Tag Archives: spu

Health and Safety

“Love that dirty water”: Brown water reported on North Beacon

3 Comments
Not very appetizing! Photo courtesy of Greg Martinez.
Not very appetizing! Photo courtesy of Greg Martinez.
Last Sunday we started getting tweets and emails about discolored drinking water in part of North Beacon Hill in an area including 18th and Massachusetts and 18th and College.

The water did clear up after some hours, but Andy Ryan at Seattle Public Utilities tells us:

Discolored water has been reported in recent days in some areas of Seattle, including Beacon Hill. A likely cause is testing of fire hydrants by the Seattle Fire Departments. The water is safe to drink, but it may be unappealing, so we recommend that you wait until it clears before drinking it.

The water should clear on its own. Try running the cold water for a few minutes to see if it is clearing or still discolored. If the water does not clear, let the water sit for an hour. Then run the water for a few minutes and flush the toilet a couple of times.

If your water remains discolored, please contact Seattle Public Utilities Customer Service at (206) 684-3000.

Beacon Bits

Beacon Bits: Did you say sushi?

5 Comments
In the Jefferson Park Playground. Photo by go-team in the Beacon Hill Blog photo pool on Flickr.
A nice view nearby from Amy Watson’s new office (via Twitter).

* * *

The Seattle Public Utilities advisory committees for Solid Waste and Water Systems are both seeking south-end volunteers. Apply before November 17th for the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and before November 30 for the Water Systems Advisory Committee.

* * *

UPTUN (Upping Technology for Underserved Neighbors), a broadband equality group working for central and southeast Seattle neighborhoods, hosts its third quarter meeting with Broadstripe, Reclaim the Media, and city representatives at the Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Avenue South, on Tuesday, November 16 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.

* * *

The Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Club can do a bit of bragging: member Jeff Covell was part of the team that achieved a first place win at the 2010 USLBA National Lawn Bowling Championships in Sun City, Arizona.

* * *

The November episode of UW 360 on UWTV features Beacon Hill’s “Fisher House,” a residence for families of veterans being treated at the VA hospital nearby.

* * *

Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen will be at the Beacon Hill library, 2821 Beacon Avenue South, on Saturday the 13th from 1:00 to 2:30pm to speak “informal[ly] yet meaningful[ly] about our city” with residents. He’d “like to hear people’s thoughts regarding next year’s budget, transportation issues, as well as other topics relevant to Seattleites.”

* * *

United Way of King County is looking for tax preparation volunteers to help weekly at El Centro de la Raza. No experience is necessary and training will be provided. Spanish speakers are especially sought.

* * *

David Schmader at The Stranger loves on Inay’s drag night. And note the remark near the end of the article: “Ernie is open to eventually hosting shows all weekend, but for now his plate is full with food. He’s joining forces with Luis Rodriguez (owner of new and already beloved Beacon Hill coffeehouse the Station) to open Taqueria Frida, situated on the same block as Inay’s and scheduled for a November opening. And he’s in perpetual talks with his friend Dave Nakamura—aka Super Dave, the sushi-chef superhero—to ‘give Beacon Hill the sushi restaurant it deserves.'”

The possibility of the sushi restauranton Beacon Hill was also mentioned briefly in The Stranger‘s Chow column.

* * *

A couple of land use applications were recently filed: Rubberized track, lighting, parking, and a synthetic playing surface for Jefferson Playfield, and Clearwire antennas and microwave dishes to be installed atop a building at 15th and Bayview.

* * *

Volunteer positions are open for the Seattle Design Review Board. Get your application in by December 10th.

Urban Planning

Jefferson Park is happening!

2 Comments

By Frederica Merrell

Even on a blustery dark night, supporters of Jefferson Park showed up at 6pm Tuesday at the Lawn Bowling Club to provide advice on the Jefferson Park reconstruction project. Parks Project Manager Andy Scheffer and two members of the Berger Partnership design team shared details on the status of the project, which is happily at 52% completion. There will be another public meeting on December 1st at Jefferson Park Community Center for people who want the update.

The purpose of a project advisory team (PAT) is to provide input and there were several good suggestions made last night, most of which build on previous discussions. One of the great things about the persistence of local advocates is that we have a great historical memory. We don’t forget the important details of what the community has been saying and recommending. We will meet again in January.

Here is a summary of the important points that we asked Andy to follow-up on:

Circulation, bicycle, parking, pedestrian analysis with SDOT

We have been saying for a long time that Parks needs to wrestle SDOT to the table to help design functional access to, and circulation for, this large new park that is safe, attractive, and brings people into the park on all sides, with special emphasis on the west and north sides and the following components:

  • Parking analysis of needs and opportunities for all users of the park area to create an efficient strategy for sharing parking and improving parking without building a lot of new lots in the park itself.
  • 16th Avenue bicycle route and street improvements that could support west side access near the new Jefferson Playfield and improved angle parking. There is significant drainage and potential green street project from Asa Mercer right through the 16th right away on SPS property.
  • Pedestrian access along 15th Avenue, improved safety at Dakota Street entrance and study of the intersection of Columbian Way and Spokane. There is almost no way to safely get across 15th into the park. 15th is also like a freeway right here and SDOT needs to spend some serious time with our community looking at the future of 15th.
  • Spokane Street access at Lafayette. The pedestrian path on the north side of the park dead-ends at Lafayette. How many kids are going to run across Spokane here dodging traffic? SDOT can’t ignore this situation when the park opens. Spokane’s function as an informal connection from I-5 to I-90 may have to be addressed. (Sorry West Seattle commuters; might need to slow way down or find another way.)

15th Avenue (Terrace) Design and Urban Agriculture Project

Parks seems to have forgotten that there is a huge chunk of the park that has not been designed for improvements yet. Parks is now clearly responsible for supporting neighborhood planning in the park so they have to address their responsibility to finish design of 15th Avenue (or “terrace”) side of the park while we have the money and management in place. There is a fantastic movement to do urban agriculture, pea patch and education project along this sunny west side. The community could also take over the surplus Water Quality Building to support a working farm as a part of the project. Beacon Hill resident Glenn Herlihy and a team of permaculture students have a stupendous design for this area that needs to be presented to Parks Proview and the community ASAP.

The west side is very important to all the residents west of 15th, many of whom live in more modest housing. As one PAT member said, we don’t want any part of the park to be less inviting or inaccessible. Especially true where lower income families are concerned. Equity was the motivation for the reconstruction and it is a value that must be maintained as we move forward.

Water Quality Building (Beacon Arts Reservoir)

Years ago when SPU built a new water quality building the community met with Chuck Clarke, then head of SPU, to request that this beautiful old building at 15th and Spokane support community work in the park. An informal agreement was discussed of turning the building over to the community if they could come up money for a new roof. It would be administered by Southeast Seattle Arts Council and leased to a Beacon Hill organization to run. It could support arts projects, the urban agriculture project, parks volunteers, etc.

Andy will follow-up on these issues and seek permission from his project manager to take up the additional scope of work.

Hurrah for Andy!
Hurrah for persistent memory of local advocates!
Hurrah for Jefferson Park!

Clean and Green, Volunteering and Giving

SPU wants waste advice

2 Comments
Curbwaste poster from SPU. Click for a larger, readable version.
Curbwaste poster from SPU. Click for a larger, readable version.

From Jenna Franklin, Strategic Communications Advisor with Seattle Public Utilities:

Seattle Public Utilities is looking for a few good candidates to appoint to the Seattle Public Utilities Garbage, Recycling, Yard and Food Waste Community Advisory Committee.

Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply to become community advisors — committee members advise the utility on how to increase program offerings, reach the Seattle’s recycling goals, and provide better customer education and information.

“We hope the open slots attract a varied group of candidates, committee members reflect on the many issues the utility and its ratepayers face, and that includes a variety of operational, economic, social, environmental, and language issues,” said Program Manager Aurora Mendoza, it’s so important to have a mix of people that can represent the diverse perspectives and concerns of the wider community.

From discussions on utility policies, business strategies and performance goals to conversations centered on operational issues, language translation and environmental justice, the committee spends 6-8 hours a month examining the utility’s ability to deliver services that meet the needs of Seattle and the people who live here.

Committee member should have interest in conservation or environmental issues, waste reduction, community outreach, utility operations, or public affairs. To apply, please fill out a Citizen Advisory application online at www.seattle.gov/util/cac. For additional information about participating contact Aurora Mendoza, Program Manager, at (206) 733-9687

In addition to providing a reliable water supply to more than 1.3 million customers in the Seattle metropolitan area, SPU provides essential sewer, drainage, solid waste and engineering services that safeguard public health, maintain the city’s infrastructure and protect, conserve and enhance the region’s environmental resources.

Local Events

Jefferson Park/FEMA meeting tonight: tell us what happens

4 Comments
Details for the September 8th meeting at the Jefferson Park community center
Details for the September 8th meeting at the Jefferson Park community center
Tonight, in just over half an hour, Seattle Parks and Recreation and Seattle Public Utilities are hosting a meeting to learn about state and federal funding (through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program) that the city intends to apply for, plus updates on the construction at Jefferson Park.

The meeting starts at 6:30pm at the Jefferson Park Community Center, 3801 Beacon Avenue South.

We’re not able to make this meeting, but we’d love to publish your accounts and impressions. Send us your write-up, or feel free to add your comments here.

Update: A writeup of the FEMA portion of the meeting is in the comments from Adam Ganz. Thanks Adam!