White Center Now: The blog about White Center

ORIGINAL 2:32 PM REPORT: Six days ago (WCN coverage here), the Seattle City Council‘s Regional Development and Sustainability Committee passed a resolution putting the city on what Council President Richard Conlin described as a “path” toward a November 2011 annexation vote. This afternoon, the full council has just passed that resolution (see its full text here). Before the vote, in the public-comment period, they heard from five annexation supporters and four opponents, three of whom primarily voiced concern about the impending closure of the South Park Bridge and suggested any money that Seattle might spend toward annexation would be better spent as a contribution to a new bridge. Conlin said today that the resolution “lays out a timeline” toward a decision on a potential annexation vote. He said the resolution reaffirms city leaders need “some numbers” before a final decision and that it’s not an “irrevocable commitment” but that “we think this would be a good idea if we find a way to make this happen.” The motion passed unanimously with little discussion, 8-0 (Sally Clark absent). Next step: The city has a long workplan laid out in the resolution, moving toward a final decision next winter on whether to have an election in November 2011. ADDED 3:09 PM: Read on for the official Seattle city news release about today’s vote: Read the rest of this entry »

The three Democrats who are still in the race for 34th District State House, Position 2, are expected to be at the next candidates’ forum for the race, during the 34th District Democrats‘ monthly meeting this Wednesday night (7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy in West Seattle): Joe Fitzgibbon, Mike Heavey, and Marcee Stone. They’re vying for State Rep. Sharon Nelson‘s seat because she’ll be running for the seat that State Sen. Joe McDermott is relinquishing to run for County Council (which in turn is the seat to which Jan Drago was appointed but has reiterated she won’t run for). Here’s a page on the 34th DDs’ site with info on the candidates; here’s the full agenda for Wednesday’s meeting.

Sites close to White Center are part of the lineup for Duwamish Alive! next Saturday – one day full of work parties to help our recovering river and its watershed. Roxhill Bog and South Park sites are part of the list – see it here, including links you can use to sign up and pitch in – just four hours next Saturday can make a big difference.

The agenda’s out now for Monday’s Seattle City Council meeting, and as expected, they’re scheduled to vote on the resolution laying out “a path,” as Council President Richard Conlin put it, toward a possible November 2011 annexation vote. (As reported here, that resolution was approved by Conlin’s Regional Development and Sustainability Committee earlier this week.) The Monday meeting is at 2 pm; the agenda’s here; you can watch live online at seattlechannel.org (or cable Channel 21 if you’re on the Seattle system). Conlin told the Southwest District Council in West Seattle on Wednesday night that he thinks it’ll pass unanimously. But it wouldn’t require the council to absolutely commit to a November 2011 annexation vote until March of next year.

While in White Center at lunchtime today, we walked by the Hang Around Bar and Grill and noticed two copies of a letter taped to its door, informing the occupants they are to be out by April 30th. This was foreshadowed in the court hearing we covered two weeks ago. But Hang Around proprietor Joe has left a comment on another WCN story saying the notices went up today and that this is happening despite their investment of $50,000 in the premises and so he feels, “WE GOT RIPPED OFF!!. Now we are asking EVERYONE for help to do something … we are begging for help, either to have us stay here or to have this state take over posession of this building for illegal activities or something. We have had it and we are so hurt we cannot believe this. How dare they!”

At the Southwest District Council meeting on behalf of partner site West Seattle Blog, we’re listening to the latest presentation from White Center residents advocating that Seattle annex “Area Y.” This is at least the third time we have seen some form of this presentation on the city side of the line. Tonight, the reps are Don Malo (who says the Highland Park Action Committee will be spotlighting his business at his next meeting) and Lois Schipper, wife of Mark Ufkes, who has been leading many of these appearances but wasn’t able to be at this one. Coincidentally, the audience for their presentation also includes Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin, whose Regional Development and Sustainability Committee just yesterday – as reported here – approved a resolution that puts the city “on the path” to a potential annexation vote in November of next year. (He was previously booked to speak to SWDC about unrelated matters.) He said after their presentation, “These people have been really phenomenal … I’m really supportive of this.” He is predicting a unanimous vote in favor of the resolution when it goes to the full council next week. “They’re ready to vote for this resolution,” he said. During their presentation, Schipper said, “This is about not only what we have to offer to Seattle, but what Seattle would have to offer to us.” Malo said he’s hopeful that when the further financial analysis of potential Seattle annexation comes out next year, the numbers will look better than the recent one, which he pointed out used data from five years ago. Schipper and Malo also hit the point that Roxbury is perceived as an artificial boundary: “We’re already part of your community.” The Southwest District Council members have asked some tough questions too – they’ve just been told by Conlin that Seattle Parks is likely to get hit hard by budget cuts, so they’re wondering what would happen if Seattle annexed Area Y and inherited its park facilities. Schipper and Malo say Seattle-annexation advocates will continue making the rounds of community councils in West Seattle

(National Development Council’s Michelle Morlan with White Center Square developer Con Vong)
By Tracy Record
White Center Now

Con Vong says his family hasn’t chosen the date yet for the anticipated July grand opening of White Center Square, but the choice will be a big one: “You’ve got to pick a good day.”

The date was strategically chosen, after all, for last May’s groundbreaking (WCN coverage here) at the site along 100th between 14th and 15th SW (map), and the ceremony featured prayers and blessings as well as shovels.

Now, 10 months later, the buildings are up, though the future 68-space parking lot is still rocks, dirt and heavy equipment. We took a hard=hat tour of the site this week at the invitation of local reps from the National Development Council, a nonprofit agency that helped arrange the financing for the $11 million project, including the use of New Markets Tax Credits – a federal program whose future is by no means guaranteed, which is why those involved with it are working to get the word out about what it’s helped achieve.

Read the rest of this entry »

Two and a half weeks ago, the Seattle City Council’s Regional Development and Sustainability Committee heard the city’s budget boss say Mayor McGinn was no longer pursuing an annexation vote this fall, because the financial outlook was a bit challenging. However, they were told, it might be a possibility for November 2011.

So today, that committee considered a resolution that would state its potential interest in a vote then (see the full text here). The committee just passed the resolution unanimously – after clarifying that while the resolution does not commit the city to annexing northern North Highline, it does “put us on a path,” as committee chair and Council President Richard Conlin put it, though “we can choose to step off the path” later. Next step: The full council will consider the resolution next week. It’s a detailed resolution with plenty of timetables – most significantly, setting next March as the drop-dead date for a council decision that would all but commit the city to a November 2011 vote in “Area Y.” DETAILS ADDED 3:40 PM: Read on: Read the rest of this entry »

2 pm at Seattle City Hall, the Regional Development and Sustainability Committee – same one that heard two weeks ago that Mayor McGinn was no longer pushing for an annexation vote this fall – will take up this resolution. It outlines potential interest in a November 2011 annexation vote, depending on how the financial outlook goes. The meeting will be live online at Seattle Channel.

White Center Now got a great behind-the-scenes tour this afternoon at White Center Square, where construction’s been under way for 10 months (here’s our coverage of the groundbreaking last May). We’re told the construction is back on schedule, after a little difficulty during the soggiest heart of winter, and that means a July grand opening is still planned. In addition to the new 11,000-square-foot Vong’s market (beneath the sign that’s being framed in the photo you see above), several of the storefronts are now leased. We’ll have full details, and the story behind the programs that made the dream reality, in a story you’ll see here tomorrow.

6:48 PM UPDATE: Got word from Cocoa’s people, she’s home. Glad to hear it.

EARLIER:
Cocoa‘s missing. Her people explain, “Any time she’s ever sneaked out before, she’s always come home! She is the best family dog and my kids are beside themselves. We’ve all had a horrible night.” She’s 3 years old and her people can be reached:
HOME: 206-767-2466
CELLS: 206-459-8979 & 206-459-9079

Cocoa lives near 28th SW/SW 116th (map).

The State House Position 2 race in the 34th District, which includes White Center and environs, has four candidates now – Sabra Schneider has dropped out because of a serious injury that she says would limit her campaigning. The full story’s on partner site West Seattle Blog.

Not only is it Disaster Preparedness Month, we’ve also just been reminded – by news of the Northern Mexico earthquake – that we’re in quake country and need to do everything we can to be prepared to get through something big. There’s news from the King County DDES today about one way the county’s trying to help – here’s the announcement:

King County’s Department of Development and Environmental Services (DDES) is helping citizens in unincorporated King County to prepare for an earthquake emergency with free home earthquake retrofit permits on homes that meet specific criteria.

DDES Customer information Bulletin #50, Obtaining A Voluntary Home Earthquake Retrofit Permit, is available online here and outlines criteria for securing a free retrofit permit from DDES. In general, the homes must:

o be of wood-frame construction;
o have a light-weight roof;
o not be irregularly shaped;
o have a reinforced concrete foundation;
o not exceed two stories in height; and
o be on a relatively level lot.

Free earthquake retrofit permits at DDES can usually be issued over the counter if a complete application has been submitted. (Homes that do not meet these criteria can still secure an earthquake retrofit permit, however the process involves more review time and permit review fees are charged.)

“I hope more people will take advantage of this important program,” said DDES Director John Starbard. “Our region dealt with the impacts of the Nisqually earthquake in 2001 and, although that event was not of the same magnitude as more recent international earthquake disasters, modern building codes minimized the physical and economic damage of the 2001 quake for the benefit of the entire region.”

Two notes: First, it’s the start of the Highline Public Schools weeklong spring break; second, tonight’s Burien City Council meeting will be preceded by a reception for new North Burien residents (aka the former North Highline South annexation zone) at 6:30 pm – the full council agenda is here.

Still a few notes to take care of from last Thursday night’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting. First – King County Sheriff’s Captain Carl Cole’s briefing on area crime, including a recap of the busted-up burglary that drew regional media to the area (including helicopters) last Tuesday.

The biggest point from Captain Cole: “The crime rate in White Center the last few years has gone down dramatically.” This point has been made before, but hearing it again had new meaning for some of the people most closely involved in the issue of potential northern North Highline annexation, as claims of WC crime woes have come up at recent public hearings. One success cited by the captain – “The gang unit has saturated the area on Friday and Saturday nights.” For March overall, he said, most of the crime in the unincorporated area was gang-related, but it was an “excellent month” overall.

Also, he noted that White Center storefront Deputy Jeff Hancock is back on patrol for a few months because of some staffing challenges – including the annexation that took effect the day of the NHUAC meeting: “As of today, seven deputies are now Burien police officers,” he noted. He says KCSO is reorganizing its precincts this summer to deal with challenges; when that takes effect July 1st, he says, Deputy Hancock (and the two other KCSO storefront officers who also have been moved temporarily to patrol) will be back to his regular role.

Now, on to the recap of the Tuesday burglary arrests – we’ll do our best to transcribe the story as the captain told it, quite energetically at that: Read the rest of this entry »

They’re small, but these might be enhancements to our increasing number of White Center Now visitors (thank you!) – the right sidebar now features the latest headlines from the White Center Community Development Association site, which gets newsier all the time, and from our partner site West Seattle Blog, since we hear so often from folks suggesting that certain WSB stories should be featured here too. We’ve noticed there’s a bit of a lag in the digest, so what you see in the WSB box may not necessarily be the very newest stories (we update news there VERY frequently most days), but it’ll give you an idea of what’s going on, and of course any breaking news of value to White Center/vicinity will be here in the main section too.

From the White Center Now inbox:

Dog found about 6:00 on Friday evening at White Center Bank of America.
Male Chihuahua, black with white/tan markings, 7.5 lbs.
Wearing a collar, but no tags. No microchip.
Has mild bronchitis/pneumonia and is now on antibiotics. I would appreciate being reimbursed for vet costs.
Call Leslie @ 206-906-9058.
Describe his collar in order to claim him

Quick reminder, the annual Cambodian New Year celebration is 10:30 am-5 pm today, on SW 98th, stretching for about a block east of 16th SW (map).

King County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Sgt. John Urquhart now confirms what was happening a little while ago in the Salmon Creek vicinity (leading to a school lockdown for a while, now over) – deputies were chasing someone who ran from a stolen car. Sgt. Urquhart says the suspect was caught.

In the ongoing saga of “who (if anyone) will annex the northern North Highline area” including White Center, we’ve just received the agenda for next Tuesday afternoon’s meeting of the Seattle City Council Regional Development and Sustainability Committee, which includes:

RES. 31198

Stating the City of Seattle’s interest in potentially holding a November 2011 annexation election in the remaining unincorporated area of North Highline, and outlining a work program, deliverables, and timeline to help the Mayor and the City Council determine whether Seattle should pursue annexation of this area.

Presenters: Greg Doss, City Budget Office (CBO); Kenny Pittman, Office of Intergovernmental Relations (OIR); Christa Valles and Dan Eder, Council Central Staff

The meeting’s at Seattle City Hall, 2 pm Tuesday.