From our friend Lisa
We were unable to atted last week’s meeting, but here is a recap from our neighbor Lisa. She writes:
It was standing room only on Tuesday evening in Magnolia when the City, via the Office of Housing, hosted a community open house to present their Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) for the 29 acre parcel at Ft. Lawton at the southeast edge of Discovery Park. From the City those in attendance included Office of Housing Director, Steve Walker; Emily Alvarado, Manager of Policy and Equitable Development and Lindsay Masters, Project Manager, who directed the community engagement meetings late last spring. Also in attendance were Council Members Sally Bagshaw, Teresa Mosqueda and Kashma Sawant. Eden Mack, SPS Board Director and Dr. Flip Herndon, Associate Supt. Facilities and Operations were also present but did not speak.
The room was filled well before the 5:45 start time and many stood outside, in the entry-way and doors, in an attempt to hear the presentation and with hopes to testify. The audience differed greatly from the previous two community meetings with the majority of the audience being from outside of the immediate neighbourhood – representing potential stakeholders in the process inclusive of Habitat for Humanity (staff and residents of Habitat projects); Real Change (vendors and Board Members); housing and homeless advocacy groups; community members who identify as housing challenged and/or homeless; citywide congregational assembly leaders; and, other non-profit and citizen advocacy groups. According to many, there was a concerted coordination effort from within the Homeless Services (City of Seattle – Human Services Dept.) to ensure representation and talking points for housing and homeless advocates; with that, the tone of this meeting differed greatly from the previous meetings in the spring.
Lindsay Masters began the meeting and, after brief introductions and explaining the format of the meeting (two minute testimonials provided by those on the sign-up list), gave a brief overview of the DEIS which includes three options and a fourth “No Action Alternative”:
Alternative 1 – Mixed Income Affordable Housing and Public Park Uses Onsite (Applicant’s Preferred Alternative) Under Alternative 1, assumed development would feature a mix of affordable housing on the Fort Lawton site, including affordable rental and ownership and formerly homeless housing. A portion of the site would be rezoned to lowrise residential zoning. Public park uses would also be created, including active park facilities, preserved existing natural areas and conversion of an existing structure to a park maintenance facility. More specifically, the project under Alternative 1 would include 238 total housing units with 85 senior supportive apartments (plus one manager unit), 100 affordable rental units and 52 affordable ownership units. The project would also provide 21.6 acres of parks and recreation area, including two multi-purpose fields, a park maintenance facility and 266 parking spaces. All existing buildings on the Fort Lawton site except OMS – Building 245 would be demolished and removed. OMS Building 245 would be preserved as a parks maintenance facility.
No development would occur on the Talaris site under Alternative 1.
Alternative 2 – Market-Rate Housing Onsite; Affordable and Homeless Housing Offsite Under Alternative 2, development of market-rate single-family housing under current zoning is assumed on the Fort Lawton site, and construction of affordable and formerly homeless housing would occur on the Talaris site. Alternative 2 would include 113 market- Fort Lawton Army Reserve Center DEIS Page 1-3 Chapter 1 December 2017 Summary rate residences with 254 parking spaces on the Fort Lawton site. The Talaris site would include 238 affordable housing units (with the same numbers of senior, rental and affordable ownership units as Alternative 1), approximately 30,621 sq. ft. of community facilities and 295 parking spaces. The project would not provide any active or passive public parks on either the Fort Lawton or Talaris sites. All existing buildings on the Fort Lawton site would be demolished and removed.
The buildings on the Talaris site would be retained and reused; new buildings would be constructed on the site as well.
Alternative 3 – Public Park Onsite; Affordable and Homeless Housing Offsite Under Alternative 3, the entire Fort Lawton site would be developed as a public park; construction of affordable and formerly homeless housing would occur at the Talaris site. Alternative 3 would include approximately 34 acres of park and recreation uses, including three multi-purpose fields and 90 parking spaces on the Fort Lawton site; and approximately 238 affordable housing units, 30,621 sq. ft. of community facilities and 295 parking spaces on the Talaris site (with the same numbers of senior, rental, and affordable ownership units as Alternative 1). All existing buildings on the Fort Lawton site except OMS – Building 245 would be demolished and removed. OMS Building 245 would be preserved as a parks maintenance facility.
All existing buildings on the Talaris site would be retained and reused; new buildings would be constructed on the site as well.
Alternative 4 – No Action Alternative Under the No Action Alternative, the Fort Lawton site would remain in its existing vacant condition. The property would not be conveyed by the U.S. Army to the City of Seattle per the BRAC process. The City would terminate its lease of the property and the Army would resume maintenance of the site and facilities. Buildings and infrastructure would likely continue to deteriorate. The site could be conveyed to the City or conveyed or sold to another entity in the future, and could be developed in accordance with the uses allowed by the site’s current SF 7200 zoning
In regards to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and Seattle Public Schools and specifically the six acre parcel at the most southern end of the property noted in the MOU, Ms. Masters only provided a very brief statement that this site would not include a school and would be used for the purposes of sports and recreational fields.
Public testimony began shortly thereafter with the caveat that every attempt would be made to make it through the eight plus pages of registered speakers. From the onset, the message was overwhelming, particularly from the NPO’s, advocacy groups and supporters, demanding:
- that Alternative 1 was the overwhelming preferred option;
- that Alternative 2 DOES NOT move forward & result in yet another development of unaffordable market-rate homes;
- that this project move forward immediately and not be delayed;
- that everyone deserves a home and that no one in the City of Seattle should ever be homeless;
- that the parameters of this project were too small and that a project on 29 acres should not equate to 238 total housing units but should be maximized (and similar in scale and scope of projects such as Yesler Terrace) to have closer to 2000 housing units.
Furthermore, the speakers were consistent in demonstrating that:
- that there is citywide and community wide support for this and projects like this;
- that infrastructure (grocery stores, coffee shops, etc.) WERE accessible in Magnolia and to this site and that these would also follow development.
Testimony that did come from residents of Magnolia did speak to the fact that many in Magnolia do and have consistently and continue to support the need for subsidized housing at Fort Lawton and throughout greater Seattle. Magnolia speakers tried to highlight their appreciation for the City’s and district’s MOU and now combined efforts to work together in the planning of projects, such as Fort Lawton, to ensure that the impact of such projects includes ample time and consideration for infrastructure, such as schools – particularly when developments are targeted or being built with families in mind. They noted that Fort Lawton is a microcosm of a planning process that has not worked or been inclusive of other necessary considerations, and that moving forward infrastructure, which is inclusive of schools and capacity, has to be incorporated from the onset of planning.
The meeting ended at approximately 9:40 and with the instructions that a 45-day comment period extends through 5:00 PM January 29th, 2018 and comments may be submitted via email to OH_Comments@seattle.gov or via mail to:
Lindsay Masters, Office of Housing,
PO Box 94725,
Seattle, WA 98124-4725
These comments will help the City to improve the completeness, accuracy, and objectivity of the analysis.
Links:
City’s Fort Lawton Redevelopment Webpage
Fort Lawton DEIS Documents
Video of the meeting can be found here.
Thank you, Lisa!
Discovery Park’s Nature Kids Preschool is having a Prospective Student Open House on Monday, January 29, from 3:30-4:30pm at Nature Kids Preschool located next to the Discovery Park Visitor Center. The open house takes place after class when the classrooms are open and the teachers will be available to answer questions. This event is a self-guided tour. Parents, grandparents, prospective students and siblings are all welcome to attend. There is no need to RSVP.
Click here for more information about the application process.
We spotted this iron hanging on the fence by the ball fields. Is it yours?
The Magnolia Art Experience (MAX) Narthex Gallery is pleased to present, Tania Gonzalez-Ortega, a Mexican born artist, who grew up living most her life in Mexico, Texas, Arizona, and California. A fine art graduate of UCLA, she actively pursues her art making while she her husband own and operate Sunny Pine Farm in Twisp, Washington. Tania’s painting involves working in a multitude of layers on raw canvas, juxtaposing gesture and washes of color against fine lined illustrative painting. Her palette is bright, bold and uses acrylic, colored pencil and spray paint throughout her layers. The subject matter of her paintings are a play in composition of natural forms. She aims to lift the viewer into elevated states of wonder and delight. Her work illustrates the multidimensional nature of reality and self, waking and dreaming, imagination and presence. The work will be for sale.
The Opening Reception is January 15, from 5:30-7:30pm, with light bites and beverages. The public is invited to attend and meet Tania and view/purchase her work.
Tania Gonzalez-Ortega will also be the Gallery’s featured artist for the Magnolia Art Walk February 24, from 4-7pm; and she will do a lecture on her art and art process at 4:30pm. Maps for the evening’s art walk will be distributed from the Gallery. There will be a special cheese tasting of the organic cheeses made at her Sunny Pine Farm in Twisp, Washington as well as a reception that evening.
Her online presence can be found at artbytego.blogspot.com and facebook.com/tegopaintings. She is available for private commissions and murals.
The show can also be viewed during the week at the Gallery, Monday – Thursday, 9:30am – 3:30pm. The Narthex Gallery is located at 3555 W McGraw.
For 75 years, Cub Scout Pack 80 has brought outdoor adventure, fun, and character development to Magnolia boys from kindergarten through 5th grades. This month, Pack 80 leadership has announced that their ranks will be open for girl registrations.
For achievement activities, Pack 80 groups scouts into ‘dens’ based on age. The group plans to add girl specific dens, but open its camping and adventure activities to all scouts. Pack 80’s move to include girls follows recent Boy Scouts of America policy changes on inclusion.
“The vast majority of scouting programs around the world are mixed gender.” states Pack 80 Cubmaster and Eagle Scout, Jeremiah Mushen. “We’ve had girl siblings unofficially participating in Pack 80 activities for years, so this seems like a natural transition for our group. I’m proud that Pack 80 is finally open to all kids and families!”