A community meeting to discuss plans for the 2011 Capitol Hill Block Party with Pike/Pine residents and business owners has been set for next week by festival organizers.
According to an e-mail sent to CHS by the Block Party’s Dave Meinert, the meeting will be held next Monday night, February 21, 6:00 PM, in the Odd Fellows West Hall:
We are striving to improve this event every year, and a big part of that is making sure we are good neighbors and we get your input.
We hope you enjoy the festival, or that we can at least benefit you in some other ways.
CHS reported on a January meeting of the Seattle Special Events Committee where it was decided Block Party organizers would meet with the community before the city would permit another 3-day edition of the popular music festival. A group of Pike/Pine business owners including Elliott Bay Book Company’s Peter Aaron, Cupcake Royale’s Jody Hall, Tino Perrina of Ferrari of Seattle and The Lobby’s Curtis Bigelow testified at the committee meeting that they supported the idea of the music festival but that their businesses suffered during the event.
It’s not entirely clear what the status is for the permitting of the 2011 event. When we asked committee chair Joanne Orsucci for a clarification of how feedback from the community meeting organized by Meinert and the Block Party producers, here is what we were told:
The CHBP organizers stated at the January Special Event committee meeting that they were going to voluntarily hold community meetings to work with neighboring residents and businesses to solicit feedback and help mitigate issues that have arisen.
The Special Events committee requires most events to send out neighborhood notification to the businesses and residents that are affected by a particular event. Notification must contain my email address – both for supportive feedback and concerns. We have advised the CHBP take this step early on this year, as no decision on a third day will be made until we have received this feedback and can accurately measure the wishes of the surrounding neighborhood.
A sample notification letter can be found on our website at:
http://www.seattle.gov/specialevents/forms.htm
Thank you,
JOANNE ORSUCCI
Manager, Citywide Events
Chair, City of Seattle Special Events Committee
In his mail announcing the upcoming community meeting, Meinert shares details of the 2011 festival’s plans:
This year’s Block Party will have the same layout 2009 and 2010, with the mainstage near Broadway and E Pike, and the smaller Vera Project stage on 11th between E Pike and E Union.
• Pike Street will closed between 12th and Broadway
• 10th & 11th Aves. between E. Pike and E. Union will be closed
• If you live in a building with parking, you will have access to your parking garage as you did last year
• Friday hours: 3pm gates, music on mainstage 4:30 – midnight, on Vera Stage 4:30 – 11pm, Neumo’s (indoor) 4:00 – 2am
• Saturday hours: 1pm gates, music on mainstage 2:00 – midnight, on Vera Stage 2:00 – 11pm, Neumo’s (indoor) 2:00 – 2am
• Proposed Sunday hours: 1pm gates, music on mainstage 2:00 – 9:00pm, on Vera Stage 2:00 – 11pm, Neumo’s (indoor) 2:00 – midnight
And makes a call for feedback either at the meeting or by e-mail at [email protected]:
Last year, due to input from some astute neighbors, we made several adjustments to the sound and layout. I encourage you to give me direct input this year as well. The Block Party is a many faceted event, and there are some things we can only make better if we know they are a problem to start with. So please don’t hesitate to contact me with suggestions.
Meinert says he is also looking for ideas to work with the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce “to donate directly to the neighborhood.”
Meinert is an owner of Big Mario’s Pizza, a CHS advertiser.
