what is the link that you can't open? all i can find is a link to a pdf, but maybe it was updated?

So I've waited four days for an answer. I'm downloading a 163Mb installation package now. In half an hour I'll be able to run the installer. I'm unfamiliar with Open Office, but that's OK because I'm savvy. Then I can read your Bylaws.

Could you make it any less convenient? I'm just saying.

Rainier Ave S meeting follow-up
From: Sara Robertson (voG.elttaeS|nostreboR.araS#voG.elttaeS|nostreboR.araS)
Sent:Fri 10/10/08 3:23 PM

Hello,

Thank you for participating in the recent discussion of the technical analysis of the mobility impacts of a potential conversion of Rainier Ave. S from its current 4-lane cross-section to 3-lanes with center turn-lane. The issue is technically complex and can be quite emotional for some, particularly those who are strong advocates for one alternative over the other. While the discussion became heated at times, it was very satisfying to experience such a high level of participation among those who attended. I hope you had an opportunity to get your points across. If you have more to say, please don’t hesitate to contact any of us.

While we will continue to hold discussions with community stakeholders on the proposed conversion, it is clear to us that using the best available information and traffic projections, conversion to a 3-lane cross-section in the near-term would result in very significant delays on Rainier for transit and all other traffic. Severe delay would also occur for motorists trying to turn on to or cross Rainier. Traffic would be diverted, some into the neighborhoods.

However, we recognize the need for improvements for all corridor users including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit users, and motorists. Therefore, as a near-term solution SDOT plans to move forward to design a 4-lane street section that includes transit, pedestrian, bicycle and traffic calming improvements. These improvements include:

• Bus “bulbs” that reconstruct and widen sidewalks at bus stops, provide additional waiting space, and allow buses to stop in-lane and not have to fight to get back into traffic
• New pedestrian lighting and bike racks
• Striping the parking lane to better distinguish the travel lane from the parking lane; striping the centerline in such as way as to help calm traffic and thus improve safety
• Special treatment at existing crosswalks and special signs in the business districts
• Bicycle “sharrows” to increase motorist awareness that bicycles are present

SDOT will continue to monitor traffic patterns on Rainier. If, in the future, traffic volumes fall or are projected to fall as more traffic uses MLK Jr. Way or people make other travel choices, we will reconsider the 3-lane alternative. In the interim, we will work diligently to improve the design of Rainier to better accommodate all travel modes.

SDOT is available to meet with individual groups to discuss both study results and the proposed corridor improvements. Please contact Sara Robertson via phone at 733-9973 or via email at vog.elttaes|nostrebor.aras#vog.elttaes|nostrebor.aras.

Thank you,

Tony Mazzella and Eric Widstrand

Sara Robertson
Associate Transportation Planner
Seattle Department of Transportation
Phone: 206.733.9973

http://bankimplode.com (more recent info and summaries; includes a forum)

and also quarterly data, which is likely too outdated to be useful, but here it is…

http://www.bankrate.com/brm/safesound/ss_home.asp

http://www.bauerfinancial.com/btc_ratings.asp

http://us1.institutionalriskanalytics.com/www/index.asp

http://www.fedfis.com/

To relate this point more to JH's piece, I think people can use Robert's Rules to intimidate and silence those who aren't familiar or comfortable with this highly structured process. Maybe having everyone get trained in it is one solution. Maybe thinking about other ways to create an inclusive, productive conversation is another.

Cheers,

Mikala

This is not one or two people's love of parliamentary procedure. It's a love epidemic. And after 84 years of teaching parliamentary procedure, I would think the Toastmaster training has improved enough to make it worthwhile. Enough to at least try it once or twice. Using something less time-tested doesn't seem like a good strategy.

Maybe not with an iron fist (don't take me literally please; it's just a way of making a point), but in some fashion that represents the essence of it. Because what we use now in meetings… it doesn't work. Take the best of the method, and leave the rest. No need to get too rigid with it. Just enough so that it works. That's the recommendation from this corner.

Some well-known people from various fields have been Toastmasters. These include:

Carl Albert Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1971-77
Tim Allen Actor, star of television series, "Home Improvement"
Everett Alvarez American POW during the Vietnam War; former Deputy Director of the Peace Corps and Veterans Administration
William Bennett Former Premier of British Columbia, Canada
James Brady Two-term press secretary for U.S. President Ronald Reagan; author of the Brady Bill, which authorizes a 5-day waiting period on handgun purchases
Nancy Brinker Founder of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation; former U.S. Ambassador to Hungary
Joe Conley Actor, former cast member of television show The Waltons
Peter Coors Chairman of Coors Brewing Company
Philip Crosby Quality expert and leader of the quality movement
Ben Couch Late former member of Parliament, New Zealand
Robert Emory Founder, Emory Worldwide Courier Service
Debbie Fields Rose Founder, Mrs. Fields Cookies
Anita Perez Ferguson Former President, U.S. National Women's Political Caucus; Princeton lecturer and National Public Radion contributor
Steve Fraser 1984 Olympic Gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling; National Director of Sports Marketing Systems for Domino's Pizza, Inc.
Napoleon Hill Best-selling author of "Think and Grow Rich;" presidential advisor
Tara Dawn Holland Christensen Miss America, 1997
K.C. Jones Former basketball coach for NBA team, Boston Celtics
Richard Lamm Former Governor of Colorado and 1996 Reform Party Presidential candidate
Donald D. Lennox Former President, Xerox Corporation's Information Systems Group
James Lovell Former U.S. astronaut; missions included Apollo 13
Chris Matthews Author and host on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews”
Harvey Mackay Best-selling author of "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive"
Hyde Murray Former Republican Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives
Robert Nesen Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Navy, 1970-71
Sam Nunn Former U.S. Senator, Democrat from Georgia; CEO of Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI)
Paul Oreffice Former President and CEO of Dow Chemical, Midland, Michigan
Cavett Robert Late founder of the National Speakers Association; author
Pat Roberts U.S. Senator, Republican from Kansas
Walter Schirra Late former U.S. astronaut; only man to fly in United States' first three space programs, Mercury, Gemini and Apollo
Carol Stoker Missouri State congresswoman
John V. Tunney Former U.S. Senator and television commentator
King Vidor Late director of classic Hollywood motion pictures
Tracy Wilson CBS commentator, Canadian Medalist in Ice Dancing
John Young Former U.S. astronaut

It definitely can be exploited by those who are familiar with it, leaving novices wondering how & when they are supposed to speak up.

It also has the frustrating feature that you consider one idea at a time (with amendments allowed in a highly structured way), voting up or down on that one idea without being able to fully explore what other, better ideas might be coming down the pike… or better yet, to come up with collaborative or compromise ideas that might really make everyone much happier.

The book Breaking Robert's Rules by Lawrence Susskind elaborates on these problems and outlines a consensus-based decision-making process that seems like a huge improvement to me. And no, "consensus-based" doesn't mean everyone has to agree. (I have been part of *that* kind of organization too — any other Quakers out there? — and while it can be an amazing and powerful experience, it is definitely not an effective or efficient way to run a diverse organization.) Susskind's process is more about building a decision that everyone involved can support, or at least live with — and in the end everyone has a stake in making it succeed.

Anyway, I guess I'd agree that having an agreed-upon, publicized structure for running meetings is helpful, but I'm not sure that sticking to Robert's Rules with an iron fist is the answer to the problems John Hoole brings up in his article.

Sincerely,

Mikala

I think we need a group that serves the purpose of making sure community meetings follow parliamentary procedure with an iron fist. Without organization, respect or discipline, any given project is doomed to failure in the real world. Community projects are no different, in my opinion.

More senior members of Toastmasters International will be educated in parliamentary procedure. Here is how to get in touch with Toastmasters in your area —
http://www.toastmasters.org/websiteApps/

Invite a couple of them to your next community meeting and let them teach the group how to control the meeting, during the meeting. This would likely be a big learning experience for everyone involved.

__

This whole development is fine. Of course we want to push them to make as quality a building as possible, but it's already starting from good design.

I'm more worried, frankly, about the new Starbucks on MLK that has only drive-thru windows. Car-oriented development is what ought to get us angry!

re: .x Yes, sticking to parliamentary procedure would help the CCCC go somewhere beyond a forum for airing grievances.

Tolerance is one thing, but I don't want to simply tolerate divergent opinions, I want to see consensus constructed from diverse opinions. I'm not sure that many people are open to any form of synthesis at the CCCC; not willing to bend their opinions.

There can be no meaningful discussion if people are not a) going to esteem the opinion of all - new or old citizens of columbia city or b) willing to change opinions in order to facilitate some consensus. At the last community meeting I went to I was told by a long time resident that their goal was to get me to not merely agree with them, but to see things as they see it. No synthesis (I haven't been here long enough), simply assimilation.

What does it take to have a stake in this community? Must I wait to be old enough? Cynical enough? Angry enough? When do we become enfranchised members of the community?

I want to be a part of this community, but I don't want to attend meetings where cynicism, negativity, fear and despair dominate the spirit in the room. My mental health will not tolerate it even if I espouse an ethic of tolerance.

I would like to get in contact with individuals who want to discuss the matter of community engagement and explore avenues of developing a community organization upon constructive, hopeful grounds.

Fiona was taken from outside the Columbia City Library where she was leashed. She is: A Boston terrier Black/White with some brindle 16 pounds collared, chipped, spayed with all shots Reward, with no questions asked!
Tim
206-851-2743
moc.liamtoh|yeknomtet#moc.liamtoh|yeknomtet

I moved to South Seattle six years ago knowing full well that two-thirds of my front yard would be purchased by the city and that my neighborhood would be bogged down in construction for years to come. From my front porch, I will feel the breeze when the light rail passes by. I guess you could say that I'm predisposed to a different view. Short of the Mayor sending down some henchmen with bags of cash, I personally can't imagine a better government-driven bid for economic development in the Southeast than building light rail.

But where I see a vast improvement in the new MLK Way and vital mixed-income neighborhoods replacing old project homes, the leaders at the Southeast Neighborhood District Council (SENDC) see a dumping ground, or as it was succinctly put at their last meeting "the creation of a slum." The SENDC leadership has given no quarter to the many people like me who see light rail as an opportunity for our community and our social services as a precious resource.

Ultimately, history will sort the NIMBYs from the community advocates by what they do after the campaign against this or that project is over. Ten years hence, when we look back at the activists who fought under the banner of Save Our Valley and now the SENDC, we should ask what they did to help light rail serve our community once its future was assured. The early answer is that, in the interest of tamping down any effect it might have on their lives, they have "overwhelmed the meetings" and fought tooth and nail every initiative that might make light rail a success.

A working solution is a change in meeting structure. Parliamentary procedure was created to deal with this. It's a graceful way to make sure opinions are heard, but that they are heard in a respectful format that does not tolerate a response centered in intolerance.

I have seen many times that when an unpopular or minority (nothing to do with skin color) opinion is heard, the quick response is usually to attack the reputation or character of the person who shared the opinion (something it seems we are now taught to do from a young age, in school — which ultimately promotes passivity and apathy). The person's intent comes into question. Are they here to harm or to help?, is often the emotional response. This type of response is a form of character assasination and although it seems perfectly socially acceptable, the truth is that it undermines free speech and weakens the community. Because when people see that others cannot talk freely, they will be less likely to share their views as well.

• Jerry Large pens a sympathetic piece as Naomi Smith closes the door at Villa Victoria.
• The shelves are bare at the food bank.
• Torture and brutality exposed through art — a posthumous tribute to Citizen Selma Waldman.
• There's a fitness and strength competition sponsored by Columbia City Fitness.
• Ozya, Arts Gumbo's musical play about Southeast Seattle immigration, migration and gentrification.
• Citizens share insights about Columbia Plaza.
• New dance classes: African rhythms, swing, and waltz — what’s your beat?

Your neighborhood embraces all that and much more.

• Check out this week's Wikli: http://ColumbiaCitizens.net/wikli:current — its content is now fixed.
• If you'd like to post to the next Wikli, that's here: http://ColumbiaCitizens.net/wikli

Enjoy,

S.

Feed your habit. This alert serves as an RSS feed, another way to get your Wikli fix.

From Wikipedia (which allows text copying, so this is not a rights infringement):

//The Texas ratio is a measure of a bank's credit troubles. Developed by Gerard Cassidy and others at RBC Capital Markets, it is calculated by dividing the value of the lender's non-performing loans by the sum of its tangible equity capital and loan loss reserves.

In analyzing Texas banks during the early 1980s recession, Cassidy noted that banks tended to fail when this ratio reached 1:1, or 100%. He noted a similar pattern among New England banks during the recession of the early 1990s.//

For the area around Columbia City, it looks like the main idea is a reroute of the 39/34. The 7 express might go away, and they might extend the 9.

More details are here.

Will you please make them available as text, html, or pdf?

Thanks!

Let me throw a bone out there and mention that credit unions are a likely safe haven, going forward — find a local one at http://www.findacreditunion.com/search.cfm . Chances are good that many reading this post will soon be moving money to prevent savings from being frozen or lost due to a bank collapse.

Credit unions are not-for-profit, locally controlled and member-owned.

The majority of credit unions were formed around main industries. Over the years, they expanded to accept family members and others. About 10 years ago, Congress changed things and liberalized the membership rules. Credit unions were allowed to move to community charters, which allowed them to accept anyone who lived in a pre-defined geographic territory.

The National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund insures deposits at least up to $100,000, just like the FDIC insures deposits in banks. Consumers can get more protection if they structure their accounts properly. (The federal bailout bill approved by Congress last week raises that insurance to $250,000 per account.)

If there's any interest, I'll write a bit about what you can do to protect your US dollar-based assets from the dilution (inflation) of our currency (the end result of corporate bailouts, and the coming $100 trillion debt associated with social security and Medicare). Keep in mind your tax-deferred 401(k) and IRA savings are stuck in US dollars for eternity, unless you cash them out and take a tax hit. Post your questions here.

I agree with you too. There certainly are parts of this project that are overpowering to our neighborhood. My main concern is more for the park side. As one of the few people you mentioned who uses this great neighborhood resource I feel this proposed building is unfriendly to our park. It offers no buffer for it's residents and park users.

But, I'd like to add to your comment about the blank walls facing the current bank of america. they are actually a pretty small area of the whole building. What I am wondering about is of what use is the inner courtyard will have once a new building is built up on the BofA site? If they take the same approach that courtyard will be cut-off from direct sunlight for most of the year. Obviously that courtyard is being used as a buffer to create more leaseable units rather than to create a usable space for new residents.

I think you are right that the images do not tell the whole story. I hope that the architects are savvy enough to build a scale model of the site and neighboring buildings to give everyone a real sense of the scale of the building in the neighborhood.

The Department has preliminarily identified the following elements of the environment for discussion in the Environmental Impact Statement:

* Historic Preservation

I bet this review is not quite the same as we all think. If it is, what the heck is Pb Elemental thinking?

Also, based on the information they provided, the house is great but does not appear eligible for listing in the National Register, nor does it appear eligible as a Seattle Landmark. I'm an architectural historian/preservationist by trade, but I hate to see such huge hoops that thoughtful developers have to jump through.

I'll keep my eye on this one.

Connie Walker Gray

Today the Department of Planning and Development issued a Notice of Significance for a project in Columbia City.

This is a Very Big Deal. Environmental review is routine, but most developments' impacts don't rise to a level considered "significant". Now the City must assemble an Environmental Impact Statement, an in-depth analysis of alternatives, intended to limit negative effects on the surrounding district.

The subject of this EIS? Columbia Plaza? Saint Gobain? No — this.

I don't get it. The proposal is to demolish this house (ca 1920) and build six new townhomes (designed by Pb Elemental). Normally projects of this scale fly entirely under the radar of environmental review. Apparently not when you're looking to remove an inventory structure in a historic district.

Puzzling. Anyone know what the CC Review Committee had to say about this project at its August 15 meeting?

Green walls aren't necessarilly boring ivy. This is a nice attraction in Avignon, France
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rtds/987228545/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nancys_pics/2091269023/

Here's one with windows
http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=553

Really if you're going to have a big wall, either a nice mural or a green/living wall seems the way to go. It definitely can make it not be an ugly eyesore. But I totally agree that the best thing for the neighborhood is to crunch the bank and do something along the street faces that blends or complements existing buildings better….

The cost of the study is an estimated $225,000 and Councilmember Tom Rasmussen is gathering support among his colleagues in order to include this request in the 2008 budget. These are tough economics times, as everyone knows, but this request is very small considering the size of the entire budget. Timeliness of the study results is key if pools are to be addressed in any future capital funding opportunity for Parks.

Please visit www.seattlepools.org for more information about the study, the organization, or to find out how you can get involved.

I went to the 6/27 review architectural review meeting. I do think that the project is out of proportion to the neighborhood. I personally think that the park is underutilized and am not too worried about that vantage. What I really hate is the sides of the building that are facing Rainier. Walls. They are maximizing their square footage and building walls that face the neighborhood. The assumption is that at some point in the future the Bank of America will disappear and we'll get another 65 ft building, so in the meantime, we get big green walls. To get some perspective, think about walls that are twice the size of the Columbia City Cinema flanking the bank parking lot. It was also made clear at that meeting that this is something of a litmus test for the St Gobain project. This really is the project to let the city know how we feel.

Here is a copy of the letter that I sent to Art and Rebecca at the DPD:
Hi Art and Rebecca

I am both a business owner (Verve Wine Bar and Cellar) and a resident of Columbia City (3928 S Hudson St). I've definitely talked to Rebecca at CCBA meeting and hopefully you remember me.

I also attended the 6/27 architectural review at the DPD. Looking at the new plans, there is one problem that still remains for me. That is the view from Rainier with the Bank of America. What I like about this project is that it is vastly improving a little used area of the neighborhood, the park that runs behind the library. I think that this is what most people are focusing on, and frankly I think that anything would be an improvement on that side.

The side facing Rainier is really the face of the building to the neighborhood. The presumption that one day the bank will leave and we'll get another 65 ft building is very lame justification for the stark nature of those aspects. The Rainier side really is the face of the building to the neighborhood. I think that green walls, well, they're still just big green walls. I think that this represents what no one wants in a quickly gentrifying neighborhood: The appearance that the money really has moved in and is turning it's back on all that makes our neighborhood dear to us. In the new pictures posted on the website, the vantage is no longer straight on, but at a lowered angle to lessen the harsh juxtaposition between the size of the bank and the height of the project. I ask that all of you who are working with the project to come down and take a look for your selves. Wine and cheese is on me.

I feel that the southwest corner of Rainier and Edmonds is a crucial anchor in the neighborhood. It is at an oblique angle that makes it hard to miss from the center of our small commercial area. I generally like the other aspects of the project. I don't even mind that the project will dwarf the library. I just really hope that there is another solution, perhaps more of a terraced look, that will integrate the project into the neighborhood instead of turning its back on us.

Sincerely,
Kate Bond

http://hooleintelligence.vox.com/library/post/the-nimbys-of-the-fighting-southeast.html?_c=feed-atom

I hadn't really thought of it as NIMBYism before, but much of this resonates with my experience of local politics/community work. I've been sad to see energy drain away from good projects & useful organizations because of the kind of rancor John describes… And I have often felt uncomfortable with the positions some of our most vocal community activists have taken in public forums & the press… but have not felt like I had the energy or capacity to enter into the fray, so to speak.

Anyway, I'd be curious to know what other people think.

Mikala

There are more pictures & videos online at: [http://www.seedseattle.org/seedarts/publicart.html]

I'm still figuring out how to use Flikr!?
Abbey

Sean Kelly

I found this photo on the developer's website of a project they completed a couple of years ago on Capital Hill. It's the Braeburn Project on the site of the old Red Apple on Pine between 14th and 15th Streets. The whole project is over 150 units and seems to fit nicely within the neighborhood.

I took the second photo of the public space between the buildings on Pine. I like the way the open space helps break up what could have been a very long and dense block. The open space follows the grid of the nearby alleys. It's clear that the developer spent some money animating the space with a nice fountain, places to sit, and tiles along the sidewalk that wrap around.

I think it'd be great if HAL tried to incorpoate more of these kinds of design details into the Columbia Plaza site and to make the entire project more accessible to the general public, both visually and physically. It'd be nice if people walking along the Green or up Rainier could see into the courtyard, rather a facade of windows. It'd also be nice if the project was designed so that public was actually invited to walk between the buidings to get to the Green or light rail station. For example, it's easy for me to imagine people buying prepared food in the grocery store on Rainier and then exiting into the courtyard or the Green for some lunch.

The project just has to be designed to support and encourage this kind of interaction with the community. The rest of Columbia City already has this kind of layout and it works really well. It's easy to cut through alleys and between buildings to get somewhere. For example, Verve is tucked behind the building on an alley, but it's easy to get too and everybody knows it's there.

Wed, October 1: Rainier Community Center 386-1919
4600 38th Ave S

Learn all about the lives and behaviors of coyotes and other wildlife, what to do during a wildlife encounter, and how you can help wildlife and humans coexist peacefully.

The workshops will help to distinguish between the behaviors of wildlife that are natural versus those that are learned from human interactions, recommend changes in public (human) behaviors that prevent wildlife from losing their natural fear humans, and assure the general public that wildlife species can coexist with humans in the Seattle area.

From coyotes to nutria, raccoons to squirrels, people who are— or think they are —experiencing a conflict with a wild animal are seeking a way to remedy the problem.

When a conflict exists between humans and animals it is usually because people are not practicing conflict prevention behaviors. Presenters will give information about tactics and techniques for preventing conflicts, such as:

• Don't feed wildlife (manage your garbage, prevent access to fruit and compost, feed pets indoors),
• Keep cats indoors, especially from dusk to dawn, and keep dogs on leash,
• Block entry into homes and gardens through repair and special exclusion techniques.

All mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians that occur in the wild in Washington are protected or regulated by state and/or federal laws. These laws not only pertain to the killing of regulated species but may also prohibit live trapping and relocation, harassment, and possession of the animal dead or alive.

Christina Gallegos

In Columbia City, this is a good week to be paying attention. With all that's happening around and amongst us, you might just get swept up in it.

• Columbia Plaza's application is in.
• Villa Victoria vanishes.
• Tuesdays are Salsa Night at the Columbia City Theater.
• Beatwalk is on.
• John Hoole proffers his perspective on neighborhood NIMBYs.
• Naturalists from Parks share ideas on coyote coexistance.
• Palin-Biden are on at the theater.
• Columbia City, mapped in stars, is a dove.
• Mikala joins a chain-link gang, and takes a page from Frost:

Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give a fence.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That wants it down.

There's art, food, music, politics, and plenty of news to go around.

• Check out this week's Wikli: http://ColumbiaCitizens.net/wikli:current — its content is now fixed.
• If you'd like to post to the next Wikli, that's here: http://ColumbiaCitizens.net/wikli

Enjoy,

S.

Feed your habit. This alert serves as an RSS feed, another way to get your Wikli fix.

In the last year, Columbia Citizens has expanded to encompass hundreds of pages about the neighborhood. As the site grows, there are handy tools to help you out. How to get a quick summary of what's in here?

A site map spells out how we've organized Columbia Citizens. It's an ordered list that groups pages into categories, offering another way to explore the site and find pages that interest you.

Our site map is tucked behind the welcome message on the front page. For each category (such as artists, organizing, resources), the site map delves into the first two layers of what's in here. But there's even more than meets the eye — several limbs of this tree branch still further. Try it and find out!

Want to see the whole thing? A complete list of Columbia Citizens pages is here.

Yes, the district added a whole bunch more chain link fence over the summer, just as we were formulating our plan to get rid of this one. We're working on ways to decorate the one around the garden in front of the building — it was supposed to be something more attractive but they ran out of money — look for flowers and birds painted by kids soon. We're also hoping to remove some or all of the fence on the east side of the building (between the building and the playground) — this one they moved 18 inches west over the summer, for reasons that I could explain, but not in any way that would make any sense to anyone outside the dysfunctional bureaucracy.

Thanks so much to everyone who helped get rid of the fence. It really was wonderful to see how fast it went down! Pix & flix are here:

http://kiddewoodward.blogspot.com/2008/09/fence-b-gone.html

Cheers,

Mikala

But… that shiny chain link fence around the brand new environmental learning center does not appear to be temporary construction fencing. Is it possible that one new chain link fence was put up just as the community was tearing down another?

Does anyone know?

Is that a done deal or can we revisit height restrictions that surely must be a part of a historic district?

I agree that a 65' building could be entirely out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood. There was even a time when neighbors came to some formal agreement on that point.

In the 90s, neighbors in Columbia City, Hillman City and Genesee pulled together to draft a vision for how this place might grow and change. They hammered out a neighborhood plan for consideration by City Council.

A cornerstone of the plan was this map — proposed changes to neighborhood zoning.

The map is grainy and hard to decipher, but the callout boxes sum it up. Focus on the numbers to the right of the hyphens. They’re allowed heights, and in several places the neighborhood plan looked to drop those heights from 65' to 40'.

And it happened …mostly. In 1999, Council passed ordinance 119698, rezoning Columbia City and long swaths along Rainier Ave. The ordinance references more specific maps, lettered in sequence (also available online, if you click through). The sequence skips "Q" and "S".

I'm thinking the missing "Q" map might reference the Columbia Plaza site — neighborhood planning happened before anyone was sure which alignment light rail would take, so that asterisk in the image seems to say, "we prefer lower, but let's talk about it once we understand whether a station will happen here." At the time, Council apparently concurred. As far as I know, no one ever revisited the question.

The missing "S" map is (a little) clearer. That's the St Gobain site. The plan looked to change its zoning from Commercial 1 with a 65' height limit to Neighborhood Commercial 2 with a 40' limit. But the ordinance says:

Whereas, following discussion and deliberation, the Council has decided to remove proposed Rezone S from further consideration at this time;

I don't know what that discussion and deliberation entailed. Hardcopy records are available through the City Clerk. The upshot: six stories are still possible on the St. Gobain site.

I spend a lot of time thinking about urban infill development. I'm a land use planner assigned to review similar projects and help facilitate their public process. Done right, I think new developments can complement their surroundings.

To most of us, today's Columbia Plaza doesn't live up to its potential. It's a non-contributing concrete box surrounded by parking. But it's also allowed to be more, with fairly specific rules about what "more" can be. Now that the property has changed hands and an application is in, it's not realistic (not possible, frankly) to change the zoning rules in midcourse. It's fair for the Landmarks Preservation Review Board to recommend design changes in accordance with our guidelines. They can recommend reasonable shifts in the overall massing, even if those shifts compromise the unit count or the efficiency of their layout. And neighbors should turn out to support the district guidelines. But nobody's looking for a four-story building here.

It would have been simpler to design a four-story building that respects its context, but that ain't gonna happen. In the landmarks review process, I suggest we focus on how this project can achieve more of what the neighborhood already does so well.

The Master Use Permit application is in.

If you've got comments, be sure to share them with the coordinator at the Department of Neighborhoods as well as the assigned land use planner at the Department of Planning and Development. Reference project number 3003215. Their contact information is here:

Art Pederson, Land Use Planner
PO Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019
vog.elttaes|nosredeP.trA#vog.elttaes|nosredeP.trA

Rebecca Frestedt,
Review Committee Coordinator
PO Box 94649
Seattle, WA 98124-4649
vog.elttaes|tdetserF.accebeR#vog.elttaes|tdetserF.accebeR

We need to look at the worries about changing columbia city and decide if the quaint historic district really trumps 10000 acres of sprawl a year. Accept the height and the density and focus on keeping it as quaint and historic as possible. (change in itself is not bad, witness the lack of complaints about preserving the historic beauty of the columbia plaza building)

I think if the bank building were also being replaced a part of this project there would be more flexibility to make the development fit in better.

If not, maybe read this to determine why this may be important —
http://cafr1.com/Revolution.html

Maybe there's some money that can be freed up, if there's anything available. Who knows? Money to hire more police officers… or create incentives for Rainier Valley venture capitalists… or… ?

Worth looking into, IMO. Anyone good with numbers?

Here are the CAFRs for the City of Seattle —
http://www.seattle.gov/cafrs/

I'm concerned about the crime in the neighborhood as well. It's hard for me to come to evening meetings with small children, but I'd love to write letters. Do we have any hard facts? You cite the "seeming" increase. I share that perception but think it would make a stronger letter if I had some facts. Anyone know?

Maybe instead of building up in urban cores we should continue cutting down 10000 acres of forest to continue building sprawl around puget sound?

The painful cost of booming growth

• Mikala's taking neighborhood de-fence to the next level.
• Architects share their drawings for the Columbia Plaza site.
• The Captain has words of warning.
• The library has banned books.
• Light rail may be delayed.
• The Democrats are holding a presidential debate party.

There's all that and much more.

• Check out this week's Wikli: http://ColumbiaCitizens.net/wikli:current — its content is now fixed.
• If you'd like to post to the next Wikli, that's here: http://ColumbiaCitizens.net/wikli

Enjoy,

S.

Feed your habit. This alert serves as an RSS feed, another way to get your Wikli fix.

Why no windows on the inside walls, tho'? Will those units be dark and those walls be blind to the street?

And what are the plans for car-sharing, green walls/roofs, etc?

I hope this development isn't a disappointment.

Seriously, you can buy like 5 of these books just for your family. If you figure that you just use a few grocery store coupons, the book more than pays for itself, and you've just donated money to the school without it actually costing you anything! You can buy enough of these books to use a coupon every time you grocery shop!

So buy lots of these books! They are a win win fundraiser!

Anna McCartney