Tag Archives: meetings

Greenwood Community Council

October 2020 – Candidate Forum: 36th District Pos. 2

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GCC CANDIDATE FORUM:
36th District Representative
Position 2 Candidates

 
                            Liz Berry                                                  Sarah Reyneveld

Next Tuesday October 13, 7:00 pm
Join by clicking this Zoom link

Ballots are coming soon for a momentous national election in November – Please VOTE! – But remember that the president is not the only important race on the ballot. One of the two State Representative positions in the 36th District is an open seat with a competitive race between Sarah Reyneveld and Liz Berry. The GCC Candidate Forum will be a great opportunity to ask them your questions and hear directly from the candidates.

Do you have questions for the candidates? If so, send us an email, along with your name if you want your question attribute it to you. All questions will come from the audience, and questions you send in advance will be prioritized. We might edit for length and clarity. If we receive more questions than we are able to ask in the allotted time, we will prioritize those relevant to the state legislature and to avoid repetition.

Greenwood Community Council, Transportation, Uncategorized

Feb. GCC Meeting on Transportation: Bus Routes and 83rd St. Greenway

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Greenwood Transportation:

Big Changes Proposed for Bus Routes,
and Creating a Greenway on  N 83rd St.

Greenwood Community Council February Meeting
Tuesday February 18, 7:00 pm
Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N

We have two great transportation topics this month – great because (1) they are important, and (2) because they are at a point in their processes where your input can make a difference. 

Agenda:
7:00: Intro and Announcements
7:05: North Link Connections Mobility Project: Metro will present their preliminary proposals to reconfigure the north end bus network once Link light rail opens to Northgate in 2021. Routes 355 and 45 would be changed, and a new route would connect Greenwood to Northgate and Lake City. (More information later in this email, or on Metro’s website, which includes maps and route descriptions).
7:50: N 83rd St. Greenway and Safety Improvements: Seattle SDOT staff will describe work underway to design and construct a greenway on N 83rd St. connecting Greenwood to Green Lake by bicycle for those who prefer riding on streets with less traffic. A new crosswalk signal would be installed at 83rd and Greenwood. Safety improvements in the area will also be described. (More information below, or on the SDOT website).
8:25: Next Steps?
8:30: Adjourn

GCC needs your help!
We would be a lot more useful and effective with your participation. We’re looking for active board members, issue leaders and website writers. If you might be interested, check out our website volunteer page. 

More on Proposed Metro Changes:
Metro is using the introduction of light rail as a catalyst for major network changes throughout their service area to promote high frequency routes and relying on transferring to reach more destinations. Metro’s proposed changes affecting Greenwood include:

  • Starting route 45 in Greenwood rather that in Loyal Heights, and using 80th instead of 85th east of Greenwood Ave. Route 45 buses would begin and end on 3rd W where the 5X ends now. Route 45 riders headed to Loyal Heights would need to transfer, and there are concerns about long waits to cross Aurora on 80th.
  • Eliminating route 355 and route 5 express, replacing both with new route 16, that runs the current 5X route but extended north to N 130th St. The 355 would no longer serve 85th St. or Roosevelt Way in the University District; those riders would take route 45. Route 355 riders to Shoreline CC would take local route 5.
  • Adding a new cross-town route 61 beginning in Loyal Heights and connecting to Northgate and Lake City. This route would follow the 45 route on 85th, but then turn north to serve North Seattle College, connect to Link at Northgate, then continue to Lake City – connecting Greenwood to new destinations across north Seattle. 

Please give some thought to whether you would use buses more frequently if they went to the places you need to go, and how these changes would affect you. Greenwood has chimed in previously hoping for direct connections to proximate destinations in Ballard and Fremont.

Here is Metro’s letter to community groups describing this process:
– – – – –

Dear Community Leaders and Partners,

We’re excited to announce the next phase of the North Link Connections Mobility Project! We thank you for your continued interest, great feedback and input into the plan, and for the great work your organizations are doing to support and improve transit in King County.
 
As part of Sound Transit’s light rail extension to Northgate, including three new stations, Metro and Sound Transit are considering changes to over 30 routes that serve North King County. This phase of the North Link Connections Mobility Project represents the first draft of service concepts based on ideas from the community. These ideas were also shaped in collaboration with the project’s Mobility Boardmembers (people who live, work, or travel in the area and represent diverse communities, who worked alongside Metro to provide guidance and feedback based on the priorities identified by the community.
 
Over the next two months, Metro and Sound Transit will be out in the community, having conversations and gathering feedback on the proposed service concepts. We’d like to encourage you to share the proposal with your community so that we can use this valuable input to help shape further refinements that will be shared again with the public in late summer 2020.

The details of the proposal and a survey to gather opinions on it are available in six languages (Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, Korean, and English), and can be viewed here: Metro’s North Link Connections Mobility Project page and Sound Transit’s Northgate Link Extension page for the latest project information.
 
Ultimately, changes will need to be approved by the King County Council. Final recommended changes will be shared with the Council in early spring of 2021. The approved set of changes would take effect during Metro’s September 2021 service change.
 
If you would like to discuss the proposal in detail, or have community events that you would like to have Metro attend to share more information, we would be happy to work with you. We thank you for your continued partnership and look forward to hearing your thoughts on the proposal.
 
Sincerely,
North Link Connections Mobility Project Team

More on 83rd St. Greenway:
Seattle’s Bicycle Master Plan includes improvements to N 83rd St. to make it a greenway bike and pedestrian connection between the existing greenway on 1st W across 83rd St. to Green Lake. Greenways attempt to provide a fast and safe riding experience off the main car routes by adding stop signs to crossing streets, and speed bumps or other methods to keep car through-trips from using the greenway.

Seattle is proposing to add a signalized crossing on 83rd at Greenwood Avenue, one block north of the new park, and one block south of an existing crosswalk at N 84th St. A crossing improvement is also proposed on 83rd at Linden. SDOT is making safety improvements elsewhere in Greenwood, and we are likely to hear about some of them.

Here is a map of the proposed greenway:

Greenwood Community Council

Next Tuesday GCC Meeting: Preserving Historical Buildings and Landmarks

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A Brief Review of Buildings in Greenwood
and Strategies for Landmark Designation
  

Greenwood Community Council January Meeting
7PM, Tuesday January 15
Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.
 

The Greenwood Community Council’s January meeting will focus on historical buildings in the neighborhood and examine how the landmark status process works. In November, the environmental review of HALA found that more research was needed to analyze how the rezoning will affect historic sites. Since 1973, the city of Seattle has designated over 400 landmarks, but Greenwood’s only representation is the Greenwood Jewelers street clock at 129 N 85th St N. No Greenwood sites are currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

– – – A G E N D A – – –
  1. Welcome, introductions, announcements
     
  2. A Brief History of Greenwood and Its Buildings: Beginning in 2000 the Department of Neighborhoods began conducting the Historic Resources Survey, an informal inventory of potentially historic landmarks. Information for buildings within Greenwood can be found here and here. The GCC will present a brief history of Greenwood and its architecture, with spotlights on significant buildings in the neighborhood. 
     
  3. Historic Seattle: Historic Seattle will be holding a series of workshops focused on Advocacy, Landmarks and Research in February, March and April, but are giving us a short sneak peak of that program. Join Historic Seattle staff members Eugenia Woo, Director of Preservation Services, and Jeff Murdock, Preservation Advocacy Coordinator, for a presentation and discussion of preservation advocacy strategies related to local landmark designation and the National Register of Historic Places.

Note: our meetings end at 8:30 p.m., but the Greenwood Library’s parking garage closes at 8pm.

Greenwood Community Council

December Meeting: Winter Social at Naked City’s Tap Room

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Please join us at the Greenwood Community Council’s
WINTER SOCIAL

You’re invited!
7-9 pm on Tuesday, December 18 
Naked City’s Taproom
8564 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103

 
Meet other Greenwood neighbors who care about our community and learn about opportunities to get involved with the Greenwood Community Council.
 
In addition, learn about local organizations and their role in our northwest Seattle community. This informal social will allow you to ask questions directly of representatives from the following organizations and more not yet confirmed! 

  • Friends of Library Park
  • Bureau of Fearless Ideas
  • Salvation Army
  • Greenwood Collective 
  • Washington Wild
  • Kate Martin, candidate for 2019 City Council – District 6

Drinks and food are available for purchase.
Please invite your neighbors to join us as well–the more, the merrier!

Greenwood Community Council

Greenwood Election Forum Next Monday Evening at the Taproot

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2018 Greenwood Election Forum

Monday October 15, 7:00 – 9:00
at the Taproot’s Jewell Theatre

204 N 85th St., in the Greenwood business district
(and on the set of BASKERVILLE)

This Monday the Greenwood Community Council invites you to hear from both sides of 3 important initiatives on the November ballot. In this critical midterm election, these initiatives could have profound effect on Greenwood residents and there is a lot to understand from all perspectives.

Each initiative will feature a speaker from the Yes and No campaigns, who will make opening and closing statements, but the rest of the time is devoted to answering your questions. As with last year’s election forum, the discussion will be moderated by local blogger Steve Scher.   

—  A G E N D A  —

7:00 – Initiative 1631:
              Fee on Carbon Emissions
                Resources: Yes campaign – No campaign – Ballotpedia

7:40 – Initiative 940:
              Police Training and Criminal Liability
              in Cases of Deadly Force
                Resources: Yes campaign – No campaign – Ballotpedia

8:20 – Initiative 1634:
              Ban on New Taxes or Fees on Groceries
                Resources: Yes campaign – No campaign – Ballotpedia

9:00 – Adjourn

Click here to see the Voter’s Guide for these races.
Hope to see you Monday night at the Taproot!
Please help get the word out by forwarding this message to others you think would be interested.

Greenwood Community Council

September Meeting: Design Review and Preserving Downtown Businesses

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How the New Design Review Process Works
and Potential Displacement of
Downtown Greenwood Businesses  

Greenwood Community Council September Meeting
7PM, Tuesday September 18, 2018
Greenwood Library, 8016 Greenwood Ave. N.

The Community Council has settled on three projects to focus on this fall. One is our annual Election Forum in October. The other two are the subject of this month’s membership meeting (below, after the video)…

  1. The New Design Review Process: Seattle has implemented a revised Design Review process that now requires developers to conduct early community outreach before they can schedule design guidance meetings with City staff. The Greenwood Community Council is well positioned to add value and quality to this new outreach requirement but also requires volunteers to track, host, coordinate, participate, and respond to community outreach request from developers. We will take a quick look at the overall design review process and identify volunteer opportunities to help us prepare for more engagement with developers. (You can see Greenwood/Phinney Neighborhood Design Guidelines here.)
     
  2. How Will New Development Affect Downtown Businesses? Proposed rezoning in Greenwood’s Business Core will allow the redevelopment of existing buildings to up to seven stories, leaving many of our local businesses wondering about their place in the neighborhood. The GCC Board is seeking volunteers to examine existing programs, studies and proposals, such as the 2017 Seattle Legacy Business Study Report and the 2017 University District Small Business Vulnerability Study by Steinbrueck Urban Strategies,and volunteers to create and conduct a survey of local businesses that would be useful to city government agencies in helping our local businesses. 
Greenwood Community Council

June Meeting: A Visit with Councilmember Mike O’Brien

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A Conversation with Councilmember Mike O’Brien

Greenwood Community Council June Meeting
7:00 PM, Tuesday June 19, 2018
Greenwood Public Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N


Our June meeting is devoted to having a conversation with Councilmember Mike O’Brien, a meeting scheduled months ago, not due to any recent events. Mike O’Brien represents the Sixth City Council district, which generally includes the portion of Greenwood south of 85th St. We expect he’ll want to discuss current issues he’s working on and answer questions.

If he’s willing, we have a twist to throw in: We’d like to give a few people a chance to pitch a great idea, a win-win solution for Greenwood or Seattle. If you’d like to propose an idea, please send them to us by the end of the weekend. Please send us an email explaining (briefly):

  • What’s your issue?
  • What’s your idea?
  • What’s could the City Council do about that?
  • What’s the best way to contact you? 
  • What is your Greenwood basis? (optional)
    (Employee, business owner, resident, land owner, multiple of the above, none of the above.)

We’ll be in touch. But even if you don’t submit an idea in advance, please bring your ideas and your questions on Tuesday for a productive exchange with Councilmember O’Brien.

Greenwood Community Council

May Meeting on Public Safety

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Greenwood Community Council May Meeting
Tuesday May 15, 7:00 pm
Greenwood Public Library, 8014 Greenwood Ave. N
 
The Community Council meeting for May will focus on crime and public safety in Greenwood and near Greenwood. 

 

  • Seattle Police Department Sgt. Sean Whitcomb will provide information and answer questions about crime and public safety in Seattle, in the Greenwood neighborhood, and related to the Licton Springs Tiny House Village (the low-barrier homeless encampment on Aurora Avenue). He will also share crime prevention tips.  
  • Charlie Johnson of SHARE/WHEEL and Josh Castle of LIHI will present an overview of the Licton Springs Tiny House village, address neighborhood concerns and share their own assessment of safety in the area.

There will be time for your thoughts and questions. More information and complete agenda will be provided in a separate email this weekend.

 
Greenwood Community Council

Notes and Presentations from April Meeting

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Here are the presentations shown at the last GCC meeting. For best viewing, click on the “full screen” icon () at the bottom of the viewing area.

Note that a vote was taken at the meeting supporting Greenwood’s participation in a coalition effort to improve Aurora Avenue. Interest was expressed in a potential weekend teach-in on proposed changes to city land use. There was no presentation given on the Boys and Girls Club proposal to change zoning to support a redeveloped club co-developed with new public housing. Attendees were generally supportive of the idea, but some have concerns and want to learn more before weighing in.

Lee Bruch: Aurora – Opportunity Lost, Again ; Opportunity to be Regained

Download [3.23 MB]

Rob Fellows: Summary of Proposed Zoning and Height Limits in Downtown Greenwood

Download [4.94 MB]

Greenwood Community Council

April Meeting on Aurora, Zoning and the Boys and Girl’s Club

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A Vision for Aurora,
the Zoning Plan for Downtown Greenwood, and the Future of the Boys and Girls Club

Tuesday April 17, 7:00pm
 Greenwood Public Library
8016 Greenwood Avenue N
  • 7:00 – Welcome, Introductions, Brief Announcements  
  • 7:10 – Re-imagining Aurora’s Streetscape and Environment
    Aurora remains unsafe and a barrier between neighborhoods.  In 2017 on Aurora there were 280 collisions causing 2 deaths and injuring 181 people. Lee Bruch will present slides of the opportunities that have been lost and the opportunities that can be regained. GCC may vote on whether to join a coalition to push hard for some attention to Aurora.  
  • 7:40 – Update on Town Center Zoning and Building Height Limits
    After three years of discussion and amidst ongoing lawsuits, Seattle has issued a 370-page city-wide zoning ordinance planned for passage next fall, including some unexpected height increases proposed in downtown Greenwood. Rob Fellows will provide a brief update.  
  • 8:00 – The Future of the Greenwood Boys and Girls Club
    Boys & Girls Clubs of King County recently entered into a partnership with Bellwether Housing to redevelop their Greenwood property. The goals of the partnership are to provide youth program services to local kids, teens, and families and provide affordable housing options for Greenwood residents for years to come.  To proceed with a new development that would include both affordable housing and a Boys & Girls Clubs facility, the site must be rezoned.  Bellwether Housing and Boys & Girls Clubs will join us on to talk more about their plans and their hopes to change the zoning of the site. GCC will be asked to support the rezone request. Please forward to those living nearby, and anyone interested in the future of the Boys and Girls Club.  
  • 8:30 – Adjourn
Greenwood Community Council

February Meeting: Talk with Developers, Learn about Street Tree Maintenance, and the Future of the Senior Center [Updated]

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Late addition: We have been participants in a coalition to support a new pedestrian bridge connecting the North Seattle College and 100th St. corridor to the Northgate light rail station across I-5. The last hurdle is for North Seattle College to grant an easement on their property. We've been asked to add our name to a letter reaffirming support for the bridge, urging its implementation before rail opens, and sticking with a compromise design that will not raise costs, impact environmentally sensitive areas, or risk delay to implementation. You can see it here. We will have a vote whether to add our name to the letter early in the meeting, but will not have time to debate it so if you have questions, come early to discuss or feel free to vote no. UPDATE: The meeting approved signing the coalition letter for GCC.

Tuesday, February 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Greenwood Public Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N

This month the Community Council meeting has a full agenda, and we will plan to start right on time. Here’s the agenda:

  • 7:00 (sharp!) – 320 N 85th St.
    The developers and designers of a proposed new six-story, 220-unit apartment building at 85th and Phinney will present their preferred design to the neighborhood. This is the site of the old Department of Licensing building now housing All That Dance. They would like to hear comments before their early design guidance meeting a week later, on 2/26 before the Design Review Board. Click here for more information about the project and design review board meeting.
  • 7:45 – Maintenance of Street Trees
    If you look up while you walk along Greenwood you’ll see that City Light has taken a maximalist approach to pruning our street trees. (See photo below.) Is that necessary? Lance Young will discuss best practices for maintaining trees along public rights of ways.
  • 8:10 – Transfer of Ownership of the Senior Center
    The City of Seattle is considering transferring the Greenwood Senior Center property to the Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA). Lee Harper will talk about the history, likely future options, and answer questions
  • 8:30 – Adjourn

Here’s an example of the pruning City Light did recently.   

Greenwood Community Council, Transportation

Presentations from January’s Meeting on Transportation

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The GCC membership meeting on January 16, 2018 featured a panel discussion of transportation issues in Greenwood. Here are the presentations:

First, Rob Fellows gave a survey overview of transportation issues in the neighborhood. Rob is the GCC President and a member of the board of Feet First.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://greenwoodcommunitycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Transportation-in-Greenwood-Jan-2018-GCC-Meeting.pdf” title=”Transportation in Greenwood, January 2018″]

 

Justin Martin and Robin Randels presented on what the local neigborhood greenways group and Seattle Neighborhood Greenways is working on in Greenwood and elsewhere

[pdf-embedder url=”https://greenwoodcommunitycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/GPG-and-Home-Zones-presentation.pdf” title=”Greenwood Phinney Greenways, and Home Zones Concept”]

Finally, Doug MacDonald, a Greenwood resident and former State Transportation Secretary, commented on a variety of pedestrian issues in Greenwood and across Seattle.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://greenwoodcommunitycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dougs-Slides-1.pdf” title=”Transportation in Greenwood, January 2018″]

Doug also handed out some useful handouts (Unfortunately more investigation is needed to make the links work): 

[pdf-embedder url=”https://greenwoodcommunitycouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Walking-Update-Doug-MacDonald.pdf” title=”Transportation in Greenwood, January 2018″]

and also this handy handout from SDOT:
Client Assistance Memo 2208: Sidewalk Maintenance and Repair

 

Greenwood Community Council, Transportation

January Meeting: Transportation in Greenwood [Updated]

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NOTE: This post has been updated to include links to presentations and handouts used during the meeting

7:00 Tuesday January 16, 2018
Greenwood Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N

The pace of growth in Seattle leads to crowded streets, crowded buses and crowded sidewalks; meanwhile Seattle is making changes to respond. Tuesday’s GCC meeting will survey the many issues and changes to transportation in Greenwood, and discuss strategies for mobility, safety and maintaining and improving walkability in the neighborhood. After short presentations, we’ll open the floor for your observations and thoughts.

Panelists:

  • Rob Fellows (GCC president and Feet First) will provide an overview of transportation changes and issues in Greenwood
  • Justin Martin (Phinney-Greenwood Greenways) will discuss what Seattle Greenways is working on in Greenwood and elsewhere
  • Douglas MacDonald (former State Transportation Secretary and Greenwood resident) will discuss sidewalk maintenance and safety

Presentations and Handouts

Greenwood Community Council

April Meeting: Set 2017 Priorities for GCC and Elect a New Board

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ProgramAgendaMinutes
Greenwood Community Council  
Annual Meeting is this Tuesday!

Help Set our 2017 Priorities, and
Elect a New Board

 

Tuesday April 18, 7pm
Greenwood Public Library (Yes, it’s Open Again!)
8016 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103

There’s a lot going on in Greenwood this year:

  • At least four six-to-seven story buildings are moving through the city’s process, including the site of last year’s gas explosion, the old DOL building, and the grassy area in the Greenwood Shopping Center east of Palatine,
  • Seattle’s changing its land use code to allow taller buildings everywhere in return for developers contributing towards affordable housing,
  • New schools will open next fall near Aurora, and safe pathways for kids to get there are still a concern,
  • Homelessness and opiate addiction is increasing with hundreds of unplanned encampments in Seattle, while Seattle has just opened a new sanctioned encampment site nearby,
  • Seattle’s changing how it engages the public to get more voices to the table, and
  • Meanwhile sidewalks and better bus connections are still needed.

–  What should the Greenwood Community Council focus its attention on over the next year? 
–  What issues would you like to learn more about, or find out what your neighbors think?
–  How could we do a better job building community in Greenwood?

Please join us Tuesday to weigh in on the most important issues facing Greenwood, and set priorities over the coming year. You can also weigh in on issues and priorities by filling our our survey before Tuesday, whether you plan to attend or not. The survey results will be shared at the meeting to stimulate discussion. We have received 60 responses so far, and the free version of SurveyMonkey will accept another 40 more.

Please also consider joining our board. If you’ve ever thought about getting involved in the neighborhood, joining our board is a great way to do it. 
 

Meeting agenda:

7:00  Introductions and agenda review
7:10  Survey results, and discussion of GCC priorities for 2017
8:00  Describe GCC board positions and hold election
8:20  Adjourn (new board sticks around to touch base)

Not every meeting will have minutes, but if minutes are published they will be posted here after the event occurs.

Greenwood Community Council, Health and Safety

March Meeting: Greenwood Explosion – Review and Reflection

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ProgramAgendaMinutes
MARCH 2016 GREENWOOD EXPLOSION:
REVIEW & REFLECTION

What’s happened in the past year? Are we any safer?
Please join the Greenwood Community Council for a recap of the recovery efforts and incident assessments from the year following the March 9, 2016 explosion on Greenwood Ave; and a discussion of lingering concerns. ***We will also hold our election of officers. We are looking for new board members and welcome your participation!***
Special Location & Time
Woodland Park United Methodist Church – Fellowship Hall
302 North 78th St, Seattle, WA 98103

Tuesday, March 21, 2017
7:00 pm – 8:45 pm

ANTICIPATED AGENDA
7:00 Welcome & Committee Reports (GCC Board)
7:15 Review of Board Roles & Election of Officers

Review
7:30 Recap of blast-related news over past year (GCC Board)

Rebuilding
7:45 Results of relief fundraiser and current art show (Phinney Neighborhood Association)
7:55 Recovery of businesses (Chaco Canyon owner Chris Maykut)

Safety
8:05 Are we safer now? (Puget Sound Energy)
8:20 Q&A

The agenda for this event has not yet been finalized.

Not every meeting will have minutes, but if minutes are published they will be posted here after the event occurs.

Greenwood Community Council

Special Forum on Homelessness

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GCC February Meeting Moved to Wed. March 1
Special Forum on Homelessness  

 

7pm, Wednesday March 1
Greenwood Senior Center
525 N 85th St.

Hundreds of people are living on the streets in Seattle today, with more arriving all the time. There have been several local meetings on new encampment plans, but this one has a different focus: Who are the homeless, why is homelessness growing, what would one-term solutions look like, and how can communities help?

Our three speakers on the front lines responding:

  • The Mayor’s Director of Homelessness George Scarola
  • The Executive Director of Aurora Commons Elizabeth Dahl
  • A representative from Speak Out Seattle!

Mark your calendar now – and watch for more information early next week.

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:
 
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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.
Greenwood Community Council, Transportation

November Meeting: Pedestrian Issues

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Pedestrian Issues in Greenwood 

November Membership Meeting
Tuesday November 17, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N
SIdewalk pic
 
Join the Greenwood Community Council to hear from guest speakers and engage in discussion of pedestrian and safety issues including sidewalks, safe routes to schools, dedicated facilities for non-motorized transport (e.g. the Interurban Trail), Seattle’s update to the Pedestrian Master Plan, and more.
 
The recent passage of the Move Seattle Transportation levy will see new investments in Seattle’s pedestrian infrastructure; and Greenwood and North Seattle are sure to see many new pedestrian-focused projects in the coming years. Come out to hear from representatives from the Seattle Department of Transportation, as well as community members engaged in various pedestrian issues.
 
This will be a great opportunity to hear about projects that are going on right now, chime in on your issues and priorities, and find out how to be engaged. 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 Report Outs – Committee Chairs
    • Land use 
    • Health and Safety
    • Transportation
    • Outreach – call for interested volunteers
  3. Guest Speakers, Pedestrian Issues
    • Pedestrian Master plan – SDOT
    • Greenwood/Phinney Greenways – Lee Bruch
    • Update on Interurban Improvement Project – Keith Bates
  4. Audience Q&A
    • Poll areas of interest
    • How to stay involved
  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.
Greenwood Community Council

Candidate Forum Monday

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Meet the candidates who would represent our neighborhood on the new district-based city council.  Please help get the word out!

Candidates for City Council districts 5 and 6 will face off This Monday at the Taproot

7:00 – District 5 candidates
Debora Juarez and Sandy Brown
Juarez   sandy-brown-v3-681x1024

7:45 – District 6 candidates
Catherine Weatbrook and Mike O’Brien
Watson_150301_0636   o'brien

The Taproot Theatre is located at 212 N. 85th Street in Greenwood.  Sponsored by the Greenwood Community Council.

Greenwood Community Council

September Meeting: Seattle’s 2035 Comp Plan

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September Membership Meeting
Tuesday September 15, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N
 
Seattle 2035 – Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan is out – 
What Comments Should Greenwood Send In?
 
IMG_0162
 
 
The City (DPD) released the Draft Comprehensive Plan on July 8th for public review and comment.  It’s 159 pages + appendices and maps is intended to provide “long-term guidance that will help the City make decisions about managing growth over the next 20 years and providing services to make the growth for all of the city.”  Comments on the plan are due this month (though there are rumors the comment period will be extended).  
 
The Comprehensive Plan is required under the state’s growth management act to identify where growth should occur and ensure that schools, streets, parks and other city investments will be in place to accommodate it.  The comp plan provides broad policies about growth and investment, including the future zoning plan.  Seattle policy is to concentrate development in designated “urban villages” to encourage walking and healthy business districts.  Over the past couple of years battles have been raging over rapid growth, how Seattle can remain affordable, and transportation, parking, school and public space impacts.
 
At our membership meeting this week Joel Darnell, our Land Use Committee Chair, will:

 

  • Provide an overview of the Comprehensive plan history for context, overall themes, and schedule for review and adoption.
  • Summarize the proposed Draft Plan relative to the Draft Environmental Assessment Alternatives from earlier this summer
  • Outline key points of the 2035 Draft Plan and related land issues
  • Discussion of goals for Greenwood neighborhood for review of Comprehensive Plan policies
If you’d like background on the Comp Plan prior to the meeting, follow this link to the comp plan website.
 
Proposed Agenda
 

7:00 Introductions and Agenda Review

7:05 Speaker: Joel Darnell, GCC Land Use Chair
             – Overview of the Comprehensive plan history for context,
                    overall themes, and schedule for review and adoption.
             – Summary of the proposed Draft Plan relative to the Draft
                    Environmental Assessment Alternatives from earlier
                    this summer
             – Outline of key points of the 2035 Draft Plan and related
                     land issues

7:45 Open Discussion: Goals for Greenwood neighborhood for
            review of Comprehensive Plan policies

8:15 Update on Community Council Committees
             – Land use
             – Transportation,
             – Outreach/website,
             – Safety/health

8:30 Adjourn

 
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.
Greenwood Community Council

July Meeting: Public Art, Capacity Building, Design Review

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July Membership Meeting
Tuesday July 21, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N
 
Public Art, CGG Capacity Building, 
Design Review Process and Updates
 
This month we are taking a break from single-topic meetings discuss several items.  Note that we will be asking the membership for a decision approving a letter on the design review process (see below).
 
To see the agenda and meeting minutes, click to 

Continue reading July Meeting: Public Art, Capacity Building, Design Review →

Greenwood Community Council

June Meeting: Social Service Needs

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Greenwood Community Council
June Membership Meeting
Tuesday June 16, 7:00 – 8:30
Greenwood Library
8016 Greenwood Ave. N
Social Service Needs and Responses
in Greenwood
homeless01
 
The economy has turned around in Greenwood.  Businesses are filling storefronts that sat empty two years ago, cranes are on 85th St., million dollar houses are going in. Amid this prosperity though, there are many in need. The picture above isn’t from Greenwood, but it looks a lot like my alley lately – people in need are more visible in the neighborhood, and there are many others who are out of sight.
 
So who is attending to the social service needs in our neighborhood?  What trends are they seeing, and how well are public, non-profit and police working together to address the needs?  And what are gaps that aren’t being attended to?  This month’s membership meeting will address health and safety issues in the neighborhood and steps needed to do better.  
 
To see the agenda and meeting minutes click to 

Continue reading June Meeting: Social Service Needs →