LICTON SPRINGS COMMUNITY COUNCIL
Minutes of Community Meeting, May 21, 2014
NSCC Campus OCE&E Building, Room 220B
Directors Present: Tom Meyer, Melanie Davies, and Liz Kearns.
Visitors: Aly Pennucci (Senior Planner, Seattle Department of Planning and Development), Art Brochet (Communications Lead, Seattle Department of Transportation), Sarah Benki-Nugent, David Wilma, and Javier Rodriguez.
Board Member Tom Meyer led our meeting because of President Jan Brucker being out of town on business. Tom called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and we had introductions around the table.
Treasurer’s Report. The April 30, 2014 bank balance was $5,328.91.
NEW BUSINESS.
Northgate Pedestrian/Bike Bridge. Art Brochet, City of Seattle Department of Transportation Communications Lead gave a short history of the need for a pedestrian bridge across Interstate 5. King County did a study to determine if there was a need/interest for a pedestrian bridge. The Urban Design Workshop showed interest.
Possible designs for the bridge were discussed; nothing is final yet. The challenge now is how to design the drop down from the bridge to the ground on both sides of I-5, which must be ADA accessible. The design should be complete by fall 2014; looking to build by 2021 when the Northgate Light Rail Station opens, or earlier – depending on funding.
SDOT gives the following benefits of the project: (1) providing a better connection for students and transit users to North Seattle Community College; increasing ridership at the King County Transit Center and future Light Rail Station; developing a new con nection between the east and west sides of I-5 in Northgate; and providing important access for bicyclists and pedestrians in the Northgate vicinity.
The funding has a $25 million planning budget. A TIGER grant of $15 million is needed to combine with the $5 million each being provided by Sound Transit and the Seattle Department of Transportation. The deadline to obtain full funding is July 31, 2015. If $25 million is not in hand at that time, the Sound Transit portion will be used for other pedestrian and bicycle improvements in the area.
There will be an open house presentation and question and answer meeting on June 3, 2014. Mailings will be going out soon.
Smoke Free Campus. Javier Rodriquez, NSCC work study student, spoke about the proposed Smoke Free Campus idea. He feels that the smoking students will be forced to smoke in the neighborhood if the policy is adopted. With no ashtrays available, they will pollute the neighborhood, and, thus disrupt relations between the college and its neighbors.
His suggestion is to have two designated on-campus smoking areas: one at the south end and one at the north end of campus.
The faculty and staff were surveyed and 70 percent were for a smoke free campus. The students are now being surveyed.
We asked for more information before making a statement. Liz will e-mail Amy LaZerte requesting that the LSCC be kept informed of survey results and included in this discussion.
P-Patch Summer Smash. Melanie Davies reported on the July 12th event, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Licton Springs P-Patch. We are applying for a Small Sparks Grant through the Department of Neighborhoods. There will be food, music, and maybe The Bubbleman, a button-making machine, and games for kids.
Tom asked if this was the same day as the NSPP picnic and it may be, but we think that both can happen on the same day.
New NSCC President. We discussed inviting Warren Brown, new President of North Seattle Community College to our July meeting. He starts at North in July, so we thought it would be good if Jan contacted me.
Liz said she would send an e-mail to Amy LaZerte asking for his contact information.
Sherry Carr. Sherry Carr did not attend our May meeting as scheduled.
OLD BUSINESS.
Proposed Transmission Line in Residential Area. Sarah Benki-Nugent feels another public meeting is necessary to view a new design idea and get community input. Much discussion followed. She will keep us up to date with any news.
Pedestrian Zones. Aly Pennucci, Senior Planner for the Seattle Department of Planning and Development spoke to us about the Aurora-Licton Pedestrian Zone mapping project. The Pedestrian Zone survey closed on April 30, 2014. They are still reviewing the results. So far the community response was positive and the AMA response was not. The City Council mapped 60 areas – and added two additional areas, one of those was Licton Springs. They felt the Pedestrian Zone recognition was needed in the Licton Springs commercial area along Aurora Avenue.
The Pedestrian Zone is used to promote walkable commercial areas with certain criteria for buildings and businesses within the zone. Existing businesses can remain “as is” but if a business is vacant for one year, then the new rules would apply to the new owner’s development of the business.
The key Street-Level Standards for all Neighborhood Commercial Zones:
Facades must be within 10 feet of sidewalk
Sixty percent of the street-facing façade for nonresidential uses must include windows within 2 and 8 feet above the sidewalk
Space for shops and restaurants meet minimum dimensions (height, width & depth)
Parking cannot be located between a building and the street (can be to the side, rear or within the building).
Additional Street-Level Standards along Principal Pedestrian Street in Pedestrian Zone:
Required to have pedestrian-oriented commercial uses (active uses), like shops, restaurants and customer service offices, on 80% of the ground floor
Driveways may not cross sidewalks, unless it is the only means of access
Parking areas must be located to the rear, or within the building (not in front or to the side)
In areas where parking is required, waivers are allowed for street-level uses (outside of urban centers, urban villages and frequent transit areas).
When the City Council reviews this LSCC should be there. Aly will let us know when the hearing is scheduled. LSCC can support this with a letter to Aly at DPD; Aly will then include it in their package to the Mayor.
Our next meeting is Wednesday, June 18, 2014.
The meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Liz Kearns, Board Member, for
Ellen M. Beck, Secretary