West Seattle, Washington
27 Wednesday
Morgan is hoping somebody on the bridge saw this happen:
I was hit and run today on the West Seattle (Bridge) as I was heading westbound into West Seattle at approximately 12:16 pm. This happened just before the 1st Ave exit in the right-hand lane. I was driving a white 2018 Audi SQ5 and the car that hit me was a black Acura 4-door with dark tinted windows; it looked like a mid-2010 TSX/TL. It hit me 3 times and took off at over 100 mph. They took the Admiral Way exit and then I lost them. They will have right front damage, mostly white paint from my Audi. My entire left side from bumper to front end was damaged. Unfortunately, it happened so fast I couldn’t get a license plate, but there were so many people that witnessed it I was hoping someone saw or recorded it and can provide information to the police. The SPD case # is 24-068499. They never had any intention of stopping, and although I and my dog are sore, it could have been much worse, so I am grateful we are unharmed.
2:07 PM: Port-bound truck backups on the westbound West Seattle Bridge aren’t new, but readers have called our attention to what seem like unusual backups these past few days. Right now, the trucks are lined all the way back to I-5 on the westbound bridge, and lower Spokane Street is clogged too, as shown in this texted photo:
We’re checking with the port to see if there’s a reason for these backups. Meantime, if you have to head to West Seattle from points north, also note that the Corson/Michigan offramp from southbound I-5 is blocked by a truck-on-side crash, so that’s not an option right now either.
2:47 PM: The truck backup on the bridge has cleared or lessened, based on the live-camera view of the east end of the bridge.
ADDED WEDNESDAY: We heard back today from Melanie Stambaugh of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, which oversees the cargo docks in both Seattle and Tacoma. She says that although these were afternoon backups, they believe the problem may be at least partly traceable to the morning: “I talked with our team and it seems the backups are not tied to any specific incident. Instead, truck drivers are arriving early to their morning appointments before the terminal opens which is causing backups. Additionally, we’re looking at nearby traffic signals to see if they are a contributing factor. We’ve engaged SDOT on behalf of our tenant to evaluate the traffic signals to ensure they are aligned to balance truck movement with general purpose traffic. Both the terminal and the NWSA are communicating with truckers to try to limit early arrivals to prevent these backups.” NWSA also has issued an advisory related to the newly started East Marginal safety project.
“If rock bottom was ever a thing, we’re probably there.” That’s how District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka described the first statistic presented during this morning’s Public Safety Committee briefing about Seattle Police hiring and recruiting.
The briefing (full slide deck here) was focused more on recruiting/hiring processes than on specifics of where staffing stands now – aside from that one overall stat – so we don’t have, for example, a precinct-by-precinct breakdown of current staffing – other updates are given on that periodically. But the council did hear a lot about how recruiting and hiring works, and doesn’t work, right now.
The briefing was presented by a team led by Deputy Mayor Tim Burgess (a former police officer and city councilmember). One long-running factor, the contract negotiations with the officers’ union, is “very close” to agreement, Burgess said toward the briefing’s end, without elaborating. But many other factors affecting recruiting and hiring were discussed. “The problem of recruitment is not just a Seattle problem,” he and others at the table – including SPD Chief Adrian Diaz – stressed.
This group followed a briefing earlier in the meeting that included some revelations about what Councilmember Cathy Moore observed was a “clunky” process of moving candidates along through various stages of screening and testing – the length of time it takes to provide SPD with lists of qualified candidates, for example. “I don’t get a sense of urgency,” Moore said.
The process moves faster than it used to, councilmembers were told, but still could move faster. But the SPD and mayor’s-office team listed other factors – like starting salary, in which they said Seattle ranks 15th on a list of jurisdictions with which it competes for officers:
There was some discussion of incentives offered by other jurisdictions, such as take-home vehicles and housing subsidies (none of which are being currently offered or proposed by Seattle), Meantime, among the applicants SPD is getting, the ethnic diversity outstrips the city as a whole, but the gender diversity still lags far behind:
Councilmember Moore called out the low percentage of female applicants, noting that women said child care was a factor in their decisions, and saying she’d like to see “a plan” for addressing that. Scheduling challenges too. She also voiced concerns about problems such as sexual harassment that were raised in the recent “30 by 30” report – addressing SPD’s efforts in a nationwide initiative toward 30 percent female officers in sworn law enforcement. Chief Diaz said there’s a “women’s workgroup” and also noted that two-thirds of the SPD civilian staff is female.
Much time in the briefing was spent on the million-dollar-plus marketing/advertising plan for which SPD hired an outside agency; Burgess said its debut was followed by an “immediate uptick in applications.” Saka suggested later, though, that “we’re not going to market our way out of this,” but also offered that in addition to featuring the mayor and others, the marketing campaign should call attention to the changed council as well.
Besides spending money on advertising, SPD reps said they’re also strategizing with recruiters from private-sector companies and have meetings scheduled next month with firms including Microsoft, T-Mobile, and Nordstrom; they also talked about software programs they’re using to communicate more responsively with candidates. And they thanked councilmembers for their shows of support, such as attending roll calls at precincts. But they acknowledged that overall, the department lost more officers than it hired last year, so there is more work to do if they’re going to build back the numbers. (We’ll add video of today’s meeting when it’s available on the Seattle Channel website later.)
ADDED: Here’s the meeting video – this discussion starts 1 hour, 12 minutes in.
Last chance to nominate a business, nonprofit, or community advocate for the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce‘s 2024 Westside Awards! 5 pm today is the deadline. From the announcement we published three weeks ago:
The Chamber is seeking nominations in the following categories:
1) Business of the Year
2) Not-for-Profit of the Year
3) Emerging Business of the Year
4) Westsider of the YearThe community is invited to submit nominations online here: loom.ly/qS8SmDE. The deadline to submit nominations is Tuesday, March 12, 2024, by 5 pm.
The Westside Awards honor leadership in entrepreneurship, innovation, and community impact, highlighting the achievements and contributions of businesses, organizations, and individuals within our West Seattle community.
The winners will be honored at a community breakfast event May 22. (Past winners are listed here.)
(More pre-spring color in Gatewood)
Busy Tuesday ahead – here’s the list, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
LAST DAY OF PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY VOTING: Your ballot must have today’s postmark, or be in a King County Elections dropbox by 8 pm. Our Monday reminder has other notes about this election.
FREE PLAYSPACE: Drop in Tuesday mornings 9 am-noon at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene (42nd/Juneau).
CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE: The state of SPD staffing and recruiting is a major topic at this 9:30 am meeting. Here’s the agenda. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
CHESS CLUB: Tuesdays 1:30-3 pm at the Senior Center of West Seattle (4217 SW Oregon). All levels welcome. (Questions? Email conwell@conwelld.net.)
ST. PATRICK’S DAY SHOW: 1:30 pm, “Silver Sounds will provide a lively Irish program of songs, jokes, skits, a sing along, plus free prizes and a mystery raffle.” Free! At High Point Community Center. (6920 34th SW)
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Regular weekly meeting of the Seattle City Council, 2 pm. There is a public-comment section – in person or by phone – if there’s something you want to tell the council. The agenda explains how. You can watch live via Seattle Channel.
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: Second week of cookie booths continues at multiple locations this afternoon and evening. Search here for your nearest locations.
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE OPEN HOUSE: As previewed here, today you are invited to visit the main campus of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) to learn about its programs and facilities, 3:30-6:30 pm – RSVP here. (6000 16th SW)
HOW TO GET RAINWISE: Attend a 5 pm webinar about the program that might help you get subsidized work to deal with rainwater on your property – info here.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving demonstration continues at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
WEST SEATTLE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRAS’ FREE CONCERT #1: 6 pm at Chief Sealth International High School‘s auditorium (2600 SW Thistle), enjoy a free concert by WSCO’s Debut and Concert ensembles.
WEST SEATTLE WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS: 6 pm meeting at West Seattle Coworking (9030 35th SW) – RSVP here.
FAUNTLEROY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION: 6 pm meeting at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW).
LEARN ASL: Free weekly classes, 6 pm at West Seattle’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (4001 44th SW). Start any Tuesday night! Details in our calendar listing.
SCRABBLE NIGHT: 6-10 pm, you can play Scrabble at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW).
FREE TRACK RUN: Run with new (or not-so-new) friends! Meet at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for this free weekly run at 6:15 pm.
MAKE POTTERY: 6:30-9 pm “girls’ night” at pottery studio The Clay Cauldron (5214 Delridge Way SW), sign up in advance to work on your project(s).
ADMIRAL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION: 7 pm gathering at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill), featuring City Councilmember Rob Saka, local police, and a discussion of this year’s Admiral District events.
BINGO AT THE SKYLARK: Play – free! – Belle of the Balls Bingo hosted by Cookie Couture, 7 pm Tuesdays. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 4: Four places to play Tuesday nights – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW) now has Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free and hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia; 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink; 7 pm at Admiral Pub (2306 California SW).
BINGO AT TALARICO’S: You can play 8 pm bingo every Tuesday. (4718 California SW)
What are you planning? Are community members invited? Tell everyone via our event calendar – please email the info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
The Roaring Twenties is the theme for Holy Family Bilingual School‘s Viva La Gala this Saturday (March 16) – you can celebrate the past while helping the school get ready for its future: “Currently, 52% of our student body receives some type of financial assistance and more are still in need. We need your support to help keep our school running strong. Monetary donations of any size are greatly appreciated.” You can help by attending the gala – get tickets here – and/or donating to “Fund A Need” – and/or bidding in the online auction that’s open to all, right now. (Almost 100 unique items and services!) Saturday’s event is at the school hall, 9615 20th SW; doors open at 4:30 pm.
6:03 AM: Good morning! It’s Tuesday, March 12th.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
Cloudy, showery, breezy, high in the upper 40s. Sunrise will be at 7:27 am, sunset at 7:11 pm.
ROAD-WORK ALERT
Work on the north section of the East Marginal Way project is likely to start this week.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Per WSF alerts, “Due to some unplanned bridgework maintenance at the Fauntleroy terminal, single-lane loading and off-loading will be occurring until further notice. This may result in future delays.” Use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
11:53 PM: Police are in the 9700 block of Myers Way after a 911 call from the tiny-house village Camp Second Chance reporting drive-by gunfire around 11:40 pm. Officers told dispatch they have found at least one casing; no injuries or property damage so far. Officers reported that a witness says shots were fired “into the air” by someone in a black SUV as it traveled southbound on Myers Way. They’re blocking off those lanes temporarily to look for additional evidence.
12:04 AM: Officers just told dispatch they’ve reopened the street.
Another jewel in the crown for West Seattle High School‘s basketball prowess – statewide success for the WSHS Unified Basketball team! Here’s the photo and announcement sent to us to share with you:
The West Seattle High School Unified Basketball team has reason to celebrate after placing 2nd at the Special Olympics Washington State Unified Basketball Tournament held in Wenatchee. The team is coached by head coach Tim Bauer and assistant coaches Jessica O’Connor and Brandon Marks.
The tournament was part of the 2024 Winter Games.
(WSB/WCN photo of Justin and family last year as Full Tilt marked 15 years)
Eight days ago, family and friends of Justin Cline announced the untimely death of the man known not only as Full Tilt Ice Cream‘s co-founder but also a tireless White Center community advocate, husband, and father. Community members have been reaching out to help Justin’s family, wife Ann Magyar and their kids Moss and Ruby, and tonight we have news of another way you can help: West Seattle restaurateur Khalid Agour of Itto’s is hosting a benefit dinner at the West Seattle Eagles‘ headquarters this Sunday (March 17th). All ages are welcome, 5-7:30 pm, and along with dinner, a fundraising auction is planned too. Donation for dinner is $30 (cash-only, please). If this doesn’t work with your schedule, the Eagles are collecting donations at other times too; they’re at 4426 California SW. Here’s a flyer for the dinner/auction benefit.
As announced at last month’s Alki Community Council meeting, the ACC is teaming up with SPD for a free personal-safety training session, this Wednesday (March 13), 3:30 pm at West Seattle Library (2306 42nd SW). ACC president Charlotte Starck tells WSB tonight that they still have room for more people – you can register here right now! The training is summarized as: “Officers will teach you how to be safer in a variety of situations with a specific focus on shopping areas and neighborhoods from Alki to North Admiral and the West Seattle Junction. This is not a self-defense tactical class, but an engaging lecture and run-through of various scenarios, with Q & A following.” It’s for anyone age 14 and up.
From weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) summaries made public late this afternoon, two incidents we hadn’t previously heard about:
(WSB photo, added Tuesday morning)
JUNCTION CRASH-AND-GRAB: West Seattle Smoke Shop in The Junction (4750 California SW) was hit by crash-and-grab burglars around 4:30 am Saturday. According to archived audio, three vehicles were seen nearby, including a dark minivan, with five to 10 people milling about them, and police got word of the crash-and-grab while on the way to check out that report. The summary says that “suspects backed an unknown-model Hyundai over the cement bollards installed in front of (the business) and plowed into the already boarded-up smoke shop. The suspects entered the store, taking various vape products, and caused damage to the building.”
MORGAN JUNCTION GUNFIRE: This happened just after 4 am Friday: “Officers responded to the 6500 block California Ave SW to a report of a shot fired following an argument in the street. Officers arrived and located a single shell casing in a business driveway. Caller reported that possible suspect left in a vehicle NB after firing the round.”
And a little more information on a break-in we covered Sunday:
48TH/CHARLESTOWN BREAK-IN FOLLOWUP: We reported initially that the man arrested in this incident was taken to Harborview. He subsequently was booked into King County Jail, we confirmed today, and is still there. According to the SPD summary of the incident, he “broke a large window at the front of the home and crawled through the broken glass” to get in, where a man and woman living there confronted him; while the three fought/struggled, one of the residents hit him, and that’s how they got him “pinned down” before police arrived.
(WCN/WSB photo)
On partner site White Center Now, we’re covering a shooting that put at least three schools into lockdown for a while this afternoon. King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. Eric White told our crew in White Center that a man was shot near 11th SW/SW 114th [vicinity map] just before 2:30 pm; the lockdowns have since been lifted, but no one’s been arrested yet. We’re continuing to update our WCN coverage here.
This week brings the monthly second Thursday West Seattle Art Walk – this time with a bonus – a St. Patrick’s Day-themed scavenger hunt! You’ll be able to participate 5-8 pm Thursday (March 14). You’ll be asked to complete tasks and upload photos for a prize pot that’s still growing, including:
Canvas tote and t-shirt from Jet City Labs
A piece of art from Space Gallery
A pair of wine glasses from Compass
Gift card for Northwest Art and Frame
Gift card for Talarico’s
Dessert at Camp West
Gift certificate for Hawthorne Massage and Self-Care
Gift card for The Nook
Wine from Welcome Road Winery
Gift card from Easy Street
Greeting cards from Lars Gesing Art
Larry Halverson Clay mug from Alki Arts
Wine from Viscon Cellars
Gift card for West Seattle Salon
Gift card for Beveridge Place Pub
A bottle of Tendrills Red Wine blend from Pine Lake Cellars
Wine from Windermere RE
Gift card for Matador
Gift card for Sopranos Antico Pizza
Here’s the link to the page with the clues, where you’ll submit your photos once you’ve solved them on Thursday night! (And go here for even more reasons to enjoy Thursday night’s Art Walk.)
If you happen to see this damage at Jefferson Square – no, it was NOT a crash-and-grab burglary; this was a crash that happened this past hour, blamed on driver error – accelerator pressed instead of brakes, we were told at the scene. The damaged business is the former UPS Store (still operating, under a different name). No injuries reported.
If you plan to vote in our state’s presidential primary, tomorrow (Tuesday, March 12) is the deadline. As with other elections, you either need to ensure your ballot has a USPS postmark no later than tomorrow, or put it in a King County Elections dropbox by 8 pm Tuesday (West Seattle has three, plus there’s one each in White Center and South Park). If you haven’t voted in a Washington state presidential primary before, note that it’s unique in one factor: You have to declare a party, and then vote on that party’s section of the ballot, for your vote to count. (Your party choice will remain on the record for 60 days.) And yes, as has been pointed out previously, the ballot contains some candidates who’ve withdrawn – each party had to finalize its list by January 9 as part of the ballot-printing process. These and other questions are addressed in the FAQ on the Washington Secretary of State website. It even includes past presidential-primary turnout stats (49 percent four years ago) and current ballot-return stats (23 percent as of last Friday).
A quick look at what’s happening at three Seattle Parks project sites in West Seattle:
HIAWATHA COMMUNITY CENTER: After Friday’s announcement that work would start today, we went by this morning to see if a crew was truly in view – and yes, as our photo above shows, mobilization is indeed under way.
WESTCREST PARK PLAY AREA: Thanks to Phillip for sending that photo over the weekend, showing work is progressing. You’ll recall that the project was “bundled” with the long-delayed Lincoln Park South Play Area, so we went over for a look at that:
LINCOLN PARK SOUTH PLAY AREA: No workers in sight there this morning, and work does not appear to have progressed beyond digging; it’s been two months since work began here. We’re asking Parks about its status, and whether it’s still on track to open in June.
(Jerry Simmons photographed ‘Bey’ the Bald Eagle at Alki)
Here’s the list for the rest of today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
CITY COUNCIL BRIEFING MEETING: 2 pm at City Hall, the weekly meeting in which councilmembers talk about their plans for the week ahead. Here’s the agenda, featuring an overview of the draft One Seattle Plan Update. Watch live via Seattle Channel.
TODDLER GYM PLAYTIME: Free indoor drop-in playspace 3-5 pm at the Salvation Army Center. (9050 16th SW).
SOUTH SEATTLE COLLEGE’S GEORGETOWN OPEN HOUSE: As previewed here, today you are invited to visit the Georgetown campus of South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) to learn about its programs and facilities, 3:30-6:30 pm – RSVP here. (6737 Corson Ave. S.)
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES: Second week of cookie booths continues at various locations this afternoon/evening. Search here for your nearest locations.
GET CRAFTY: 6-10 pm, Monday brings “Crafting and Creativity Night” at The Missing Piece (9456 35th SW), info here.
D&D: Open D&D starts at 6:30 pm at Meeples Games (3727 California SW), all welcome, first-time players too. $5.
MONDAY NIGHT TRIVIA! Four options tonight – 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm music quiz at Easy Street Records (4559 California SW) … 7 pm at The Good Society (California/Lander); 7 and 8 pm Sporcle Pub Quiz at Three 9 Lounge (4505 39th SW); 7:30 pm with QuizFix at The Skylark (3803 Delridge Way SW)
MEDITATION IN FAUNTLEROY: Free weekly Zen sitting/meditation at the chapel at Fauntleroy UCC (9140 California SW), 7 pm-8:30 pm.
MEDITATION ON ALKI: The Alki Dharma Community invites you to Alki UCC (6115 SW Hinds) for meditation. 7 pm.
FREE FITNESS CLASS: Fit4Mom‘s final free class is tonight at 7:30 pm – sign up here. (2707 California SW)
MUSIC AT THE ALLEY: Live music with The Westside Trio, 8 pm at The Alley (behind 4509 California SW), 21+, no cover.
KARAOKE: 9 pm, Monday night karaoke at Talarico’s Pizzeria (4718 California SW).
Have a West Seattle/White Center event to add to our calendar and/or Holiday Guide? Please send info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
If you’re thinking of going to Lumen Field this season to see a Reign FC soccer match, here’s a way your ticket purchase can help local student athletes:
The West Seattle High School Girls’ Soccer team is in dire need of funds for uniforms and equipment this year. The Reign FC has graciously offered to support the team and give $5 for every ticket sold for a Reign FC match this year. See their schedule here.
Use this link to buy tickets as part of the fundraiser.
6:00 AM: Good morning! It’s Monday, March 11th.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES
More rain expected, high in the upper 40s. Sunrise will be at 7:29 am, sunset at 7:10 pm.
ROAD-WORK ALERT
Work on the north section of the East Marginal Way project is likely to start this week.
TRANSIT NOTES
Metro today – Regular schedule; check advisories here.
Water Taxi today – Regular schedule. Check the real-time map if you need to see where the boat is.
Washington State Ferries today – The usual 2 boats on the Triangle Route. Check WSF alerts for changes, and use the real-time map to see where your ferry is.
SPOTLIGHT TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Delridge cameras: Besides the one below (Delridge/Orchard), cameras are also at Delridge/Genesee, Delridge/Juneau, Delridge/Henderson, and Delridge/Oregon.
High Bridge – the main camera:
High Bridge – the view from its southwest end (when SDOT points the 35th/Avalon/Fauntleroy camera that way):
Low Bridge:
1st Ave. S. Bridge:
Highway 99: – northbound side at Lander:
MORE TRAFFIC CAMS: All functioning traffic cams citywide are here; West Seattle and vicinity-relevant cameras are on this WSB page.
BRIDGE INFO: The @SDOTBridges feed on X (ex-Twitter) shows whether the city’s movable bridges are opening for vessel traffic.
If you see a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water, please text or call us (when you can do that safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene). Thank you!
(2022 photo of eggs awaiting Fauntleroy Community Association hunt – photo from volunteer Al)
Almost time for a spring tradition. From Fauntleroy to North Delridge, this year families have at least six West Seattle egg hunts to choose from. One even has a chaser of legendary burgers. Here’s what we have so far:
SUNDAY, MARCH 24 – FAUNTLEROY: The Fauntleroy Community Association starts the season on the playground at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW), 1-2 pm Sunday, March 24. This one will happen in two waves – first the little ones 4 and under, then the older kids. Eggs will contain non-candy “treasures,” promises FCA. And if you can help – “join coordinator Candace Blue and Scott Wiesemann at an egg-stuffing party or help hide the eggs. Email her at blueyvette47@gmail.com for specifics and to volunteer.”
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – LINCOLN PARK: Eastridge Church is again promising thousands of eggs and inflatables for bouncing when it takes over the park’s south meadow, 10 am. (Fauntleroy Way SW/SW Cloverdale)
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS (4001 44th SW): 10 am, “come enjoy an Easter egg hunt, spring-themed activities, and an Easter Message!”
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – SEATTLE PARKS & REC: The city is offering three West Seattle egg hunts this year:
–Delridge Community Center (4501 Delridge Way SW), March 30, 10 am
–High Point Community Center (6920 34th SW), March 30, 10 am
–Roxhill Park field (29th SW/SW Barton), March 30, noon
SATURDAY, MARCH 30 – OUNCES + DICK’S TRUCK (3809 Delridge Way SW): The annual Beer Garden Easter Egg Hunt is back at Ounces at 3 pm, followed by the Dick’s Drive In burgers-and-shakes truck 4-7 pm. (Update: Ounces says truck canceled – a hot-dog food truck will be there instead)
SUNDAY, MARCH 31 – CHURCHES WITH EGG HUNTS: See our services list for church-by-church specifics and locations:
-Admiral Church
-Alki UCC
-Bethany Community Church
-Fauntleroy UCC
-St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church
-West Side Presbyterian Church
Anyone else? Let us know – westseattleblog@gmail.com – so we can add you to the list!
(WSB photo from last Tuesday’s City Council Transportation Committee meeting)
The Transportation Plan, the Comprehensive Plan, the Parks and Open Space Plan … the city is in a season of looking to the future. If you have a question about any of those for District 1 City Councilmember Rob Saka – or about something happening right now – you’ll want to be at the Admiral Neighborhood Association gathering this Tuesday (March 12) – it’ll be his second West Seattle neighborhood-group appearance in less than a week (after this one). ANA meets at 7 pm, in-person only, at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill), and other guests will include Southwest Precinct police. All welcome (even if you don’t live or work in Admiral).
(Birds, including a Bald Eagle, on cleared Alki Elementary site – photo by Don Brubeck)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
The Alki Elementary rebuild is being appealed again.
To recap: This all traces back to Seattle Public Schools proposing a new, larger school that, as announced in 2022, would require nine zoning exceptions, officially known as departures. City reviewers approved the departures last May. Nearby residents filed appeals shortly thereafter. All but one of the challenges were either dismissed or settled. The one that was not involved parking – under zoning rules, 48 offstreet spaces would be required, but the district wanted to build the school with none. A city hearing examiner told the district in August to go back to the drawing board on that. Instead of coming up with a counterproposal immediately, the district went to court. Its challenge was dismissed in October, not on its merits, but on the premise that the court only had jurisdiction on a final decision, and that’s not what the district was challenging. In December, the district came up with a new plan that would include 15 parking spaces. Last month, the city said OK. And now, that’s what’s being appealed.
The appellant is different this time – it’s a group calling itself Friends for a Safe Alki Community, led by local “semi-retired lawyer” Steve Cuddy, who says the group has more than 50 members. The appeal contends in part:
The Revised Decision has not ensured that the proposed facility is compatible with the character and use of its surrounding area and the Decision fails to consider and balance the impacts on traffic, noise, circulation, and parking in the area. For example, the Revised Decision erroneously concludes that the proposed departure request will result in no significant loss of vehicular parking on site and will establish an increase in parking for the record. That is simply false. The school of approximately 300 students and 30-40 staff had approximately 29 parking spaces and the adjacent Community Center had approximately 27 spaces and still experienced persistent parking, traffic, and safety issues. The Revised Decision grants the departure to almost double the number of students and staff while reducing the number of parking spaces down to 15. The Revised Decision also fails to consider impacts to emergency/first responder access in the area.
Among other contentions, the appeal says the information used for the city’s approval of the revised plan was still faulty – with another parking study done after the old Alki Elementary was demolished last year, with its student and staff now housed at the former Schmitz Park Elementary.
In addition to the parking issue, the new appeal includes safety concerns, as did the previous ones. The appeal documentation uploaded to the city Hearing Examiner‘s website includes Cuddy’s personal 22-page letter of opposition written one year ago, including background that he worked more than 15 years ago to get the traffic-calming speed humps installed on 59th Avenue SW alongside the school and adjacent playfield, and a decade ago to get stop signs at 59th/Stevens, near the campus’s north edge. It also includes a letter to the city from his wife Linda Cuddy, written this past January, and noting she worked years ago to get a sidewalk installed along the north side of Alki Playfield. She wrote, in part, summarizing some of the safety concerns that also were aired in the first round of appeals:
The Alki School, SPS’s smallest parcel of 1.4 acres, is located in an incredibly busy environment, in the midst of regional parks and Alki Beach attractions, all within a “Parking Overlay.” As the Hearing Examiner said, “The school site has limited street access, with just one right-of-way, on the east side of 59th Avenue SW, from SW Admiral Way looking south. 59th Ave SW is signed for on-street bus loading and unloading on the east parallel to the school and for parent drop-off north of SW Stevens Street also on the east side. Due to its limited and cramped street access, difficult vehicle circulation patterns and the narrow width of 59th Ave SW, during peak drop off and pick up times, passage on 59th Ave SW effectively becomes a one lane street creating unsafe and unmanageable traffic and parking issues.” Parents are forced to park in an unsafe and illegal manner in the parent drop off zone. Otherwise, traffic issues would be much worse and restrictive on 59th.
So what happens now? The city Hearing Examiner’s Office will schedule a hearing on the new appeal, which will be followed by a ruling, which may be appealable in court. The school construction remains on hold pending a building permit, which can’t be granted until all this is decided. The new school originally was projected to open in fall 2025 but even prior to this new appeal, the district had moved that to fall 2026. (Planning for the rebuild dates back to 2018, when the district was deciding what to send to voters in its 2019 BEX V levy, and it was described even then as a potential expansion of capacity to 500. Our archives show parking questions arose before the 2019 vote, too.)
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