Orchard Street Ravine Jan 17, 2006 meeting summary

25 people met at the 1/17/06 Orchard Street Ravine Meeting, the 4^th meeting on this project. The Morgan Community Association (MoCA) hosted this meeting. Cindi Barker sent notice of the meeting to all attendees of any of the previous 3 meetings, announced it in the MoCA newsletter and published it in the West Seattle Herald. It was also posted on the MoCA, Parks and FoStR websites. ( note: not everyone was able to stay for the entire meeting, about 17 remained at the end)

It was understood at the beginning of the meeting that there were neighbors who did not agree with the Parks recommendation of constructing an internal trail only, and thought that a through trail should still be a part of the project. The meeting was held to address their concerns and to have more discussion about how to reach a recommendation that was acceptable to as many neighbors as possible

A list of all the concerns heard to this point was distributed and provided the framework to spur discussion about solutions. There was not enough time to discuss all the concerns, so they should become part of the considerations as the OSR project moves forward.

There was extensive discussion about the feasibility and impacts of the through trail, much of which had been discussed before, and also reconfirmation of virtually every persons’ desire to include green space restoration as a key component of the project.

The following proposal is supported to different degrees by the meeting attendees. This proposal is acceptable to the people who advocate for a through trail. A few people remained firm that the Parks solution was their preferred recommendation. The remainder of the people who came into the meeting preferring the Parks solution, discussed the options and guardedly accept the below approach if all the criteria in the proposal is met.

The 1/17/06 proposal will be mailed/emailed to everyone who has attended any of the 4 OSR meetings, with a cover letter which provides the above summary and the proposal. It will also encourage all interested parties to attend the 2/9/06 Parks Board meeting to express their opinion about either or both of the recommendations.

Jan 17, 2006 Through Trail Recommendation

• Habitat restoration should start as soon as possible.

• A second, more extensive feasibility study by the Parks Department is called for, expending a reasonable amount of money, to conduct a solid technical analysis of the possible through trail routes (focusing first on the 36^th to Orchard St route, then the 38^th to Orchard Street route). The feasibility study would attempt to locate a <40% grade route, but if short stretches of a >40% grade must be crossed, the complete assessment of technical risks and costs must be fully documented.

• It was recognized and discussed that the current funding would not be sufficient to complete both a trail and restoration. Neighbors and MoCA will begin action to find those additional funds, investigating such options as Neighborhood Matching Funds and the possibility of project-sharing use of the Myrtle Street Reservoir Pro-Parks funds..

• The feasibility study and cost analysis would be brought back to the neighborhood by the Parks Department for a go/no-go decision.

• If the neighborhood decision is a no-go, continue with the current Parks recommendation.

• If the neighborhood decision, with Parks concurrence, is to go ahead with a through trail, then proceed with installation of a primitive, low cost, low impact trail.

• Do not develop the lower internal trails beyond the state in which they serve as restoration work trails. Ultimately, these trails will go away after their purpose is served.

• Should the through trail have to pass near wildlife areas, reforestation efforts should be carefully conducted, so as to leave a green, native vegetation buffer.

• A plan must be developed which specifically addresses the access and safety issues which have been raised.