West Seattle, Washington
02 Wednesday
The National Weather Service updated its forecast late this morning; a “snow advisory” is now up for the entire metro area through 7 o’clock tomorrow morning. The “forecast discussion” suggests there’s a chance the commute could be messy – we’ll keep eyes/ears on viaduct/bridge/WS conditions so you can check here before leaving work.
Went to the King County Courthouse this morning to check on the trial of ex-Huling Brothers sales staffers Adrian “AG” Dillard and Ted Coxwell, 
since we hadn’t heard anything since testimony began 10 days ago. While we were in the courtroom, the prosecution rested its case; the defense planned to start calling witnesses later this morning. DETAILS ADDED @ NOON: The last two prosecution witnesses, called while we were there, had testified earlier, but were brought back for more questioning — one was a former Huling employee, the other a Seattle Police detective. Fairly technical stuff — the ex-employee was asked this morning to identify various spots on photographs of the then-Huling dealership property and the apartment building where the victim in the case lived; the detective was asked about records showing vehicles owned by co-defendant Coxwell. We’ll keep checking on the trial as it proceeds in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Nicole MacInnes in the days to come.
As some comments have pointed out here, parts of West Seattle got a dusting of snow early this morning. Certainly a spotty snowfall — the photo above is barely a block east of us, along 42nd in Upper Fauntleroy, but there’s nothing on our street surface, just a thin layer on the car tops. Forecast calls for more tonight. 8:55 AM P.S. Looking ahead — a city news release reminds us that if you have a “street-condition emergency,” the number for reporting it is 386.1218.
SUMMER THEATER SIGNUPS: ArtsWest’s Musical Theater Conservatory for 12-16-year-olds is doing “Pippin” this year; signups start today.
SUSTAINABLE WEST SEATTLE: Annual meeting, 7 pm @ Camp Long. More info here.
To see what’s happening later this week – such as the City Light meeting tomorrow about where crews will soon be trimming MANY trees in West Seattle — check the WSB Events list.
This time, it’s not another mixed-use development — it’s the West Seattle Christian Church (WSB sponsor) multipurpose building, which will be available for community use as well as church functions, with auditorium, gymnasium, and banquet-type space. Construction begins Wednesday, but the first symbolic shovel of dirt was turned at a brief ceremony today:
Participants in today’s ceremony included representatives of several generations of WSCC church members, from someone who just joined 2 months ago, to someone who’s been attending for more than 60 years. And the project’s been a while in the making, according to Allan Weber:
You can find out more about the project here; the city project page has the bullet-point facts (height, square footage). WSCC is on the southeast corner of 42nd and Genesee (map).
We’re not taking much stock in the forecasts any more either, but if you’re keeping track, next rumored chance is tomorrow night. P.S. Tomorrow is a day off for many local students anyway, even without snow; it’s the Seattle Public Schools “day between semesters.”
Thanks to Heather for letting us know she spotted signs of a new business moving into the above-pictured space on the south side of Admiral, just west of California. Research led us quickly to co-owner Kent Sadow, who answered our e-mail just as quickly:
We have bought out “Hart’s Cards & Gifts” and will be opening a new, really fun store. It will now be Max & Quinn’s ATOMIC BOYS Shop-O-Rama. We will still have cards and party supplies; however, the new store will be heavily themed towards retro and nostalgic games, toys, novelties, & candy. If it reminds us of when we were growing up and even before, we will try to carry it.
We are really excited to have this opportunity to open a store in this location, since we live just a few blocks away, our kids go to school next door, and have always loved being part of our community. … We hope to be open by week’s end.
According to a listing we just found, the land under John’s Corner Deli at 35th/Webster (map), known for the cow on the roof (file photo @ left), is for sale, along with three adjoining parcels. The listing doesn’t say which three, but King County property records show the deli lot is owned by the same person as the three lots immediately south. The listing, priced at $2,685,000, says in part:
Prime mixed use development site near the highest point of W. Seattle with commanding views of Sound, Olympics & Cascades. Corner lot with alley access. Four tax parcels (zoned NC2-40) to be sold together as one 27,256 sq. ft. parcel. Preliminary feasibility report indicates the potential for at least a 79,500 sq. ft. structure. (Note that the 23,600 sq. ft. lot next door has 71 residential units).
(That last line appears to refer to 7524 35th SW, which is the fourth lot south of the deli.) A different version of the listing on the agent’s website has a few more pix.
Highlights from the West Seattle Weekend Lineup and WSB Events page:
–West Seattle Farmers’ Market continues on its winter schedule (11 am-2 pm)
–West Seattle Christian Church (WSB sponsor) breaks ground today for its new multipurpose building
–Holy Rosary and Our Lady of Guadalupe schools both have open houses this morning/afternoon
-A concert to benefit the Chief Sealth High School Library will feature 15-year-old violinist Daniel Perrine tonight at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church
Will West Seattle go for Obama? Edwards? Clinton? Romney? Paul? McCain? Or? 
Here’s another reminder that Washington caucuses are two weeks from today, 1 pm on Saturday 2/9, various WS locations for Democrats, Southwest Community Center for WS Republicans. The caucus results will count for all the Democratic presidential-candidate nomination process in our state, and half the Republican process (the GOP’s other half will come from the Feb. 19 WA primary). Tons of info links in previous WSB coverage (here, here, here) and on the websites of the 34th District Democrats and King County Republicans. Plus, a reader e-mailed WSB tonight (thank you!) to point out that February 1st is the deadline for the Democratic Party to receive the equivalent of an “absentee ballot” — it’s an affidavit that can be filed by those who say they can’t make the caucuses because of religious observance, disability challenges, or military service. You can download the form here (the second page of the PDF includes the three options for sending it in — postal mail, e-mail, or fax). P.S. Caucus talk is under way in the WSB Forums, too.
As first reported here yesterday afternoon, city Parks Department reps have met with “stakeholders” 
in the project to build a new plaza for the Alki Statue of Liberty. Major developments from that meeting included a new, longer timeline for the plaza, some design revisions, and another round of public involvement in the process, including an expected public meeting in April. In the day since the meeting, we’ve gathered more reaction and further details on what happens next, starting with a detailed update — and call for action — from Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project co-chairs Libby and Paul Carr:Read More
The new Pegasus sign is up at the ex-Coyotes, ex-Chez Million, ex-Lighthouse, ex-Point:
Further east, new colors are painted on Slices (whose front fence was shown in the Craigslist version of this ad last month; we wrote to the listed e-mailbox but got no reply) and in the background, the ex-Alki Mail turned future Pioneer Coffee Company:
The West Seattle-based animal helpers at Furry Faces Foundation are working on Spay Day USA events coming up next month, including a special clinic day for feral cats, 
but there’s one thing you can help them with RIGHT NOW – they need donations of clean, used towels. The towels are used to keep the animals warm while they recover; towels donated now will be reused for future events too. Teri Ensley of FFF (aka “F-Cubed”), says the success of spaying/neutering campaigns will help more than just the cats directly involved — it means “less kittens will enter our shelters which will increase the adoption rate of adult cats because they don’t have to compete with the cute little kittens.” (Seen above, two cats we adopted as adults – them and us! – from local shelters.) Take your clean, dry used towels to Pet Elements in Morgan Junction (6701 California Ave SW). And if you have a question about Spay Day USA, e-mail Teri (furryfaces@hotmail.com). There are some other ways you can help – check the WSB Pets page.
From “Rick on 36th”:
Great view of coyote heading SW in the lower 3rd of the park. I was approaching one of the big trail junctions in the woodsy area and it loped past us at an angle. I was surprised at its size, seemed on the bigger end of coyotes in my experience. Pretty darn tall and long but skinny. Big bushy tail held low and real perky ears. Kinda mottled coat. No lost German Shepherd was this.
As of the 3:30 am “forecast discussion,” anyway. 12:10 PM UPDATE: A few flakes spotted up here in Upper Fauntleroy! Serious stuff wasn’t expected till later so we’ll hold off on an official “snow panic” thread.
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.
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