West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
Just a few things to share from our latest review of reports at the Southwest Precinct, 
starting with an apparent flasher at Westcrest Park: This happened at 4:30 pm Wednesday, but wasn’t reported till a day later. Two girls, 12 and 13, told police they saw a man running up and down a hill (between the off-leash area and the rest of the park) with his private parts not-so-private. They left the area, then saw him again in another part of the park, “stretching and exercising,” and still exposed. No detailed description of the suspect was available. Next: The hit-and-run suspect who wasn’t hard to find:Read More
The first city official we pinged about this (see earlier report) was Council President Richard Conlin — and he replied tonight:
Thanks for the message. I am very familiar with this problem — we caught a developer on Greenwood doing this a couple of years ago, not for the design review purpose, but to evade sidewalk construction requirements. When we reported it to DPD, they were able to enforce the requirement by telling the developer that both parts of the project had to be permitted together. I wasn’t aware that it was as widespread as your story indicates, I thought the one we found was an isolated instance.
Since DPD did take corrective action on the one we found, that suggests that it is not the law that needs to be changed, but rather that something in DPD’s procedures. I’m wondering if there were complaints made on any of these projects and if DPD responded in any way. It may be that a Councilmember intervening might be necessary, which would be unfortunate, as that should not be required, but it is a path that can be taken.
Council President Conlin, you may recall, had some interesting comments about development — “McMansions” in particular — during his appearance last week before the Alki Community Council (WSB coverage here). One other note — we sent the “micropermitting” link from earlier today to our favorite citywide news blog, Slog, thinking they might be interested since Slog and parent publication The Stranger pay closer attention to development issues than many other citywide news sources. They posted a followup late today; if you haven’t seen it yet, that link is here.
There’s a new way to help out the son and husband of Red Cup Espresso owner Angelia Paulsen, killed in a crash on I-5 earlier this month, and the organizer says West Seattle rock superstar Eddie Vedder‘s band is involved. Here’s the announcement e-mailed to WSB by Jonathan French:
I am hoping you can spread the word about a raffle we have set up to benefit the O¹Dea family. (Sean & Julian O’Dea) The band Pearl Jam has asked me to donate 2 very rare, autographed limited edition prints signed by the entire band on their behalf. There will be 2 drawings with one win per person. First person who wins chooses the first print. Buy as many tickets as you wish. Tickets are $10.00 each. They can be purchased at Red Cup Espresso (4453 California Ave. SW) (206) 923-0431. Or people can e-mail me (Jonathan French jfrench@alki.net) and I can make other arrangements to get tickets out. Drawing is at 12 pm February 23, 2008. Need not be present to win. Write your name and contact info on the back of one of the tickets and they’ll put it in the bucket. Framed prints can be viewed inside Red Cup Espresso.
As we mentioned earlier this week, Red Cup is currently open 6-2 weekdays, 7-4 weekends.
All the recent snow hints from forecasters didn’t translate to reality. But the National Weather Service‘s new forecast is out, and tomorrow night sounds serious.
At an Alki meeting this afternoon, the Parks Department presented a new timeline for Statue of Liberty plaza completion: end of October. During the fundraising campaign successfully completed earlier this month (WSB coverage here), Statue of Liberty Plaza Project co-chairs Libby and Paul Carr had said they hoped the plaza could be built in time for a July 4th dedication this year, but that appears to be out of the question, as a “refinement” and review process is expected to take place over the next few months, and the timeline released today doesn’t even call for the project to be put out for bid until early August, with construction projected to start in mid-September. More tomorrow.
Can you believe Christmas was a month ago? Anyway, here are 44 ideas for now through Sunday:Read More
Whenever we have one of our “teardown-to-townhome” threads going – like this one – somebody wonders why so many of the new townhouses seem to have no style. Today, as a backhoe scoops debris from the latest t-to-t, we have one answer.
Those photos are before (earlier this month) and after (this morning) in the 3400 block of California. Our most recent mention of that project brought the following e-mail from David Foster, who is not just your average critic — he is an award-winning architect who serves on the Southwest Design Review Board, which you hear about a lot here on WSB, because its public meetings on projects that require design review are often the only times the public gets to hear about/comment on such projects before the backhoe shows up. This particular project, no such review. Some other ones — such as the controversial townhomes across from the church @ California/Othello — no such review. Foster says he knows why:
That project [3400 block of California] is for 16 new townhouses, which is well above the threshold for SEPA Review and Design Review, but it was issued a construction permit without going through either review.
How? The applicants employed an illegal trick called micropermitting (aka segmented permitting). The threshold for SEPA (and Design Review) in this zone (L3-RC) is 9 units or more. The developer maneuvered underneath the threshold by pulling plans for 4 fourplexes off the shelf, and applying for multiple permits. The result – unless this project is challenged – will be another crappy, cookie cutter project that did not receive proper reviews.
SEPA has specific language prohibiting this. But when I spoke to the manager of the Design Review program at DPD, he admitted that all too often the bureaucracy lets these projects slip under the radar – “it’s too hard to keep track of”, and once permits get issued, there is no real remedy short of a lawsuit. He’s tried to get the Land Use section’s support, but to no avail.
This situation got me curious about other projects that might be employing the same illegal strategy, so I took a little field trip through West Seattle. In an hour’s time I found 5 projects that were built in the last year, and 3 more that are under construction (or in the case above, about to start). I put together a chart (attached) showing the projects’ locations and permitting data. (One currently under construction is another 12-unit project in the 5900 block of California Ave.) Looking at these projects as they are now built, any idiot can see that each one was constructed by a single builder as a single project using the same recycled plan. And each could have benefited greatly from Design Review.
SEPA Review and Design Review are processes that were instituted to protect the public from environmentally- and aesthetically harmful projects. Judging by your readers’ response to [this post], people are pissed. Isn’t it time pressure was brought on the City to do its job and enforce the law?
David Foster AIA
Principal, David Foster Architects
Member, West Seattle Design Review Board
SEPA stands for State Environmental Policy Act. A city page about it is here. The attachment that Foster refers to is an Excel spreadsheet that we have uploaded so you can download it (click here). We will be seeking some city comment on this; we’ll let you know what we hear back.
Beach Drive Blog has the pix. We’re still doublechecking on which project this is for; there is one in the area that is proposed for single-family homes but the city website doesn’t show its demolition permit as having been granted yet. Elsewhere in West Seattle, the teardown-to-townhome site in the 3400 block of California is in demolition-cleanup mode today; more on that, with an unusual angle, shortly.
Seen along Admiral (between the Hanford and City View signs on the east side of the street). Thanks to Jerry from JetCityOrange for the photo.
Jessica e-mailed this late last night (map):
@ 2210, coyote sighting on 35th Ave SW and Roxbury. Looked to be about 55-60 lbs (just slightly bigger than my husky-mix) and light brown. Ran to the alley in the direction of Fautleroy Park through our neighbor’s yard. Oddly enough was just talking about never seeing a coyote in W. Seattle just minutes before at West 5!
If this keeps up, the coyote sightings will get their own map. The other half of the team suggests tthe icons should be anvils.
In addition to the call for witnesses that we posted this afternoon, we have one more bit of news tonight from the Southwest Precinct – this is directly from a detectives’ progress report forwarded to WSB:
For the first three weeks of 2008, (January 2, 2008 to January 23, 2008) Southwest Detectives were assigned 38 cases for investigations.
Detective have identified a few groups of individuals who they believe are responsible for a pattern of burglaries. Detectives have built cases on several of these individuals within these groups which has greatly interrupted these patterns.
21 of those cases have been cleared with arrests.
14 cases, detectives have developed leads and/or have identified the suspects (filing pending).
3 cases, no leads at this time.
Detectives have noticed a substantial decrease in residential and commercial burglaries.
Just anecdotal, but when we reviewed six days worth of police reports at the precinct yesterday (resulting in this writeup posted last night), we did indeed notice fewer break-in reports than we’d seen in recent weeks.
A few notes from these two public open houses in West Seattle tonight:
SPRING HILL (THE MIXED-USE PROJECT, NOT THE RESTAURANT) OPEN HOUSE: No new info or drawings since the Southwest Design Review Board meeting earlier this month (WSB coverage here). Project manager Barbara Hartley told WSB they hoped to use tonight’s open house to clarify some points of concern voiced at that meeting, such as the separation between Spring Hill and the building to the north (25 feet total), and gather more comments before architects revise the plans for the next SWDRB meeting (she says they’ll be ready next month, if the city can get them on the schedule). She also says they’re leaning toward designating the “residential units” as apartments, since “that’s where the development synergy seems to be right now, especially in West Seattle,” and for the ground-level commercial, they have no “anchor tenant” yet but are envisioning professional offices.
METRO RAPIDRIDE OPEN HOUSE: No major new info since the presentation we covered at the Junction Neighborhood Organization (JuNO) meeting earlier this month (WSB writeup here), but a few additional infoboards not shown at that meeting were on display here — including one listing possible stoplights that could have “transit priority” as part of speeding up the bus trips. (How much faster? one reader asked in earlier comments — Paul Roybal of Metro told WSB tonight, about 25% faster than the current 54.) We also learned tonight that before RapidRide starts up in 2011, Metro will do a West Seattle-wide review of ALL bus routes in 2010, figuring out how to make it all work together. Open houses without full presentations don’t make good writeups but they are EXCELLENT ways for you to get questions answered and register opinions, so if you have even the slightest interest in RapidRide, we strongly urge you to get to one of the next three West Seattle events: open house 5:30-8:30 pm Tuesday (1/29) @ West Seattle Senior Center, info table noon-3 pm Wednesday (1/30) @ WS Senior Center, 6 pm Feb. 19 @ Southwest Library. And an online questionnaire is still available for you to answer by Feb. 1; find it here. You can find more Metro contact info for RapidRide comments here.
TUNES: KUOW profiled the West Seattle Big Band today. Jim Edwards sends this link.
TREATS: Free “Deathcake” tasting 1-3 pm tomorrow @ Cupcake Royale. (Hat tip to C Ro.)
The West Seattle crimefighters at the Southwest Precinct are hoping you might be able to help with one of the cases we reported in last night’s West Seattle Crime Watch update — involving six young men/boys attacking and trying to rob two men on a Metro bus around 6:15 pm last Saturday as it headed across The Bridge, from downtown to West Seattle. Contrary to what we wrote last night, it seems there WERE other passengers on this bus when this happened, so police believe there are more witnesses. As reported, they arrested three teenage suspects shortly afterward, but now need to find the other three. If you were on that bus when this happened, or have any otherwise-obtained information about it, Detective Nick Bauer at the Southwest Precinct wants to hear from you at 206/233-7830.
Two days after the new “enhanced” driver licenses became available at the Westwood Village licensing office and 10 other spots statewide, we just got this report from Kevin (thank you!):
You may want to mention to your readers that the wait at the West Seattle Driver’s License Office are pretty long. I just called today (two days after the program started taking appointments) and I couldn’t get an appointment until March 7th. If your readers want to get an EDL/ID they need to call into the office pretty quick. They can only schedule for 3 months ahead of time, and they are getting all booked. Once March appointments are all taken, it will be til end of quarter before you can apply again.
The number to call for an appointment is here.
As we reported last night, the school district has decided to hold an official public meeting on the Denny-Sealth proposals Feb. 4, the night before a meeting that the Westwood Neighborhood Council had already scheduled for Feb. 5. We e-mailed community liaison Eleanor Trainor from Seattle Public Schools today, asking for a few more details on the Feb. 4 meeting, and here’s what she just sent:
The meeting is scheduled for February 4, in the Sealth library. There will be a “gallery walk” at 630p during which folks can get a look at the latest drawings and ideas, in addition to chatting with district staff and leadership who will be on-hand. The meeting portion of the evening will begin at 7p.
If you missed last night’s update – the district also says the School Board will make its final decision on the Sealth-Denny project at its regular Feb. 27 meeting.
Over the weekend, we mentioned a West Seattle Christian Church (WSB sponsor) delegation had gone to Lewis County to help with relief work from the December flood damage. A member of the delegation has now sent us the photo you see above. Aaron says, “Our little friend provided us with a little distraction from the physical pain our bodies were feeling! A lot of work yet to be done down there. I encourage all your readers to consider taking part in the effort.” Here’s another story of helping hands, just out of the WSB inbox:Read More
As promised in our Hi-Yu update last week, we have more information on how to apply for the Miss West Seattle Hi-Yu scholarship program. As Hi-Yu’s Colleen Gants put it, “It’s a neat way for West Seattle young women to get involved in the community, participate in Seafair, gain professional speaking experience, and join in good old fashioned fun – complete with floats and all”:Read More
5:30-8:30 PM TONIGHT, THE HALL AT FAUNTLEROY: The first West Seattle open house where you can find out more about the future Metro service known as “RapidRide.” (That photo shows what the special buses will look like; it’s from the RapidRide briefing at the last JuNO meeting – WSB coverage here.) Metro managers want to hear what you think NOW, as they make key decisions about the route and station siting.
4-7 PM TONIGHT, WEST SEATTLE SENIOR CENTER: The development firm BlueStar Management is following up the Jan. 10 Design Review Board meeting (WSB coverage here) on Spring Hill, the mixed-use building proposed for 5020 California and neighboring sites (shown above are the early drawings from the DRB meeting), with a public open house for anyone interested in the latest info about the project.
7:30 TONIGHT, WEST SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL THEATER: Thanks to TC for that photo showcasing the title of the WSHS play “Love, Sex, and the IRS,” which the WSHS Drama Club is staging tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday night. Plot summary from the Westside Notes e-mail list: “This absurd farce will “drag” you through a wild tale of cross-dressing, mistaken identities and hilarious comic lines. Remember the saying “one lie leads to another?” Well, in this case the lies start when Jon and Leslie, out of work musicians trying to save money, take advantage of Leslie’s ambiguous name and file tax returns as a married couple. The IRS is now investigating them and that is where the cross-dressing comes in. Add a fiancée, a girlfriend, a mother and an affair, and you have all the ingredients for mayhem.”
The latest from the files at the Southwest Precinct – and we’ve got a lot to tell you about, since our last visit was last Thursday. We start with a “good news” story that unfolded while we were at the precinct late today: It started this morning, when a West Seattle man found a wallet in the Central District. He reported it to police later by flagging down an officer at Delridge and Hudson. Police called the wallet’s owner and asked if she could come pick it up at the Southwest Precinct. She arrived around 4 this afternoon, received the wallet from officer Buzzy Katzer at the front desk, and exclaimed, “Wow, my 11 dollars are even still in here!” She wanted to thank the man who found her wallet and turned it in; at last report, police were trying to reach him to convey her message. Ahead – an amazing array of other incidents, including the “adult model” dispute and the runaway litterer:Read More
Bulletin from the Seattle School Board meeting under way right now (live on Channel 26, though no further Denny-Sealth discussion is expected tonight) — in her “superintendent’s updates,” Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson said there will be a community forum at Chief Sealth High School on Feb. 4 to present the 3 options under consideration (continue current plan, continue current plan but add some $ to Sealth renovations, rebuild Denny on its own site and renovate Sealth separately) — this apparently is separate from the Westwood Neighborhood Council‘s planned Feb. 5 meeting on the project (we will check with the Westwood folks to be sure). Then, she said, a resolution will be introduced at the Feb. 13 school board meeting recommending which option to pursue, and the board would vote on it at its next meeting after that, Feb. 27. More later, including highlights of the Denny-Sealth speakers in tonight’s public comment period (all opposed to the consolidation project — is there a reason no supporters ever seem to appear?). 11:30 PM UPDATE: Speaker recap ahead:Read More
Viaduct news this afternoon: The latest inspection report is in, and it includes the dates for the next major inspection shutdown, when ostensibly they’ll get to test those new signs. Here’s the WSDOT news release:
Initial results from last week’s inspection revealed that the Alaskan Way Viaduct has settled approximately 1/8 of an inch, where foundation strengthening work is taking place between Columbia Street and Yesler Way . No new structural damage was caused by the additional settlement.
“This settlement does not come as a huge surprise,†said Jugesh Kapur, WSDOT State Bridge Engineer. “The viaduct has been settling incrementally between Columbia Street and Yesler Way since 2002.â€
“This continuing settlement reinforces our decision to move ahead with stabilizing the columns in this area,†added Ron Paananen, Alaskan Way Viaduct Program Director.
This fall, WSDOT began repairs to strengthen the foundations of the four columns that are settling in this area. The columns have settled approximately five inches since the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. The foundation work is expected to be complete in April, limiting further settlement in this area and preventing damage to the structure. This work is one of six improvement projects planned to replace or repair more than half of the viaduct.
WSDOT crews conduct visual inspections every three months to monitor the viaduct’s condition and keep drivers safe. Full inspections and closures are every six months, with the next scheduled for March 22 and 23.
Another Viaduct-related date to mark on your calendar: a West Seattle public meeting is set for Feb. 12 at Cooper Elementary to talk about the “Central Waterfront” section — as in, the part that no one’s decided yet whether to tear down and replace, or tear down and not replace. That date and the Viaduct closure dates are now added to the WSB Events page; the closure dates are also atop the Traffic page.
Ever wonder where West 5 got the big lit-up crown that graces the back wall? This week’s Stranger tells the tale.
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