Monthly Archives: June 2011

News, Urban Planning

City Light to remove tall pole, lines near 12th and Stevens

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Utility poles in a row on S. Stevens St. Photo by Wendi.

Utility poles in a row on S. Stevens St. Photo by Wendi.

The power lines and tall poles that have concerned neighbors in the vicinity of 12th and Stevens will be changed starting next week. City Light crews will install new utility poles along S. Stevens St., as well as replacing the 71-foot pole at 12th Ave. S. and S. Stevens with a 55-foot pole. Additionally, one circuit of power cables will be moved underground to reduce view impacts in the area.

The work will begin on June 13 and continue until September.

The changes are the culmination of two years of discussions between Beacon Hill residents and City Light after a new power circuit was added to the Hill to support Link Light Rail and expected future demand. When the large poles and new wires went in, neighbors in the area of 12th and Stevens found the views from their homes were affected. Neighbors also expressed concern about the impact of the poles and power lines on the nearby 12th Avenue S. Viewpoint park. Over 100 neighbors signed a petition asking that the poles be removed.

Previous posts about the poles/power lines are here:

The power lines in question at 12th and Stevens. Photo by Wendi.

These power lines affect views for neighbors at 12th and Stevens. Photo by Wendi.


View S. Stevens St. power poles in a larger map. The blue line marks the location of the power poles on S. Stevens Street. The green area is the 12th Avenue Viewpoint park.

Neighborhood Pride, Other Neighborhoods

Beacon Hill vs. Ballard: the battle is on!

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Publicola asked people from Beacon Hill and Ballard to explain “why their neighborhood is the best place to live in the city“ yesterday. Peggy Sturdivant, a columnist for the Ballard News-Tribune, represented the one-time neighborhood of bungalows and old Scandinavians that has since sprouted condos, townhomes, and trendy shops. Beacon Hill was represented by Craig Thompson, author of the Beacon Lights blog at seattlepi.com.

Both writers found many reasons to support their neighborhoods. Sturdivant bragged about Ballard’s farmer’s market, hospital, music venues, and sunsets, while Thompson touted Beacon Hill’s affordability, accessibility, diversity, and feeling of community, along with Jefferson Park and other green projects. (BHB would like to point out that one thing we have that Ballard will not be able to match for many years was overlooked — Link light rail.)

What do you think? We know which neighborhood we prefer.

City Services, Meetings

Input wanted on new directions for Community Centers

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Jefferson Park Community Center. Photo by Wendi.
Seattle Parks and Recreation has been challenged by the City Council to re-think the way community centers should operate in this time of budget difficulties.

A citizen advisory team has worked for a while on developing new ideas for the operation of the centers, and now Parks would like to hear from residents in the wider community at two meetings, one at Bitter Lake in the far North End, and the other right here on Beacon Hill.

All are welcome to attend. The Bitter Lake meeting is on Wednesday, June 15, 7 – 8:30 p.m., at Bitter Lake Community Center, 13035 Linden Ave. N. The Beacon Hill meeting is the next day, Thursday, June 16, 7 – 8:30 p.m., at Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Ave. S.

A draft of the options that have been proposed so far will be available tomorrow, June 8, at all community centers and on the Seattle Parks and Recreation website. There will also be an online survey posted on the same website starting June 8 which you may fill out if you’re unable to attend the community meetings.

For further information, please contact Susan Golub at susan.golub@seattle.gov.

Local Events, Neighborhood Pride

A sunny day at the Beacon Hill Festival

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The Beacon Hill Festival was Saturday, and this year the weather was great! Sunny and warm, but not too hot—it felt like we might actually get a summer this year after all. Here are a few photos of the day. Were you there? We’d love to see your photos, too. Please contribute them to the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr. Thanks to Furchin for contributing some wonderful photos!

Members of More of Anything, with their colorful ties. Photo by Furchin.
The audience enjoys More of Anything's performance. Photo by Wendi.
The Beacon Hill Music/ROCKiT space/Beacon Rocks! folks were cheerful, even near the end of the day. Photo by Wendi.
Cool drinks were a hot commodity. Photo by Wendi.
Checking out the silent auction. Photo by Wendi.
Children performing on the main stage. Photo by Furchin.
Health and Safety

Alcohol Impact Area proponents organizing

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Seen one of these in the neighborhood? (This one is actually in Maryland.) Photo by Guy Schmidt via Creative Commons.
A group of North Beacon Hill neighbors have concerns about the impact of public inebriation on the neighborhood, and have started a drive to form an Alcohol Impact Area (AIA). There are currently AIAs in effect throughout much of downtown and the University District.

According to the Department of Neighborhoods website, local jurisdictions are given more time to review liquor license applications and renewals inside an AIA, and the jurisdiction may also request that the Liquor Control Board restrict stores in an AIA from selling certain types of alcoholic beverages that are linked to local chronic public inebriation problems. Sales may be restricted entirely, or the businesses may be limited in the hours they can sell beverages “to-go.” By “certain types,” the city currently means this list of products: wines such as Boone’s Farm, Night Train Express, MD 20/20, and Thunderbird; and beers/malt liquors such as Keystone Ice, Olde English 800, Rainier Ale, and Steel Reserve.

Neighbors in favor of the AIA are currently collecting photos of the impacts of public inebriation on the neighborhood—specifically, photos of littered cans and bottles of those beverages which are banned in Pioneer Square and downtown, but are sold legally here on Beacon.

For more information on the Beacon Hill Alcohol Impact Area Initiative, see their Facebook page.

Arts, Local Events

Rumi Koshino exhibit opens at NEPO 6/11

Next Saturday, June 11, from 6-8 p.m., NEPO House presents the opening of another in the series of Little Treats art exhibitions, I’m Sorry. Thank You. I Love You. by Rumi Koshino. The show will be accompanied by “Rumi Koshino: Between the Figural and the Factual,” an essay by D.W. Burnam. A screening of Jim Jarmusch’s film Stranger Than Paradise film will follow the opening event at 8 p.m.

According to the NEPO website, the Little Treats shows are “a series of monthly shows that focuses on presenting new work by individual artists and small group shows. In order to avoid moving too much furniture the shows take place only and entirely in our entry room.”

NEPO House is located at 1723 S. Lander St.

You may also want to mark your calendar for September 10, 2011, when the first NEPO 5K: Don’t Run event, a 5k artwalk from Pioneer Square to Beacon Hill, will take place. Stay tuned for more information as the event date gets closer.

Arts, Local Events

Beacon Rocks! has a Secret (Cabaret)

The Beaconettes at the recent Light Rail/Dark Rail performance event. Photo by Dan Bennett in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr.
Beacon Rocks! is holding a fundraiser with a twist: the Secret Cabaret. The event will be held in a “beautiful private home” (you find out the address after you RSVP) next Saturday, June 11, at 7 p.m. Guests will be entertained by Beacon Hill performers, including the Beaconettes.

There is a $10 suggested donation, and if checks are made out to Shunpike, donors will receive tax-deductible receipts.

To attend (and find out the party’s location), RSVP to beaconrocks@gmail.com.

The Beacon Rocks! performance events themselves this summer will be June 26, July 31, and August 28 on the Roberto Maestas Festival Street (formerly Lander) just north of Beacon Hill Station. Stay tuned for further information.

Local Events

Lots happening on the Hill this weekend

Pottery made in Jefferson Community Center pottery classes was for sale at last years Beacon Hill Festival. Photo by Jason.
There are a lot of activities scheduled in the neighborhood for this weekend and beyond. Check the Beacon Hill Blog events page for a list of what’s happening.

Here’s a quick reminder about some of the upcoming activities.

Tonight:

Tomorrow:

Sunday:

  • 9 a.m.: Lewis Park volunteer work party

Tuesday:

Local Events

Buy or sell treasures at the Beacon Bazaar

Musicians perform at the Beacon Bazaar. Photo courtesy of the Beacon Hill International School PTA.
The annual Beacon Bazaar comes to the sidewalk outside of Beacon Hill International School at 2025 14th Ave. S. next Saturday, June 11, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. The Bazaar is a family-friendly event where you will find arts, crafts, clothing, plants, and various and sundry other treasures for sale. (We hear that last year someone even sold songs on commission!) Everyone is welcome to come by and shop, and table rentals are also available if you’d like to sell your own goods. Table rentals are $30, with fees going to the BHIS Parent Teacher Association, but vendors keep the proceeds from the items they sell.

For more information or to get a vendor registration form, visit the BHIS website or contact Bazaar Coordinator John Shaw at johnshawtoo@hotmail.com.

(Editor’s note: This article was changed on June 8 to include the photograph supplied by the PTA.)