Montlake Community Club

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The President’s Message

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Dear Neighbors,

I have just completed 5 years on the Montlake Community Club (MCC) Board of Trustees. I held a trustee position for 3 years and I have been President for 2 years. As I retire from the board, I am pleased to report that the focus of the board is much more active than 5 year ago when I first joined. At that time the board spent most of our time and energy dealing with WSDOT and the 520 design and construction. Later we worried about Sound Transit digging a train tunnel under the neighborhood. Although we are still keeping a close eye on the bridge and Sound Transit, our focus now is how to make Montlake an even better place to live while these construction projects continue.

1. Traffic Safety: Board members, Lionel Job and Rainer Metzger have established a solid connection with SDOT. Through their efforts some traffic and pedestrian improvements for our neighborhood are now on the city’s To Do List. Thank you, Lionel and Rainer!

2. Business District Connection: The board designated a trustee position for a business district liaison, so we can work with our business owners to enhance our small commercial area. Board Secretary Kathy Laughman has led this effort. This year for the first time we were able to help the businesses with holiday lighting to brighten up 24th Avenue during December. With increased financial support this year, we hope to expand this for 2015. This year a board committee with business owners will work on a design for sidewalk improvements and look for grant funds for this project.

3. National Historic District Designation: Following several years of work on our application, we expect this fall the National Park Service will recognize Montlake as a National Historic District and we will be listed on that national registry. Jon Decker, former MCC board member has headed this project. This gives the neighborhood some protection during 520 construction. The federal government recognizes that construction projects they help to fund must be conducted in a manner that will not damage historic building with a historic district.

4. Liaison with Montlake School: The board designated a trustee position for a member of the PTA who can help communicate between the school community and the MCC board. Our goal is to keep neighbors without children at the school, informed about school activities. The board would like to see more neighborhood support, especially for the school’s fund raising efforts which enhance the school’s programs.

5. Celebrating our Neighborhood Talent: Nathalie Gehrke, retiring MCC Vice President, is chairing this project. Again this year we are showcasing our resident writers, artists and musicians. But rather than a Sunday afternoon event at the community center, this year we will be using a different venue. Our talented neighbors will be sharing their music, art and writing at the library or at one of our businesses. We call these events “Montlake Unabridged”. This format will give a better look at their talent and let participants sell their work. Watch this website calendar for the dates of these events.

6. Volunteers: The board is hopeful that some volunteers will step forward and help with projects for 2015-16. This includes help with our annual October yard sale, the Snow Brigade, the holiday lighting project and maintaining our gardens at the pocket parks on Boyer and 24th Avenue.

We also have one Board Trustee position open for 2015-18. The requirements for serving as a Trustee are simply to attend or monthly meetings (second Tuesday of the month at the Boyer Children’s Clinic). We hope someone who cares about the neighborhood will volunteer for this position. Someone with some new ideas and a willingness to help with our on-going projects would be especially welcomed. You can contact the board to volunteer at board@montlake.net .

7. Election of Officers for 2015-16. Since we are not holding a neighborhood meeting this month, our election of officers will be held on-line. LeAna Alvarado-Smith, our Flyer Editor will be sending out the on-line ballot at the end of the month. Please participate. This is also an opportunity to give feedback to the board on any topic of concern.

I wish you all a wonderful summer. I hope to see you at some of the Montlake Unabridged events.

Author Margot Kahn Speaks At Montlake Library

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Montlake area author, Margot Kahn Case, kicked off the Community Club’s Montlake Unabridged program spotlighting our neighbors’ talents. Margot spoke to an enthusiastic audience at the library Monday evening, May 4th, discussing her biographical book, Horses that Buck: The Story of Champion Bronc Rider Bill Smith. She read from the text and told the story of how she met Bill Smith and decided to write about his life. She also described her writing process and how fellow writers in her Master’s degree program assisted in fine tuning the draft. Following the presentation, Margot chatted with attendees and autographed the book copies (4th edition just out in paperback) offered for sale by Phinney Books.

Margot’s presentation was just the first event the Library and Community Club will co-sponsor on Monday evenings at the library during the summer and fall, 2015. Librarian, Blythe Summers, announced the plan to host a different Montlake author each month, including J.L.Spohr (June 29); Arthur Lee Jacobson (July 27) and Peter Manos (August 24). The Montlake.net website and the library website will continue to publicize the featured author events to make sure you get them on your calendar. Watch for more details and be sure to join your neighbors in the upcoming events.

 

WSDOT To Begin Construction Site Tours

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At the May update meeting of the 520 Bridge construction, WSDOT staff announced that the June, July and August monthly meetings will include a tour of the bridge construction area. The tours will begin with a brief meeting at the Graham Visitors Center. Afterward staff will lead neighbors out to Foster Island and beyond to view the current construction area. Participants are advised to wear hiking boots of shoes and be prepared for a one-hour walk. Interested neighbors who want to go on the tour need to register in advance. The dates for the tours are:

Wednesday, June 3rd, 5:30 pm

Wednesday, July 1st, 5:30 pm

Wednesday, August 5th, 5:30 pm.

Register for the tour on the WSDOT website: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/SR520Bridge/WABN. Look for the article “Latest WABN Construction Update”.

WSDOT and the Flat Iron Construction Co. staff announced the Lake Washington Blvd. street closures that were previewed last month. The street will be completely closed to car and pedestrian traffic from Montlake Blvd. to 26th Ave. East on May 29-June 1 and June 5-7. Home owners along the Blvd. will be offered hotel vouchers so they can vacate their homes during these periods.

Two ongoing projects were discussed. The sidewalk widening at the corner of Lake WA Blvd. and Montlake Blvd. has been stalled due to the large amount of utility cables located nearby. The sidewalk work on Montlake Blvd. near Hamlin and Shelby is near completion.

This month, construction of 8 of the 12 parking stalls on East Park Drive is beginning. These stalls will provide convenient parking for kayakers and other park users who visit the kayak launch which will be developed on the lake shore near East Park Drive. The final 4 stalls will be done at a later date. There was discussion about parking restriction for this parking lot to deter UW staff and students from using the spaces during the day. SDOT staff reported that there would not be zone restriction to reserve the spaces for Montlake residents. However, there will be a 4 hour time limit imposed on drivers Monday throught Saturday.

520 Bridge Construction Impacting Nearby Homes

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The monthly information meetings with the Washington Dept. of Transportation and the Flat Iron Construction Co. are continuing on the first Wednesday of every month at the Arboretum’s Graham Visitor’s Center. At the April 1st meeting the teams brought new aerial photos showing the WBAN progress.

There was discussion of the problems that have occurred recently. The accident involving a metro bus that was hit by a falling overhead sign was detailed. That occurred when large pipes were being off-loaded from a truck parked on the shoulder in the staging area. A pipe slipped and hit the overhead sign, causing it to fall, hitting the front of the bus. Several bus passengers and the driver were injured. This incident is still being investigated. WSDOT reported that there are safety officers on site who watch for potential hazzards and dangersous situations. Their priority is keeping all workers and motorists safe.

There was also discussion about vibration from the construction activities and the impact it could have on our historic homes. There are 10 vibration monitors in place which are monitored continuiously. These meters are located on Hamlin St., Lake WA Blvd., Roanoke St., and at Canterbury Shores and the Edgewater Apartments in Madison Park. One Montlake property owner has reported ceiling cracks have developed in his home since construction began. WSDOT is investigating this.

A neighbor on Hamlin Street reported that a large truck hauling a double trailer heading north near the Montlake Blvd. Market, missed the turn on Lake WA Blvd. and proceeded to Hamlin Street. At the end of Hamlin, when the driver realized he could not enter the staging area, he backed up knocking over a street light on the Hamlin parking strip. To make the left turn to East Park Drive, he drove over the parking strip, flattening a No Parking sign and tearing up the lawn on the parking strip.
A member from the Seattle Yacht Club reminded the audience that all the usual Opening Day of Yachting activities would occur this year on Saturday, May 2nd. He reminded people that there was no parking available in the MOHAI area this year and those who have used that parking lot in the past would need to make other arrangements.

WSDOT staff announced construction activities that would close 520 and other streets in the coming month. Lake Washington Blvd. will be closed for a weekend so that new, large pipes can be installed and man holes can be replaced to collect larger amounts of rain water from the new larger 520 roadway. The water is then funneled to the treatment plant.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, May 6, 2015 at 5:30 pm – Arboretum’s Graham Visitor’s Center

Boyer Children’s Clinic To Host MCC Board Meetings

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boyerThe Boyer Children’s Clinic has invited the Montlake Community Club Board of Trustees to use the Clinic’s  board room for the MCC’s monthly meetings.  The Community Club board meetings have been held at  board members’ homes for the last 4 years.  The meetings were moved from the Community Center at the Montlake Park to save money on rental fees and because the center closes at 9:00pm and the staff would not allow the board to meet beyond that closing time.

The Boyer Clinic has a spacious room where their board of directors meets on the garage level of the building.  There is plenty of room for all 13 members of the MCC board to be seated at tables.  There’s also plenty of room for any visitors who may want to attend a board meeting.  The MCC board meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 7:00pm September-June.

In trade for this service, the Community Club will assist the Clinic in publicizing their programs and services to the neighborhood on the Montlake.net website.  This will include their preschool program for normally developing children who attend programs with disabled children to provide peer models.  The website will also announce fund raising events such as their annual auction so that Montlake area residents can be informed about the clinic and offer support.    Visit the clinic’s website to learn more about the scope of their services to children and parents.

Arboretum Trail Meeting Held

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On January 28, 2015, a public meeting was held to gather input regarding the new Arboretum Multi-Use Loop Trail.  Representatives from the Seattle Park Dept. and the Dept. of Transportation (SDOT) and WSDOT hosted the meeting.  The plans for the trail are now complete and construction contracts will be put out for bids this spring.  Constuction will begin later this year,

Much of the discussion was about the location of the south end of the trail and how to make it safe for pedesttrians and bikers.  The  park dept. does not want to disturb the trees and landscape features at the entrance to the Arboretun at the intersection of Lake Washington Blvd. and Madison St.  So the trail will start on 31st Avenue East, at a new Arboretum entrance, about 1 block north of Madison, near the rear of the stone cottage on Lake WA. Blvd.

Thirty-first Avenue East is  a narrow 2-lane street at this location.  The staff wanted to hear from residents on 31st and nearby streets what the impact would be if 31st was changed to a one-lane, one-way only, northbound street.  The other lane of the street would become a bike lane. Unfortunately, only one resident from this area was in attandance.  He felt this change would be a mild annoyance, but something residents could accommodate.  It was less disruptive to the neighborhood street traffic than some other plans SDOT was considering.

The President of the Madison Park Community Council, Maurice Cooper, was at the meeting.  He asked the staff to attend the next neighborhood meeting of the MPCC to discuss this traffic issue with additional residents. The staff agreed to do this so that more input would be gathered about this potentional change for 31st Ave E.

The staff reviewed several features of the Loop Trail for those who were not familar with the plan:

1.  Arboretum Creek will be day lighted.

2. The trail will allow dry access to wetlands that are usually off limits most of the year.

3.  Paving material will be appropriate for walkers, strollers and slower-paced bicyclists.

4.   The trail will connect with the 520 Bridge-Montlake area trails when the funding for the final phase of the bridge project is allocated and built. Until that time, the trail will cover a loop, east of Lake Washingon Blvd. from 31st Ave. East to the Graham Visitors’ Center.

Montlake School Plans Annual Auction

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logo2015auctionSaturday, March 28,2015, is the date of this year’s school fund raising auction.  It will be held at the St. Demetrious Greek Church.  This event raises over 50% of the PTSA’s annual budget.  The funds are used to reduce class size, provide extra reading support and support the multi-media, art, music and green house programs.

This year’s auction chair person, Maureen Gaines, is hoping for a big turnout.  Past auctions have brought over 300 supporters from the Montlake community to this important and fun event.  Maureen is also hoping that both parents and other Montlakers will make donations to the auction.  This can be done by going to the auction website and down loading the donation form.

In addition to donating items or services to the auction, supporters are encouraged to buy advertising space in the auction catalog to advertise a business or service.  The catalog will be distributed to hundreds of Montlake area residents.  All donations made to the school are tax deductible.  The PTSA is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.

The Montlake Community Club is a strong supporter of our neighborhood school.  It continues to be one of Seattle Public Schools best performing elementary schools.  This is in part due to the excellent enrichment programs and strong financial support from the parents and the neighborhood.

 

 

Montlake Snow Brigade Is Standing By

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montlake snowToday is the first day of winter.  So it is a good time to remind Montlakers that our neighborhood Snow Brigade is ready and standing by.  Last winter, our MCC Board Secretary, Kathy Laughman, recruited and organized a group of about 40 neighbors, forming the Snow Brigade.  These hearty folks volunteered to assist snow bound neighbors who needed help  with: (1) snow removal, (2) urgent errands, (3) and/or dog walking.  The volunteers weren’t called on last year because we saw hardly one flake of snow.

This year about a dozen of last year’s volunteers told us they are still available.  In case we finally get a real snow storm, we would like to recruit additional Brigade volunteers.  If you enjoy being out in the snow and can perform any of the 3 services listed above, please contact me at:  president@montlake.net.

Neighbors who think they may need help from the Brigade this winter should keep this phone number and e-mail address handy:

(206) 402-3192; snowbrigade@montlake.net.

OK, Mr. Weatherman, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Julee Neuhart, MCC President

520 Construction Team Apologizes To Neighbors

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On Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014, the regular monthy meeting of the WSDOT and the Flat Iron Construction Co. leaders met with Montlake residents.  The teams reviewed the November construction activities and reported on plans for December and January.  The activities from the November weekend when 520 was closed to allow removal of the “ramps to nowhere” was discussed.  The team received many complaints from neighbors awaken in the middle  of the night by excessive noise.  The noise was ecessive because a very large jack hammer, that is only to be used during daytime hours was used by mistake, in violation of the noise limits.  The teams apologized for this mistake and tried to assure residents that it would not  happen again.  Because of this mistake the city has revoked the noise ordinance waivers it had previous issued.

Work to remove the ramps progresses very slowly because the contractor is not allowed to let any debris fall  into the wetlands.  That means the pillars must be wrapped so all dust and cement debris can be collected and disposed of off site.

Much of the November work focused on tree removal in the path of the new, wider exit ramp from west bound 520 to north bound Montlake Blvd.  December and January work will be on the exit ramp from the Portage Bay Bridge to Montlake Blvd (the “Hop-In exit”) which will be widened to 3 lanes.  This work will necessitate closure of 1 lane on  the exit ramp which will occur during nightime construction.

Sidewalk work on the east side of Montlake Blvd. will begin soon to widen and smooth the pathway for bikes and walkers.  This work will be coordinated with city arborist staff to ensure that sidewalk trees, including the roots will not be damaged.

Complaints were raised about the frequent noise of the trucks driving in reverse.  The construction team said that the noise could be changed to a lower intensity alarm.  This was done during construction of the east end of the bridge in Bellevue.  They agreed to make this change as soon as possible.

The next meeting will be held at the Graham Visitors’ Center at the Arboretum, on Wednesday, January 7, 2015 from 5:30 to 6:30.

Visit the Montlake.Net Everything 520 Page for updates and meeting notes.

Montlake Historic District Update

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montlake historical homes

SR520History.Org

On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, a public meeting was held at the Community Center.  The purpose was to report to the neighborhood on the progress of our application to have Montlake designated as a National Historic District.  The neighborhood is eligible for this designation because of the large number of homes and buildings constructed in the early 1900’s that show distinct architectural styles, and that have been maintained in their original form over the years.  The evaluation team has reviewed over 1100 of our 1200 homes. They are still hoping to collect from owners any unique information about their home’s history.

The team reviewed the benefit of having Montlake receive this historic designation. While there are not regulations imposed on the property owners, there are federal regulations that must be observed if a federal project is conducted in the district.  These regulations protect the district from potential damage to historic structures by limiting the vibration and noise that can occur during a construction project.  The SR 520 bridge construction which is partially funded by the federal government must observe these standards.  The Montlake Community Club board has supported this application for Historic District designation so that vibration standards would be in play and hopefully will reduce the likelihood of damage to our old and beautifully maintained homes near the construction zone.