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03/07/04 Dear Neighbor, Welcome to all of the new neighbors who have joined the Laurelhurst email network! We now have 1120 neighbors on the list. Community meetings, important land use issues affecting the neighborhood and many gardening opportunities are the focus of this monthly email message. Here's a summary of the items included in this message. You can cursor down further for additional information about each item. 1. Meeting re Batting Cage at Laurelhurst Playfield: Tuesday, March 9th at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center. 2. Neighborhood Crime Prevention Meeting: Thursday, March 11th at 7:15 at the Community Center. 3. Laurelhurst Flyer Squad: Would your kids like to help distribute flyers around the neighborhood for community events? 4. Support the Laurelhurst Elementary School Auction: Make a reservation to attend this major event on April 16th or contribute an auction item or both! 5. Duplexing Single-Family Neighborhoods: The City Council is considering a proposed ordinance that would authorize detached accessory dwelling units (mother-in-law units) in single-family neighborhoods. Take a moment to share your views on this. 6. Apply to serve on the advisory committee for expansion of the Laurelhurst Community Center: Download the application form and background information from LCC’s website at http://www.laurelhurstcc.com. The forms will be posted soon. 7. Working for parks and the environment: Volunteer for work parties at Blakeley Crescent Park (behind University Village) or at Magnuson Park. Sign up for a Seattle Audubon course. 8. Time to make your garden grow: Details on how to apply to get Woodland Park’s Zoo Doo, plant sales at the Arboretum and Magnuson Park and more. 9. Save the date for the Annual Easter Egg Hunt: April 10th at the Community Center. Call the Community Center if you'd like to volunteer to help. 10. Check out our new website! The address is http://www.laurelhurstcc.com/. There are many new features—including a downloadable dues statement, in case yours is buried in piles of mail. Thank you to all neighbors, businesses, churches and schools who have paid their dues. Please let us know your ideas on how to further improve our website. Please forward this message to neighbors who may not be on our email network. As always, we appreciate your support and commitment to the neighborhood. If you have questions about this message or any other neighborhood concerns or announcements you would like included in future messages, please email back. The Laurelhurst Community Club (LCC) board of trustees meets at 7 p.m. the second Monday of each month at St. Stephens. All calls and concerns from neighbors are discussed and neighbors are always welcome to attend. Jeannie Hale, LCC President
===========BATTING CAGE AT LAURELHURST PLAYFIELD=================
Last year, the Parks Department agreed to a one-year pilot project to stall a batting cage at Laurelhurst Playfield for our youth. Northeast Little purchased and installed the batting cage and kids used it for the final two or three weeks of last year’s season. There will be a public meeting on Tuesday, March 9th from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Community Center, 4554 NE 41st Street. The purpose of the meeting is to hear from neighbors about whether the batting cage should be an annual permanent project at our playfield. Siting issues may also be addressed.
Last year’s agreement between the Parks Department and Little League says that the batting cage would be installed not earlier than March 15 and that it would be taken town by August 15th each year. Little League had responsibility for educating players and coaches on safety issues and was required to restore the turf inside the batting cage at the end of the season. It is expected that any new agreement would be similar. Do you think the batting cage should be a permanent annual project at the playfield? Why or why not? Should the location of the batting cage be changed? Last year, the cage was installed at the 3rd base side of the north diamond. How has this location worked out? Should the location be changed to the 1st base location? Attend the meeting on Tuesday, March 10th to express your views or email Mike Mirante from the Parks Department at mike.mirante@seattle.gov with your comments. If you “cc” LCC with your comments or forward them to us, they will be shared with the LCC Board of Trustees (jeannieh@serv.net). ===========NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME PREVENTION MEETING=============== Thursday, March 11th, 7:15 at the Community Center In response to increasing criminal activity in the neighborhood, LCC is sponsoring a Neighborhood Crime Prevention Meeting on Thursday, March 11th from 7:25-9 p.m. at the Laurelhurst Community Center, 4554 NE 41st Street. We hope you will join us and learn how to keep our neighborhood safe and how to set up a Block Watch.
The event will feature Councilmember Nick Licata, chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, Captain Dan Oliver from the North Precinct and Diane Horswill, the North Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator. We will also feature Neighbor Pat Brunzell to talk about the Belvoir Place success story in setting up a Block Watch for problems on their street. For further information, contact Pat Wright at 206-522-0871 or fredmm@comcast.net. ================LAURELHURST FLYER SQUAD=====================
Are your kids interested in helping out with community events? LCC publicizes community meetings in the monthly newsletter mailed to neighbors, through the email network and also by distributing flyers to households. The Laurelhurst Flyer Squad will include kids in the neighborhood interested in distributing flyers near their homes. If your kids would like to help out, please have them contact Maggie Weissman at 206-527-6646 or seattleghb@earthlink.net or Don Torrie at 524-4316 or d.torrie@att.net.
======SUPPORT THE LAURELHURST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AUCTION========= Attend on April 16th, donate an auction item or both! The annual Laurelhurst School Auction is set for Friday, April 16th from 6 p.m.-10:30 p.m. at Villa Academy, 5001 NE 50th Street. Come Sail Away is the theme for this year’s major event. The auction is the biggest fundraising event of the year and helps to pay for many of the special programs that our students are fortunate to have at school. There will be three silent auctions followed by a live auction. You may also buy raffle tickets for a chance to win a cruise for two! Your ticket price of $20 (or $25 at the door) includes dinner, dessert and beverages. It’s a great way to support the school and enjoy a fun and festive night. Make your reservation: To make your reservations, send a check for $20 per ticket to: Laurelhurst PTA, 4530 46th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, Attn: Jean Shearer. Contribute an auction item: This event is successful because of support from parents, neighbors and the business community. Why not contribute an item? Items that are always popular include airline miles, tickets to Mariners or Sonics, wine, getaways at condos or cabins, gift certificates to restaurants, bookstores, music stores or sporting stores, catering services, theater tickets and theme gift baskets. These are just some ideas. Help your local school and receive a write-off for your donation! Questions? Please contact Jean Shearer at jkshearer@comcast.net. ===========DUPLEXING SINGLE-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS===============
The City Council will soon be considering a proposal to authorize detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) throughout the city in single-family zones. These are sometimes known as mother-in-law units. Neighbors can expect conversion of garages into detached units and conversion of space above garages. Just last year, the Council passed legislation authorizing subdivision of single-family lots containing more than one dwelling unit, resulting in substandard lots that do not conform to development standards. Many believe that the pressure for increased density continues with no regard for the impacts upon neighborhoods. Will detached ADUs increase affordable housing? Or, will they creating parking problems and change the character of our neighborhoods?
Background: Over the years, LCC has worked very hard to maintain strict guidelines governing attached ADUs. In response, the City has retained the owner-occupancy requirement for the main part of the house, a requirement that one off street parking space be provided for the detached unit (only one attached unit is allowed under the Land Use Code), square footage requirements and other safeguards to project the character of neighborhoods. LCC’s Board of Trustees will consider the City’s proposal to allow detached ADUs at its March meeting. Please let us know if you have any views about the proposal. Comment on this Proposal: Share your views on this proposal with the City Council and the Mayor. It is especially important to contact Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck because he chairs the Urban Development and Planning Committee that will make recommendations on the measure, but it is also a good idea to send your comments to all councilmembers. Here are the email addresses: Tom.Rasmussen@seattle.gov David.Della@seattle.gov Jean.Godden@seattle.gov Richard.McIver@seattle.gov Jan.Drago@seattle.gov Jim.Compton@seattle.gov Peter.Steinbrueck@seattle.gov Richard.Conlin@seattle.gov Nick.Licata@seattle.gov
If you’d like to email the Mayor, he is no longer taking direct emails. Instead you have to go to his website to complete a form. http://www.cityofseattle.net/mayor/citizen_response.htm. Further Information: To read the detached ADU proposed ordinance and
the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) director’s report
go to http://www.seattle.gov/DCLU/CodeDev/HousingChoices/dadu.asp. For
further information, contact Jory Phillips at the Department of Planning
and Development at jory.phillips@seattle.gov. =================EXPANDING THE COMMUNITY CENTER=============== Apply to Serve on the Project Advisory Committee for the Project
In November 2000, Seattle Voters approved the ProParks Levy, which includes $2,577,500 to expand/renovate the Laurelhurst Community Center. Finally, our time as come! The next step will be for the Parks Department to set up what they call a Project Advisory Team (PAT). The twelve-member PAT will provide advice to the Parks Department staff and consultants in development of the project. If you would like to apply to serve on the PAT, go to LCC’s website and download an application form. The address is: http://www.laurelhurstcc.com. The forms will be posted soon. ===========WORKING FOR PARKS AND THE ENVIRONMENT===============
Gardening fun for the whole family! The community work parties listed below are RAIN OR SHINE events! Dress in layers; wear boots/old tennis shoes, bring water and a snack. Training on site is available at each work party. Gloves (or, bring your favorite) and tools will be provided. An opportunity to take a course from Seattle Audubon is also listed below. Blakeley Crescent Park: Thanks to major contributions from Silver Cloud Inn, University Village, Intracorp, the Seattle Seahawks, the Neighborhood Matching Fund and others, Blakeley Crescent Park, behind University Village is almost complete! Volunteers are needed to help plant ground covers, remove invasive plants and cleanup the remaining part of the site. Dates for work parties have not yet been scheduled, but if you are interested, please contact Bonnie Miller at bmiller@serv.net. We need your help! Magnuson Park Community Garden Work Party: March 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Help with planting in the native gardens and with garden construction. Meet at the Community Garden, east of the old brig building. For further information, contact Vajra Allan at 206-615-0510 Promontory Point Habitat Enhancement Work Parties: Work parties that will involve planting native plants for habitat enhancement at Magnuson Park’s Promontory Point are scheduled on March 14 and 18 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Meet at the Education Pavilion. Enter at NE 65th Street and drive east to the boat launch parking lot. Look for the yellow “VOLUNTEER” banner. For further information or to volunteer, contact Bonnie Miller, the volunteer site manager at bmiller@serv.net. Got the Skills to Protect your Community? Seattle Audubon's Master Advocate
course takes citizen activism to new level. Apply by March 31st! The
Master Advocate for the Environment course will enrich your passion with
proven skills and techniques to be an even more effective advocate for
the environment. The 9-week course emphasizes activist techniques that
really work: which lobbying methods get results, what to expect when
you meet with your legislator, how to formulate a message that resonates
with your target audience, what you need to do to get good media coverage,
how to plan a grassroots campaign, what negotiation strategies get you
what you want, and much, much more. The workshop-format of the course
emphasizes participation, practice and networking. This course eliminates
the guesswork and teaches skills that get results. o Dates: Classes take place Wednesday evenings, 6:00-8:30 p.m., April 7 - June 2 in Seattle. o How to apply: Download an application at http://www.seattleaudubon.org. o For further information: Call Seattle Audubon at 206- 985-6841 or email mattm@seattleaudubon.org.
===============TIME TO MAKE YOUR GARDEN GROW!=================
Zoo Doo Season: It's time for Woodland Park Zoo's annual Fecal Fest, when the zoo dispenses tons of Zoo Doo — manure — to local gardeners who tout it as the most exotic compost in the Northwest. Prices vary from $50 to fill a large pickup to $3 a bag, with demand far outstripping supply. The zoo doesn't take phone orders, but a drawing will be held for appointments. Those wanting in should send a postcard with name, day and evening phone numbers, the amount of Zoo Doo desired and a preferred time (weekday or weekend) for pickup — to Zoo Doo, Woodland Park Zoo, 601 North 59th Street, Seattle, WA 98103. Details are in a recorded message: 206-625-POOP or online at http://www.zoo.org Entry cards are being accepted through March 15. Cards will be drawn randomly, and people whose cards are drawn will be notified. Early Bloomers Plant Sale: Saturday, April 10, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Graham Visitors Center, 2300 Arboretum Drive East, Seattle. Featuring plants that bloom early in Northwest gardens, Early Bloomers offers a great start on spring planting with hundreds of favorite and unusual plant selections. Early season performers and others, including special cuttings from the Arboretum’s Pat Calvert Greenhouse, and many more. For further information call 206-543-8800 or visit www.arboretumfoundation.org. Weaving from the Garden: The Seattle Weavers’ Guild offers a class on April 24 and 25 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Community Activity Center at Magnuson Park, 7400 Sand Point Way NE. “Weaving from the Garden” will be taught by Melinda West, known for traditional basketry and natural fiber weaving. Students will learn about traditional plant uses and how to make a ribbed-style gathering basket. The class is open to all experience levels. Cost: Sliding course fee dependent upon number of students. Materials fee: $30. For further information, contact Cyndi White at 425-486-1597 or cyndicon@aol.com or go to http://www.seattleweaversguild.com/programs.htm. FlorAbundance Plant Sale: Saturday, April 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday,
April 25, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Magnuson Park. The Arboretum Foundation’s
legendary "under cover" spring sale features a glorious variety
of plants from dozens of the Northwest's foremost specialty nurseries
and vendors. Species and hybrid rhododendrons, unusual annuals, favorite
and rare perennials, trees, shrubs, rare conifers, groundcovers, organic
vegetable starts, grasses, vines and even more. "The plant sale
of the year," according to garden writer Ann Lovejoy. For further
information call 206-543-8800 or visit www.arboretumfoundation.org. =================EASTER EGG HUNT=========================== Save the date--Saturday, April 10—and Volunteer to help The annual Laurelhurst Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Saturday morning, April 10th at the Laurelhurst Community Center, 4554 NE 41st Street. Gather in front of the Center at 9 a.m. sharp for instructions. Don’t be late or the eggs will be all gone! This event is for children 11 years and under. Participants should bring a basket or a plastic bag for collection of goodies. Suggested donation: Two cans of food to Northwest Harvest. If you have questions or would like to volunteer to help with the event, please contact Yolanda Abarca at 206-684-7529 or yolanda.abarca@seattle.gov.
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