Come join us at the East Gateway Park Work Party this Sunday!

The sun is even expected. All ages welcome.

Bring your own tools but if you don’t have any no worries – we do.

It’s a great way to enjoy the spring and meet your neighbors!

Any questions, please text Tom Brown 303-601-2841.

We have new flowers in in bloom at one of Montlake’s two neighborhood owned and beloved mini parks! Be sure to stop by and view the beauty or plan to visit at the Garden and Art Tour on June 1st. 

On Sunday May 18th from 10am-2pm, there will be a clean up for the East Gateway Park (northeast corner of Boyer and 24th Ave. Come if you can help, as we get the Park looking its best for the upcoming Montlake Garden and Art Tour!

What’s in bloom:

Native Columbine, wild iris, Columbine & blue bells are in full bloom at East Gateway Park! Our own little park will be featured in the Montlake Garden Tour in June 1st.

The Montlake Rezoning Task Force (MRTF) has been created to represent the Montlake Community in response to the Mayor’s plan to include Montlake as one of 30 neighborhood centers (NC) in its upzoning plan for Seattle. The City’s plan affects about 24 blocks, nearly 400 historic homes, roughly 30% of our neighborhood! 

The Task Force’s Mission is to work with the City of Seattle, on behalf of the Montlake Community, to accommodate growth while at the same time preserving the unique character of our Historic Neighborhood. 

About ten talented and committed professional Montlake neighbors have worked diligently for several months on this mission! 

Accomplishments so far:

1. Well researched background information was gathered and posted on Montlake.net. You’ll see the Rezoning tab above where this wealth of information is accessible to all and is updated regularly!
2. Flyers and posters summarizing this information were beautifully designed and distributed to all Montlake residents and posted around the community. 
3. Several MRTF members along with other Montlake residents have “testified” at City Council meetings. 
4. Feedback was and continues to be solicited from Montlake residents. This feedback went/goes to Joy.Hollingsworth@Seattle.gov and Zoning@Montlake.net. 
5. Montlake concerns from this feedback were summarized nicely in a letter signed by the Montlake Community Club Board Presidents that went to Joy Hollingsworth, our City Council representative, (who is also the leader for this project), as well as to all other City Council members and the Mayor. You can find the letter below.
6. Members of the MRTF met with Representative Hollingsworth’s staff for a walkabout in Montlake while sharing Montlake’s concerns – a very productive meeting!
7. MRTF has met with and keeps in contact with other designated NC neighborhoods in D3 such as Madison Park and Madrona during the City’s fluid process. 

Next steps:

1. Members of the MRTF are meeting with the City Planning Office later this month to share community concerns, understand criteria and discuss options. 
2. MRTF is working to finalize a comprehensive Plan B to present to Representative Hollingsworth, the City Council and Mayor that increases density in Montlake while better preserving our historic community, per our mission. 
3. MRTF is also exploring any impact we can have on the implementation of HB1110 passed by the WA State Legislature back in 2023. This bill effectively eliminates all single-family zoning in Seattle as well as reducing setbacks etc. So, the entire Montlake Community, outside our NC, can also be upzoned much more than with our current ADU’s. HB1110 potentially affects Montlake more than the NC designation. 
4. The whole upzoning process was on hold until 4/11 when all six appeals from other communities were dismissed. This delay gave the MRTF more time to work on our plans. 
5. The current City’s timeline can be found in the Rezoning tab above under “About Montlake Rezoning” near the bottom of the section. There will be an opportunity to “testify” again at upcoming City Council meetings. We will keep you updated on this! 

A huge thank you to the Montlake Rezoning Task Force’s dedicated volunteers for all their amazing work!

Please reach out to Zoning@Montlake.net with any questions, comments or concerns. 

Thank you,

Janice Sears

Chair, Montlake Rezoning Task Force

Restore the park, nurture pollinators, explore nature! 

Visit the Arboretum on Saturday, April 19, from 9am to 1pm for a meaningful day of hands-on conservation!

Volunteers (ages 15+) will restore and enhance this treasured green space by removing invasive weeds from planting beds and natural areas. Sign up on Bloomerang.

Support native bees by building a pollinator hotel (kid-friendly activity). Visit the UW Botanic Gardens discovery cart for hands-on learning and fun facts about the tiny creatures that power our ecosystems. Ask a Master Gardener how to create pollinator-friendly habitats at home. Learn about the Arboretum’s “no mow meadows” and how they help birds, bees, and butterflies thrive.

Take time to explore 230 acres of gardens, trails, and natural areas. The Arboretum in April is a floral paradise, abuzz with busy pollinators.

Full details: arboretumfoundation.org/events/earth-day

Come join us at the Montlake Library for a special story time with the Seattle Fire Department on Tuesday, February 25th at 10:30am!

For more information, see our calendar entry here: https://www.spl.org/event-calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D180595446

Big changes are coming to Montlake this year.

Learn more about the city’s rezoning plans in the Rezoning section on Montlake.net, which will be kept up-to-date with links to sources and resources.

Here is a direct link that you can send to your friends and neighbors: montlake.net/rezoning

What is the rezoning plan?

The Mayor’s One Seattle Plan aims to increase housing supply and housing affordability throughout Seattle, and the first step is to define areas of the city targeted for increased density.

The Mayor’s Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) created the One Seattle Plan, and it is now in the hands of the Seattle City Council for modification and approval. City Council is currently accepting input, and is willing to work with communities to improve the Plan before its approval and adoption.

Montlake has been proposed as one of thirty Neighborhood Centers, and the area affected surrounds the one-block business district on 24th Ave E. In the proposed plan, 24 blocks would be zoned for 4 and 5-story buildings, primarily apartments and townhouses. And it appears that no off-street parking would be required on those blocks.

In the areas outside that proposed Neighborhood Center, zoning will change to NR (Neighborhood Residential) which will be zoned for nine different types of multi-family housing. Seattle’s Zone NR meets or exceeds a new Washington State law, HB 1110, often called the “middle housing” bill.

What can you do?

The are many things you can do.

Learn more
Visit the Rezoning section: www.montlake.net/rezoning

Talk with your neighbors
Many people are still unaware of the proposed changes.

Send your feedback
The City Council is currently accepting feedback. Here are three ways you can provide your feedback:

• Send your feedback directly to City leaders:

• • Our District 3 Council Representative: Joy Hollingsworth (most important)
  • All nine City Council members: council@seattle.gov
  • Mayor Harrell: bruce.harrell@seattle.gov

• Speak at one of the three City Council public hearings

• • Feb 5 at 5:00 pm, City Hall, 600 4th Ave (1 block NE of Pioneer Square light rail station) Arrive early to sign up.
  • Public hearings in April and May (dates to be confirmed)

• Send a copy of your feedback to the Montlake Community Club
  The MCC Board represents the entire Montlake community, so they would like to know what’s on your mind: zoning@montlake.net

This information was put together by a small group of Montlake neighbors, with the support of the MCC board, to educate and inform the community.

The Arboretum Foundation is hosting its annual Botanical Bash at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival on Friday, February 21, from 8:30 to 11 p.m.

Guests will be immersed in an illuminated nocturnal garden-scape, enjoying beautiful flowers after hours!

Sip botanically infused cocktails with friends, dance the winter blues away with DJ Marco Collins, and take part in an auction, sign-up experiences, and raffle—all to benefit the Washington Park Arboretum!

General entry is $50. VIP tickets are $250 and include two drinks, nibbles and desserts, access to the VIP Lounge, and complimentary parking at the Seattle Convention Center.

For more details and tickets, visit arboretumfoundation.org/events/botanical-bash or call 206-325-4510 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Proceeds from the Botanical Bash fund the stewardship of the Arboretum’s world-class plant collection, as well as core science education and volunteer programs.

Don’t miss Washington Park Arboretum’s beloved annual holiday sale, Gifts & Greens Galore! It features a great selection of botanical decorations and nature-inspired gifts, including many local, seasonal specialty items.

Shop for everyone on your list, while helping support tree care, environmental education, and volunteerism at the park.

The sale runs over two days: Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, December 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale’s very popular handcrafted wreaths usually sell out quickly on Saturday!

Free admission and parking!

FULL DETAILS: arboretumfoundation.org/events/gifts-greens-galore

Please join us at the Montlake Library for a class with the Garden Hotline on Putting the Garden to Bed on November 6th at 6:30-7:30pm and again on December 7th to learn about the Importance of Evergreens and make a seasonal decoration.