All posts by Wendi Dunlap

Editor of the Beacon Hill Blog.
Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: El Centro’s parking lot is open

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The new parking lot at El Centro is open on the future site of a new development. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.

Some Bits for you from the last few weeks:

El Centro de la Raza has opened their temporary light rail parking lot to the
public. Parking rates are listed here. The lot is in the south part of the El Centro site, directly adjacent to the Roberto Maestas Festival Street, across the street from Beacon Hill Station. The parking lot is an interim use of the site, limited to three years or less, after which El Centro plans to develop the site. Proceeds from the parking lot benefit El Centro’s human services and community building programs.

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Mayor McGinn recently led a delegation to Chongqing and Beijing, and while there distributed some Seattle souvenirs to local schoolchildren — including a Beacon Rocks! t-shirt.

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Doreen Deaver sent us this notice:

Now that the egg hunts are done, are you wondering what to do with all those plastic eggs? Jefferson Community Center is the place to bring them. We are recycling eggs! Bring them in and give them a good home. We can use them again. Thank you.

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Maple Elementary School art teacher Kate Baker was recently featured in the Seattle Times in an article about arts programs at Seattle schools.

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Blink and you’ll miss it, but Microsoft used a gorgeous photo taken from Beacon Hill in an an ad for the new Internet Explorer. (Thanks to former Beacon Hill neighbor Travis Mayfield at KOMO for noticing the photo!)

Lost and Found

Have you seen Ernie?

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(Editor’s note: The dog has been found! Thanks, everyone!)

Neighbors Phil and Yulia write:

“This little dog was lost this evening, Thursday 12th April, on Beacon Hill. His name is Ernie and he’s very skittish with strangers. He is licensed and chipped and has a red harness on. However, the phone number on his collar isn’t valid because his owner is out of the country and will probably not be able to receive cell phone calls where she is. If you have seen this dog or have found him, please contact us by email or phone [number removed now that Ernie is back home — ed.]. Thanks.”

Have you seen this dog?
Urban Planning

Application filed to build 5-story building at 12th and Holgate; appeals filed on South Beacon grading projects

The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has announced a land use application to allow a 5-story, 22-unit residential building at 1814 12th Ave. S. Parking for 12 cars would be included below grade in the building. The existing 1922-built house on the 7,405 square-foot lot would be demolished.

The project will be required to go through the design review process, as well as a SEPA environmental determination. Comments on the project may be submitted to the DPD through April 15. You can submit your comments online via this link.


View Larger Map

On the far south end of the hill, appeals have been filed against the DPD’s recent Determination of Non-Significance with conditions (no environmental impact statement required), for a grading and vegetation removal project at three properties, as discussed on the Beacon Hill Blog recently. The appeal hearings for all three sites will be held on Wednesday, June 6 at 9:00 a.m.

The first is 8839 36th Ave. S. See the decision page here for more information. Here is the page about the appeal hearing.

The second project is nearby at 3400 Edward Dr. S. See the decision page here. Here is the page about the appeal hearing.

The third site is at 9025 Cecil Ave. S. See the decision page here. Here is the page about the appeal hearing.


View Grading projects on South Beacon Hill in a larger map

Education, Local Events

Take flight at Maple Elementary fundraising auction

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The Maple Elementary School PTSA is holding a fundraising auction on Saturday, May 12 from 6-9 p.m. at Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Ave. S. The event’s theme is “Take Flight,” and the goal is “to help our school to soar into excellence and maintain its reputation as one of the best elementary schools in Seattle.” The auction will raise funds to help support programs including after-school programs, creative teacher grants, classroom supplies, and the annual 3-day trip to Camp Seymour for 4th and 5th grade students. Community members can help in several ways: attending and buying, contributing items to be sold, or by becoming an event sponsor.

Attending: Advance tickets are $25 and you can buy them online. Tickets will be $35 at the door. Advance tickets will also be sold after school at Maple starting on April 23.

Contributing: Vendors, artists, and others are needed who can contribute gift certificates, unique experiences, or items to be sold. Donated items will be acknowledged in the auction catalog and on the PTSA’s website and Facebook page. The PTSA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization so donations are tax-deductible.

Sponsoring: Become an event sponsor with a cash donation of $1,000, $500, $250 or $100. Donations are tax-deductible and will be acknowledged at the auction, on the websites, and at the school.

For more information, email Maple PTSA Co-President Jen Moore, jenmoore1969@gmail.com or Auction Chair Erin Brannan, ehbrannan@aol.com.

Education

Computer classes coming back to Beacon Hill library

Photo by go-team in the Beacon Hill Blog Photo Pool on Flickr.
The Seattle Public Library is bringing another series of free beginning computer classes to the Beacon Hill Library (2821 Beacon Ave. S.).

All classes are free and open to the public. Registration is not required, but seating may be limited. For more information, call 206-386-4636 or Ask A Librarian.

The class list:

  • Computer Basics 1: Learn how to use a computer keyboard and mouse.
    4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 16
  • Computer Basics 2: Learn how to use basic features of the Windows software operating system. The session will cover using the toolbars, scroll bar, and text boxes.
    4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, April 30
  • Email 1: Get a free email account and learn how to use it.
    10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 30
  • Internet Basics 1: Learn about Web browsers and how to navigate a Web page.
    4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 14
  • Internet Basics 2: Learn how to use search engines, evaluate websites, and print from the Web.
    4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 21
  • Microsoft Word: Learn how to create, edit, format, open, save and print documents using Microsoft Word 2007.
    6 p.m. to 7:30 pm. Monday, April 30
  • Downloading E-books & Audiobooks: Learn how to download e-books and audiobooks from the Library’s website.
    10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 23
Local Events

Mark your calendar: Cinco de Mayo celebration coming soon

The Seattle Fandango Project will be performing at Cinco de Mayo. Here they are at last summer's Beacon Rocks!. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.

El Centro de la Raza brings their 7th Annual Cinco de Mayo Celebration to Beacon Hill on Saturday, May 5, from 1-5 p.m. at El Centro, 2524 16th Ave. S. Admission is free and the whole family is welcome. There will be music, children’s activities, prizes, and craft and informational booths. There will also be traditional Mexican food for sale.

Performances will feature Ameyaltonal Danza Azteca, Ofelia Alanis-Torres, Seattle Fandango Project, Mariachi Seattle Azteca and a desfile cultural (cultural parade).

If you are interested in having a booth at the event, email cultura@elcentrodelaraza.org or call 206-957-4630.

Clean and Green, Education

Grow your own groceries with free gardening classes this summer at El Centro

A Beacon Hill roadside veggie garden. Photo by Wendi Dunlap.
Did the warm weather this weekend make you think about gardening? You may be interested in a series of free gardening classes that will be held through September at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16th Ave. S. Master Gardener Mick Duggan is teaching the “Growing Your Own Groceries” series on the second Saturday of each month, from 10-11:30 a.m.

Each class will include free information handouts to take home. All are welcome to “join when you can, for as long as you can.”

The first class is on April 14 in room 310 and covers:

  • Climate zones and frost
  • Soil and fertilizers
  • Crop rotation
  • Site selection and bed preparation
  • Botany basics
  • What to plant: Now, soon, and later
  • Seed starting and spacing
  • Organic pest control

Here are the agendas for the rest of the classes this summer:

May 12, Room 106:

  • What to plant now? Inside, outside, and under cover
  • Crop rotation
  • Planting and spacing
  • Vegetable specifics
  • Containers and small space
  • Weeding and slugs
  • Water smarts
  • Pest management

June 9, Room 310:

  • What to plant now?
  • Tomatoes
  • Melons in the NW
  • Flowers in the vegetable garden
  • Harvesting

July 14, Room 310:

  • What to plant now?
  • Powder mildew
  • When and how to water
  • Internet information
  • Home orchard and berries
  • Herbs

August 11, Room 310:

  • What to plant now?
  • Figs and kiwi?
  • Seed saving

September 8, Room 310:

  • What to plant now?
  • Green manure
  • Site selection and bed preparation
  • Getting ready for next year
  • Water quality
  • Leaves and the wait
Local Events

Mark your calendar for summer festivals

Cotton candy vendors sell their wares at the 2011 Beacon Hill Festival. Photo by Wendi Dunlap/Beacon Hill Blog.

Early warning! Mark your calendar for a couple of the Hill’s major summer events.

On June 2, the Jefferson Community Center is hosting the 20th Annual Beacon Hill Festival, with entertainment, local food, carnival games, bounce toys, and a silent auction. Proceeds of the event will go to support programs and scholarships offered at the center. All ages are welcome.

Vendors, non-profits, schools, and others: for booth information, contact Doreen Deaver at 206-684-7481 or doreen.deaver@seattle.gov. Registration deadline for vendors is May 4.

On July 21, festival fun comes to South Beacon Hill with the Taste of Van Asselt. There will be food, live music, arts and crafts, face painting, and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Event organizers are are looking for local restaurants to participate in this event
as vendors to sell their unique culture foods. Jewelry and craft artists are welcome to sell handmade jewelry and crafts as well. All vendors will be required to have a City of Seattle business license. Musicians are also sought to perform. For more information,
call 206-386-1921.

Crime

SPD officers tour greenbelt investigating recent gunfire

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On Monday, about 40 officers from the Seattle Police Department and the Department of Corrections searched the “Jungle,” the greenbelt on northwest Beacon Hill, looking for possible weapons and shooting victims after nearby neighbors reported the sounds of gunfire within the greenbelt. Jonah Spangenthal-Lee (formerly with The Stranger, Seattle Crime, and Publicola, now with the SPD) wrote an interesting post (with photos) on the search at the SPD Blotter blog:

After a day of crisscrossing overgrown, muddy pathways along the west side of Beacon Hill Monday, three South Precinct officers stand on a leaf-covered hillside just below Holgate Street, digging up a patch of dirt.

They’re looking for a body.

The officers, along with dogs trained to find weapons or human remains, spent seven hours trekking through the woods and interviewing more than 150 people living in and around the greenbelt. No weapons were found, and the only remains found turned out to belong to an animal.

The Community Police Team will revisit the greenbelt with social workers and representatives of the Department of Neighborhoods over the next week to assist those living in the “Jungle” in connecting with needed social services.

Urban Planning

North Beacon Hill rezoning passed by City Council

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Possible 65' development on Beacon Avenue, depicted in the Neighborhood Plan Update.
Monday, on an 8-0 vote, the Seattle City Council passed Council Bill 117375, an ordinance that rezones about 12 acres of land in the North Beacon Hill Residential Urban Village as well as expanding the boundaries of the North Beacon Hill Station Area Overlay District. The rezoned and expanded areas may be seen on this PDF. You can see video of the Council’s comments and their vote on this ordinance here.

Most notably, some areas immediately surrounding Beacon Hill Station have been rezoned to NC2P-65. This means Neighborhood Commercial 2 (“A moderately-sized pedestrian-oriented shopping area that provides a full range of retail sales and services to the surrounding neighborhood”), Pedestrian-Designated zone (“Preserves and encourages an intensely pedestrian-oriented, retail shopping district where non-auto modes of transportation, both to and within the district, are strongly favored”), 65 feet tall. (Information about the definition of the various commercial zones may be found here.) Previous zoning in much of this area was NC2-40 or NC2P-40, though the El Centro property which was also rezoned was previously zoned SF5000 (Single-family, 5000-square-foot lot size).

Some locations saw a change in their zoning from either LR2 (Low-Rise 2) or SF5000 to LR3. The definitions of the different low-rise zones may be seen in this chart.

This change means we could begin to see buildings up to 65′ tall in “downtown” Beacon Hill. Currently, we know of only two potential projects planned for the area; the 17th and McClellan apartment/retail building (which will be built to 65′ now that the zoning has changed) and the El Centro south lot project which is in the early planning stages.