The Montlake Flyer
A newsletter for the entire Montlake community
Discussion of Library Siting Resolution Continues
At a well-attended
October meeting of the Montlake Community Club, the membership was unable to
agree upon the wording for a proposed resolution on siting the new Montlake
Branch Library. Though many in attendance expressed support for the intention
of the proposed resolution, several residents were uncomfortable with the
wording of the proposal and both the resolution, as published in the October
issue of The Montlake Flyer, and an amended version of it failed to gain
sufficient support for approval. MCC Board members and Library Liaison
Committee members have continued to work with concerned residents to achieve
consensus on a newly drafted resolution to be brought before the community for
a vote at the November meeting. Please read the new proposal, which appears
after the minutes from the October General Meeting.
Husky Stadium Update
The Husky Stadium Advisory Committee met
September 27 to review the neighborhood problems associated with the Seahawks
games. In short, measurements of traffic and parking citations over the first
three games showed steady improvements. Certain goals that had been set at the
times of the City-Seahawks Use Permit for the Stadium have largely been
attained. For example, a survey showed 205 cars parked in UW lots per 1,000
Seahawks attendees, close to the goal of 195. Inspections show that most trash
has been cleaned up promptly after each game. Metro busses are full—bus use is
so popular (40% of fans use it) that the Seahawks are trying to arrange for
additional park & ride lots and more busses.
The Seahawks have shown how much room there is
to improve Husky game traffic and parking. Specifically, there are 285 parked
cars per 1,000 Husky game attendees, and only 22% of the fans arrive by bus.
Let's hope that we can change the Husky game traffic management plan to our
benefit next time it comes up for negotiation.
There continue to be problems. Montlake
residents should continue to report problems, annoyances and suggestions, as
described in previous MCC newsletters and mailings from the Seahawks. These
make a difference.
For example, there are occasional reports of fan
misbehavior, principally theft of cars left on streets and in unexposed
driveways after games. (If you have a garage, use it.) Continue to report
parking problems in Parks lots at the playfield, arboretum and MOHAI.
It must be added that police are committed to
eliminating illegal parking on private lawns, arguing that every car that parks
on a lawn is also a car that congests residential streets. Since lawn parking
is (and has been) illegal without a city license, and since residents are
concerned about the use of residential streets during games, the police intend
to enforce all of the laws, even those that have not been enforced consistently
in the past.
Inside
President’s Message; Board Meeting Minutes
General Meeting Minutes
Proposed MCC Library Siting Resolution
Committee Reports; Notices
Notices and Announcements
CUCAC Report, Events of
Interest
Letters to the Editor
President’s Comments
Please keep the Seattle Public Library Board informed of your opinions
on the re-siting of our branch library. The Board meets the last Tuesday of
each month at the downtown facility. A critical session, from this
neighborhood's perspective, will be November 28, 2000. The Board hopes to have
the Montlake siting resolved by end of 2000.
I encourage, as well, your monitoring of the Trans-Lake Washington
Project and its published alternatives for potential changes to SR-520. Please
plan to attend the community forum on November 15 to check design goals for
various reconfigurations of the roadway. Check our webpage for details.
Two public
service announcements
Plan on the Christmas tree
sale at Montlake Elementary School on Saturday morning, December 9, 2000, which
benefits the PTSA.
Finally, if there are
Montlake residents who need it, please call me for a ride to the polls on
November 7. I have a list of patriots who will help get you there. Please vote!
October 4, 2000 The Board of Trustees of the
Montlake Community Club convened at 7:40 p.m. at the Montlake Community Center,
with president Clarissa Easton presiding. Members DeBurle, Doran, Hutchinson,
Judson, Kolb, Storie, and Thompson were present.
President Easton, reporting
on the work of the Transportation Committee, began by distributing copies of
two recently issued documents headed "Trans-Lake Washington Project.” The
two reports to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
prepared by the Trans-Lake Technical Steering Committee were entitled
"Preliminary Definition of Alternatives for First Level Screening"
and "First Level Screening Evaluation Results (Working Draft).” According
to President Easton, political pressure to begin some construction to increase
vehicle capacity across the lake continues to increase, and WSDOT is responding
by trying to accelerate the environmental impact statement process.
The two documents were reviewed
briefly by the board. The first identified 15 alternatives for transportation
infrastructure across the lake, along with three more general ideas that could
either be supplemental or implemented independently. Alternatives ranged from
"no action" to expanding SR-520 to eight lanes to adding a new
six-lane bridge and freeway between Kirkland and I-5. The second document rated
transportation effectiveness and environmental impacts of these alternatives
and provided cost estimates. There was some discussion of possible club action
but no decisions taken.
Don Argus, a Montlake
resident, read either the resolution (as published in the October newsletter)
that he will present for adoption at the coming general meeting. The resolution
puts the club in the position of opposing any future library site which
displaces residents from their homes or destroys existing housing. He also
presented his arguments for its passage. One of the three sites presently
favored by the Library Board would require demolition of private residences.
Ellen Judson, Library
Liaison Committee chair, reported that the level of public input to the Library
Board has increased, and that there is some opposition to all three sites. She
reported that the committee had met again to identify additional sites in the
Montlake business area that do not involve residences, but had found none that
interested the Library Board.
Diane Thompson reported that
Seattle Prep, which often uses the Montlake Playfield for football practice, is
exploring with the Seattle Parks Department the possibility of providing an
all-weather surface for the football field there.
Mimi DeBurle mentioned that
she thought the traffic and parking problems associated with the festival at
Saint Demetrios were unusually bad this year, and that possibly complacency has
set in after a period in which the problems had been mild. She also wondered
how the board interpreted the club's commitment to “preserve the southeast lot
in its natural condition,” referring to the club property at 24th and Boyer,
which her Beautification Committee is trying to address. Different opinions
were offered, but there was general agreement that it didn’t prohibit removal
of blackberries and introducing some new plantings.
The
meeting was adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
October 11,
2000 The Montlake Community Club convened at 7:30 p.m.
at the Montlake Community Center, with President Clarissa Easton presiding.
Approximately 35 members were present. The minutes of the previous meeting were
approved as published.
University of Washington Campus Master Plan
Theresa Doherty (UW Master
Plan Staff), Peter Dewey (UW Transportation Systems Manager) and Brodie Bain
(Weinstein Copeland Architects) provided an introduction to the new University
of Washington Campus Master Plan. According to Ms. Doherty, the Plan, which is
scheduled for public release on October 16, will govern the physical
development of the Seattle campus from 2002 to 2012. It succeeds the current
1992-2002 General Physical Development Plan, and has been two years in
preparation. She said its development began with the discussion of valued
campus elements that should be protected or enhanced. The next step was
identification of existing open space, current circulation patterns, and
potential development sites that would retain important open spaces and be
compatible with existing or improved circulation patterns. The plan anticipates
3,000 to 4,000 additional students and 5,000 additional staff and faculty
positions, a ratio she explained is a result of the University's success as a
research facility. Approximately 3 million square feet of additional buildings
will be required to support the personnel increase.
The new plan identifies 58
potential development sites, able to accommodate about 8 million square feet of
construction. Ms. Doherty explained that actual site selection will depend on
where growth occurs and what funding is provided during the coming decade. She
provided a handout containing site descriptions, potential development alternatives,
and discussion of how surrounding areas are influenced.
Brodie Bain described two
sites that would depend on approval of street vacations by the city. One
proposal would alter Campus Parkway to place all traffic lanes in the south
part of the right of way, moving the open space from the median to the north
side. She said that the University District Urban Plan asked for improvements
to Campus Parkway, and this was the UW's suggestion. The second proposal was
for a lid over 300 feet of NE Pacific Street, with the objective of better
tying the south campus and lake shore to the central campus. A new building
would be have to be constructed on the lid in order to justify funding of this
proposal.
Peter Dewey began by stating
that the U-Pass Program was the cornerstone of the UW's Transportation
Management Plan, and passed out copies of the most recent report on the
program. He pointed out that 33% of those coming to campus drove alone in 1989,
while only 25% did so in 1998, which kept traffic counts constant during a
period of significant growth. The objective of the new plan is to keep
automobile traffic to and from the campus from increasing.
The UW Campus Master Plan
will be posted on the UW website and available at Seattle Public Libraries. The
public comment period ends on November 30.
Museum of History and Industry
Leonard Garfield, Executive
Director of the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), talked about museum
plans—activities at the current site during the coming months, and the move to
a new downtown location. He said that the Seattle Post Intelligencer had
donated its photo archives to MOHAI some time ago and, after spending 10 years
organizing the 7,000 images, the museum was able to produce a current special
exhibit entitled, "See All About It—100 Years of the Seattle P.I."
Another special exhibit will be "Home for the Holidays,” which opens the
Saturday after Thanksgiving with craft sales, trees decorated by different
ethnic groups, and a Frederick & Nelson Christmas display. Along with this
exhibit, Noel Barrett, antique toy appraiser who often appears on Antiques Road
Show, will be at the museum sometime in December. A special costume exhibit,
"Who, What, Wear", will open in February; and September of next year
will mark the beginning of an exhibit celebrating the 150th anniversary of the
Denny party's settlement in Seattle. Mr. Garfield mentioned that the museum web
site, seattlehistory.org,
provides current information on MOHAI and its exhibits, and that museum
admission is free on the next four Sundays, courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks
and Football Northwest.
Regarding the planned move,
Mr. Garfield first provided a little history. He said that MOHAI is a private,
nonprofit organization, that it has been in its current location since 1954,
that it paid for the construction of the present building on Seattle Park
Department land, and that it gave the building to the Park Department some time
ago and now occupies it on a lease. The have 10,000 square feet of storage at
the present site, another 20,000 in a rented warehouse on Rainier Avenue, and
some additional warehouse space donated by The Boeing Company.
Their new museum will be
located at 8th and Pike, across from the Washington State Convention and Trade
Center, and they expect the number of annual museum visits to increase from
30,000 to 150,000 because of the change in location. They hope to move in 2005,
and have an agreement to lease it prior to that date as a temporary home for
the Seattle Public Library's downtown branch while that branch is being
rebuilt. After the move, they plan to retain their library and storage space at
the Montlake site and to convert some of the exhibit space to additional
storage space. They do not yet know how much of the present building they will
vacate. The Parks Department will find another tenant for this space. In his
opinion, the Montlake Branch Library would be an ideal co-tenant.
In response to questions, he
said:
·
The
building is fundamentally sound, though the flat roof is a maintenance problem;
there are operational problems owing to its construction in five separate
stages.
·
The
present lease at Montlake expires in 2005 and is renewable at the foundation’s
option.
·
They
hope to have firmer plans within 6 months.
·
Entrance
fees will undoubtedly be higher at the new location, but there should be more
opportunity for subsidized visits for school children and other local groups.
·
They
will have no parking lot of their own downtown. Convention Center area lots
should serve, except during special events like the Flower & Garden Show.
Library Siting Resolution
Don Argus moved that the
following published resolution regarding Montlake Library siting be adopted:
Resolved:
That the Montlake Community Club demand that the Seattle Public Library Board
remove from consideration any potential Montlake Library sites that involve the
destruction of housing or the displacement of residents.
In support of the
resolution, he argued that other neighborhoods have taken this position and obtained
satisfactory sites; that there are several other potential sites that do not
involve residences; that objections to some of these other sites on pedestrian
safety grounds should apply equally to a site on 24th and McGraw, based on the
frequency of traffic accidents there; and that an MCC committee should not have
identified residences within the community as possible sites to the Library
Board.
Robert Newhouse moved to
amend the resolution by replacing the word "demands" with the word
"requests", and by adding the phrase "without their
consent" at the end of the sentence.
There was lengthy and
spirited debate on both the resolution and the amendment, with much of the
discussion involving opinions regarding destruction of housing and placing
restrictions on the choice of sites. There were also differences of opinion
regarding the acceptability of obtaining a residential site from willing
sellers. When the votes were counted, the amendment was passed, 21 in favor and
9 opposed, but the resolution was defeated, 13 to 16.
Announcements
Diane Thompson spoke briefly
in support of the Seattle Parks Levy on next month's ballot. She said it had
been four years in development, should be good for everyone in the city, and
included $3 million for improvements at the Montlake Community Center and
Playfield.
President Easton offered
club contribution envelopes to the assembly, mentioning that the club should be
building a legal fund while the SR-520 design alternatives are being examined.
She said that design sketches will be available at a public meeting in Montlake
on November 15, with the meeting place to be determined.
The
meeting was adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Proposed Library Siting Resolution
The
following resolution will be put before the MCC membership for vote at the
November General Meeting:
Resolved, that the Montlake Community Club express to the Library Board the neighborhood's strong opposition to siting the new Montlake Branch Library at any location that would require the taking of residences from unwilling sellers.
Committee Reports
Montlake Community Center Advisory Council Update
By
Diane Thompson
On November 7, you will have the opportunity to
vote for Proposition 1, the “Parks for All” levy. Proposition 1 was developed
over 4 years by citizens participating in the PRO Parks 2000 Planning
Committee. If this $198.2 million ballot measure passes, Montlake Community
Center will receive $2,989,900 for major improvements. These improvements are
long overdue at our busy Community Center. This levy funds more than 100
projects to develop and maintain existing parks, facilities and the Woodland
Park Zoo, and to acquire new neighborhood parks, green spaces, playfields,
trails and boulevards throughout Seattle. It would also fund new programs for
seniors and youth. Detailed information on all the proposed projects is
available on the Proposition 1 website, http://www.parksforall.com/.
Click on the specific category of interest (City Wide projects, NW Seattle, NE
Seattle, Central Seattle, South Seattle, West Seattle, Woodland Park Zoo. You
can also find out details by calling “Neighbors for Seattle Parks” at
206-342-9988 or e-mail to info@parksforall.com.
The
Montlake Advisory Council is looking for new members. If you use the community
center and are interested, please contact Roger Peter at 684-4736. The advisory
council oversees Community Center operations and meets on the first Monday of
the month at 7:00 p.m. in the new annex.
Trans-Lake Washington Project Update
The TLWP Citizen Advisory Committee has now met three times. We and the Technical Committee are recommending that the TLWP Executive Committee (the elected officials who will make the final decisions) limit the options to be further explored in the Environmental Impact Statement for SR 520 to the following:
·
No Action (except replacement of the pontoon
portion of the bridge, which will wear out by 2020—this option must be
reviewed, for comparison to the other options).
·
Minimum Footprint (No lane changes, addition
of bike/pedestrian path & vehicle pull-outs).
·
1 additional High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane
in each direction.
·
1 additional HOV and 1 additional General
Purpose (GP) lane in each direction.
·
1 additional GP lane in each direction.
·
1 additional bus-only/van pool lane in each
direction.
·
High Capacity Transit (HCT-technology to be
defined) in SR 520 corridor.
·
HCT in I-90 corridor.
·
HCT in a new mid-lake corridor.
·
Increased Transportation Demand Management/ System
Management measures.
These options will be further reduced and combined into “packages” during the Level II screening process, which will begin immediately. Level II screening focuses heavily on neighborhood-based Community Design Workshops in Montlake, Eastlake/Roanoke, the Points Community and Bellevue. Each area will host three workshops and community open houses between this November and next March to review and comment on several proposals, so the Executive Committee can make a final decision on alternatives to be studied by June 2001.
Notices
Land Use Committee Meeting
Montlake Land
Use Committee Chair Roger Leed welcomes new and continuing members at a meeting
on Monday, November 13 at 7:30 at his home (1826 E. Hamlin). On the agenda are
the University's Comprehensive Plan and University Village expansion plans. For
more information, suggestions of additional agenda items, or to get on an email
or phone list for future meetings, contact Roger at (206) 329-9208 or e-mail to
rmleed@pipeline.com.
Transportation Committee Meeting
The Transportation Committee meets from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. in the satellite building at Montlake Community Center. We will review City's upcoming University Area Transportation Study with SeaTran staffperson, John Layzer.
The MCC Board of Trustees will meet from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in the satellite building at the community center following the Transportation meeting.
Announcements
Montlake Community Center Winter Events and Activities
Montlake holiday
madness is upon us, Join your local community center for a holiday season full
of fun, excitement and service. We will begin our winter holiday season with the annual Montlake Halloween Carnival Friday
October 27 from 6 to 8p.m. Bring a $1 or canned-food donation for our
adopt-a-family gift basket.
Thanks-For-Giving days follow November 20 through 22. Our
teens will secure final donations for the adopt-a-family gift basket, select a
family and deliver our gifts.
Our holiday card making program, sponsored in part by our local Girl
Scouts, will take place from December 18 to 22. Bring the entire
family to these wonderful community events, we look forward to your
participation!
Basketball
Registration for 10- to 17-year-olds begins October 16 and for 8- to
9-year-olds November 2.
In addition to
all of our holiday special events, Montlake offers a variety of classes and
activities. We are always looking for more new and exciting opportunities to
enhance our programs—any suggestions?
Lastly, don’t
forget Montlake offers before- and After-school programs for 6- to 12-year-olds
daily. Transportation is provided to a variety of local schools. If you are
interested in coaching basketball, or wish to offer comments or suggestions,
call Anita Adams at 684-4736. See you at the Center!
Adopt-a-Drain
With
leaf-raking season upon us, it’s time to renew our awareness of street drains.
Blocked street drains create street and home flooding problems from September
through March. Please help. Rake leaves away from gutters, identify any drains
near your home and keep them clear. Rain water that has a clear path to a drain
carries less debris from the street and sends fewer solids to the sewage
station for treatment. During extended rainy periods, some drains get plugged several
times in the same day. If you can’t clear a drain yourself, call Street
Cleaning at 684-7508 or, for below-surface blockages or street flooding,
684-7506. Thanks for your help.
Help First and Second Graders Learn To Read
The
Sound Partners reading program is looking for tutors to help first- and
second-grade students at Montlake Elementary School with reading. All tutors
will receive training from Sound Partners. Tutoring sessions are held Monday
through Friday, preferably in the morning. Tutors should expect to spend from ½
hour to 2 hours per week with students. The program has proven effective with
students who have trouble learning to read and has earned numerous Federal
grants. For more information, call Lisa Bauer at 206-527-9559 days or 206-527-8140
evenings.
CUCAC Meeting Report
By
Ken Fales
What will the
University of Washington look like by the year 2012 and should Montlakers care?
The answer to the second question is YES. The answer to the first question is a
little more complex.
The City University
Community Advisory Committee (CUCAC) spent most of its October 10, 2000 meeting
discussing a Draft Campus Master Plan 2002-2012. Some of its features were
introduced to the Montlake Community Club at the October 11 meeting by the
folks from the University who are developing the plan. A formal distribution of
the draft plan will be in the mail the week of October 16. I encourage all of
my neighbors in Montlake to take a look at it.
In
general, this plan does not describe specific buildings that the University
intends to construct over the next 10 years, but rather indicates land areas
where new building of some undisclosed use may be sited. Increased University
population over these 10 years, in the form of students, faculty and staff are
cited as the main reason for the proposed new development. Traffic is usually
considered one of Montlake's chief headaches. The subject is covered in this
Draft Master Plan, but does not appear to help us address the problem. This
aspect of THE PLAN should receive close attention. There will be open houses
and public hearings on the plan scheduled for November and December of this
year.
Events of Interest
Ikebana Demonstrations and Exhibit
Enjoy
a glorious display of flower arrangements by local Ikebana artists with hosts
Gerry Green and Ellen Widmayer at the Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum
Drive E. Refreshments will be served. Sunday, November 12, from 1:00 to 3:00
p.m. Free.
Greens Galore: Holiday Greenery and Gifts
The
Arboretum Foundation's popular Greens Galore sale of holiday greenery and
hand-made gift items takes place on Saturday, December 2, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at
Washington Park Arboretum's Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Drive East,
Seattle. Featured will be wreaths and swags created from fresh Northwest
greens, including holly, cedar, fir, spruce, pine, magnolia, and camellia.
Other holiday decorations include birdhouses and feeders, paperwhites,
potpourri, and unique gift items. Admission is free. Parking is limited. Please
dress for the weather and bring a bag or box to carry your purchases home. All
proceeds benefit the Arboretum Foundation's support of the Washington Park
Arboretum. For more information, please call 206-726-1954.
Northwest Flower & Garden Show Preview Party
The
13th annual Preview Party for the Northwest Flower & Garden Show, produced
by the Arboretum Foundation to benefit Washington Park Arboretum, is scheduled
for 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 6, 2001 at the Washington State Convention
& Trade Center in downtown Seattle. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Preview
Party guests will view dozens of beautiful display gardens the evening before
the Show opens to the public, while enjoying delicious hors d 'oeuvres and
beverages, entertainment and a popular silent auction. Call (206) 726-1954 for
information.
Letters to the Editor
Library Siting Proposals
Montlake Neighbors:
We have been Montlake residents living on 24th
Ave. East since 1986. We are shocked, and the Montlake Community should be
outraged, that residents would be forced to sell their homes against their
will. A library should enhance a neighborhood, not tear it down. Home prices in
Montlake are high and even higher east and west of 24th. If the
residents are forced to sell their home, even at “fair” market value, they may
be unable to afford commensurate property in the neighborhood.
Does Montlake want to expand the business
district? If so everyone on or near 24th is at risk. I urge the
community club to take a stand that we will not endorse forcing people to sell
their homes and to favor the Museum of History and Industry site, which has
plenty of parking, and when residents used the library they could also
appreciate the arboretum.
—Debra
& Merle Adler
Kickoff Rally for Proposition 1-Parks for All
More than 150 people came to Montlake Community Center on September 23 for the kickoff rally for Proposition 1-Parks for All, which will be on the November ballot. In attendance were Deputy Mayor Tom Byers, City Council members Jan Drago, Nick Licata, and Richard Conlin, State Senator Jeanne Kohl-Welles, and State Representative Ed Murray. Montlake Community Center expansion is just one of more than 100 projects that will be funded by the levy.
Proposition 1-Parks for All has now received the
endorsement of the Seattle Post Intelligencer, 29 elected officials and
more than 70 organizations, as well as contributions from more than 350
individuals. Proposition 1 is truly a grassroots campaign, based on a proposal
that grew out of plans drawn up by neighborhood groups throughout the city. It
will help preserve, maintain and improve our Seattle parks, playfields, trails,
greenspaces and Woodland Park Zoo. For more information, contact Neighbors for
Seattle Parks, 313 Minor Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, 206-342-9988, or
e-mail to info@parksforall.com.
To learn more about projects included in the levy, visit the Web site at http://www.parksforall.com/.
Please vote for Proposition 1-Parks for All.
It’s a good thing for the future of Montlake and the entire city.
—Didi
Anstett