Tag Archives: 2016

Greenwood Community Council

Election Forum at the Taproot

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Greenwood Community Council
2016 Election Forum

Featuring District 7 Congressional Race and ST3

With the 2016 Presidential race consuming political news this election year, it can be easy to lose sight of our local electoral races and ballot initiatives that will be put in front of Seattle voters. We are now 30 days out from election day, and it’s time to bone up on the candidates and the issues!

Please join the Greenwood Community Council on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 7:00 at the Taproot Theatre for our 2016 Election Forum. Our forum will be moderated by former Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, and will cover the following local race and ballot measure:

  • U.S. Congressional District 7, House of Representatives – Both candidates are confirmed to attend
  • Sound Transit Proposition 1, light rail, commuter rail, and bus service expansion – representatives from the competing Yes and No campaigns are confirmed to attend
Election Forum Agenda

Oct. 18, 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Taproot Theatre, Greenwood

  • 7:00-7:05 – Welcome and Introductions 
  • 7:05-7:45 – District 7, U.S. House of Representatives
                              (including  audience Q&A)
  • 7:50-8:30 – Sound Transit 3 (including audience Q&A)
  • 8:30-9:00 – Informal networking
We hope to see you there!
Greenwood Community Council, Projects, Transportation

September Meeting: Sound Transit 3

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What’s in the Sound Transit 3 package and how much will it cost?

This November residents of King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties will vote on the next iteration of expansion of Sound Transit services, known as Sound Transit 3 (ST3). The package includes more than 60 miles of new light rail lines across Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, and the Eastside. As well as Eastside bus rapid transit service, expansion of Sounder commuter rail, and the addition of parking capacity at various transit stations. Needless to say, ST3 is big. Passage of the ballot measure will mean our region will make an approximate $54 billion investment in transit expansion and will see big new transit projects come on line every few years between now and 2041. 

The Greenwood Community CouncilWe wants to help Greenwood residents make an informed voting decision on ST3. In our September general meeting we’ll delve into the details of the proposed projects in the plan, the project timelines, and the funding structure and projected costs to Puget Sound residents. 

Please join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20, at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103.

AGENDA

7:00   Welcome and introductions
7:10   Committee Reports

Health & Safety
Transportation,
Land Use
Outreach
Call for volunteers

7:30   Update from the property owner on plans for Greenwood explosion site

7:45 Sound Transit 3

  • Context and background
  • Overview of ST3 Projects
  • How will ST3 affect NW Seattle?
  • Project timelines
  • Funding structure and costs

8:10 Open Question and Answer Session
8:30   Adjourn

Resources:

Sound Transit 3 website

Seattle Transit Blog coverage

Seattle Times ST3 cost calculator

Greenwood Community Council

GCC Social Event This Tuesday at Naked City

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Who is the Community Council
and What Do they Do? — Find Out!

Tuesday August 16, 7:00 pm
at the Naked City Screening Room

         
nakedcity1 naked city screening-roomInstead of our regular third Tuesday meeting this month the Greenwood Community Council is having a social event at the Naked City Brewery at 8564 Greenwood Ave N. It’s a great chance to relax with some refreshment, meet some people and talk about the neighborhood – or not. If you’re interested in learning about the community council and finding out who’s involved, this is a nice way to do it.  Please join us – everyone welcome!

(sorry, no host bar).

Greenwood Community Council

June Meeting: Mandatory Housing Affordability

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Implementing Mandatory Housing Affordability

The City has released its “Director’s Report” on MHA-Residential legislation and draft ordinance.  HALA focus groups have begun to meet and provide input on HALA’s community generated principles which will form part of the basis for changes to zoning, design, and planning in certain residential areas.  We will review the overall MHA Program, and discuss the proposed policies and ordinance for the MHA-Residential program.

Please join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 21, at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103.

AGENDA

7:00   Welcome and introductions
7:10   Committee Reports

Health & Safety
Transportation,
Land Use
Outreach
Call for volunteers

7:20   Housing Levee

7:30 Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA)

  • Affordable Housing Context & Goals
  • MHA-Commercial
  • MHA-Residential
  • Associated Polices and Ordinances

8:05 Open Question and Answer Session
8:25   Action Items
8:30   Adjourn

Resources:

MHA One Page Summary, Nov. 5,2015

MHA-Residential Director’s Report

 

Greenwood Community Council

April Meeting – Crown Hill, Aurora-Licton and Lake City

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We have a really interesting Greenwood Community Council meeting this week – representatives from Crown Hill, Aurora-Licton Springs and Lake City will present on how each of their neighborhoods is engaging with Seattle on how their urban villages should be defined.  Each has taken a different approach to engage neighbors and neighborhood groups.  

Seattle’s comprehensive plan attempts to guide development into designated urban villages. Originally this policy was intended to prioritize Seattle’s investments into designated urban village areas to make them great urban places; more recently policies focus more on incentivizing developers to invest in these areas by making zoning more flexible and reducing regulation. The implications for being in a designated urban village will depend on many pieces of legislation to implement the Comprehensive Plan and Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) initiatives, but neighborhoods are being asked now to weigh in on their boundaries.
 
I hope you’ll attend this weeks’s community council meeting to hear how our neighbors in nearby urban village areas are responding to these issues.  The meeting may take action to support the Crown Hill Urban Village, Committee for Smart Growth recommendations (link) and to endorse a grant proposal that will be presented during the Transportation Committee report for the Aurora Crossings project (link). Here’s the meeting announcement:
 
– – – – – – – – – 

The Urban Village Strategy
What is it and how should we redefine?

The Greenwood Community Council’s monthly meeting will be devoted to the urban village strategy, which forms the backbone of Seattle’s growth plans as outlined in the 2035 Comprehensive Plan.  Guest speakers from nearby Lake City, Crown Hill, and Aurora Licton Springs will be present to share their experience engaging their community and developing a vision for potential changes to the zoning, boundaries, livability, infrastructure, and neighborhood planning in the urban village.

Please join us at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19th, at the Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103.

AGENDA

7:00   Welcome and introductions
7:10   Committee Reports

7:20  The Urban Village Strategy

  • Introduction
  • Lake City – Sandy Motzer
  • Aurora Licton Springs – Leah Anderson
  • Crown Hill – Deborah Jaquith

8:05   Open Question and Answer Session
8:25   Action Items
8:30   Adjourn

Resources:

 

Greenwood Community Council

Special Meeting on the Greenwood Explosion

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Reminder – this event is this Tuesday night.  
This post has also been updated to include the meeting agenda and links to news and resources. Please help get the word out by forwarding to anyone you think might be interested.

 

GREENWOOD EXPLOSION:

How to Stay Safe, and
What Steps are Needed to Rebuild?

Greenwood explosion smaller

The Greenwood Community Council’s monthly meeting is devoted to the aftermath of the blast that leveled part of our downtown.  The response by our public servants and neighborhood volunteers has been amazing, and we honor everyone who has contributed.  

This meeting will focus on the way forward:

  • What steps do we all need to take to prepare for and avoid future disasters such as gas leaks,  and
  • What are resources for recovering and rebuilding after over the longer term.

Please join us Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at a special location: St. John’s Egan Hall, 120 N 79th St. just off Greenwood Avenue.  The program for this event is still coming together, but we have confirmed speakers from Puget Sound Energy, the Mayor’s office, Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods and Office of Economic Development.  We will also set aside time and ask for tributes for those who have stepped up this week to help the community, its businesses and their employees who have been impacted.

AGENDA

7:00   Welcome and introductions

7:10   How to stay safe from gas leaks and prepare for disaster
                  Speakers from Puget Sound Energy,
                  Greenwood CC Safety/Health Committee,
                  Q&A

7:40   Steps and resources to recover and rebuild
                  Speakers from Phinney Neighborhood Center, Dept.
                  of Neighborhoods, Office of Economic Development,
                  Q&A

8:20   Testimonials from the audience for those who stepped up
              to help neighbors in a time of crisis

8:30   Adjourn

Here are some useful links and resources:

Greenwood Community Council, Land Use

February Meeting: Growth and Affordability

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Growth and Affordability 

February Membership Meeting
Tuesday February 16, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N
There is broad agreement that housing affordability is one of the most critical issues we face as our City grows and becomes more prosperous.  Last year, Mayor Murray developed an action plan and community engagement is expected to ramp up this spring. In preparation for engagement on this important issue, GCC will facilitate an open and interactive community forum on growth and affordability.
 
The intent of the meeting is to outline Greenwood’s key affordability  issues and questions, discuss opportunities, and  lay the groundwork for further focused study by committees and feedback to the City.  Please bring your ideas/questions and be prepared to share them with your neighbors.  We hope to see you there!
 
Agenda
 
  1. Welcome/overview of meeting agenda (7:00 PM)
    • Overview of upcoming GCC meeting topics
    • Overview of committees and Board
  2. Committee Reports – Committee Chairs (7:05 PM)
    • Land use
    • Health and Safety
    • Transportation
    • Outreach – call for interested volunteers
  3. Guest Speaker, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways  (7:10 to 7:20)
    • Speed limits, Gordon Padelford
  4. Growth and Affordability (7:20 to 8:30)
    • Introduction
    • Identify core issues/questions
    • Discuss opportunities
    • Summarize key points  and develop focused actions
  5. Meeting Close (8:30 PM) 
Please note that the Library’s garage closes at 8PM, so if you park in the library you will need to move your car before then.