Ongoing Miller Neighborhood efforts

1) Longtime Miller neighbor Debrah Walker recently volunteered to organize our ongoing efforts. See her letter below.

2) Assorted other neighbors have volunteered to help in the efforts. Please contact me (andrew_taylor@me.com) to volunteer, and I'll connect you with Debrah.

3) Debrah asked for my help wth formalizing the neighborhood group:

To get this going again I agree with Andrew that we will need to formalize “Miller Park Neighbors” because we need to be an identifiable group that represents neighborhood wishes. We will need to elect officers and approve bylaws.  Andrew, can you lead us through this process?

4) I contacted the City Department of Neighborhoods for assistance, and they connected me with Thomas Whittermore. I've worked with him before and found him to be both hardworking and very competent. He will be a great asset to us. I'm meeting with him this Friday. Please let me know if there are any specific issues I should bring up.

5) Portland has a great set of resources for neighborhood group, including sample bylaws.

6) BTW the Capitol Hill Blog is going on sabbatical  so we're going to need a more active blog here to share information. Anyone like to help Jonathan and me?

I look forward to helping us revive our neighborhood association,

Andrew Taylor.

********************** Letter from Debrah Walker *************************

Neighbors,

Since I’m not hearing anyone else step forward, I will volunteer on a limited basis to organize a neighborhood effort. Because I’m self employed and swamped with work I’m very hesitant to take on a leadership role. I’ve put in years and I’ve allowed projects to take over too much of my time in the past. I can’t afford to have that  happen at this stage in my life.   I will do this only  IF others will also step forward and commit to specific tasks that, as a group we identify, need to be pursued.

I believe the concerns about HALA come down to the anticipated impacts that will take away the livability of this neighborhood. I would like us to get together again to develop the Miller Neighborhood’s strategies going forward. I think we need to formally identify concerns, possible solutions, and also show how this neighborhood can meet the density and affordability goals put out by HALA but in a way that doesn't sacrifice what is valuable about Miller. When the Environmental Impact Study for Miller-Madison is released we need to be ready to review and respond. To have an effective voice in this we need to be organized and ready.

Gail, do you think we could meet at Holy Name again? Would you be willing to set up a meeting in the Holy Name library?

Here are my thoughts about next steps;

1.  To get this going again I agree with Andrew that we will need to formalize “Miller Park Neighbors” because we need to be an identifiable group that represents neighborhood wishes. We will need to elect officers and approve bylaws.  Andrew, can you lead us through this process?

2. I think we need to identifying what is important to save, do our own survey of what makes the fabric of the Miller neighborhood. What makes it memorable.  Then try to figure out what tools we can find to protect what we think is important.  

3. Approach Sarah Sodt, the City Historic Preservation Officer from Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods to see if we can do a walk through the neighborhood with her. She will be participating in the EIS.

4. Maybe approach the mayor and a few city councilmen and see if they will do a walk through the neighborhood with us?

5. Is someone willing to go to Allied Arts of Seattle, the "Grow Gracefully Campaign “ meetings?  At the Historic Seattle meeting I attended, Jonathan Konkol from  this group spoke. Basically they are advocating for the Livability part of HALA.  He made great points and  was very knowledgeable  and articulate.  He does a great job of advocating for all sides and I think that group could help us with strategies. 

6. Apply for Residential Parking Zone and begin that process. I see this as one of the few ways we can minimize current and proposed impacts. This needs someone to head up and delegate the effort. This needs to begin ASAP

7. Press? 

I will be out of town from this Wednesday until April 4th, but will be available after that. 

Debrah

P.S. Feel free to forward this on to any other neighbors who would be interested