http://www.mapleleaflife.com/2012/01/12/restoring-beaver-pond-natural-area-a-balancing-act/

· Gather feedback for the schematic plan that will focus on stream relocation, habitat enhancement and trail improvements;
· Gather suggestions for other natural area amenities and improvements;
· Address safety concerns about the Natural Area.

MEETING AGENDA:

7:00-7:05 Welcome & Introductions
Emily Lofstedt, Project Planner

7:05-7:30 Safety Concerns Discussion, Questions & Answer
Brock Milliern, Parks Security Officer
Mark Mead, Parks Arborist

7:30-7:40 Project Scope, Schedule & Budget, and Next Steps
Emily Lofstedt, Project Planner

7:40-8:10 Site Analysis & Critical Area Studies Presentation
The Watershed Company

8:10-8:55 Break Out Discussion Sessions and Questions & Answers:
Habitat Restoration & Stream Channel
Mark Garff, The Watershed Co.
Erik Davido, Davido Engineering
Natural Area Amenities
Marina French, The Watershed Co.
Emily Lofstedt, Seattle Parks Planner
Safety Concerns/CPTED
Terrie Johnston, Seattle Police
Park and Stream Steward
Ruth Williams, Thornton Creek Alliance

8:55-9:00 Please fill out Comment Cards and Issues Board

But I wonder if we could expand the street cleaning we’ve done to include more than just trash? Raking leaves/scooping up dirt, etc? We could even offer to prune back shrubs/blackberries and such though that might take a bit more coordination/communication than just going out there… I know multiple areas that could use help on all those.

Sidewalks – New funding ideas? What projects are important to people in the neighborhood besides completing NE 115th?

Seattle schools update – Invite Sherry Carr and Sharon Peaslee and/or local school principals (School enrollment starts at the end of February and we have a growing number of neighborhood kids who are starting school now or in the next year.)

http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/luib/Notice.aspx?BID=680&NID=13109

My guess is that it will be at least a year or two before construction start, if not longer. The owner needs to get a rezone and they need to go through design review. They also need to have financing. In this case, the property owner may not even be doing the project alone and may still be searching for a development partner. MDC has repeatedly said that they do not plan to sell the property. Also, MDC owns a number of other properties in Pinehurst/Northgate with similar rents.

http://www.pinehurstseattle.org/2008/12/11/protecting-your-mail/

My comments about density were a reaction to your mention of “creeping”, which I apparently mistook to be that your position was against the rezone from residential to commercial.

I am unapologetically happy about the idea that a developer could replace those apartments with commercial space. I used to live in the 11300 block of 3rd Ave NE, and living close to businesses (i.e. Target, the Mall) was a positive, whereas living close to those apartments was not.

I don’t know exactly what it is about that corner of the Northgate North building which keeps it vacant, but I’m not worried about there being too much vacant retail in the neighborhood. Since that building was built, Thornton Creek was built, the Mall expanded, and the 5th and Northgate building opened. All of those seem like successful retail spaces.

Modify westbound approach-curb lane,right and on I-5 on ramp; second lane. I-5 on-ramp and through: and 3rd lane through only at the Northgate Way/1st Ave NE/I-5 on-ramp intersection. Widen the on-ramp to have 2 lanes on Northbound I-5 on ramp from Northgate Way
Secondly adjacent to Mall add new driveway to 3rd Ave to align at Northgate Way…..

So folks, do we feel the Mall will spend buckets of money to realign their driveway (don’t forget the tunnel there} Do we feel WDOT will spend buckets of money to redo their on ramp that they just spent buckets of money on not so many years ago? If you think these things won’t happen we are in big trouble and you need to comment on this addendum. If you are still happy, well there are always the shadows on the park and the protected trees to consider.
Again, I’m not against smart growth, its about mitigation. Please read the addendum before you make up your mind.

Stakeholders begged for a CONTRACT rezone to no avail. A green street by definition is meant to be calm and quiet, a space adjacent to the park to chill.

This isn’t a pro-density, anti-density discussion. This is about smart growth and mitigation of issues the city itself has already deemed significant.

Have you read the FEIS cover to cover? What are YOUR reasons for supporting N/C in that area? You feel comfortable that the neighborhood can support the impacts and it will make for a liveable situation? I have been active and informed on this issue for over 25 years, and you?

Now, I’m also working to get more funding for sidewalks, relief from traffic, etc., to minimize adverse affects of increased development. But as you know, that pretty much amounts to begging and staying hopeful. And you can join us in that.

Feel free to rebut, but I want details on your thoughts, not just accusations that I didn’t seriously think or that I don’t have any idea.

rhttp://web1.seattle.gov/DPD/permitstatus/Project.aspx?id=3006101ight
Council Land Use Action to rezone 365,040 sq. ft. of land from MR-60 to NC3-85. The property is bounded on the North by two parcels (11300 1st Ave NE and 11301 3rd Ave NE) on the East by 3rd Ave NE, the South by NE Northgate Way and the West by 1st Ave NE. Addendum to EIS to be prepared.

Do you seriously think retail is a good idea for a designated green street (3rd Ave NE)all the way up to 113th? Do you have any idea what this kind of “creeping” can do!

If you read the report it states this could have SIGNIFICANT adverse effects for the neighborhood.

If volunteers are needed, let me know.

Why should we leave front lights on? Is it to illuminate our house numbers or for some other reason?

Thanks.

I just want to update this for folks. It’s November 2011 and the coyotes are back.

Last night (Saturday, 11/19) my daughter noticed a wound on one of our cats. It was BAD! I took her to an emergency clinic and fortunately she was lucky enough to have been bitten in her flank, no joints, no organs punctured. She was stitched up and is recovering nicely.

Not so fortunately, our older male cat hasn’t been home in 4 or 5 days and I now fear he suffered the same fate only didn’t avoid the jaws. RIP Bello.

Please be aware of these predators and keep an eye out, and keep your kitties INSIDE at night. It may be the cold, but the dogs are out for sure. Be mindful.

I have yet to have a conversation with someone on the other side of the door last beyond two sentences.

One man unknown to me gave his name and said he’d like to talk to me. I said “go ahead,” and heard nothing for awhile, then decided to go take a shower.

In a second incident another man whom I did not know also gave his name and he came bearing gifts.

“Like what?” I asked. “Clorox wipes,” he responded. I already had some wipes so I didn’t answer the door. And yes, I checked here to see if anyone reported a similar occurrence.

There must be some unspoken rule that people don’t “go into their dance” until the door is opened. I have a NO SOLICITING sign by the door.

I wasn’t always this paranoid, but awhile back someone came to the door and could not properly identify himself nor give a solid reason for being at my door, as if I surprised him. My Pinehurst Seattle blog post garnered comments of similar experiences and matching descriptions of the person.

Two men on bicycles were going door to door and offering to wash windows.

The man that approached our house was caucasian, 35-45 years of age, very thin, wearing a grey hoodie, jeans, grey gloves and running shoes. He rode down the street later with a yellow jacket over his hoodie.

They may have been casing houses for burglaries.

If you see the 2 men in the area again, please call the non-emergency police line at: 206-625-5011. At the 1st menu press #2, at the 2nd menu press #8.

Also, here’s the QFC assuming you can just call the main number: 206-361-4849

Is BECU pulling out of the Safeways in King County? The Safeway by 15th Ave NE and NE 175th will no longer house the credit union’s Neighborhood Express Center there either.

BECU members can participate in Shared Branch banking with Salal, but I tend to forget that even though I use Salal’s ATM.

With four banks and two credit unions within a block radius, there soon might be almost as many banking institutions as mattress stores on NE Northgate Way! (I kid, I kid.)

I was the Creek Steward there at Victory Creek Park for the past 6 years, with my son Alika. When Alika went to Boston to college, I continued to serve as a creek steward, but it was rare to get volunteers, although I was listed in a number of volunteer opportunity sites, including Seattle City Parks volunteering. Alika and I not only maintained that land for six years, but he and I built that path from the end of 12th Ave. NE to the bridge in the park for his senior project at Nathan Hale H.S. Anyway, in the past year, I have put almost no time into the project, although I certainly would if I had just a little bit of help. The invasive species need some real attention.

Incidentally, that land (with exception of the small parcel from NE 112th to the fence line of the neighbors to the north (which is the property of the Seattle Department of Transportation), is the property of City of Seattle Parks, and any work crews taken in there should be reported to them. Theresa McEwen at Seattle Parks is the person to report to. With the help of Jody Blecksmith, a master gardener from Seattle Parks, we have planted many native plants in that wetland. However, keeping the invasives from overpowering them is difficult without a crew of 2-3 people to do so. The reason why the north pathway in that wetland has never been improved and a bridge was never built there is because SDOT would not give permission to build one in an
“environmentally sensitive area”, although they tolerate ramshackle/makeshift bridges like pallets, boards and whatnot being thrown over the creek at that spot. Go figure.
I have maps of this land on my computer that define the boundaries of those two different parts of the wetland.

I would like to continue working down there, although I was only available one Sunday per month, which is probably why Chad has not asked me to participate. However, I would still like to, if he wants to work with me on that.

We really need help removing the most persistent invasive species in there: morning glory. The Himalayan Blackberry is rough, but it is easier to to control and it does not choke off as many of the native plants as the morning glory, which kills everything, including the blackberry! Most of the English ivy has been removed, although there are some areas of that wetland where it still abounds.

I appreciate what Chad and his son have done, as I was hoping some family might take over from what Alika and I did from 2006-2011.

You could get a lot of help from Green Seattle Partnership http://greenseattle.org if you wish, even become a Forest Steward, and get Parks Dept support also. Sounds like you already have some work groups lined up.
For a Licorice Fern Natural Area workparty recently the Parks Dept “Natural Areas Crew” brought us wheelbarrows, shovels, pruners, etc. and stayed to help supervise the 7th graders.

The video starts with a bunch of slides, then goes into clips of us working on it. I’m not that great with videos. You can see them all in raw form here:

http://www.youtube.com/chadlupkes