on multifamily rezoning.
Thank you to Dr. Glover Barnes for hosting the August potluck.
Passed unanimously.