Minutes for August, 2005
Attending: Mark Holden, Jennifer Biely, Joe Herrin, Dan Becraft, John Clark, Don Torrie, Pat Wright, Mark Trumbauer, Jeannie Hale, Bonnie Zinn, Tom Maider, Stan Sorscher, Susan Bennett, Lora Poepping
Excused: Heather Newman and Dermot Noonan
Guests: Jean Amick
The meeting was called to order at 7:10 PM.
Treasurer’s Report: This is the first full month John Clark has been Treasurer.
Minutes: The June minutes were amended to show Mark Holden had been present. Motion by Mark Holden, seconded by John Clark to approve the June minutes as amended. Motion passed unanimously.
In the July minutes, the spelling of Tom Maider's name was corrected, and in the crime report, the number of new police officers was corrected to show 25 instead of 24. Motion by Tom Maider, seconded by Susan Bennett, to approve the July minutes as corrected. Motion passed unanimously.
Roster Update: A draft LCC roster was distributed for trustees and committee members to make updates and changes.
CALLS AND CONCERNS
1. Newsletter Ad: Janet Lim emailed on 7/20 to inquire about placing an ad in the newsletter. Information was provided.
2. Laurelhurst Running Club: On 7/22, Kristy Petersen reported that she is starting a running club in the neighborhood. The goal of our club will be to bring the joy and health advantages of running, jogging and walking to everyone regardless of age or ability. All anyone needs to join is the commitment to be in shape. Initially the group will meet at the Community Center on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 7:00 am for one hour. They will run, walk or run/walk the loop course around the park for 38 minutes each morning. The remaining 22 minutes will be spent doing crunches, push ups, lunges, arm bends and stretches. Eventually the group may even throw in some hills and train to race. Since the club is brand new, any feedback as to how it should be formed and what it should offer would be extremely helpful. As the club develops, they may add evening runs and longer courses...who knows we may even create a few Laurelhurst fun runs! The group’s website can be found at: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/Run_Laurelhurst/
3. Suspicious Activity: Mark Hoffman reported that at 7 a.m. on 7/26 he saw a white male with a moustache, no glasses, black hair, about 35-40, taking digital pictures from his car down the water access at NE 30th Street. He was driving a dark blue Acura hatchback, License number 516 JEO. Mark approached the car because he was blocking his driveway and the man drove off. Mark saw him a few minutes later walking down the water access at the intersection of Surber Drive and 42nd Avenue NE. Tom Maider suggested the person may have been an appraiser, since a property was sold about then in that area.
4. Theft: Bill Kitchin reported that on the morning of 7/25 someone entered his home through an unlocked door and stole his wife’s purse, which was on the kitchen table. In the late evening, someone who lives in the University District called to report he had found some of the contents of the purse. Bill and his wife Cheryl picked up the items and walked a couple of blocks looking to see if they could find anything else. They were disappointed that they saw no police presence on the street. The Kitchins subsequently received a packet from the post office with most of the identification and credit cards returned. Their passports, however, were not returned.
5. Traffic Light at QFC: Torrie reported on 7/29 that he saw surveys in the vicinity of QFC near the University Village entrance. He learned from Wayne Wentz, someone in the city’s traffic operations department, that a light would be installed at that location. We might want to distribute Wayne Wentz' email address and phone number, to make it easier to neighbors to comment on the idea.
6. Absentee Landlord: Nan Haigwood emailed on 7/31 to report that a gardener arrived at the rental property located at 4316 36th NE and cleaned up the lot. This was in response to a letter that LCC wrote asking that the owner take responsibility for the condition of the lot. Nan took pictures of another rental at 4317 36th NE and has written to the owner, Mr. Strenge, to see if he will take care of the overgrown vegetation.
7. Election: Neighbor Wally Keyser called on 8/04 to say he decided to run for city council and wanted to have an article in the newsletter. Hale explained that LCC’s tax exempt status does not allow involvement in supporting candidates. Keyser missed the filing deadline.
8. Partnership with Sapristi Guild: On 8/05 Adam Chawes emailed to suggest that LCC partner with the Sapristi Guild to support its “Thunder—The Symphony” concert at Benaroya Hall. The Sapristi Guild raises money to support uncompensated care at Children’s Hospital. Adam suggested that LCC provide a platform for the sale and promotion of tickets. LCC responded inviting Adam to an upcoming trustee meeting. Sponsorship of the concert is $10,000 and it is unclear whether that commitment is being sought.
9. Waterway No. 1: Judith Thornton emailed today to suggest guidelines for priority of use of Waterway No. 1. She basically wants all of the encroachments on public land removed—the fence on one side and a laurel hedge on the other. She recommends that public approval be required for any obstruction in the water portion of the waterway. LCC will respond. LCC’s has been working with the city’s transportation department and the state Department of Natural Resources on Waterway No. 1 for about three years. LCC has developed policies that call for respecting the privacy of adjacent property owners and providing incentives for removing encroachments. These policies are consistent with the city’s shoreline street end program and state regulations. As in the shoreline street end program, adjacent property owners pay a fee for private use of the public land. The fees are collected and held by DOT, then used to improve the public space. Two neighbors pay fees of $5500 per year and $2000 per year for encroachments. Judith’s approach would mean there would be no funds to improve the upland area of the waterway and that it would continue to be a neighborhood eyesore. LCC’s goal has been to transform the upland waterway land into a drought tolerant, low maintenance herbaceous garden. LCC received $10,000 for the first phase of the project last year. A meeting of neighbors will be held next month.
Kate Lloyd called today to express concerns about LCC meeting with adjacent landowners, the transportation department and the state Department of Natural Resources. Hale responded explaining that that is the process LCC followed in implementing the highly successful shoreline street ends program and added that a meeting of neighbors has been scheduled.
10. Children’s Leasing at the Springbrook Building: Professionals leasing at the Springbrook Building provided LCC with a letter they wrote to Children’s and a response from Treuman Katz, Children’s CEO. Those letters are included in the correspondence packet. Children’s is unwilling to reconsider its leasing at Springbrook.
11. Nutrition Initiative: Ellise Hart called today to let LCC know about a nutrition initiative she is working on at Laurelhurst Elementary School. She will attend a future LCC meeting to brief the board. She is also interested in learning more about how to deal with all of the graffiti in the neighborhood.
12. Babysittng Network: The Seattle Times called Bonnie Zinn about the baby-sitting network.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Thank you! Thanks to Don Torrie for coordinating distribution of the agenda packets and to Heather Newman and Tom Maider for assisting.
2. Absent, but Missed: Heather Newman and Dermott Noonan are on vacation and could not attend tonight’s trustee meeting. Lora Poepping had a conflict tonight. John Burge may or may not make it to the meeting as he’s been hiking all day.
3. Sidewalk Safety: Copies of the sidewalk safety flyer to encourage neighbors not to park on sidewalks were distributed.
REPORTS/ACTION
Crime Prevention Report: Pat Wright passed out an update of crime statistics for different areas. The playfield has had more vandalism incidents. In warm weather, people leave windows and doors open, which is associated with higher home burglary rates. Police enforced speed limits on NE 41st St, giving tickets near the park. Laurelhurst neighbors hosted 7 "night out" block parties this month. Northeast Seattle neighbors held 220, altogether. Oregon has a law to control ingredients used in Meth labs. A new law will become effective here, soon. Three new officers have been assigned, but limits have been placed on overtime for budgetary reasons. The North Precinct building had gun-shot damage during the night, when it was closed. In the University District, noise and party-related complaints are returning.
Battelle Committee Report: Sorscher updated the group about the status of the amendments to the Battelle Settlement Agreement and a recent committee meeting. We are closing in on final language. We still have procedural issues including preparing drawings which document the landscaping agreements, and setbacks. Bob Wicklein at Seneca Group is responsible for getting a release from the City of Seattle. The City will not be a party to the new agreement. Bob set a deadline of Thursday for us to respond to their latest offer. That deadline slid to Monday then Tuesday, but no major problems are seen.
The major elements of the settlement are the building re-design from the triangular shape to the curved and segmented footprint which mitigates height bulk and scale issues, larger setbacks in the new agreement, provision for wetlands and a sidewalk along 41st St, and maintenance of sick or dead trees in the buffer area.
Boulevard Maintenance Update: Hale spoke with Theresa Doherty for clarification on the University’s letter of July 7 and its maintenance obligations for the planted median. The letter refers to the University assuming “weeding” for the portion of the property from the student housing through 36th. Doherty clarified that “weeding” would include pruning, mulching and other maintenance. It would not include replacing and trees or vegetation. It would also not include maintenance of the irrigation system on their parking strip. Hale explained that most of the sprinkler head damage was due to the University’s delivery trucks running over the parking strip. LCC will follow up with another letter to the University and mention this issue.
LCC will need to get another bid from Heath Landscaping revising the scope of the work. LCC will also ask Heath for a listing of work that needs be done on the portion of the planted median the University will take over so we can get this in writing to the University to avoid misunderstandings in the future.
In the meantime, Dick Barnum has been in touch with Fred Hoyt at the Center for Urban Horticulture to discuss ideas for replacement plants.
LCC Planning/Orientation:
1. Trustee Responsibilities: The board reviewed and discussed the trustee responsibilities handout.
2. Representation on Member and Other Organizations: LCC provides representatives to a number of community organizations. A listing of member and other organizations was distributed. Reps and/or alternates are needed for the Northeast District Council, the Parks and Open Space Advocates, Sand Point Community Liaison Committee, Sand Point Community Communications Committee and the Seattle Community Council Federation.
3. Special Projects: LCC sponsors a number of projects each year—the annual Neighbor Appreciation Day reception, the sidewalk safety program, traffic circle clean-up, pedestrian and traffic safety projects, the babysitting network—just to name a few. Trustees are encouraged to be creative in thinking of new projects for LCC to undertake.
4. Tree Memorial Project: In 1989, LCC started the boulevard project. Part of the project included a tree memorial component. Neighbors contributed between $275 and $1,000 to purchase a Holly Oak tree in memory of a friend or family member. The trees were purchased and planted, but the name plaques were never purchased and installed. The names of those honored are listed in one of the brochures included in the agenda packets. Jennifer Biely and Bonnie Zinn offered to help take care of this.
Meeting was adjourned at 9:06 PM