The View Ridger
Vol. 59, No. 1 For
the Community, By the Community April 2001 |
VRCC Annual Meeting to Feature Seattle Council Member
Heidi Wills
4710 NE 70th
Street
The
View Ridge Community Club Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 16 will feature
guest speaker Heidi Wills, Seattle council member. Wills will address issues of
energy and transportation, very timely topics for Seattle residents.
Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the
regular program.
About Our Guest Speaker: Heidi Wills was elected to the Seattle City Council in November
1999. In addition to her role as one of nine city council members, Wills chairs
the Energy and Environmental Policy Committee—which oversees Seattle City
Light—and serves as vice-chair for two committees: the Housing, Human Services,
Education, and Civil Rights Committee and the Transportation Committee.
Council member Wills represents Seattle citizens on several regional committees as well, including: the Metropolitan King County Council's Regional Transit Committee, which oversees the Metro bus system; the Puget Sound Regional Council's Transportation Policy Board; and the Trans-Lake Washington Executive Committee, which will make recommendations on the I-520 Bridge.
Wills received a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Washington in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine. Her greatest areas of focus are energy utilities, transportation, environmental management, and human services.
Also At Our Annual Meeting: The VRCC will also elect officers for the coming year, from a
slate of candidates submitted by the Nominating Committee.
If you are a View Ridge resident, and you need transportation to the meeting, please call Bob Lucas, VRCC president, at 526-0575.
We
look forward to seeing you at this important and informative Annual Meeting.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
The annual membership drive normally begins on the first of the year, but this year we are off to a late start. In spite of the lack of official notice, 17 households have already sent their contributions, totaling $200. The minimum requested house-hold contribution is $5, though the average contribution is about $11. Last year, 340 households responded (a small portion of our total households), donating about $3,800.
The Club depends upon your contributions; our only sources of revenue are your membership dues and a small grant from King County. So we are hoping to receive contributions from most of our households this year. For your convenience in making your contribution, please use the enclosed return envelope. Thank you for your support!
View Ridge Playfield Renovation Begins
Work will soon begin on the renovation of the View Ridge Playfield on NE 70th Street. This is the final step in a two-year effort by View Ridge neighbors to raise money and labor resources to complete the playfield renovation. In 1999, four families recog-nized the need for the project and developed a plan to make it happen. At the time, they had no idea how successful they would be!
With outstanding assistance from the Seattle Depart-ments of Neighborhoods and Parks and Recreation, they developed a plan for raising the funds and designing the finished playfield. The first task—raising $75,000 in cash and labor pledges—seemed enormous. But as we all know, the longest journey begins with a single step.
The fundraising began with doorbelling of neighbors, and soon money and pledges started to come at a rate that surprised everyone. In a matter of months, the team was able to write up the Department of Neigh-borhoods application for a matching grant of $75,000. At the same time, the team worked on grant applica-tions to send to foundations and corporations. These, too, met with amazing success. At this point, we believe we can complete the project with funds raised from residents and commitments made by City and County.
Here is an overview of the new playfield design: the playfield will be moved closer to the ballfields, farther from the corner. Parents who have children in baseball games will be able to keep an eye on younger children on the playground equipment. And the playfield will be designed to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and will be as safe as possible.
For the next couple months, you will see activity and new equipment in the playfield area. We still need volunteers to put the equipment together on June 15-17 and 24-25. If you have not signed up to help, please e-mail neurichmond@mindspring.com to volunteer.
In the meantime, please pardon the commotion. By July, you should be able to bring your children (or grandchildren) to View Ridge’s great new playfield. And, once again, a big thanks to the neighbors who started the process and made it happen!
View Ridge Elementary School:
No Relief in Sight for Parking Woes
At
the June 2000 regular meeting, representatives from the View Ridge Elementary
School gave a presentation regarding their work to improve parking at the
school. With only ten parking stalls for the approximately 50 staff members,
parents, teachers and neighbors acknowledge the need for on-site parking as
well as a designated student pick-up and drop-off area.
Currently,
staff and parents must find parking in the surrounding neighborhood and the
school receives frequent calls due to blocked driveways and destruc-tion of
landscaped areas. Though the school site has an abundance of property where a
new parking lot could be added, there is no way to safely gain access to these
areas.
With
the help of a Small and Simple Grant from Seattle Department of Neighborhoods,
the PTA hired the consulting firm of SVR Engineers to review potential parking
solutions. Three locations were
considered feasible:
•
At
the front of the school along 50th Avenue NE,
•
Along
the south side of the school with access from 49th Avenue NE, and
•
On
the lower playground that abuts the Sand Point Community Church rear parking
area.
The
School District rejected the first two options, citing safety reasons and the
potential conflict between pedestrians and school buses.
The
lower playground was the preferred site, but access could only be gained
through the church property. With preliminary sketches of the proposed parking
area, representatives from the elementary school and the church met to discuss
the possibility of a shared arrangement.
The
church providing access, and the school providing additional parking capacity,
seemed a likely fit; the church could make use of the facility on weekends and
the school on weekdays. Unfortunately,
the church is not able to enter into a formal joint-access agreement and
funding for the project cannot be obtained. As a result, there appears to be no
relief in sight for parking woes in the area.
Sports Meadow, Fields and Courts
The Sports Meadow (immediately west of Sand Point Head) is designated for soccer, Frisbee and volleyball. The Sports Fields area (west of the wetlands) is intended for high use soccer, baseball and softball fields, competi-tive running, tennis, and basketball. The highest stan-dards of lighting and surfaces are anticipated for the fields. Parking, pathways and landscaped buffers are also part of the area design.
Sand Point Arts &
Cultural Exchange (SPACE)
Magnuson Community Garden
The Magnuson Community Garden is planned for a four-acre site just west of the Community Activities Center. Many components are included in the design of the community garden: Amphitheater, Children’s Garden, Conservation Area, Native Plant Nursery, Orchard, Public Art, Public Gathering Area, Tranquil Garden (a quiet spot with amenities for those with special needs), Urban P-Patch, and Windrow Composting Area.
The North Shore
The city is currently considering plans to develop a North Shore Recreation Area at Magnuson Park, north of the NOAA Access Road and east of Sand Point Way. The Sand Point Boating Center would provide a facility and programs where people of all ages can enjoy sailing, windsurfing, paddling or open-water rowing. The Center would offer storage and launching for more than 1,000 hand-launchable, non-motorized boats.
The Magnuson Wetlands
Latest on Children’s Hospital Project/Sand
Point
The project Advisory Committee met March 21; Justine Barton, Dick Hillmann and Bob Lucas are members. Discussion centered on the design, now nearing competion, and project submission to the Seattle Department of Design, Construction and Land Use (DCLU) and the Design Review Board. Members received copies of the Environmental Checklist being submitted to DCLU.
Multiple Use Permit (MUP) boards are up at the site and the public comment period will run through April 26 (comments can still be made after that close date). Children’s is strongly devoted to working with neighbors to allay any concerns that may arise during this project. The traffic analysis indicates that a full traffic light is required at the corner of Sand Point Way and NE 70th.
The Sand Point side of the building will be two stories and the west side will be one story, with a landscaped, two-grade parking area on the west. Construction will conform to local zoning requirements and it is pro-posed that the façade match the style of the Sand Point Magnuson Park facilities across the street.
We have invited representatives from Children’s Hos-pital
to attend our April 17 meeting; they will share architectural drawings, bring
us up-to-date and answer any questions. The next Design Review Board Hear-ing
is May 7 at Eckstein Middle School; anyone inter-ested in attending please call
Bob Lucas at 526-0575.
The
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has advised the public of
their plans to resurface the northbound lanes of I-5, between the Ravenna, 65th
N. exit and Northgate Way exit. The resurfacing will take place between June 10
(follow-ing the UW commencement exercises) and the end of July (prior to
Seafair). The resurfacing will make the roadway smoother and update the joints.
The
first stage of the work will take approximately 10 days, and will involve the
area between 65th and Lake City Way. The WSDOT plans to remove 1¼
inches of the road surface and replace it with a new 1½-inch layer. The resurfacing
will require closure of the 50th Street on-ramp and closure at night
of the Lake City off-ramp. Two northbound lanes will be closed alternately
while under repair.
The second stage will take approximately nine days and will involve the stretch between Lake City Way and Northgate Way. There will be no ramp closures during this stage.
The
contractor has been given incentives to complete the resurfacing within 42
days. For more information, contact Bruce Nesbit, WSDOT project engineer, at nebbieb@wsdot.wa.gov, or
206-464-5374.
Spring Clean 2001: Help Improve Neighborhood
Spring Clean 2001, Seattle’s premier community clean-up and environmental improvement effort, is scheduled for April 7 through May 13. Some events and telephone numbers are listed below:
Neighborhood Power Project: an ongoing community- based conservation and economic development program managed by City Light, 684-3836
School District Earth Month Campaign: 298-7654
Seattle Works Day, June 9: A community-wide day of service involving more than 3,000 volunteers in 60 pro-jects, 517-2658
Seattle Parks: Adopt a Park program,
233-3979
Seattle Public Utilities: Urban Creek Legacy,
684-7655
Adopt-A-Street/Grant Central Station: provides extra support, supplies during Spring Clean 2001, 684-7666
Neighborhood Dumpster: a dumpster located in the neighborhood, where unwanted items are collected; details to follow
Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Program Available to View Ridge Residents
The National Wildlife Federation recently relocated in Seattle and is eager to get involved with homeowners in the Seattle area. They have established a Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program, which might be of interest to View Ridge residents. The Program began in 1973 to encourage people to plan and plant their gardens with the needs of wildlife in mind. Backyard Wildlife Habitat landscapes nurture wildlife, while improving air, water and soil throughout the community.
For more information on this program, call Gretchen Muller, 206/285-8707, ext. 108, or E-mail her at nweduc@nwf.org.
Two Months’ VRCC Meeting
Minutes
Below are listed the highlights (major points of presentation or discussion) from the VRCC meetings of January 16 and February 20. Both minutes have been approved.
For a copy of the complete minutes, please go to the VRCC Web site at www.scn.org/viewridge/ or phone Bob Lucas, VRCC president, at 526-0575.
Meeting of January
16.
¨ Presentation by: representatives from VoiceStream and from the Seattle Department of Design, Construction and Land Use, regarding the Master Use Permit request to install six rooftop antennas on the View Pointe Apartments.
¨ Updates on: Children’s facility on Sand Point Way, Burke Gilman Trail Overgrowth, Parks & Green Space Oversight Committee
Meeting of February
20.
¨ Presentation by: Bill Talley, UW Campus Land Architect and Brodie Bain, architect, regarding the Campus Master Plan for 2002-12.
¨ Updates on: Wedgwood Post Office relocation project, Friends of View Ridge Playfield, Sand Point Magnuson Park: Playfield lighting.
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View Ridge Community Club, Treasurer’s Report
January 1, 2000 – December 31, 2000
Beginning Assets $3,048.98
Washington Mutual
Receipts
Dues, 340 families
$3,817.50
King County Printing Grant $750.00
Total
Receipts
$4,567.50
Expenses
View Ridger Newsletter
$2,293.33
Friends of View Ridge Playfield,
Donation $1,500.00
Christmas Ship, Donation $50.00
Sand Point Methodist Church, Room
Rental $105.00
Secretary of State, Washington
Incorporation
Document Revision Annual Corporate
Report $10.00
P O Box Rental $114.00
Cake, Annual Meeting
$69.99
Rental of TV and VCR, Annual Meeting $32.50
Banner, Candidates Forum Night $56.47
Total
Expenses $4,251.29
Ending Assets $3,365.19
Washington Mutual