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LICTON SPRINGS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Present: Liz Kearns, Jerry Owens, Randy Elder, Jan Brucker, Bob Messina, Nancy Sharp, John Meerscheidt, Wanda Fullner, Debra Willendorf, and Ellen Beck.
Absent: Wally Fosmore, Pam Larsen, Bethany Ryals, Edie Whitsett, and Sheryl Stich.
Visitors: Violet Paschke, Marine Morrison, Jean Wirch, Ken Thompson, Vera Galbraith, Steve Hughes, Dave Barber, Roger Iwata (Sound Transit), David Hemmelgarn (Seattle Executive Services Department, Real Estate Services), Officer R.J. Leonard (Seattle Police Department – Parking Division), and Andrew Schmid (Cynthia Sullivan’s Office).
President Liz Kearns called the meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. and those present introduced themselves.
Jan Brucker informed those present that Greg Nichols (King County Councilman), who was scheduled to speak at our meeting, had telephoned her early this morning to say that he would be unable to attend because of having to attend another meeting.
Minutes: The March 15, 2000 meeting minutes were approved as presented.
Treasurer’s Report: Nancy Sharp reported a balance of $1206.07 in LSCC’s bank accounts. Nancy also gave the Annual Report of Treasurer. She felt that our higher balance reflected more awareness of the Council because of the neighborhood planning effort. Many more people are paying dues. Nancy said this gave us the opportunity to think about how we wanted to budget our income. The Treasurer’s Annual Report was approved and accepted.
President’s Report: Liz Kearns gave Board members a written President’s Year-End Report. She also announced that the LSCC budget was on the agenda for the May Board meeting.
Sound Transit/Light Rail/Northgate Station, etc.: Liz next turned the meeting over to Roger Iwata, who is with Sound Transit. Mr. Iwata brought us up to date on Sound Transit’s planning/activities since the November 1996 levy was passed by voters to improve mass transit. He reminded us that there were three parts to the transit plan: express buses; commuter rail, and electric light rail. He invited people to visit the Sound Transit website at www.soundtransit.org for information. Mr. Iwata said that Sound Transit was working to integrate the transit systems of King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, by routes, connections/transfers, and payments working within the different county systems. Commuter rail would begin in the fall and trains would run between Tacoma and the King Street Station on the existing commercial tracks. It is estimated that the trip will take 55 minutes. It is estimated that by 2002 commuter rail would be going from King Street Station north to Everett; and also further south (of Tacoma) in Pierce County. Mr. Iwata explained that the light rail component actually involved two systems. The first system would be from the Tacoma Dome to the central business district. There will be very frequent trains for 20 hours a day. The second system would run from SeaTac and north to Northgate. Mr. Iwata said that many meetings and public forums have been held and will continue to be held to get public input on the route, method of travel (underground, elevated), and location of stations. Mr. Iwata answered questions from those present during his presentation and after he had completed his comments. He noted that the budget has set asides for impacts created by the light rail system when noise concerns were expressed.
Liz Kearns and Jan Brucker both mentioned that Licton Springs believes that a tunnel from the west side to the east side of I-5 is crucial for this community. The tunnel envisioned would be spacious (as wide a space as the area under I-5 at Northgate Way), but the pathway would have the same dimensions as the Burke-Gilman Trail. The remaining area would be taken up by a daylighted Thornton Creek. The pathway would be for pedestrians and bicycle riders, but could be used by emergency vehicles if necessary.
Dave Barber noted that in meetings in connection with the North Seattle Community College Master Plan, the College had received a commitment from Sound Transit for a tunnel/underpass. Dave noted that there are 7,000 households in this community and that 8,300 students attend NSCC. There needs to be a tunnel to facilitate everyone from the west side of I-5 getting easily to the Transit Center.
Andrew Schmid recommended that the Council contact
representatives at the State level, the Department of Engineers, and also go
back to the College on the tunnel issue.
Parking, RPZ, Enforcement: Officer R.J. Leonard, who is with the Seattle Police Department, Parking Enforcement, told us that because of how our RPZ was going to be set up it would be difficult for the SPD to enforce. No parking except by permit was the easiest type of RPZ to enforce. Debra Willendorf explained that SeaTran would allow our RPZ to be moved up to an only by permit RPZ, but we had to begin with an RPZ that set hours for restricted parking. Officer Leonard told us that if we had illegal parked cars to report, it was best to call the non-emergency 911 number, because the officers give preference to radio calls. Officer Leonard also told us that he had very few officers to cover a very large area, and that annual requests for more parking enforcement officers did not meet with success. Also, recommendations from Parking Enforcement to SeaTran regarding RPZ’s were not accepted by SeaTran.
Andrew Schmid advised us to put pressure on the City to get more officers. The budget planning process was going on right now, so this would be a good time to give our comments and requests to the City Council. He also said that the Council needs to hear about the problems between SeaTran and SPD.
A discussion of parking problems followed. It was noted that because there were no residences in the area where the North Precinct officers park their cars, it was impossible to establish an RPZ in that area. Randy Elder was asked to bring the topic of parking problems to the next North Precinct meeting he attends. Other locations for officers to park their cars were discussed. It was noted that the officers do not want to park en masse very far away from the Precinct because they fear vandalism to their personal vehicles.
Wanda Fullner suggested we find out if citizens can place notices on illegally parked cars as a way to assist RPZ enforcement. Randy said that he would find out.
Community Plan Implementation: David Hemmelgarn (684-0701), who is with the City of Seattle Executive Department, Real Estate Services, reported to us on the City Light substation. He again provided us with maps showing the area around the substation. He said that the substation lot is being cleaned up. It was unclear if this was the work of City Light or a tenant. David reported that the substation property had moved up to No. 1 on the list of properties to receive environmental assessments. This was a good sign. He said that when City Light officially declares the substation to be surplus, other City departments are informed and have the opportunity to claim the property. It normally takes 30 days for the notice process to be completed. He acknowledged the meeting of neighbors in the vicinity of the substation and their preference for affordable housing in that location. Discussion followed.
David reported that LSCC should write a letter (by July) to the City of Seattle Executive Department, Real Estate Services, expressing the preferences of LSCC for the substation property.
New Business – Director Elections: Dave Barber presented the following motion for consideration; it was seconded by Randy Elder:
That the Bylaws of the
Licton Springs Community be amended by insertion of the following paragraph in
the section concerning election of officers:
“The president of the
Board of Directors shall be limited to two successive terms in office, but may
serve as president again after another person has held that office. All former presidents of the Community
Council shall be additional, Ex Officio
members of the Board of Directors, as long as they are residents in the
community, or unless they resign from such office. All Ex Officio members
of the Board of Directors shall have full voting rights on any matters to be
decided by the Board, but their presence shall not be required to attain a
quorum for action by the Board.”
Discussion followed. Board members suggested more time for consideration would be helpful. The secretary volunteered to e-mail the motion to Board members the following day for their further consideration.
Liz Kearns next asked the secretary to poll all members with terms expiring as to their willingness to continue:
Jan Brucker - Willing to continue;
Bob Messina - Willing to continue;
Wanda Fullner - Willing to continue;
Liz Kearns - Willing to continue; and
Ellen Beck - Willing to continue.
Randy moved and Nancy seconded that the above members be elected by acclamation. This motion passed unanimously.
Next Nancy Sharp confirmed that she was resigning. Appreciation for all the hard work done by our Treasurer was expressed. We’ll miss you, Nancy!
Debra Willendorf was nominated to complete Nancy’s term (till 2001). Randy moved and John Meerscheidt seconded the nomination. Debra was unanimously elected.
Committee Reports:
Licton Springs Park. Wanda Fullner gave a report on the bathroom door at Licton Springs Park. She said that she and Liz had met with Chris Williams, Rick Nichi, and Patrick Miriam (crew chief). Wanda and Liz stressed to the gentlemen that it was very important to LSCC that the men’s door remained locked until the bathroom is safe. The Parks Department proposed that the bathroom be torn down in 2001 and that a new comfort station be built. They said there was funding for this. In the meanwhile, a Honey Bucket would be installed for use in place of the men’s bathroom. Liz and Wanda proposed to Parks that LSCC could pay the rental fee for the Honey Bucket through year 2000.
Questions and discussion followed from those present. Jan Brucker stated that she would prefer that we use our funding to move the men’s bathroom door. She said that we had to be sure we had a firm commitment from Parks and that the funding would still be available when the time came to replace Licton Springs Park’s comfort station in 2001 as Parks was proposing.
Wanda said that she would get confirmation from the Parks Department regarding timing, funding, etc. for the new Licton Springs Park comfort station.
John Meerscheidt reported that there could be a proposal to take the east side of Licton Springs Park for increased water retention after the drainage basin study. Discussion followed.
Dave Barber urged the Board to inform David Hemmelgarn of our concerns in writing. We should also communicate with the Mayor and City Council. We need to make our voices heard. He said that compared with other communities, we do not have much political clout.
The meeting adjourned at 9:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ellen M. Beck
Secretary