North Beacon Hill Council meeting, 7:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library (2821 Beacon Avenue South), with folks from the Findlay Street Church in attendance to talk about the development at 14th and Bayview, proposed City of Seattle development guidelines with the Department of Planning and Development, Parks Opportunity Fund info, 12th Avenue/City Light meeting details, Beacon Arts Council and Merchants Association info, and more.
FRIDAY 3/5:
City Year Breakfast Of Champions, 7:30 to 9am. Meet current members and staff, learn how to join, and have breakfast!
Technology Matching Fund grant applications due by 5pm. Last chance this spring to apply for matching grants of volunteer labor, materials, professional services, or cash through the TMF program.
Sodo Grocery Outlet grand opening with prizes and events from 8am to 6pm at 1702 4th Ave S. (There’s also a ribbon cutting ceremony — with refreshments! — the day before at 11:30am.)
Many Beacon Hill neighbors took part in a planning meeting last March. Photo by Jason. While many people pay a great deal of attention to national politics, relatively few participate (or are even aware) of events happening in their own neighborhood—until issues percolate into the media. Recent events in Southeast Seattle might have caused some neighbors to wonder how the neighborhood planning process works, and what is actually in the North Beacon Hill Neighborhood Plan. Here’s a quick introduction to planning in our neighborhood.
What is a Neighborhood Council? Â Why should I get involved?
North Beacon Hill is fortunate to have an engaged neighborhood council and to be part of a dynamic, functional district council. The North Beacon Hill Council describes their role as follows:
“NBHC is one of the the major community groups that represents North Beacon Hill to city, county and state agencies. It is the major political body of the neighborhood that works to improve the living conditions of our neighborhood… We work to empower our neighbors to implement the improvements to the neighborhood that they envision, we work to inform our neighbors of issues that will affect our standard of living, and we work to create a sense of community for our neighborhood.”
If you can make it to one meeting, you’re a voting member of the North Beacon Hill Council.  Attend a meeting to familiarize yourself with the issues and people involved.  If you can’t make it regularly, stay connected and attend when you’re able or when an issue motivates you.  It’s even possible to vote by proxy.  We have the Beacon Hill Blog, the BAN mailing list, and the North Beacon Hill Council website as resources.   Get involved!
Who represents neighborhoods?
There are important connections between neighborhood councils, district councils, and City Council.  Seattle elects City Council members “at large‗all council members represent all residents. To ensure that residents of all neighborhoods have representation on the community level, Seattle has neighborhood councils—groups that meet in the community and are composed of residents, business owners, and other interested parties.  Residents and members of the councils elect board members.  Council Boards interact with the City and other levels of government, representing the community. The neighborhood councils also elect representatives to a district council. Seattle has 13 district councils. North and South Beacon Hill are part of the Greater Duwamish District Council. District Council representatives participate in the City Neighborhood Council.
The North Beacon Hill Neighborhood Council and the Greater Duwamish District Council are a key way for our community to engage with City Council members, the Mayor’s office, and other elected officials. They also advocate for our community to receive funds for sidewalks, crosswalks, greater police engagement, and more.
NBHC meets the first Thursday of every month at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Avenue South. The next meeting is March 4 at 7:00 pm.
Several meetings are coming up in the next week for groups of neighbors with big plans for Beacon Hill. Robert Hinrix writes:
Calling all Beacon Hill Artists!
We’re investigating starting an Arts Council for our neighborhood. While there are some artists groups up here on the hill, there is none willing to tackle the issues of how to schedule and promote the Lander Festival Street. We also want to promote other arts-related events up here on Beacon Hill—how about a craft market, or an outdoor cinema? And we want to create a forum for artists and musicians to share information: about grants, shows, projects, and ideas. Our first meeting will be next Monday, March 1, 6:30 at the Beacon Hill Library (2821 Beacon Avenue South). If more discussion is needed after the library closes, we’ll have to retire to our friendly neighborhood pub!
Let me know if you’d like to be included in future events but can’t make the meeting.
One thing we’re trying to do up here is start a Beacon Merchants Association. This would replace the Chamber of Commerce which is essentially defunct. Better communication among existing businesses could help them and the greater community. We’re just in the process of forming, having had one preliminary meeting. Our next meeting will be this Friday at noon at Baja Bistro (2414 Beacon Avenue South). Our intent is to capture home businesses as well, so if you’re a business owner drop by to get more info and contribute your ideas. Anyone wanting to be added to the list can contact me directly.
The North Beacon Hill Council’s March meeting will include a presentation from Findlay Church regarding the development at 14th and Bayview. Another presentation will be given by the Department of Planning and Development regarding proposed new development guidelines for the City of Seattle.
The NBHC meeting is on Thursday, March 4, 7:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library. It is open to all who wish to attend. Here’s the agenda:
7:00 pm: Welcomes and introductions
7:05 pm: Presentation by Findlay Street Church on proposed construction of church and market rate housing on 14th Avenue South
7:20 pm: Questions and answers
7:35 pm: Presentation by the Department of Planning and Development on proposed city development guidelines
7:40 pm: Questions and answers
8:05 pm: Update on Public Safety: South Precinct Seattle Police Department
Next Thursday the 4th at 7pm is the February North Beacon Hill Council Meeting at the Beacon Hill Library.
Judith Edwards sent along the agenda:
All are welcome! Come hear what’s going on on the Hill (a lot!).
7:00 — Welcomes and Introductions
7:10 — Councilmember Sally Clark
her new assignment on the Council
how we can be of help to her; how she can be of help to us
conversation with attendees
7:50 — SE Precinct report on crime on Beacon Hill – Shelly Bates and/or a rep. from the SE Precinct
8:00 — Committee/sub-committee Reports (three minutes each)
Greater Duwamish District Council (Matthew Stubbs)
Business Association (Robert Hinrix)
Arts Association and Festival Street (Robert Hinrix)
Neighborhood Planning/Bike and Pedstrian proposal (Freddie Merrell)
8:10 — Council vote: approving Robert Hinrix as a new Board Member, establishing time for Board Meeting
8:15 — Community Concerns
8:30 — Closure
Perhaps the biggest change proposed in this draft is increasing the height limit of buildings surrounding the light rail station. There’s also a proposal to update El Centro de la Raza’s zoning. It’s currently single family residential—no, I’m not joking. In case you’re unfamiliar with El Centro, there are dozens of programs operating out of that building, serving thousands of people of all ages and from all backgrounds. Childcare, senior meals, homeless services, a food bank, immigrant advocacy, and more. There are also businesses operating within El Centro: CommuniChi acupuncture, Excelsior Travel Agency, and others. For a complete list and to learn how to volunteer or make a donation to El Centro, visit their website. El Centro hopes to develop affordable housing and expand their program facilities. This is an incredible opportunity for our entire neighborhood.
One potential future for North Beacon Hill (looking north on Beacon Avenue, near McClellan). Many people have concerns and fears about changes to our neighborhood, especially around the idea of increasing density. What’s important to you? What makes Beacon Hill a place you want to live? What would you change? I’m concerned about preserving the character of our neighborhood and encouraging good design. I want to keep what we have (Red Apple, Baja Bistro, La Cabaña, etc.) and add businesses that serve our community (a bookstore, a consignment store). I want to preserve the charm of our single family blocks and add dense, affordable housing near the station. I want our sidewalks and crosswalks accessible to the seniors who’ve lived here for decades and to those of us pushing strollers through the neighborhood.
My priorities around neighborhood planning were honed when we were looking for a house in 2003. I attended Seattle Midwifery School at El Centro (they’ve now moved) and loved Beacon Hill.  It only took one walking tour to convince my partner that this was a great place to live. Our goal is to live in this house for 20-30 years. We planned where we were going to buy a house based on what was important to us:
walkability/run-ability (safety, accessibility, comfort, quality of sidewalks and trails)
transit access and easy access by car to other places
diversity
established community
parks and green spaces
We’re expecting another human member of the family in May. I’m excited to see baby/kid-friendly businesses opening in our neighborhood. We always assumed we’d send our kid to the neighborhood school, and were content with Beacon Elementary and Kimball as choices. The Seattle School District is shifting to location-based school assignment, which will (hopefully) mean that our south-end schools start achieving parity with the rest of the city.
Change can be challenging. For some perspective on all the changes in Beacon Hill over the last 100 years or so, check out Seattle’s Beacon Hill by Frederica Merrell and Mira Latoszek. (Merrell is an occasional contributor to the BHB. — ed.) The book is chock-full of photos from the Jackson Regrade—when neighborhood planning meant washing huge portions of the city down into the Sound! Now is our chance to shape our community for decades to come. Get informed; get involved. Attend meetings (the North Beacon Hill Council meets on the first Thursday of every month at the library) and talk to your neighbors.
(Editor’s note: If you’d like your own copy of Seattle’s Beacon Hill, you can order one from Amazon through the link on the lower right of this page.) An artist's depiction of a future event at the Lander Festival Street, from the North Beacon Hill neighborhood plan update.
Via Judith Edwards, here’s the agenda for Thursday’s North Beacon Hill Council meeting at the Beacon Hill Library:
7:00 – Welcomes, agenda, introductions 7:05 – Lewis Park request for Council to act as fiscal sponsors for two grant applications — vote required 7:15 – Focus for 2010 — A number of issues came forward in our December meeting. We will need to form committees for each, so come prepared to volunteer your time and energy. Most committees meet once per month, and your total time expenditure should not be more than 4-6 hours monthly, perhaps less.
Revision of Neighborhood Development Guidelines to include specific verbage on new construction set-backs
Festival Street usage, Seattle Dep’t. of Transportation requirements
Continued development of Neighborhood Plan, which includes expansion towards Jefferson Park
Business development in Urban Core, with emphasis on monitoring plans for expansion around the Light Rail Station
Improved internet access
Amendment of city zoning codes to better accomodate home businesses
Historic preservation of Craftsman homes
8:00 – Neighborhood concerns, reports from standing committees/sub-committees 8:30 – Close
The North Beacon Hill Council is meeting on Thursday night from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at the Beacon Hill Library meeting room, 2821 Beacon Avenue South. We don’t have the agenda yet, but will post it if we get it. Everyone is welcome.
An artist’s rendition of Beacon Mountain Playground at Jefferson Park, from last year. Click this image to see a larger version of this design.
The Beacon Mountain Design Committee will be meeting next Tuesday, January 12, from 5:30 – 6:30 pm at the Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Clubhouse, 4103 Beacon Ave South. The agenda is to work on the final design and details of the Beacon Mountain Playground at Jefferson Park. The meeting will be followed by a Jefferson Park Project Advisory Team meeting. The committee has appointed members, but visitors are always welcome and meetings are informal.
Photo by Bridget Christian6:30pm Tonight at the Jefferson Community Center: Park enhancement and expansion with discussion of Beacon Mountain, the Park service road and promenade, improvements to Jefferson Playfield, and the Jefferson skatepark and basketball court.
Update: Missed one while assembling this post: 5:30pm Wednesday (tomorrow) at the Beacon Hill Library: SDOT community open house regarding the planned changes for Columbian Way between Beacon Avenue South and 15th Avenue South.
1:00pm Saturday at the Central Area Senior Center: Broadstripe is to report on their February promises to the 30th Ave Neighbors group on the status of their recent service upgrades. Beacon Hill Broadstripe customers might also be interested in attending.Via Central District News
7:00pm next Wednesday (the 9th) at the Jefferson Community Center: Follow-up meeting with Seattle City Light regarding the new power lines going up the west side of the hill and the new higher poles running along South Stevens Street. Seattle City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco is expected to present remediation options to the nearby affected neighbors.
Time to warm up those Crock-Pots and start prepping something tasty for the NBHC potluck! Photo by _e.t.The next North Beacon Hill Council meeting is a special one: a year-end potluck celebration to recognize community members who have contributed to the neighborhood this year, and to plan for next year. The potluck and social will be followed by the monthly business meeting. All are welcome to attend. You are a voting member of the Council if you have attended one meeting previously.
The potluck starts at 6:30 pm (1/2 hour earlier than the usual meeting time), Thursday, December 3, in the Community Room at the Beacon Hill Library, 2821 Beacon Avenue South.
The agenda, as forwarded by Council Chair Judith Edwards:
6:30 – Social time, potluck
7:00 – A time to honor those who have given so much (and finish eating!)
7:15 – Business meeting
Estela Ortega, Executive Director, El Centro de la Raza: Future plans for development of S. parcel of El Centro property (25 minutes, including Q&A)
12th Ave. and Stevens St. neighbors request to become an ad-hoc committee of NBHC in order to challenge City Light’s installation of obtrusive power lines (5 minutes)
— vote required
Discussion of final draft, Department of Planning and Development’s Neighborhood Plan Update (15 minutes)
— vote required to approve/disapprove
Letter to Council Member Sally Clark, Chair, Planning and Land Use Committee: Action to ensure that N. Beacon Hill Development Design Guidelines are employed in future construction (10 minutes)
— vote required
8:05 – Future focus: where should we put our energy in the coming year? What are the issues the community is concerned with?
The North Beacon Hill Council will meet Thursday, Nov. 5th at 7:00 PM in the Community Room of the Beacon Hill Library. All are welcome! You are a voting member of the Council if you have attended one meeting previously. The Council is our voice to city government, and your voice makes a difference.
This is an important meeting (as they all are!). Lyle Bicknell, Project Manager of the Neighborhood Planning Update team will present the results of the two open houses held in September to gain information on the plans prepared by the Department of Neighborhoods and Seattle Department of Planning and Development. These plans, which affect the area surrounding our new light rail station, are a response to input from the public meetings held here on North Beacon and the survey comments sent to the Department of Neighborhoods. It is important that your voice be heard, whether you agree or disagree, as these plans will be submitted for municipal code review by the end of the year.
Please note that board business and issues of concern to many community residents occur at the end our our meeting. You may choose only to stay for Lyle Bicknell’s report back, and a small break will allow those who wish to leave at that time to do so.
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 Agenda
North Beacon Hill Council
Beacon Hill Public Library
7:00 PM
7:00 — Welcomes and introductions
7:10 — Lyle Bicknell, City of Seattle – Neighborhood Plan Updates followed by questions and comments from the floor
8:00 — Community Reports and Concerns (2-3 minutes each)
