by Kirby Lindsay, posted 2 March 2012
The Fremont Neighborhood Council (FNC) meeting on February 27th generally considered the matters of the greater community; activities of organizations not the FNC. Even in discussion of membership renewals (due now,) the conversation considered how to reach out to a broader audience – those not yet familiar with the FNC.
A Playground & Fundraising
The first guest presentation at the meeting came from Kristin Anderson, on behalf of the B.F. Day Playground Improvement Steering Committee. Anderson began by describing the property, and reporting that B.F. Day Elementary School does own a portion of the upper, more park-like property. Yet, “we kept the design within the fenced area,” she explained, to focus on the lower property, that immediately surrounds the school building.
She encouraged everyone to attend at the third, and last, public design meeting on Wednesday, March 7th, at 6p in the school gym, where a preferred design concept will be presented, and attendees will be invited to give comment.
Questions from the FNC Board skipped over design and focused on the next step – fundraising. A City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods grant has funded the design process so far, and Anderson explained that the Steering Committee will apply for two more grants to fund construction grade plans, and launch the fundraising campaign. When asked what has been the biggest problem so far, Anderson mentioned her concerns about fundraising right off. She also mentioned that she’d hoped to see more people attend the public meetings, like the one coming up on March 7th.
Also, when asked if the Seattle School District will contribute funds, Anderson mused that a small chance exists for some monies from the Capitol Projects fund. In the meantime, the Steering Committee has preliminary plans for a clothing drive (please start saving them now,) and all bar tips given at the B.F. Day Swellegant fundraiser (on March 10th at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center) go to the playground fund.
A Troll’s Knoll & Another Design
Steve Harris, a member of the Friends of the Troll’s Knoll, gave the second guest presentation to the FNC. He gave an updat on efforts to convert public lands (Harris reported that it totals over an acre) surrounding the Fremont Troll sculpture into viable green space.
The Troll’s Knoll won $685,000 of Opportunity Funding for a design created by the Friends with the help of volunteer landscape architects. The Friends met with a Project Manager assigned by the Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation, earlier this year, and heard about the funding process – and that Parks designers will now vet and rework the design.
Harris explained that the original design carefully considered the need for a low maintenance park, the lack of irrigation on most of the property, and called for several sustainable elements – including wind turbines to give power for nighttime security lighting. The Parks Department will present their design to the public, including the FNC, most likely next winter, and break ground on improvements in 2013.
The property west of the Fremont Troll is currently being used for staging by the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for seismic retrofit work on columns of the Aurora Bridge. That work is scheduled to be completed before improvements begin on the Troll’s Knoll, Harris reported, and WSDOT representatives have promised not to use the property again once improvements are made. FNC Board Members Toby Thaler and Erik Pihl recommended getting this promise in writing, ‘in blood.’
Harris also mentioned that community clean-ups will be done on the Troll’s Knoll in April, and maybe again this summer.
A Land Use Report & More Land Use Reports
Land Use Committee Chairperson Thaler reported on the 34Stone development, by Skanska, for North 34th Street and Stone Way. The FNC submitted a letter of support for this project, and Thaler had spoken with Irene Wall of the City Neighborhood Council to give the reasons why.
The Wallingford Community Council has chosen to appeal the process, and amendments to, the City of Seattle Living Building Program, under which Skanska is developing this building. This appeal could hold up issuance of building permits, although now the developer will request a contract rezone which, if granted, would allow the same amendments to the permit that Skanska needs.
Pihl then presented another development, of a 4-story residential building, proposed for six properties including 3635 Woodland Park Avenue North. The project went before the Northeast Design Review Board for an Early Design Guidance on January 23rd. The Board recommended that the developer return for a second Early Design Guidance to present plans that contain more information on the development in relationship to the current streetscape.
The meeting drew a large crowd for a Design Review meeting (29 people signed in) with comments on the scale of the project – it contains 160-units – plus the expected increase in traffic (the design includes parking for 130 vehicles,) and noise. Ultimately, Pihl said, “I think the project could be improved.”
From there, with no calls to present new business, FNC Board President Matt Gasparich adjourned the meeting a few minutes early. Those who do want to introduce business, new or old, or simply hear more about what the FNC has to offer, can attend an upcoming meeting. Meetings are open to the public, and usually held on the fourth Monday of each month at 7p in the Doric Lodge #92. See you there?
Related Articles
- FNC Highlight Reel: Catchin’ Up & Lookin’ Forward
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- A Review Of A Design Review Guidance Meeting
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- Skanska Proposes A Community Asset For Stone Way
- by Kirby Lindsay, November 16, 2011
- As The Troll’s Knoll Develops
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©2012 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.