Community Room – The Kinney - 27 persons attending
Steve Sindiong, President
Introductions, Announcements: Steve Sindiong and Cindi Barker
- SW Council Update: Opening hours for the Seattle Public Library branches in our area have been extended.
- Now open in White Center –the Cambodian Cultural Center (representing 40,000 Cambodians in Seattle area), with Cambodian cultural and historical exhibits.
- MoCA website is now current at www.morganjunction.org,Thanks to Paul Sureddin for his work on this.
- Neighborhood Business District Strategy is currently being discussed by the Urban Planning and Development Committee of the City Council. The various topics this study covers (parking, structure height, pedestrian zones, open space, etc) will be covered from now until July, when the entire strategy should be fully adopted and moved out of committee into the full Council for adoption. Public forums will be held monthly. Further information at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
- Seattle Open Space Charrette workshops to do urban planning for next 100 years – matters such as population growth, the impact of global warming on shorelines, and, specific to West Seattle, open spaces, transportation, and long range planning. For more information, contact Steve Sindiong at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
- The City Repair Workshop for neighborhoods throughout Seattle discussed improvements needed in MoCA “Weed Island”.
- The Whole Foods Market will be part of a mixed-use development on a site at the corner of Fauntleroy and Alaska (property now the site of autoparts and fabric stores)
Lowman Beach Park Issues: Ade Franklin, King Co.
Construction project will be 4 to 6 months, beginning in early June, 2006, concluding by November, 2006. Sod will be removed to access hatches 3 or 4 times during construction, 2 or 3 days each time. The staging area will include the sidewalk on the East side of the Park (not the Solstice Park Tennis Courts, as previously announced). The sidewalk will be closed during those constructions.
- Question: re. location of pipe during recent sewer line break? County will come to residents’ homes to show the course of the pipe for each property owner along beachfront.
- Question: Re. Spillage? No total estimates have been made yet, but we bypassed about a million gallons each day until Sunday when repairs were completed. Test samples on Monday were normal.
Pro Parks Levy Issues: Bill Blair, Catherine Anstett, Don Harris
Morgan Junction Plaza/Park: The original Pro-Parks plan called for the purchase of the Morgan City Light substation and its conversion into small park. This site is only ca. 4,500 sq. ft., with possible increase if adjacent property formerly occupied by a Beauty shop is included. Development is now scheduled to begin in 2007, with purchase during 2006. However, because of the limited size and arterial-traffic location of this site, discussion was held on:
- Should Parks proceed to acquire the site of the Morgan Substation for redevelopment as a neighborhood park? if the answer is yes,
- Should Parks try to expand the park site by acquiring adjacent property? If the answer is no,
- Should Parks try instead to acquire a larger park site nearer to California and Graham, or some other location preferred by the community? (two lots with vacant houses at 6021 and 6031 California, or large parcel at 6311 California now occupied by a dry cleaning business/convenience store, or Site of Video Vault and Fauntleroy Autoworks recently for sale through Monorail Authority) ?
Concerns:
Substation area is too small and noisy – California site would be better.
Video Vault Monorail site is closer to the long-range planned development of the Eddy St. Ravine as part of a Green Crescent.
There is likely to be a costly cleanup process for contamination at both the Dry Cleaner site (former filling station) and the Autoworks site.
What other use would be made of substation property – sold for other city department, multi-family residence, or commercial development?
The Video Vault site has historic connections in the area – central to the Morgan Junction business area.
Perhaps it’s counterproductive to take potential business space for parks, unless it’s used as a public plaza.
Solar access to all sites, view available at sites, traffic and pedestrian patterns around sites.
Parks will pursue the Monorail property option, and return for further neighborhood conversations (last week of March, 2006). (A change of plans was announced after this MOCA meeting – the next public neighborhood meeting will be scheduled at a later date – notices will be sent once that schedule is confirmed)
For more information, www.cityofseattle.net/parks/proparks/default.htm, Comments: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 206 615-0386.
Orchard Street Ravine: A Final hearing was held last week before the Parks Board. 13 persons from the neighborhood spoke with differing options. The decision of the Parks Board will be announced within next few weeks. Construction will begin this Summer.
Myrtle Street Reservoir: Construction of a lid for the reservoir will begin in 2007. Ideas for the development of expanded public park space will be sought, leading to a public review process at meetings planned for January, 2007. Contact city web sites or phone numbers above.
Neighborhood Safety Issues: Lt. Steve Paulson, SW Precinct of Seattle Police Dept.
Concerns:
Lincoln Park is current concern – Police moving to nighttime emphasis
Vandalism at Solstice Park and P-Patch
Blind spot in traffic flow at Fauntleroy and Juneau – accidents with light poles, fences.
Need to focus on key danger locations in the neighborhood, and communicate concerns to Dept. of Transportation.
Automatic speed ticketing in school zones is being studied
Concern re. emergency preparedness: SDART program has been suspended, but new projects are in place through Benjamin Kendall at SW Precinct. Since the Nisqualli quake, there is more attention to creating community inventories of dangers, resources, and needs. We need a MoCA neighborhood volunteer to be part of this planning group.
Regarding business block watch program – we need better representation on the Precinct Council. Benjamin Kendallavailable to help develop business district watch programs.
For more information, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 233-2033
Morgan Community Festival – No leadership has volunteered for 2006.
Summary of Grant Opportunities for MoCA:
Small & Simple grants – up to $ 15,000. Next application due date - April 3. July 10, etc. Grants available to Neighborhood associations and ad hoc citizens groups for special short-term projects.
Tom Gut of the PTA of Gatewood school presented the details of recently granted $ 15,000 to hire a consultant to develop a plan for playground improvements and redevelopment, leading to eventual neighborhood capital funds program. Volunteers are needed for work on matching grant. contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Large Projects Funds - $15,000 to $100,000. Available for application once a year, in early February.
Cumulative Reserve Fund - $ 1,000,000 per year available for major neighborhood concerns, usually street and sidewalk repairs & improvements. Applications due yearly, this year April 3.
Capital Improvements Program – for amounts greater than $ 50,000, at nomination of resident. Deadline, March 20 – application forms available from Steve Sindiong, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Notices:
Flex-car has added more cars to its West Seattle fleet, including a pick-up truck, Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
West Seattle Senior Center Grand Opening and Open House (California at Oregon) – February 22, 2:00 to 4:00 pm
Youngstown Cultural Arts Center Grand Opening (4408 Delridge Ave SW) February 24, 2006, 6:00 to 10:00 pm
Megawatt Monthly Field Trips:
March 9 – White Center Neighborhood and Restaurant Tour
April 26 – Tour the Port *& Harbor Island
May 20 - Urban nature at Camp Long
June 10 – Take a Boat Ride down the Duwamish River
For information, July through December schedule, or sign-up, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or 938-4120
Next Scheduled meeting: April 19 – 7:00 pm
