NPAC (North Precinct Advisory Council) Meeting

NPAC (North Precinct Advisory Council) Meeting:  NPAC generally meets the first Wednesday of each month, 7:00-8:30 p.m., at a new venue, Cascadia Elementary School cafeteria, 1200 North 90th Street.  

The next meeting is Wednesday, November 7. The agenda will be posted at https://docs.google.com/open?id=0ByYeltqkXtOuMzQ5NDY0ZDktOWUxYy00OTEzLWE5OWEtYmZmM2ZkM2VhYjA4.

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Volunteer for Green Seattle Day: Saturday, November 3, 9:00 a.m., Magnuson Park

Volunteer for Green Seattle Day:  Saturday, November 3, 9:00 a.m., Magnuson Park.  Help plant the future forests of Seattle. Volunteers will join the Green Seattle Partnership.

Hundreds of volunteers will plant thousands of plants in parks throughout the Emerald City, and all community members are welcome to participate.  No experience is necessary. Tools, gloves, plants, coffee, snacks and instruction will be provided.

Sign up to participate in a Green Seattle Day location here: https://www.greenseattle.org/get-involved/green-seattle-day/.

Early Community Outreach for Design Review Information Session – Thurs, Oct 25

Early Community Outreach for Design Review Information Session:  Thursday, October 25, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Good Shepard Center, 4649 Sunnyside Avenue N.  Open house from 6:00-8:00 p.m., Presentation and Q&A from 6:30-7:15 p.m.

The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods would like to let you know about a new way for neighbors to learn about and weigh-in on new development in your neighborhood. The Early Community Outreach for Design Review program came into effect on July 1st, 2018 and requires developers to notify residents and businesses of new multi-family, mixed-use or commercial projects in your neighborhoods and elicit community input early in the design and permitting process.

• • Early Community Outreach for Design Review program came into effect on July 1st, 2018 and requires developers to notify residents and businesses of new multi-family, mixed-use or commercial projects in your neighborhoods and elicit community input early in the design and permitting process.  

• • How does this new process affect me and my neighbors?  Developers are now required to reach out to nearby neighbors, community organizations, and small businesses of new projects by at least one printed, one digital and one in-person outreach method. This gives you an opportunity to learn about new developments and give input very early on in the process. You can learn more about these new requirements by reviewing the Early Outreach for Design Review website.

• • How do I find out about events and projects happening in my neighborhood?  You can find out about projects by visiting the Early Outreach for Design Review Projects Blog. You can search by region or neighborhood to find basic project information and the developer’s contact info. You can also find out about nearby in-person meetings that developers are holding on the Early Community Outreach for Design Review Calendar.

• • How do the developers know to contact us?  The Department of Neighborhoods has developed new tools that list local community groups, the Community Connector and Neighborhood Snapshots. If you would like to be included on these lists, please reply to this email with that request.

Get involved in the City Budget Process

Get involved in the City Budget Process:  Provide public testimony at budget committee meetings which take place until early November.  This is typically at the end of the meeting, but times vary so check the budget webpage at www.seattle.gov/council/budget.

Attend the public hearing on October 23 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.  Email comments to council@seattle.gov or sally.bagshaw@seattle.gov.

Interactive Map of Public Art in Seattle Parks

Interactive Map of Public Art in Seattle Parks:  Seattle Parks and Recreation stewards more than a hundred public artworks, of all shapes and sizes, in parks and facilities across the city.

Click through the interactive map to take a virtual tour of public artwork from your desktop or mobile device. Seattle’s parks are full of colorful artwork, including sculptures such as the Whale Tail at Alki Playground, a sundial at Gas Works Park, a stone garden lantern at Seward Park, a skate sculpture at Jefferson Park, and much more.  See what artwork is located near you! Take the virtual tour here.

Comment on the Proposed Tree Ordinance

Comment on the Proposed Tree Ordinance:  Councilmember Rob Johnson’s Tree for All Proposal to update Seattle’s Tree Protection Ordinance has morphed into a Tree Removal and Mitigation Ordinance.  The current ordinance SMC 25.11 – Tree Protection is being repealed and replaced with a new ordinance that removes most existing protections for trees in Seattle. Opponents of the proposal ask that the Determination of Non-Significance (DNS) be reversed and an EIS be required.  Send comments to chanda.emery@seattle.gov.

Some examples of major impacts not evaluated:

• • The DNS errs in not evaluating the impacts of removing protections for Exceptional trees which are the larger trees of some 71-tree species identified by the City and also include tree groves and heritage trees.
  • The DNS does evaluate the impacts from removing all limits on the number of trees that can be cut down in a year.
  • The DNS does not evaluate impacts from allowing all trees to be removed on undeveloped lots.
  • The DNS speculates that “planting several smaller trees may take several years to accomplish comparable value as the larger cut tree.” The reality is that it takes as many years to replace the canopy volume lost as the tree was old. And you also lose the additional canopy growth that would have occurred if the tree had not been cut down. 
  • The DNS does not evaluate the net loss of canopy over time by not requiring replacement of trees as long as the canopy is not reduced below the zone goal.  The canopy zone value is an average across the zone. 
  • The DNS does not evaluate the impact of removing minimum tree planting required under provisions removed in SMC 23.44.008
  • The DNS does not take into account that canopy loss is defined as area in the draft, yet canopy volume is a much more accurate measure of ecological services that trees provide, like in reducing stormwater runoff and cleaning the air of pollutants.
  • The DNS provides no numbers of expected trees to be removed or cut down or expected replacement values. This proposal makes it easier for developers to remove trees and there is no evaluation of development impacts on tree and canopy removal such as by major city zoning and development decisions like ADU and MHA ordinances being passed

Reference material:

• • SEPA Checklist
  • SEPA Determination of Non-Significance
  • Draft Legislation
  • Policy Memo re: the Draft Legislation
  • Existing Legislation (SMC 25.11) that Would Be Repealed by the Ordinance
  • NOTICE OF LAND USE AND TREE PROTECTION CODE AMENDMENTS

 

[This post does not necessarily reflect the view of the NEDC on this proposal.]

 

4th Annual Apple Tasting – Wednesday, October 17, 11 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

4th Annual Apple Tasting:  Wednesday, October 17, 11 a.m.-6:00 p.m., Good Shepherd Center (GSC), 4649 Sunnyside Avenue N, Wallingford.  Free. Stop by anytime for side-by-side tastings of heirloom apples grown at the GSC and homemade baked goods. Learn about different varieties, innovative organic pest prevention methods, and the history of the GSC site at this fun and festive community event.