02/29/04


The Roosevelt Neighbors' Alliance
Community E-nouncements

"The RNA Neighborhood"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Roosevelt Neighbors’ Alliance's (RNA) mission is to advocate for and inform the community within the RNA boundaries. This is a community-based alliance of residents, local businesses and institutions whose aim is to preserve and enhance the quality of life and to help shape the future of the neighborhood.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Announcements for February 29, 2004

1. RNA's Board Meeting March 3rd, 7 - 9 PM, YMCA Teen Room.

2. Comment Period for Link Light Rail alignment options from downtown to UW - Modified Montlake Route, Segment B
Comment period - February 11 through March 11, 2004
Learn more by logging onto http://www.soundtransit.org/linkrail/linkrail.htm .

3. Mayor's Proposed U District Land Use Changes
Your comments to the planning group are requested. City staff presented plans to the community on January 29th for setting new codes for building heights, parking requirements, builder incentives, etc. for the University District that could effect the character and livability of the District for years to come.

4. RNA's Concerns about the Mayor's Proposed U. District Land Use Changes


Scroll down for details & More (5-8)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special Announcement - A Volunteer opportunity

University Playground Park Committee Meeting, Friday, March 5, 7 - 8 PM

Discussion and direction given to Daniel Winterbottom on options for the construction bid documents. Please contact Nancy by replying to this message if you are interested in participating in the Landmark Fence Project. We need YOU!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. RNA's Board Meeting

Please come!

When: Wed., March 3rd
Time: 7 - 9 PM
Where: University Family YMCA Teen Room, at 12th Ave NE and NE 50th


On the agenda:
The Mayor's proposed U-D land use changes and incentives for "affordable" housing: A representative/s from the City planning team will be attending to discuss the land use, economic stimulous and parking issues. (please see item three on this E-nouncement)

Also:
A discussion on the Segment B options and the modified Montlake Route (which U District station)
Karen Ko of the Department of Neighborhoods will provide information about the Mayor's readjustment of the 2004 budget and freeze on Matching Funds.
An update on the Landmark Fence Project for University Playground Park to explain contractor bidding options.

Please welcome our 2004 Board!

Officers:
Karen Schmidt, President
Nancy Bocek, Vice President
Tina Roush, Treasurer
Angela Storey*, Secretary

Members-at-Large:
Susan Coleman
Carmen Cook*
Mark Gardner
Mary Hausladen
Paul Willard*

*New to the Board in 2004

Everyone is welcome! We encourage your involvement!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Comment Period for Link Light Rail alignment options from downtown to UW - Modified Montlake Route, Segment B

Learn more by logging onto http://www.soundtransit.org/linkrail/linkrail.htm .

An addendum has been added to the North Link draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for the Montlake Route (also known as the "modified" Montlake route). Comment Period is February 11 through March 11, 2004.

North Link light rail study on the modified Montlake route will be available for public review and comment from February 11 through March 11, 2004. A public meeting on the modified Montlake route will be held on Wednesday, February 25 from 5:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. at the University of Washington's Kane Hall.

The modified route shifts the tunnel alignment east of Rainier Vista and moves the southern University District station east of Montlake Boulevard in front of Husky Stadium. The route is on university property, and would connect with any routes under consideration north to Northgate or south to
downtown Seattle.

The Modified Montlake Route is examined in an addendum to the Draft SEIS. Copies of the addendum will be available at most Seattle area public libraries, community centers, neighborhood service centers, at Sound Transit's offices at 401 S. Jackson St., and on Sound Transit's web site, www.soundtransit.org. To request a free copy, contact Lauren Swift at 398-5445 or swiftl@soundtransit.org. Copies are being mailed to people who received the draft SEIS.

Written comments should be sent by March 11 to James Irish, Link Environmental Manager, Sound Transit, Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA 98104-2826 or e-mail comments to LinkSEIS@soundtransit.org. Please include a return mailing address with your comments. Comments will be responded to and included in the Final SEIS to be released in late 2004.

The Feb. 25 public meeting will be an open house with information on the modified Montlake route and project staff available to answer your questions. A hearing will not be held; however, a court reporter will be available to take verbal comments.

For more information, please contact Liz Ellis at 398-5283 or ellisl@soundtransit.org.


> A link to the Northlink EIS and other information is available on http://www.soundtransit.org/linkrail/linkrail.htm .
> The EIS is also available at the University Branch Library.
> RNA Board will discuss the Modified Montlake Route and University Station location preferences at the upcoming Board meeting, March 3 at the YMCA Teen Room. Your participation is welcome.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit." Nelson Henderson


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. Mayor's Proposed University District Land Use Changes

The City held a workshop in January where the community learned of the Mayor's plans to alter land use codes in order to stimulate construction of "affordable" housing in the northwest sector of the University District, including the area inside RNA membership boundaries between Roosevelt and Brooklyn and NE 50th Street to NE 45th Street.

We were provided a chance to ask questions and give opinions. Staff attending were from the City of Seattle's Department of Planning and Development, Office of Economic Development, Office of Housing, and Department of Neighborhoods to learn about efforts to increase housing in the University District.

RNA's Mark Gardner and Paul Willard have collaborated on the following information. Mark encourages you to send in personal comments as requested by the planning group to:

U-District Housing Stimulus Goals
Housing Incentives
Possible Code Amendments

For more information, contact:
Mark Troxel
Department of Planning and Development (DPD)
City of Seattle
(206) 615-1739
mark.troxel@seattle.gov

Summary of Mayor's Proposed U Dist. Land Use Changes (by Mark Gardner)

Components:
Reduce parking requirements for new buildings from (about) 1.5 per residential unit to 1 per unit.
Reduce private open space requirements (e.g. balconies and roof decks) in commercial zones from current formula which ties it to residential square footage, to one which is a fixed % of the lot size (effectively reducing private pen space, and more so as building height increases).
Eliminate setback requirements for upper stories of buildings in a section of the district between 47th and 50th, and Roosevelt and 11th.
Eliminate requirements for street level commercial in buildings outside of pedestrian zones.
THE BIG ONE: Allow an additional 20 feet in height in exchange for a percentage of "affordable" units (requirement set very low; is effectively a blanket rezone for multifamily construction). Areas currently 40 feet will go up to 60 feet; those 65 feet will go up to 85 feet. Area includes (roughly) between NE Campus Parkway and 50th, and 15th to Rosevelt. For example, much of the "Ave" will go up to 85 feet - higher than any other neighborhood commercial zone in the city.

~ Legislation anticipated to Council April 2004.
~ RNA encourages neighbors to personally respond as requested by the planning staff.
~ To work with RNA on this issue: email markg@speakeasy.org.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. RNA's Concerns about the Mayor's Proposed U. District Land Use Changes

Mark Gardner has been thinking and researching land use issues in the district and with collaboration from Paul Willard and other RNA Board members, the RNA puts forth this list of concerns:

~ These proposed zoning changes are questionable as construction in the U-District has not been static, in fact many new large size office and housing buildings have recently been built or in the process of construction.
~ It is simply not true that more height is necessary to generate construction activity. Areas in the U District that are already zoned to 85 feet have seen little building activity. Conversely, those zoned to 65 feet or lower have generated substantial building activity.
~ Congregate Residences are significantly absent from these U-District Proposals. Congregate residences are given special zoning exemptions today are sprouting up like wildfire in the U-District.
~ Congregate residents in the U-District amount to unregulated private dormitories. Congregate residences do not attract long term residents, and discourage them in adjoining properties. Congregate housing creates major parking problems on residential streets.
~ Current zoning allows sufficient density in the area approximately from 43rd to 50th & Roosevelt to 15th. 65 feet with 64% upper story lot coverage helps maintain a good pedestrian-friendly, business-friendly, family-friendly, long term resident-friendly environment.
~ Higher structures make the street environment uncomfortable. Increasing building height limit from 65 to 85 feet would create a darker environment on 40 foot right of ways. 85' would contribute to a well known "wind-tunnel" effect as is the case cased by the University Plaza building on 8th NE and NE 47th.
~ The proposed changes would not promote housing attractive to long term residents. While these proposals are incentive for development of "affordable housing" units within market rate buildings, there is no proposal that drives increasing the production of for-sale (condo and townhouse) housing. And no proposal is made to increase the construction of living space instead of commercial.
~ The University of Washington, with the removal of the lease lid, will desire the construction of office and research space, of which they anticipate a near-term shortage, over living units. In fact, increased height means going from wood framing to steel construction driving the cost per sq foot way up. Thus office construction would be a predominant trend.
~ Long term residents want more vehicles per household than the "average" U-District household. Additionally, many units will be occupied by several/many unrelated persons saving living costs by sharing (students and unmarried workers). These units would likely have one car per tenant.
~ Residential Parking Zone permits should not apply to multifamily structures (if they currently do). Developers and residents of these buildings should have a full understanding that no off-street parking or RPZ privileges would be available to them.
~ Given current legal and insurance issues surrounding condominium construction, any plan to increase housing implemented now will encourage the production of more rental units. The proposal would only allow an increase in height and density if some of the units were "affordable" for households with incomes between $30,000 and $45,000 per year.
~ Incentives and any zoning changes in the U-District should be tied to increasing housing for UW faculty and staff given the existing large imbalance between UW employment and housing.
~ Buffer zoning is necessary to make a transition between tall buildings and surrounding, older housing stock; 85 feet next to areas zoned to 25 feet or 30 feet is not an appropriate step down in zoning.
~ Legislation would re-adopt the 10 year property tax exemption on all new rental and owner occupied multifamily housing will likely encourage more rental housing for shorter term residents. The U-District may need an adjustment that gives this tax incentive only to owner occupied units.
~ The U District should not be seen as a testing ground for policies that would likely not be viable citywide, especially given the shortage of open space in the U District.
~ This policy should not be adopted without some evidence-based studies of needs and desires of apartment and condominium dwellers, and if changed in any fashion, should be adopted citywide, not as a special rule for the U District only.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

More:


5. Put your Mark in the Park - Landmark Fence Foundation Stones!
6. Yes, Join!
7. Websites
8. The 2004 RNA Organization

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Put your Mark in the Park - Landmark Fence Foundation Stones!

Help to build the Landmark Fence -

As we are moving into the construction bidding phase, your donation is needed as soon as possible to help build the Landmark Fence construction at University Playground Park.


Make your mark on our Landmark Fence: donate to the Foundation Stones fundraiser! Fill out those forms and mail them in! (brochure attached as PDF)

All sizes of contributions are appreciated. Low income options are available.

Don't have a form? Please contact Nancy by replying to this email.

Foundation Stones Examples:

SANTERI & MARJORIE
VOUTILAINEN

THE SLETTEBAKS ROCK!

PENELOPE
ALEXANDRA
PETERSON
BORN 1-18-03

DICK & LORI MONSON
STEVE G. YOUNG

THE HORNS ON ELEVENTH AVENUE SINCE 1948

Thank you to all contributors for supporting this community park project!

Major contributors to date are SAFECO Insurance, Starbucks Coffee Company, The Seattle Foundation, Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust "B", King County Special Program Grants (through King County Councilmember Cynthia Sullivan), Seattle Dept. of Neighborhoods, University Child Development School and UCDS Parent Association.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"While the spirit of neighborliness was important on the frontier because neighbors were so few, it is even more important now because our neighbors are so many." Lady Bird Johnson

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Yes, Join!


The RNA's name says it all - we're an "alliance" of neighbors, grass roots and community lead. RNA is as strong as its membership, so help us achieve our goals by being an active member: come to our meetings and take part in making positive changes to improve our community.

RNA isn't about money, everyone in our community matters. But dues-paying members are the ones that are tallied as RNA "members", which is important for validating our organization to the city, other organizations and grant makers. Due-paying members get the newsletter out, pay for stamps, support RNA organizational expenses.

Dues range from a welcomed $10 to a more generous contribution of $30 (or more).

To join: Send in the membership form!
To renew: Are you current? Please check your last/next newsletter mailing label for the due date!

Its easy....

1. Print this email and clip the form. Or copy and paste onto a document.
(To print this email message and avoid printing entire message - on the print menu select one of the pages! I.e. # 2 out of 1 - 4. "Print preview"shows the page organization, if you have that option.)

2. Mail to:

The Roosevelt Neighbors’ Alliance
C/o University Neighborhood Service Center
4534 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Or, log on to RNA's on-line membership form:http://www.scn.org/rna/forms/mem_form.htm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


RNA 2004 Membership Form

Please print and mail your membership today - Don’t Delay!

Name _______________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________

City __________________________________________________________________ Zip ___________________

Phone ______________________________________ E-mail _______________________________________

"I would like to join the Roosevelt Neighbors’ Alliance with a one year, tax-deductible membership":

Single $25 ____ Family $30 ____ Limited Inc. $10 ____ Contributing $50 ____ Business $50____ Benefactor $100 ____

Volunteers are crucial to the vitality of our organization - so please say "Yes, I would like to volunteer some of my time to help RNA serve our neighborhood!":

Mailings _________ Special Projects ________ Telephone _______ Short Duration Tasks_______

"I would like to donate additional funds towards":
University Playground Park Fund and the Landmark Fence project (artwork fence, new perimeter fence, ball field and tennis court improvements). Please inform us if your employer will match your donation.
Land use - Your direct support will assist us in our endeavors towards a livable community.
(Please write the dollar amount and "Park Fund" or "Land Use Fund" in memo - Otherwise donation will go into the 'general fund'.)

Membership forms are also in all RNA newsletters. Newsletters can be found at the University Branch Library, University Neighborhood Service Center, University Heights Center for the Community and the University Family YMCA. Or newsletters are available by mail; for these please reply to this message, call Nancy Bocek 632-7760, or write Nancy Bocek 5011 9th Ave NE, 98105. Newsletters are provided with your membership.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. Websites

Visit RNA's website: http://www.scn.org/rna

Website for Northeast Seattle calendar and news: Northeast Seattle is a web source for community news, events and information. http://www.northeastseattle.com/home.htm

Maple Leaf Neighborhood bulletin board: http://www.MapleLeafNeighborhood.org

Daylighting Ravenna Creek in Cowen Park:
http://www.cityofseattle.net/parks/proparks/projects/RavennaCreekatCowen.htm

City Council Website http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/council This is a link to the City Council homepage through which you can visit each individual councilmember's site. You can also choose to go to the mayor's, which is hyperlinked to the above web site.

Citywide Directory http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/directory/ This is a great resource for looking up city employees, departments and services.

Access Washington http://access.wa.gov/ State government and services information and links.

Metropolitan King County Council homepage http://www.metrokc.gov/mkcc/members/members.htm Links and information for King County Council.
Panorama showing 95 years of change in our beautiful city: http://www.kokogiak.com/projects/seawft/reveal_3a.html .

One especially good site is History Link: http://www.historylink.org/ This site is great for student research. It includes very good short "Magic Lantern Tours" (several by Paul Dorpat) and a personal file for keeping essays, images, links and notes.

Historic Seattle: Historic Seattle, founded in 1974, is the only city-wide nonprofit membership organization dedicated to the preservation of Seattle's architectural legacy. www.historicseattle.org

A great resource is the Seattle Times "150 Years: Seattle By and By"/"Seattle Through the Years" from November 13, 2001: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/news/local/seattle_history/articles/timeline.html . This site has good links to other history sites as well. You can spend hours looking through them. (As I have!)

Another Seattle Times resource of Census 2000 data in "Your Neighborhood": I especially like the maps showing income distribution, growth and population density. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/census2000/yncharts/nw/map/newzip_dbf61_m10000.html

More details on the Census 2000 can be researched at: http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html

Powers of Ten View the Milky Way at 10 million light years from the Earth. Just to get a more universal perspective! http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/index.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. The 2004 RNA Organization

Officers:
Karen Schmidt, President
Nancy Bocek, Vice President
Tina Roush, Treasurer
Angela Storey*, Secretary

Members-at-Large:
Susan Coleman
Carmen Cook*
Mark Gardner
Mary Hausladen
Paul Willard*

*New to the Board in 2004

Also:

Arn Slettebak, Daylighting Ravenna Creek Representative
Eric Larson, CUCAC Representative, Land Use Advisor
Mary Hausladen, University Playground Park Committee Co-Chair
Mark Gardner, Land Use Committee
Nancy Bocek, Newsletter editor and University Playground Park Committee Co-Chair
Phillip Thiel, Land Use Advisor
Susan Coleman, NEDC Representative, Ave Group and U-D Arts and Heritage Committee Representative
Kate Campbell, NEDC Alternate Representative

Many other volunteers have given much appreciated help in 2003-4 to deliver newsletters and leaflets, help produce the newsletter and website, volunteered to do project outreach, decision-making and more :

(Including) Mark Bocek, Lyla Ciardi, Carmen Cook, Bartley Dobb, Sharon Dunn, Betsy Friedland, Darcey Harding, Ylva Hernlund, Tracy Hager, Catherine Hinrichsen, Joan Horn, Patricia and Patrick Keenan, Jennifer Kuhn, Sarah Larson (and friends), Susan MacKenzie, Bob Martin, Nick DiMartino, Valerie Mehring, Jennifer Peterson, Bill Purdy, Jay Regenstreif, Jane Rowley, Arn and Kathy Slettebak, Lucy Sloman, Julian Wheeler, Mary Wills, Mina Wirth, Corinne Cook, and Steve Wirbilowicz.

Volunteer opportunities include: Board of Directors, land use, transportation, University Playground Park, U-D open space, membership, grant writing, newsletter and website. Your participation is welcomed.

The RNA is an all-volunteer, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


You are welcome to contribute to this "e-nouncement". Please submit your announcement or other information in ready-to-go paragraph form, either in an email message or as a Word document to nancybocek@att.net . The Editor and the RNA Board reserve the right to accept or deny materials submitted and otherwise edit to suit "e-nouncement" format.

Information presented in this e-mail newsletter is not necessarily the position, policy or activity of the Roosevelt Neighbors' Alliance. The Editor and the RNA Board may choose to post information of an educational or informative nature that might be of interest to the community in compliance with the purpose of the RNA organization to inform and educate the community on all issues that pertain to the quality of life in our neighborhood.

To request to be removed from this list please email nancybocek@att.net .

--- Nancy Bocek, Newsletter Editor