West Seattle, Washington
24 Wednesday
West Seattle-based producer Mike Gaston says you’ll see WS scenery in this new video for Minus the Bear (a Seattle band whose official website is here).
Just a few running updates (see earlier coverage further down the page) — In addition to the Landmarks Board witness who testified at midmorning, she was followed by the supervisor of the city’s Landmarks Preservation program, Karen Gordon. She reaffirmed the unusual nature of this hearing – saying she’s worked for the department for more than 20 years and only seen a few cases like this where applicants have challenged the board’s decision on economic grounds. (House owner William Conner’s contention is that he has to build larger houses on the site because that’s all that makes economic sense.) More on the afternoon testimony later. This is all moving slowly and general chatter is that it’s going to be difficult getting all the testimony done in the day and a half allotted before the Hearing Examiner. ADDED 4:09 PM: It’s looks like beyond the prescheduled time on Thursday, this may continue Friday morning as well, and possibly March 18 all day if needed. Those who are here, by the way, include Conner and his lawyer Richard Hill at the table across from the two city lawyers, and a few spectators, here in the Hearing Examiner’s chambers on the 40th floor of the Municipal Tower. Some of this afternoon’s testimony has included details about the condition of the Satterlee House itself – more on that in our full writeup later.
The design/build firm that recently bought the Shoremont at 57th/Alki (map) — and the neighboring house, which it’s reselling — is looking into saving and moving the building. That’s according to Chris Pardo at Pb Elemental. He tells WSB, “We have been in discussions with two building-moving firms; one is looking at the possibility of moving the existing building to Whidbey Island. The Shoremont has a brick facade rather than structural brick, so it seems feasible for them to move the building.” Pardo says that’s what Pb Elemental would prefer to do, but if the move doesn’t work out, he says, “We also have a few firms, including ourselves, interested in reusing the brick on the new project and nearby developments.” In addition, he sent us this rendering of the five-unit development they’re proposing at the Shoremont site (more details in this previous report):
Pardo says his firm hopes to start construction by “late spring” and finish by early next year.
We hadn’t heard of all the risks mentioned in this city news release out today in advance of Poison Prevention Week – you might want to doublecheck, if you share your home with one or more pets.
We told you last week about the first testimony in the hearing about whether the owner of the Satterlee House, aka the “Painted Lady” of Beach Drive, can build three houses on its expansive front lawn. Since the property is a city landmark, the Landmarks Board had to grant a Certificate of Approval – but last December said no, and this hearing is about the property owner’s appeal of that ruling. Last week’s testimony involved the previous owner of the property, David Satterlee. Today, both sides are presenting the bulk of their case, with time scheduled on Thursday for continuation. The major witness so far this morning has been the staffer for the Landmarks Board, who revealed one reason this is significant beyond West Seattle:Read More
When we interviewed Chief Sealth High School principal John Boyd two weeks ago, that sign and others were displayed prominently around campus, and there was even a countdown clock on the Sealth home page. Now, for CSHS and West Seattle HS and other high schools, the countdown’s over and the big test is here – reading/writing this week, math/science in April. The testing window for lower grades starts in mid-April.
As the P-I reminds us this morning, the Pro Parks Levy is about to expire, and the mayor and council disagree on whether to ask us if we want a new one. What did Pro Parks do, you ask? Here’s the city map of the West Seattle parks projects the money’s gone toward, for starters:
The clickable version of that map, and the list of specific projects, can be found here. It’s all unfolded over the 8-year life of the levy, passed by Seattle voters in 2000, and some of the West Seattle projects aren’t done yet — Junction Plaza, Myrtle Reservoir, Ercolini Park, and Morgan Junction, which incidentally has a public meeting this Wednesday for comment on this final schematic design:
Back to Pro Parks in general: Are these all the parks we need, or is there more to be done, meriting a new Pro Parks Levy? Some councilmembers say yes; the mayor says no, focusing instead on proposals to bolster Pike Place Market and Seattle Center; public meetings on both are coming up shortly, including two West Seattle gatherings (Seattle Center, this Thursday @ Youngstown Arts Center; Pike Place, 3/18 at West Seattle Library). The council’s Parks Committee is chaired by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, who is quoted in the P-I as saying:
“We really have to gauge what the public wants and what they would be willing to accept.”
Sounds to us like that means, speak up now. The council’s contact info is here; the mayor’s contact info is here. (Last side note, uncovered as we researched links for this post — remember the meetings last year working toward a Strategic Action Plan for the Parks Department? Another round of meetings is coming up in April and May, including half a dozen in West Seattle, all listed here and also added to the WSB Events page.)
Bernie posted this over the weekend as a new comment on an old report, so we’re reposting here:
This is a week after the events. Last Friday Feb 29 and Saturday March 1 our house was egged. After Saturday evening that makes the 5th time in just over 4 weeks of being egged. We live in the Seaview neighborhood. I have a cedar sided house and I can say at this point we are not able to undo the damage. Our back door is destroyed. Is there any easier way to remove it without taking the paint and the wood?
Most events have happened while there were 3 day weekends and an occasional 2 day weekend. We are not the occasional hit but rather this target of a bitter person or someone playing a ‘joke.’ I realize that having two boys 11 and 15 makes us even more of a target. We have had several ‘come to Jesus’ sessions about this and no clues as to who. What I find absolutely frustrating is that every kid in the ‘hood’ is accounted for at the time of the event.
I called the police to report the event. They are not much interested in reporting eggings but I think we’re beyond the one in a blue moon event. They suggest just leaving all the yard lights on. The other thing that has happened along with this is someone has opened our gate and walked through the yard at 3:00 – 4:00 a.m. The only clue I have to this is that the gate opens and then closes (We have wind chimes attached the yard gate and we can hear the latch) – then when jumping up from bed we find the yard motion lights all on.
I am happy to share any other info that I may have discounted with anyone who has other info or similar events happening to them.
At its first meeting after the big Denny/Sealth vote, the Seattle School Board has something else of West Seattle (and beyond) interest on next Wednesday’s agenda: Changes in its policy on how to deal with what the district now considers “surplus properties” no longer being used as schools. 
The Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (1951 photo @ left), home to Fauntleroy Children’s Center among other businesses/facilities, is now on that list, and many people have been working hard to figure out how to keep the district changes from resulting in dramatic neighborhood changes. The proposed new policy is now posted online as part of the Wednesday school-board agenda (find it here), spelling out details such as the plan to end the renting of these properties at “below-market” rates and a multiyear transition in certain cases to the full charging of the new rent, while also making some provision for reduced rates at sites like this that are home to “youth education” programs. The new districtwide policy is scheduled for introduction this Wednesday and a final vote two weeks later; as always, the district takes sign-ups for public comment (on any topic, not just what’s on the agenda) starting first thing Monday morning – the online agenda explains how to sign up. Also, the Fauntleroy Community Association is scheduled to discuss the situation at its Tuesday meeting, one day before the school-board meeting; its webpage about the schoolhouse effort, including last April’s gathering, is here; West Seattle State Senator Joe McDermott briefly outlined the situation here – but of the bills he mentioned, neither one appears on this list of bills that survived the most recent cutoff before the Legislature ends its regular session this week.)
FASHION: Four days to go till what one organizer dubbed “The Catwalk Meets The Art Walk” — wearable art from Clementine, Sweetie, and Carmilia’s, modeled at Twilight Art in The Junction as part of the next monthly West Seattle Second Thursday Art Walk. This month’s list of participants hits another new record high — 23, stretching from Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor) to the north, to West Seattle Nursery in the south! See the map here.
PASSION: One of the city’s most passionate musical and humanitarian leaders will spend four nights in West Seattle during a unique showcase starting a week from tonight 
at Kenyon Hall. Total Experience Gospel Choir leader Pat Wright (TEGC photo right) will be there March 16-19, getting ready to open a new chapter in her post-Katrina humanitarian efforts. Each night includes a choir performance and more; this page on the KH website has full details including an “open rehearsal” March 18 with the choir joined by Pearl Jam (and ex-Soundgarden) drummer Matt Cameron. Just a few days after the KH events, Wright and the choir will travel to Mississippi; the Kenyon Hall events are free of charge, with donations accepted for the relief effort.
LASHIN’: OK, so we’re stretching for the rhyme, but you could take that a couple of different ways with regards to “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” 
That wild classic, with the Vicarious Theater Company, usually screens at the Admiral Theater the first Saturday night of each month, but there will be midmonth madness April 18-20 as NW Rockypalooza — the Northwest regional convention of “RHPS”ers — time-warps over to West Seattle for two screenings/shows. (The rest of the convention will be HQ’d at the Quality Inn on Aurora. Not like we really have a hotel over here anyway.)
On the same date (4/10) that the newly revealed California/Alaska megaproject gets a Southwest Design Review Board hearing, the project on the site of those old Beach Drive waterfront homes will also get an “administrative” design review. The proposal calls for two new single-family homes and one duplex townhouse. The project pages are filed on the city site under the street numbers 4143, 4145, and 4147. (The architects listed for the project built this, next door at 4141 Beach Drive, as well as this Alki house and these Alki condos.)
City leaders want to know, as they prepare to update the Seattle Shoreline Master Program for the first time in more than 20 years … and they hope you can be at High Point Community Center on March 20 to tell them what you hope to see.
The State House has given thumbs-up to the grocery-store beer/wine tasting bill, discussed here last month after e-mail from concerned Admiral resident Liz Wilhelm. At the time, she wrote “thank goodness none of our 34th District legislators support this bill” — but in addition to State Sen. Joe McDermott having voted for it in the State Senate (before Liz’s note), one of West Seattle’s two State House members, Rep. Eileen Cody, voted for it Friday. The other one, Rep. Sharon Nelson, voted no; roll-call links are on the bill’s official status page. A few interesting excerpts from the legislative staff report on the bill:
The pilot project is for 30 stores with at least six tastings (but no more than once per month) at each location between October 1, 2008, and September 30, 2009.
The pilot project locations must be equally allocated between independently-owned and chain grocery stores. To be eligible, the primary activity of the store must be the retail sale of grocery products for off-premises consumption and the store must have a fully enclosed retail area of at least 9,000 square feet. …
Control of sampling will be by hand stamps. Tastings will not be a party event.
P.S. If you’re wondering about another bill discussed here — the speeder-cam bill – it doesn’t appear to have moved out of State House committee-land.
10 am-2 pm, year-round, 44th/Alaska – here’s the “fresh sheet” for tomorrow:Read More
The updated CL listing makes it clear “just the business” (not the building) — but however you slice it, the Homestead is for sale, two years after it last changed hands. $495,000, according to this version of the listing.
Almost six months after it closed as Coyotes, the restaurant on 62nd/Alki’s eastern corner is back in business in its first weekend as the new home of Pegasus. (The old location is targeted for demolition, with a new 2-story building to rise on that spot.)
WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli sent that photo of cars involved in a crash that caused some trouble in the 16th/Barton vicinity (map) around midafternoon. No word of any major injuries, so far.
Somebody forwarded us another newsletter we weren’t signed up for (until we found the “subscribe” link moments immediately after reading it): the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center update. Plenty more is happening there than “just” arts — like this announcement of a West Seattle Farmers’ Market fixture making midweek visits:
Tiny’s Organic 2008 harvest season CSA program is coming to West Seattle, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center!! Pick up your weekly share of the best hand-picked organic fruit and vegetables from Tiny’s Organic family farm starting right here Wednesday, June 18 for 22 straight weeks.
Not only will you enjoy quite possibly the best tasting selection of fruit and vegetables ever but you’ll also receive a newsletter complete with storage tips, recipes, news from the farm and much more.
Tiny’s Organic is a local, family-owned and operated, 100% USDA and WSDA certified organic farm and orchard located in Wenatchee, growing more than 100 delicious varieties of organic fruit and vegetables. By becoming a CSA member, you’ll be feasting on Rainier cherries, Saturn Donut Peaches, Dapple Dandy Pluots, Apriums, Heirloom tomatoes, Fresh herbs, Arugula, Sweet Rainbow Carrots, a great selection of Mixed Greens and much more while enjoying only the most superb, organic, fresh-picked produce all season long.
Sign up early to reserve your harvest share! To learn more go to www.tinysorganic.com or call 206.762.0577 for more information or complete the online member application today.
The Youngstown newsletter subscription link, if you’re interested, is here. Also mentioned in the latest edition, the falafel truck that’s visiting Youngstown 11 am-1 pm Mondays (more here).
West Seattle moms who belong to West Side MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) — may be feeling just a tiny bit less stressed today, if they attended the group’s annual Spa Day. 33 local businesses donated goods and services for the event — from treats to trims, massage to makeup, plus gift bags and door prizes. Here’s a quick clip of just part of the busy scene Friday morning at West Side Presbyterian Church:
West Side Presbyterian is also where West Side MOPS members regularly meet – 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month, October through May. If you want to find out more, contact info is on the group’s website.
That’s Randy, the latest adoptable pet added to the WSB Pets page (which features adoptable pets, lost/found pets, and random pix from the WSB Pet Photos Flickr group). Not only is Randy looking for a happy new home – if you’ve got room in your home and heart for a new cat, the Seattle Animal Shelter‘s presenting an adoption event this afternoon at Southwest Community Center, featuring cats currently being cared for by volunteer foster families. (Personal aside, we found one of our two ex-shelter cats at a city foster-cat adoption event like this; she was sitting in a carrier, trembling, and seemed more than ready to go someplace good, for good, never again having to endure the indignity of show-n-tell. Of course, she has owned the house ever since.) Cats @ SWCC, noon-3 today.
10 am-2 pm, you can be part of the Community Mother/Baby Shower organized by WestSide Baby and the Seattle South chapter of Soroptimist International. They’re collecting diapers, newborn- and toddler-size clothing, books, baby equipment, and $ donations for local families in need, as well as $ donations for the Malawi Baby Formula Fund. Just bring your donation(s) to the John L. Scott office in Westwood Village (north side of the center, in the breezeway between Bed Bath Beyond and Jamba Juice). For more on what’s happening today (and tomorrow), check our West Seattle Weekend Lineup.
(2007 view of Fauntleroy fish ladder)
Heartening news from Judy Pickens — the worst-case fears about Fauntleroy Creek‘s salmon season apparently are not coming to pass:
We DO have home hatch in Fauntleroy Creek! We had thought that all the eggs from last fall’s spawning surely washed out in the December 3 storm but not so. Several coho fry were sighted March 6 above the fish ladder and more may show up during a thorough survey. The ability of redds to survive the scouring of a major storm is remarkable and truly heartening for the future of salmon in our urban creeks.
If you’ve never been to the Fauntleroy fish ladder, it’s directly east of (and up the slope from) the ferry terminal. Read its history here.
We mentioned last weekend that the ferry Issaquah would leave the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run this weekend for “fuel-tank cleaning.” Didn’t know till tonight (official Washington State Ferries news release here) that the cleaning is to prep it for the latest biodiesel test starting Monday. Two other ferries are set to try biodiesel starting this spring, including the Tillikum, which also is currently on the Fauntleroy run. The “triangle route” was also involved in a biodiesel test in 2004, suspended because of fuel-filter trouble. (That test involved 20% biodiesel; this new one involves a 5% mix.)
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