LICTON SPRINGS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
LICTON SPRINGS COMMUNITY COUNCIL Meeting Date/Time: Sept. 17, 2020 6:30-8:30 P.M.
These meeting minutes were approved at the October 2020 meeting.
Online meeting by Zoom due to Corona virus restrictions
Directors present: Janice Lichtenwaldt, Lindsey Webb, Melanie Davies, Liz Kearns, Ellen Beck, and Kathleen Braden
Attendees: Janice Holkup, Fadi Saloum, Mike Cuadra, Bekah Manikowski
Janice started the meeting at 6:35 and welcomed everyone.
Minutes of July 15, 2020 were approved as circulated. Treasurer’s Reports for July and through Sept. 12, 2020 were approved. Ellen also noted she filed our required yearly report with Wa State Sec. of State’s office.
Discussion of purchasing tee-shirts for One Sky youth as a donation: The cost for eleven tee shirts would be approx.. $262. This organization has had to move from Eagle Staff School to north Seattle College and several Board members are in touch with leaders of the organization, including Sarah Sense-Wilson. Council decided to reach out to Sarah and ascertain what program needs are and if the tee shirts would be a welcome donation. The group weighted the symbolic importance of the shirts due to their design using the indigenous language vs uncertainty about the needs of One Sky. It was also M/S/A to invite Sarah to a future Council meeting.
Liz Kearns provided a great set of updates to various neighborhood issues (attached below) and thank you also to Lee Bruch and Susan Ward for the information.
Liz also noted that the expansion of the North Precinct Police Station out- buildings and parking area is now completed. The group then discussed the situation for people living without shelters in Licton Springs park. Liz felt that there was a response to the letter the Council sent to get a cleanup initiated by parks Dept employees. She noted there is still water there in the drinking fountain but the bathrooms are locked and portable toilets provided. Several of the people there have received referrals to other housing options.
Neighbor Bekah Manikowski, attending the meeting, has a social work background and shared her thoughts on the situation in the park. She is concerned about the health of the people there given the unhealthy air quality indices at the present time due to forest fires in Northwest . Janice had initiated a conversation with Karina Wallace of the NGO “Facing Homelessness” and Kathleen followed up with a phone conversation with Karina. She sent these links to the Council: - To sign up/review orientation and Facing Homelessness opportunities : https://facinghomelessness.volunteerhub.com/ - The BLOCK Project : https://www.the-block-project.org/ - Facing Homelessness website : https://www.facinghomelessness.org/ - Facing Homelessness Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/HomelessInSeattle/ Karina also offered to visit a future meeting or even to go to the park and talk with the people camping there. She noted the organization does a sock drive, takes donations, and often sponsors cleanups. It also is sponsoring the construction of DADUs (detached accessory dwelling units) and has an orientation once a month. The organization especially likes to show images of unsheltered people and tell their stories on their website.
The group discussed the changes to the Community Police teams and the moving of Officer David Gordon out of the role he has held for many years. Kathleen will draft a thank you email to officer Gordon that also notes that LSCC is following this issue with cc to North precinct captain, new police chief, and Council Rep. Juarez. She will circulate a draft for approval. The vote was 5 yes and one abstain to do this.
Melanie noted with regret that our usual Halloween event in Licton Springs Park will not be possible this year due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and everyone agreed this was a sad, but wise, decision.
Lindsey gave a recap of the Music-in-the-Neighborhood event this summer that was a success. But we also have some ideas on how to modify and improve it for next year.
Mike Cuadra expressed thanks for the Council’s letter regarding zoning and the Halcyon Mobile Home park in North Seattle. Bekah Manikowski discussed the importance of a get-out-the-vote effort at the local level and she will write up a short paragraph about it and send to Janice so we can post it to our list-serv and other sites.
Janice concluded the meeting and thanked everyone. Next meeting will be by zoom Oct. 21.
Minutes submitted by Kathleen Braden, Secretary
ADDENDUM (Thank you, Liz Kearns, for collecting this information) STAY HEALTHY STREETS---Transportation/Seattle gov. Here's the official city webpage on them: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and- programs/programs/stay-healthy-streets From Lee Bruch: It is an initiative in response to Covid that has been launched in many cities nationwide to give more space for people out moving and exercising while maintaining 6 feet of social distance (where we have sidewalks, most sidewalks are only 5 to 6 feet wide, not allowing people to pass while maintaining social distance.
Locally, it was launched by Mayor Durkan and SDOT fairly quickly. They specifically chose to launch it on Greenways since those were already in place as slow traffic streets prioritizing pedestrians and bikes over cars. Here's an article when they were launched: https://sdotblog.seattle.gov/2020/04/16/announcing-stay-healthy-streets/ . Here's another article talking more in-depth about pros and cons: https://westseattleblog.com/2020/05/stay-healthy- streets-explained-discussed-seattle-pedestrian-advisory-board/ Since that first announcement the network has gradually been expanded in response to public usage and popularity. The StayHealthy Streets program was for an indefinite length of time, roughly estimated originally to last through Sept, or more recently, into October, depending on usage. I'm not aware of any final date having been determined, but I believe the current intent may be to keep them until towards the end of October.
The Mayor and SDOT announced mid-summer that roughly 20 miles of them will be permanent. Which 20 miles is still being decided I believe, depending on results of various public surveys and traffic counts SDOT has undertaken, results of some collision studies, city money issues, etc. See https://www.myballard.com/2020/05/08/seattle-to-make-20-miles-of-stay-healthy-streets- permanent/ They are not closed to all traffic. They are meant to allow local traffic to serve the particular block, but where pedestrians and bikes have the right-of-way (sort of like cul-de-sacs in suburban neighborhoods). Northgate Pedestrian & Bicycle Bridge---Transportation/Seattle.gov Here is the link to Bridge information, and you can sign up on their mailing list for monthly or every other month updates. http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/programs/bridges-stairs-and-other- structures/bridges/northgate-pedestrian-and-bicycle-bridge NG Ped/Bike Bridge cont. What we’ve heard through design. Based on community input throughout the project, we know there’s interest in: Minimizing environmental impacts of the bridge by making sure, for example, that the project doesn’t disturb wildlife during construction and ensuring the bridge’s drainage system (for stormwater) is designed to enhance wetlands on the west end Ensuring safety and security of all bridge travelers Wayfinding and traffic control The experience of people biking and using other wheeled devices (e.g., scooters, wheelchairs, strollers, rollerblades, suitcases, etc.) Connecting the bridge to other infrastructure, including neighborhood bike routes Separating or managing modes of traffic on the bridge Other topics of interest included the project’s cost, the bridge’s durability, and maintaining vegetation. Thank you Susan Ward for sending this link.
FIRE STATION #31 There is a land use sign at 1319 N Northgate Way saying it will be demolished. An article in The Seattle Times 5.6.20 calls this building ‘The Cancer House’ and states the project budget cost is $43M for design and construction of new Fire House. The land use sign at Epic Life Church states their east parking lot will become a temporary Fire Station
31 with tents and 13 parking spaces.
The Seattle Times article (mentioned above) also states the City of Seattle will pay Epic Life Church $10,000.00 a month for 5 years to lease this land. Again, The Seattle Times article states the new site for FS#31 is 11302 Meridian Ave N I drove by this address and there is no indication that anything is planned for this site.