Happened to take this at the weekend (to see if my iPhone could record movies and play a podcast simultaneously: it couldn’t).

The City of Seattle likes (in its bureaucratic  way) to communicate with groups of neighbors via “District Councils”. Ours is the “East District Council” and meets this Monday evening (6:30 PM) at the Capitol Hill Library.

It’s a brief, informal gathering, and is often a good way to have a one-on-one meeting with City councilmembers and other officials. This month’s meeting features:

• Brief introduction of the new DON/ Neighborhood District Coordinator for the EDNC, Thomas Whittemore
• Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, Chair of the Transportation Committee of the City Council.

Thomas Whittermore recently replaced José Cervantes as our District Coordinator. José recently retired after many years of wonderful service to Capitol Hill. Thomas has served as interim coordinator in the Central District, and on assorted Capitol Hill events. I’m most impressed by his skills and dedication, and am very happy that the City has appointed him to our neighborhood.

Tom Rasmussen has been a very diligent and effective friend of my Miller Park neighborhood, and is an always approachable friend of neighborhoods. 

I would encourage you all to come and meet these two dedicated allies of neighborhoods.

(Thomas has hit the ground running. I attach a copy of his new newsletter, and encourage you to get on his mailing list: Thomas Whittemore <[email protected]> )

Seattle is going to place its hat in the ring to test an ultra-high speed broadband network and is asking for your help.

What Is This About? 

The City of Seattle will respond to a “Request for Information” from Google for a pilot program that Google is doing to build and test ultra-high speed broadband networks.  If we are successful, Google will select one or more neighborhoods in Seattle to participate in their pilot program.  

 Google’s plan is to launch an experiment that Google hopes will make Internet access better and faster for everyone.  Google’s networks “…will deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today over 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections.  [Google will] offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.”

 How Can You Help?

 On behalf of your neighborhood, organization, or business, you can fill out the section of Google’s Request for Information (RFI) that is geared toward residents and community groups.  Responses are due back to Google by March 26. 

 This section of the RFI allows neighborhoods, organizations, or businesses to make their pitch to Google for why Google should build a fiber-to-the-home network in a particular area of Seattle.    The questions in this section focus on (a) why Google should pick a particular neighborhood for their pilot; and (b) what’s the type, quality, and price of current internet services in that neighborhood.

 How Do I Fill Out the RFI?

Below are step-by-step instructions for filling out the residents and community groups section of the RFI:

 1.       Go to Google’s website http://www.google.com/appserve/fiberrfi/

2.       Click on the “Get Involved” button.

3.       Login (if you already have an account). 

4.       If you do not have an account, click on “Create an Account Now.”  Follow the instructions for creating an account – this will include responding to an “email address verification” email that Google will email to the address you provide them.

5.       Go back to where you were in the Google website and click on “Nominate your Community.”  This will bring up the list of questions that you will respond to on line, and submit to Google when you are finished.

 Questions? 

 If you have questions about how to fill out the RFI form, please contact Diane Clausen (phone number is 684-8151; email is [email protected]).

 If you have questions about the Google RFI project in general, please contact Tony Perez (phone number is 386-0070; email is [email protected]).

(yes, another geeky meeting. However, these guidelines will guide building design for 20 years or more, and so will govern what our [rapidly changing] neighborhood will look and feel like in the future. So it’s in our best interests to go along and help the City get it right. Andrew)

Seattle Design Guidelines!

Public Meeting to Review Draft Updates

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

 The City’s design guidelines, Design Review: Guidelines for Multifamily and Commercial Buildings, have been the cornerstone of the Design Review Program since 1994.  Beginning in 2008, the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) has led a process to update the 16-year-old citywide guidelines, and is now releasing a first draft for public review. 

We are hosting a public meeting at which staff will present the updated guidelines and offer opportunities for public comment.  We welcome your attendance!

 Tuesday, February 23, 2010

5:30pm Open House/6:00-7:30pm Presentation and public comment

Bertha Landes Room, City Hall

600 4^th Ave., 5^th Avenue entrance*

 With the release of detailed Draft Guidelines, Seattle is taking the critical step of renewing its vision of the priorities and values that will inform our approach to design review.  One of the key values we share is the importance of neighborhoods taking a lead in establishing their own guidelines, which 19 neighborhoods have already completed.  At the same time, a citywide document enables neighborhoods throughout the city to share a common approach to key issues for design in our city and in our time: design excellence, the physical environment, sustainable development, and the diversity of people and cultures that exist here.

 The design guidelines have been updated to reflect emerging issues in urban design and sustainability, and improve general usability for Design Review Boards, the public and City staff.

 The guidelines are posted on DPD’s website at http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/CitywideDesignGuidelinesUpdate/Overview/

and comments may be made online. For more information, please contact Cheryl Sizov, Project Manager, at (206) 684-3771.

 * Bertha Landes is fully accessible.  Please contact DPD as soon as possible to request special accommodations.

[Bertha Landes was Seattle’s only (to date) female Mayor and is dead, and hence inaccessible! The large meeting room at City Hall is the Bertha Knight Landes Room which is fully accessible. I presume they are referring to the latter.  Andrew]

Res Ipsa Loquitor

Coming in February: Learn more about the SR 520 project at traveling info booth

Just last week we released  of three Montlake interchange designs, as well as the effects of building a new six-lane SR 520 floating bridge and roadway from I-5 to Medina.

If you want to learn more about designs for a new SR 520 Montlake freeway interchange and six-lane bridge, we’ll be  sharing information starting Feb. 10.

Technical staff will be available for questions at an informational kiosk.

• Feb. 10: 12 – 1:30 p.m. at the University of Washington Husky Union Building, first floor lobby.
• Feb. 11: 12 – 1:30 p.m. at Seattle Central Community College, lobby.
• Feb. 12: 12 – 1:30 p.m. at the Downtown Seattle Public Library.
• Feb. 16: 3 – 5:30 p.m. at Tully’s Coffee, 8805 Points Drive NE, Clyde Hill.
• Feb. 17: 12 – 2 p.m. at the UW Health Science Building, I-Wing, Rotunda Foyer.
• Feb. 18: 3 – 5 p.m. at the Montlake Seattle Public Library meeting room.

We also have an important opportunity for public comment at our hearing and open house on Feb. 23.

Environmental hearing and open house

Time: 5 – 7 p.m. Date: Tuesday, Feb. 23 Location: Lake Union Park Naval Reserve Building, 860 Terry Ave. N., Seattle

All comments on the SDEIS are due by March 8. WSDOT will review and consider comments from the public before identifying a preferred Montlake interchange option this spring. A final environmental impact statement is scheduled to be released in about a year. Construction permits would follow and a replacement floating bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in 2014.

How do I review the environmental document?

• View documents and comment online at the SR 520 Web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/sr520bridge/sdeis.
• Visit local libraries in the greater Seattle area. A full list is on our Web page.
• Call the project office at 206-770-3500 to request a free executive summary and CD or to purchase a printed copy of the document.

How do I comment on the environmental document?

• E-mail comments to [email protected].
• Mail comments to Jenifer Young, SDEIS Environmental Manager, 600 Stewart St., Suite 520, Seattle, WA 98101.

The SDOT 520 Bridge replacement website has a section on safety and vulnerability whch includes these videos:

This picture will be added to a comment

Sally Clark will be at the February 1st meeting of the East District Council, to be held at the Capitol Hill library, from 6:30 to 8 PM.  Sally’s Council responsibilities include:

• Chair of the Built Environment; and Waterfront Planning Committee
• Vice-Chair of the  Housing, Human Services, Health, & Culture Committee
• Member of the  Public Safety & Education; and Labor Policy Committee,

so there’s lots you can quiz her about.

The meeting will also include election of District Council Officers, and information on the hiring of a replacement for longtime Neighborhood Service Center Coordinator José Cervantes, who is retiring.

District Councils are part of the City Neighborhood Council system, Seattle’s desired way of exchanging information with its citizens. The City Neighborhood Council has (IMHO) stagnated somewhat of late, but is showing signs of renewed vigor.  Given all the changes coming to Capitol Hill, I would urge you to support our District Council and to help it present our needs strongly and clearly to the City.  Running for office would be a great way to do that: contact José to get on the ballot: (206) 684-4574 or [email protected]

(Yes, I was sort of resigned to running for the District Council chair but, as you may know, family commitments preclude that. Andrew)