11/19/04

The Roosevelt Neighbors' Alliance
Community E-nouncements

"The RNA Neighborhood"


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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.

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Announcements for November 19, 2004

(Please scroll down for more details)


1. AD HOC and RNA Neighborhood Light Rail Committees forming:
Working Support Sound Transit Choosing the 12th Ave NE Tunnel Alignment January 13

2. Landmark Fence Project Mid-month Update - It's under construction!!

3. Providence House Transitional Housing Message from Bob Ferguson, KC Councilmember, Dist. 2

4. Neighbor Appreciation Day 2005 - CALL for ART (K-12)

5. History House Exhibit - Neighborhood Community Focus: Northeast Seattle - RNA is participant

6. Comprehensive Plan Amendments Public Forum


Scroll down for details & More (Items 7- 9)


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Note: You may receive additional RNA email this month.


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Notice: New in 2004, RNA considers all within our boundaries as non-paying, non-voting "Neighborhood members". To be a voting member, please scroll down to item # 6. Everyone is welcome to our meetings and events! We encourage your involvement!

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1. AD HOC and RNA Neighborhood Light Rail Committees forming:
Working To Support Sound Transit Choosing the 12th Ave NE Tunnel Alignment on January 13

Time is of the essence!
Roll up your sleeves and help!
Put January 13th on your calendar and plan to attend the Sound Transit Board meeting to show support for the 12th Ave NE Tunnel Alignment!

The Roosevelt Neighbors' Alliance is joining forces in a coalition of neighborhood residents, groups (Roosevelt Neighborhood Association) and business owners to seek a sustainable solution to our mass transit needs by supporting the 12th Avenue Alignment as the preferred route for Sound Transit's North Link (from the University District through Roosevelt District). We believe that working together will effect a positive decision by the Sound Transit Board.

Many of you are aware of this issue and that there are two options under study. The 8th Ave NE alignment will "take" 30-odd homes on 8th Ave NE for the tunnel portal and track. It will forever change the character and quality of life of this friendly single-family residential community, it will create noise and blight and will likely cause up.

The Roosevelt Neighbors' Alliance (RNA "south") strongly supports the 12th Ave Tunnel as it will have little or no negative effect to our quality of life, neighborhood homes or parkland and supports the Roosevelt Business District and Roosevelt Urban Village Plan. The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association (RNA "north") is deeply concerned about the negative impact of the 8th alignment taking of homes, shifting the business district and also support the 12th tunnel as planned in the Roosevelt District's Urban Village plan.

" NE 12th Group":
Ably led by Jim O'Halloran of the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association, the ad hoc group of concerned community residents, business owners and organizations is meeting weekly on Monday evenings at 7:30 at Calvary Temple, located on 8th Avenue NE between 68th and 69th Streets. The group is currently called the "NE 12th Group".

To assist your participation, you are invited to join a "NE 12th" web group. Please contact Jen and she'll arrange to have the invitation sent to you. (jenkeys@yahoo.com)

RNA "SAVE 8th Committee":
To support these broad-based activities, RNA is forming a "RNA SAVE 8th Committee" to do our part. This is a very critical and time-sensitive issue and you are encouraged to help. We'll be organizing a series of activities such as writing letters to Sound Transit Board members, leafleting, attending Sound Transit Board meetings to show support, putting up a yard signs, asking kids to write a letter or draw a picture to send to the Sound Transit Board and many other good works.

We really need your active support now through January 13th decision date to save our neighbors' homes on 8th and to get the best light rail alignment for our future needs.
Please reply to this email to join the RNA "SAVE 8th Committee" email group.

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2. Landmark Fence Project Mid-month Update

Great progress is being made on the Landmark Fence! We hope you've seen the activity. After only a short time, the project is well underway.

> The RNA has signed with Fredhoe Construction, of Everett, to build the main gateway of the Landmark Fence.
> The concrete was poured on November 16 and the forms came off on the 18th.
> The Lightening Creek river rock from Idaho will begin to be applied soon.
> The Foundation Stones are on order. Last minute additions can be handled through Sunday, November 21. Reply to this email or call 632-7760. (Donations must be collected before the stone is engraved.)
> The completion date is targeted for December 31, although the project is now over one week ahead of schedule.

Mary Hausladen and Nancy Bocek, project co-chairs, are working with Daniel Winterbottom, RNA's project manager to make a decision about extending beyond the gateway base bid to complete as much of the remaining project along 50th Street as possible with funds now in-hand. We will examine the funds remaining, the cost breakdown for each element and various design options. Anything left to build after this construction period will be another fundraising & construction phase to be done as soon as possible. We'll beginning appraising and planning for that as necessary after the gateway construction is completed late December.

We are taking under consideration the recommendation by Ted Holden, our new Parks Project Manager and a Parks Department senior landscape architect, to omit the low wall between piers for the rest of 50th and replace it with picket fencing instead. The Parks arborist has concerns about the survival of the park trees as their roots may be damaged by digging the trench for the concrete footings. Ted also believes that the grassy area between the pathway and the fence would do well to as a planting bed instead of grass. If we must follow this course of action, ideas to buffer the effect of traffic could include shrub plantings or applied artworks to the picket fencing.

We are moving ahead to raise more money to build the Landmark Fence in entirety. We recently submitted a request for $20,000 to Bob Ferguson, King County Councilmember District 2, and have good expectations that it will be in his new budget.

For more info or to offer your help, please reply to this email.

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3. Providence House Transitional Housing Message from Bob Ferguson, King County Councilmember, Dist. 2

Dear Neighbor:

I just spoke to Providence House representatives and learned that Providence House will not be placing the sex offender transitional home in Wallingford. Today, Providence House notified their landlord that they will not keep their lease.

While I believe that Providence House has noble intentions, I think this is the right decision. In my conversations today with Providence House representatives, I was told that the information provided by the community was the "primary reason" for their decision. Specifically, Providence House stated that the meeting last Friday was "very influential" in their decision-making process. I want to thank the representatives of Providence House for their willingness to reconsider their decision. I am sure it was not an easy decision to make and it speaks well of their organization that they were willing and able to do so.

I also want to thank those community members who voiced their opinion on this matter in a civil, thoughtful way. In particular, the community owes a thank you to the five individuals who attended the meeting with Providence House representatives that I organized last Friday: Chris White, Jeff Johnson, Linda Mason-Wilgis, Ed Kuh, and Sara MacKenzie. It is obvious from the final outcome of this issue that they were persuasive advocates for the Wallingford community.

Lastly, I want to emphasize that the incidents last Thursday involving the destruction to the windows to the house and the sign posted on the telephone pole served only to reflect poorly on Wallingford. It also made our job more difficult in trying to persuade Providence House to locate elsewhere. If anyone has any information about who is responsible, please contact the police.

Please let me know if you have any questions on this matter.

Best,

Bob Ferguson
Councilmember | District 2
Metropolitan King County Council
ph: 206.296.1002 | fax: 206.296.0198


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4. Comprehensive Plan Amendments Public Forum

Is the Comprehensive Plan a Success for Seattle's Neighborhoods?

Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck and the City Neighborhood Council (CNC) Neighborhood Planning Committee invite you to a community forum on the Seattle Comp Plan and the 10-Year Amendments. Councilmembers Richard Conlin and Tom Rasmussen will also be there along with DPD and Council staff.


EVERYONE IS INVITED
Saturday November 20th
10 AM to Noon
Bertha Knight Landes Room, City Hall Main Floor 600 4th Avenue
(Enter on 5th between James and Cherry)

In a facilitated discussion, attendees can relay their neighborhood's experiences and offer guidance to the City Council as they prepare to approve the 10-Year Comprehensive Plan Amendments. The discussion will be organized around these three questions but there will be time for other questions.


1. How will the revised parking policies impact neighborhoods?
Does reducing the amount of required parking for new residential or commercial buildings result in increased affordability, better design or more opportunities for small business success?

2. How does the Comprehensive Plan encourage preservation of the unique qualities of neighborhoods, or does it?
Will the densification of urban villages result in "The Borg" architecture - greater uniformity of building type and uses- rather than reflecting the character of each area?

3. How does the Comprehensive Plan direct policy on the investment and balance of capital and maintenance spending priorities throughout the City?
Does Comprehensive Plan favor expenditures in future growth areas at the expense of older areas with backlogs of projects or under-utilized development capacity or is everything in balance?

This is your CHANCE for public comment before the City Council approves amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, which sets policy for spending priorities and the general development of the City. There will also be time for public comment at the December 8th Urban Development & Planning Committee. We need to learn from YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S EXPERIENCES.


Hosted by the Seattle City Neighborhood Council (CNC) representing Seattle's 13 District Councils. Come and Get Involved in Your City Government!

For more information on the Comp Plan go to:
http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/Comprehensive_Plan_10-Year_Update/COS_003543.asp
For more details contact Irene Wall at iwall@serv.net or Neil Powers at neil.powers@seattle.gov

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5. Neighbor Appreciation Day 2005 - CALL for ART (K-12)

The Department is looking for artwork from children (K-12) depicting what's great about your neighborhood. Please help get the word out to schools in your neighborhood. Thanks!

Karen Ko
University Neighborhood Service Center
4534 University Way NE
Sea 98105
206-233-3732

MEDIA ADVISORY

November 16, 2005

SEATTLE - February 12, 2005 will mark the City’s eleventh annual celebration of Neighbor Appreciation Day. Once again we are asking Seattle students to contribute original artwork for a contest as part of this annual event. Winners in the past have included students of all ages from all over Seattle.

Winning art depicts caring and active neighbors, or otherwise reflects the theme of Neighbor Appreciation Day. Some ideas from previous years show neighbors sharing meals, helping with childcare, exchanging plants, or talking over the fence. The artwork has also depicted neighbors working together on a community project, such as building a new playground, painting a mural, or beautifying the school grounds

The winning artwork will adorn free greeting cards available at City Hall, the 13 Neighborhood Service Centers, and libraries throughout Seattle. Student artwork must be received by Friday, December 17th, 2004 at 5:00pm.

Who: Seattle students, kindergarten through 12th grade

What: Neighbor Appreciation Day Student Art Contest

When: The deadline for receiving student art is Friday, December 17th, 5:00 pm

Where: Entries must be sent to the Department of Neighborhoods,
700 Third Avenue, Suite 400, Seattle, 98104-1848

To view past examples of student art, please visit our website at http://seattle.gov/neighborhoods/appday/art.htm

If you have any questions please call Peter McGraw, Public Information Officer for the Department of Neighborhoods at 206-615-0950.


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6. History House Exhibit - Neighborhood Community Focus: Northeast Seattle

RNA is a participant in History House's Exhibit - Seattle Neighborhood Community Focus: Northeast Seattle

The exhibition will run from November 6th through January 30th.

History House of Greater Seattle
790 N. 34th Street
In Fremont - Directly Under The Aurora Bridge

206 675-8875 or hhouse@scn.org

Participants and Friends of Northeast Seattle,

It is our pleasure to send you this invitation to attend the opening of our Seattle Neighborhood Community Focus exhibition celebrating Northeast Seattle.

Over 40 organizations and individuals from the Northeast Seattle Area will be sharing their stories at the exhibit. These photo and caption exhibits, PowerPoint presentations, DVDs and videos will display the impressive history and diversity of Northeast Seattle. The exhibition will run from November 6th through January 30th.

John Nordstrand
Operations Director


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More:

7. Yes, Join!
8. Websites
9. The 2004 RNA Organization

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7. 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


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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.

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8. 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


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9. 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
Paul Willard, UDCC representative (and Board member)

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, 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.


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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