The Seattle Neighborhood Summit will take place on Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Seattle Center’s Exhibition Hall, located on Mercer at 3rd Avenue N. next to McCaw Hall. Mayor Murray is sponsoring a Neighborhood Summit this coming Saturday to set the tone for how his administration will relate to neighborhoods during his term. Many of the Greenwood Community Council board members will participate, and invite anyone interested in neighborhood issues to join us.
At a brainstorm during our March Greenwood Community Council meeting, these were the issues members suggested be raised as priorities for Greenwood. If you attend the summit you might want to raise some of these, along with any other issues that motivate you to attend.
Notes from the GCC March Membership Meeting
Brainstorm on Community Issues
to Raise at the Neighborhood Summit
Provide for Non-Car Transit (Walk, Bike, Bus) – especially Sidewalks!
Improve people’s ability to walk, bike, and use the bus in and around Greenwood.
– Make a strategy for sidewalk development in Greenwood and plan for it in the budget.
– Ensure ample and accessible mass transit service.
– Improve walkability through more sidewalks, safe intersection crossings.
– Create more bike-friendly infrastructure.
– Do greenways “right.”
Plan for the Park @ Greenwood & 81st Street
Create a plan to fund, design, and develop the land planned for a park at 81st & Greenwood Ave.
– The businesses will be moving out and there’s no budget or plan for how to develop the property
– A prominent location on Greenwood Ave. may lie vacant for some time if there are no park improvement.
Support a Vibrant Business District
Find ways to attract and retain businesses to Greenwood’s main corridors.
– There are a lot of empty storefronts in the “downtown” area near 85 & Greenwood.
– The upper part of Aurora continues to have crime and social service issues
– How can the community weigh in on what businesses are established in Greenwood?
– Ensure there’s parking for residents (as more high-density housing is built) and visitors.
Communicate with and Support Community Councils
Provide channels for the city to have a more active dialogue with community councils and support their development.
– Provide venues/staff to learn about community priorities.
– Share how the city is addressing each community’s issues (plan, budget).
– Discuss (not just present) and enable input on challenging topics.
– Provide funding for community council outreach and staffing neighborhood centers.
For more information on the 2014 Seattle Neighborhood Summit, visit http://www.seattle.gov/sns2014. .