Montlake Community Club

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Join PBRP Community Council in Welcoming Senator Jamie Pedersen on July 2

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Montlake neighbors are invited and encouraged to attend the Portage Bay Roanoke Park Community Council meeting on July 2nd.  Senator Pedersen will be joining the meeting on Thursday where he will respond to submitted SR 520 topics, questions and concerns.

COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday, July 2, 6:30 P.M.
Queen City Yacht Club – 2608 Boyer Ave. E.
Special Guest Senator Jamie Pedersen

Agenda:

6:30 p.m.             Welcome
6:35 p.m.             Safety and Block Watch
6:45 p.m.             SR 520 Neighborhood Planning Grant
6:50 p.m.             Furhman-Boyer Traffic Calming
7:00 p.m.             Senator Jamie Pedersen                                              

 

Dynamic Message Sign Planned for 24th Ave E & E Lee – Montlakers Seek to Halt Installation

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Residents of Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood complain that the city’s plan for a big driver-information sign will only encourage side-street traffic.

Via Mike Lindblom, Seattle Times Transportation Reporter

Proposal for big overhead traffic sign riles Montlake residents

In its fervor to use technology to give drivers better information, the Seattle Department of Transportation has stirred a hornet’s nest in the Montlake neighborhood.

Residents are annoyed by the city’s plan to erect an overhead, real-time traffic message sign at 24th Avenue East and East Lee Street, where northbound traffic flows downhill toward Highway 520 and the University of Washington.

For only the second time, the city would be putting one of these steel-supported structures next to single-family homes.

Read the complete story HERE

Online Petition

Montlake neighbors have been collecting signatures for a petition against the sign. An online petition has also been created for those who wish to show their support against the sign. Click HERE or copy and paste this link: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/we-want-safer-streets.fb52?source=c.fb&r_by=13439808

 

What’s Happening In & Around Montlake

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wh0609Events in and around Montlake for the week of June 9th – June 16th

In Montlake

Registration Now OpenSummer-sketching-FACEBOOK-851x315-600x222

Tuesday, June 9th

Wednesday, June 10th

Friday, June 12thCarnival Ad

Night-Hike-Image-400x383Saturday, June 13th

Sunday, June 14th

Ongoing

Around Montlake

Registration OpenSKLogo_New_Circle

Thursday, June 11th 

Visit our neighborhood calendar to keep track of upcoming events. All registered users of Montlake.net are authorized to submit events via our Post Your Event tool.

Opportunity Knocks | Union Bay Watch

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IMG_5765-2Nesting osprey are exquisite little birds. With a little help from their friends, we might get to see young osprey on Union Bay in the near future. Find out more on:

Union Bay Watch

Have a great day on Union Bay…where osprey hope to nest!

Larry

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.

Volunteers Needed At Montlake Gateway Parks

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Gateway-Park-SE-Photo (1)Spring has certainly come and its time to reconnect with neighbors and do a spring clean-up of the gateway parks.  Please join Greg Ahmann and Justine Kennelly, the new Montlake Gateway Parks Maintenance Facilitators, for as much time as you can spare.  Gloves, clippers, and rakes are helpful.

Gateway Parks
Spring Clean-up
May 19, 2015
9:30 until noon

 

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

Give Metro Feedback Today

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Did you know Metro is considering deleting bus routes 11, 25, and 43 when the light rail is completed next year?

Alternative 1 deletes #s 11, 25, 43
Alternative 2 maintains 11, 25, and 43 with some modifications to route and frequency.

Give metro your input on its two alternatives by completing the survey on their website: metro.kingcounty.gov

Survey ends Tuesday, March 31!

Metro.kingcounty.gov and click on “Link connection” on the right hand side bar. You will be connected to information and the survey. 

Montlake Crime Prevention Meeting – March 24th

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CrimeWatchSignAttention all Montlake residents!

Crime in our neighborhood has become a serious issue – if you see something suspicious would you know what to do?

Are you interested in learning more about neighborhood safety, crime prevention, and the Block Watch Program?

If so, please join the Montake Community Club and Terrie Johnston, a Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention Coordinator, for a special discussion on crime prevention and the Block Watch Program which will be on Tuesday March 24th between 6 and 8 pm at the Montlake Library Branch meeting room. Current Block Watch volunteers and Captains are also encouraged to attend so please bring your questions and ideas.  Hope to see you there! For more information you can contact MCC board member Bryan Haworth at bryanhaworth@comcast.net

Cartwheels in the Sky | Union Bay Watch

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Cartwheeling Eagles

Cartwheeling Eagles

Once before far in the distance, on Hood Canal, I saw bald eagles cartwheeling out of the sky. I never expected to see a cartwheeling courtship display around Union Bay. Perhaps the fact that Union Bay is in the city helped to lower my expectations or may be it was the fact that we have mature, mated eagle pairs nesting on both sides of the bay. In any case, this week’s post proves that I was wrong. On Tuesday, I watched eagles cartwheeling through the sky above Montlake Cut, just four or five blocks from my home. I hope you enjoy the photos!

To read the story and see the photos click on:
                            Union Bay Watch
Have a great day on Union Bay…where nature cartwheels through the sky!
Larry