Tag Archives: 2014

December Meeting: Dialogue with a Micro-Housing Developer

December Membership Meeting
Tuesday December 16, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.
 

 

There’s been a big to-do about micro-housing (aka apodments*) in neighborhoods all over Seattle.  Micro-housing is a relatively new idea in Seattle, allowing people who don’t need a full apartment to rent a bedroom only with access to a common kitchen.  Many do not provide parking because micro-housing many micro-housing resident don’t own one.  The micro-housing boom has caught neighborhoods by surprise, with buildings appearing all over town.  These projects have been largely exempt from regulation or public review, but the City Council is reconsidering whether to change that.

Three micro-housing developments are under construction now in Greenwood – comprising most of the development that will open here in the next year.  (One is on Phinney Ave. above the Safeway parking lot, and two are on NW 85th St.)  There are clearly potential benefits, but also unknown impacts that raise concerns for some neighbors.

Daniel Stoner is a developer who has built micro-housing projects previously, and he’s asked for the opportunity to discuss plans for a new micro-housing project on 95th St. with Greenwood neighbors – the topic of our December meeting.  KCTS recently did a story on micro-housing and Daniel was interviewed — you can see the interview by clicking here.  Representing the community council, I really appreciate Daniel’s willingness and commitment to engage in community dialogue.  This meeting will be a great opportunity for community members to understand the benefits of micro-housing, and also to pass along concerns about the development he’s proposing on 95th St., replacing the building shown below.

*Apodments is a trademark of a specific micro-housing development company, so the term micro-housing is used here.

November Meeting: What are Ingredients of a Livable Neighborhood?

November Membership Meeting
Tuesday November 18, 7:00 – 8:30
 

 

NOTE LOCATION!
Taproot Theatre’s Stage Door Cafe, 208 N 85th St.
(Refreshments available)

 

This month’s community council meeting is part of the year-long “Greenwood 2035” planning process to help inform Seattle’s comprehensive plan update.  Three study groups have had their initial meetings to discuss land use, transportation and sidewalk issues.  This month’s membership meeting will be an open meeting of the land use study group (usually on third Thursday evenings).

Seattle’s “Urban Village” strategy is to identify areas where new growth is planned, and prioritize city investment into making these become high quality urban environments. The question is — what defines a high quality environment, and what steps can the city take as a practical matter to make this policy meaningful?  Some feel that density is needed to bring pedestrian traffic that supports thriving business districts, others focus on the need for sidewalks, parks and play fields.  We have seen massive development near Aurora Avenue and Holman Rd. – what can the city do to make these places the high quality urban environments envisioned in the comp plan?

This meeting will be an extended meeting of the study group open to anyone who wants to participate.  Study group participants were to come prepared to discuss the issue, but most likely this will be an open-ended discussion for anyone interested in the subject.  

Agenda

7:00 Introductions and Agenda Review
7:10 Update on Greenwood 2035 Study Groups
7:15 Presentations of research by study group members (if any this month)
7:25 Open discussion on ingredients for livable neighborhoods
8:05 Summary – points of agreement
8:15 Next study group topic – brainstorm research needed and assign tasks
8:30 Adjourn

Election Forum at the Taproot Theatre

Northwest Seattle Neighborhoods

Election Forum

 

at the Taproot Theatre

204 N 85th St. in Greenwood

Next Tuesday – October 21 at 7PM


Please join your neighbors next Tuesday evening to make sense of ballot measures as the fall election closes in.  The election forum gives you an opportunity to hear from the campaigns and ask them your questions.  

Program:
7:00 – Welcome and settle in
7:10 – Dueling Seattle Early Childhood Education initiatives
7:45 – The Reduce Class Sizes state initiative
8:10 – Seattle Transportation Benefit District (for bus transit service)
8:20 – The New Monorail Initiative
8:30 – 36th District candidates* have been invited to introduce themselves
8:45 – Adjourn – cafe will stay open so you can talk to campaigners

*Not all candidates are able to attend.
 
This event is sponsored by the Greenwood, Broadview, Green Lake and Phinney Ridge community councils.  Space is generously provided by the Taproot Theatre.  There is no charge to attend, but donations to offset the Taproot’s costs will be appreciated – and please plan to stop by Taproot’s Stage Door Cafe before or after the event.
 
Please help spread the word!

September Meeting: Intro to Seattle 2035 (at Taproot)

September Membership Meeting
Tuesday September 16, 7:00 – 8:30
NOTE DIFFERENT LOCATION!
We’ll meet at the Taproot Theatre Cafe, 208 N 85th St.
** (Refreshments available!) **

Topic: Introduction and Overview of the 
Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan Update
 
This month’s community council meeting will also be the kick-off for the Greenwood 2035 Study Groups.  Tom Hauger from Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development will give an overview of the Seattle 2035 update process for Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan and some of the key issues that will be addressed.  Tom will also take audience questions.  This will be a good opportunity to get oriented to the comprehensive planning process for those who hope to become more involved in it.  (For those who are opinionated about development issues, this is not the forum to air them, but there will be plenty of opportunities as the process continues.)

Agenda

7:00 Introductions and Agenda Review
7:10 Introduction and Overview of Seattle 2035 – Tom Hauger
8:00 Status and update on the Greenwood 2035 Study Groups
8:10 Announcements and information sharing – around the table
8:25 Adjourn and clean up – need to let the cafe staff go home at 8:30

Note – October’s meeting will be the annual Election Forum at the Taproot Theatre.  Mark your calendars now — October 21 at 7:00PM.

August Meeting: Greenwood 2035 Planning Meeting

Instead of having a Greenwood Community Council meeting this week, we will have an open meeting for anyone wanting to help plan the Greenwood 2035 Study Groups.

 

Tuesday August 19, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Public Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N
 

Tuesday evening’s meeting is for anyone interested in helping to plan the study groups – described in the message below that was originally posted in June. The meeting will be at the Greenwood Library at 7PM, replacing the n! ormal Greenwood Community Council meeting.  We’ll meet there for a few minutes and then break into groups (sidewalks, land use, transportation and engagement) to continue discussion at a local business that serves beverages of one sort or another.  I hope you can make it – but if not we’ll hope to see you when the study groups begin in earnest this fall.

 
 

June Meeting: Greenwood 2035 Plan

June Membership Meeting
Tuesday June 17, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Public Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N
 

Tomorrow (Tuesday)’s community council meeting will be an open meeting of the board to discuss the Greenwood 2035 planning effort described in a post below. If you’re interested or have other community issues you’d like to discuss, please join us – everyone is welcome.

Seattle is beginning a year-long effort on a major update to its comprehensive plan, identifying where new development should occur and what city investments will be needed to accommodate growth. The initial plan focus is on whether urban centers (downtown, Capitol Hill, Northgate) and/or stations near light rail should be upzoned to be far denser than today; but eventually the plan must also address city plans for transportation, schools, parks, housing affordability and other critical issues that will affect Greenwood. Greenwood 2035 will prepare us to participate on behalf of our neighborhood, and to inform and engage Greenwood neighbors to influence the plan to benefit Greenwood’s livability.

If you’ve thought about getting involved in the neighborhood, this is a great time to do it. This will be a great opportunity to meet neighbors and learn how the city works. We will be planning and recruiting for Greenwood 2035 over the summer so we’ll be ready to hit the ground running next September. Please take a look at the call for volunteers below, and consider joining the discussion tomorrow (Tuesday) night.

April Meeting: Greenwood Ave. Transit/Sidewalk Project [Updated]

[This post has been updated to add the meeting agenda]

The Community Council normally meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, but for April and May we will meet on the fourth Tuesday instead.

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

April Membership Meeting
Tuesday April 22, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Public Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N
 

Greenwood Transit/Sidewalk Project

 
The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is working on a design for transit improvements and new sidewalks on Greenwood Ave. between N. 90th and N. 105th.  SDOT representatives will present their plans and answer questions.  

This project would bring long-desired sidewalks to Greenwood Ave.!  It includes funding to build sidewalks on the east side of the street, and to design sidewalks on the west side that would be well-positioned for funding.  Sidewalks design will affect where on-street parking is available.

The transit improvements are intended to remove the need for buses to wait for traffic to clear before they pull back into traffic after stopping for passengers.  Instead of pulling out of traffic, the buses would stop in-lane, and cars would wait while passengers get on and off the bus.  Bicycles would be routed behind a bus “island” so they could continue without stopping behind the buses, similar to the operation on Dexter Ave. N.  This is a somewhat controversial approach worth discussion.

Proposed Agenda:

7:00 Introductions and Agenda Review

7:10 SDOT Presentation (Rob Gorman, Paul Elliot), followed by Q&A and discussion

7:50 Around the Table Updates

– Report from the Neighborhood Summit
– Comprehensive Plan update
– Greenwood Library Park update
– Microhousing and low-rise development regulations update

8:20 Announcements and Next Meeting Topic

8:30 Adjourn

March Meeting: Preparing for the Mayor’s Neighborhood Summit [Updated]


March Membership Meeting
Tuesday March 18, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Public Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N

 

On Saturday April 5, May, Mayor Murray will convene a “Neighborhood Summit” to bring community leaders from around the city together to weigh in on issues of concern to neighborhoods and how the city should involve neighborhoods in during his term. (For more information about the summit, follow this link). At our March membership meeting, we invite all Greenwood residents and businesspeople to discuss the issues we want to see discussed at the summit.

Agenda

7:00 Introductions, Agenda Review , and quick updates on neighborhood issues
7:10 Brief introduction to the neighborhoods summit
7:15 Exercise to identify the most critical neighborhood issues
7:45 Report out and discussion
8:00 What methods have been successful (or not) to engage neighborhoods?
8:20 Summary and follow-up steps
8:30 Adjourn

And while you’re holding the date, also pencil us in for every third Tuesday night of each month. The Greenwood Community Council is moving back to monthly meeting at a consistent time (Third Tuesdays at 7:00) and place (the Library).