July 14th Mayoral Forum, organized by neighborhood groups

 From Elaine Nonneman (thanks!)

Hi folks,

As people in this community who've been involved with the city's development planning, there's a forum coming up for candidates to speak on related issues of housing.  It's being organized by Seattle Fair Growth, which previously organized the SCALE coalition to address concerns of 29 neighborhood groups about MHA development.  Madison Miller Park Community Group was part of that coalition, and is signed on in support of this forum.  It's one hour on Zoom, so easy to tune in.  I hope you will!

https://us12.campaign-archive.com/?u=beeb24b20bf0decaa4a4bda93&id=579ae6002e

Feel free to share with others.

Elaine

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Mayoral Candidates Neighborhood Forum 

 

Wednesday, July 14, 2021, 6–7 PM 
{Zoom Link HERE}

 

Find out which candidates for Seattle Mayor are responsive to neighborhood concerns.

Thirteen neighborhood groups are sponsoring a Zoom Mayoral Candidates Forum for leading candidates on the August 3rd primary ballot. The questions were determined by the sponsoring groups.  

Candidates who have agreed to participate so far include: 

Jessyn Farrell
Andrew Grant Houston
Art Langlie
Lance Randall
Casey Sixkiller

Colleen Echohawk was unable to schedule the date available to most of the candidates.  
Also invited were Lorena Gonzalez and Bruce Harrell.

A recording will be posted on www.seattlefairgrowth.org.

Wednesday March 3rd Zoom Meeting with Deputy Mayor about Miller Encampment

Wednesday March 3^rd 6:00pm – 7:00pm  Zoom Meeting with Deputy Mayor about Miller Encampment: organized by St. Joe's.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88955025883?pwd=TFdYcm50M3ZLSGs0UFJUWjJOak9Ldz09

 

Meeting ID: 889 5502 5883

Passcode: 828117

We invite you to join us, but want to make clear this will not be an open forum where anyone can speak.  We want to be very focused on getting concrete responses from the Deputy Mayor.

If you plan to attend, please let Steve know.

 Steve Wodzanowski <SteveW@stjosephparish.org>

Hi Everyone:

Dn. Steve sent me a heads up about a meeting coming up with the Deputy Mayor to discuss the Miller encampment.  Our colleague, Leo Lyons, is part of the planning committee.  I would definitely attend but I am already in another meeting that begins at 6:30 pm.  There are others from the Faith Justice Commission who will be attending but I wondered if some of you would be interested if you have time.  There is a real tension between the needs of the people living in the encampment, the cities ability to help them, the impact and concern of neighbors and the purpose of the play field.  I think all of those things are being discussed and considered in this committee and with the deputy Mayor.

If you plan to attend, please let Steve know.

Vince

Begin forwarded message:

From: Steve Wodzanowski <SteveW@stjosephparish.org>
Date: March 1, 2021 at 8:06:53 AM PST

Subject: Meeting with Deputy Mayor this Wednesday March 3rd 6:00pm -7:00pm on Zoom



Hi Vince

 

As chair of the Pastoral Council.  I wanted to make sure you are aware of this.  Leo Lyons is part of the planning committee.

 

Blessings

Steve

 

From: Steve Wodzanowski 
Sent: Monday, March 1, 2021 8:03 AM
To: Stephen Wodzanowski <stevew@stjosephparish.org>
Subject: Meeting with Deputy Mayor this Wednesday March 3rd 6:00pm -7:00pm on Zoom

 

Lenten Greetings Everyone

 

As a follow-up to the conversation with State Rep. Nicole Macri back in December in which you expressed interest or attended,  a committee of the St. Joseph’s Faith Justice Commission has been meeting to strategize about next steps.  

 

We have scheduled a meeting on Zoom with the Deputy Mayor who is in charge of the city’s response/policies on Homelessness .. Casey Sixkiller for this Wednesday March 3^rd 6:00pm – 7:00pm.  Scroll down for the Zoom link.

 

Our committee has come up with a list of questions and specific asks. We invite you to join us, but want to make clear this will not be an open forum where anyone can speak. We want to be very focused on getting concrete responses from the Deputy Mayor.

 

In case you’re interested.. Here’s a list of who has been involved in the planning.  Sean Brennan, Emily Bassett, Leo Lyons, Taffy McCormick, Patrick Gemma, Bob Baur, Ana Brown, Zach Carstensen and myself. Bob and Zach who both serve on the Faith Justice Commission are chairing the committee. We have also tapped into the expertise and wisdom of Chloe Gale from REACH,  Jennifer Newman from St. Martin de Porres and Kari Whitacre from Jubilee. 

 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88955025883?pwd=TFdYcm50M3ZLSGs0UFJUWjJOak9Ldz09

 

Meeting ID: 889 5502 5883

Passcode: 828117

 

Some possible asks:

1) We would like to see the Miller encampment residents prioritized for JustCARE services

2) no sweep unless a humane alternative - like JustCARE - is identified

3) increased sanitation on site and in the neighborhood

4) increased police presence in the neighborhood

5) Parish is willing to partner with service providers, city, and others in the neighborhood to make sure the basic needs of the residents are met.

*******************************

St Joseph Homelessness Task Force

Draft Agenda for Meeting with Deputy Mayor Sixkiller

Meeting Date March 3, 2021, 6:00 pm

The growth of unauthorized encampments, including the encampment at Miller Playfield, are not serving the needs of the homeless and are causing safety, health, and access issues for neighbors, parks, playfields, and schools. We have come together as a group of concerned citizens that includes representatives connected to Miller Playfield as members of St Joseph Parish, neighbors, parents, and service providers. While our concerns about the current condition and use of the playfield vary, we believe that the City of Seattle must take immediate action to address these conditions at Miller Playfield and unauthorized encampments throughout the city.  

Questions:

1. The City’s policy on unauthorized encampments is based on CDC guidelines (not disturbing these encampments due to the pandemic). This is not a solution in many cases (including Miller Playfield) and has been acknowledged by the mayor.  What is the City’s current thinking on addressing this issue?
2. The City’s administration and council are committed to caring for individuals occupying unauthorized encampments and not simply “sweeping” them out of these areas. However, given the lack of permanent housing what are the interim options being considered to address the needs of the homeless with shelter, food, services, and safety?
3. How can the public (such as our task force) work with the city to create a solution that is cost effective and addresses the needs of all stakeholders?
4. A recent meeting between the City’s administration and council identified the development of a program for addressing unauthorized encampments. What is that program and criteria?
5. How are the cities current resources being used and priorities on spending set to meet the needs created by unauthorized encampments?
6. Are there, or is there consideration of, pilot programs to deal with the range of issues created by unauthorized encampments. For example, the Miller Playfield encampment is negatively impacting the safety and health of the homeless, neighbors, adjacent school, and users of the field. Is it possible to create and test a program that would allow for a respectful transition of the camp to an authorized location and allow for the use of the playfield for students and users?
7. What is baring the City of Seattle from taking more comprehensive and humane action on unauthorized encampments?

 

 

 

Miller Park featured in 9/20/20 Seattle Times "Then and Now" article

 Seattle Times: https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/for-an-ever-changing-neighborhood-we-single-out-miller-park/

Dorpat blog: https://pauldorpat.com/2020/09/17/seattle-now-then-miller-park-neighborhood-1955/

(This, somewhat coincidentally, marks my departure from Miller Park, after 37 years in the neighborhood. Stay in touch. Andrew Taylor  andrew_taylor@me.com )

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

 

Miller Playfield: campers, field scheduling

 (I contacted the City a couple of times: here's part of my 2nd message:

The untidy nature of them speaks to mental health issues that we need to address. The shields seen in one of the pictures are of great concern to some of my neighbors on Nextdoor.com : they interpret them as indicating that the residents are equipped for violence (perhaps similar to that seen in the recent riots). As I noted before, many of the tents are small, neat and unobtrusive, and can surely be accommodated while the City ramps up its outreach to the unhoused. It is the large untidy encampments and collections of seemingly random objects that speak to potential mental instability. ) September 2, 2020 Andrew, hello. Thank you for your August 21 and August 24 emails, addressed to the Mayor and the Superintendent, about the Miller Playfield encampment. The City's Navigation Team is aware of the campers at Miller, and I've forwarded your report to them as additional information. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has made the decision to allow sheltering in place. The City's Navigation Team (which includes specially-trained police officers and social workers who go out every day to contact vulnerable people living unsheltered in homeless encampments across Seattle) will continue to do outreach to persons camping, to provide safety direction and small safety kits that include hand sanitizer. They'll continue to clean up litter as resources allow. The team will also continue to track encampments, and will take action according to the City's Administrative Rule once the emergency is over. I’ve also forwarded to the head of our Athletics unit your observation and suggestion about when scheduled play at Miller Playfield resumes. [See my note, below] Thank you for writing, and thank you for your patience during this public health crisis. Sincerely, Laurie Dunlap Superintendent’s Office, Seattle Parks and Recreation ____________________ My note about field use: I have a wonderful view of all the activities on Miller Playfield from my couch. In pre COVID-19 days, the (lighted, Sportsturf) playfield was fully booked all day (up to 10 PM) every day with organized league sports: softball, soccer, lacrosse. Now that organized sports are cancelled, the field has become a wonderful neighborhood gathering place, but a very COVID aware one. Small groups of people gather, in well spaced groups, and engage in all manner of safe, healthy activities: yoga, exercise, little baseball games, little soccer games, even little cricket games. This gives our field much more of a friendly neighborhood feel than previously, when the field hosted team play from the whole region. I therefore suggest that, when COVID-19 is over and team-play resumes, specific well-advertised times be set aside for pick-up local neighborhood use of the field. At a rough guess I’d suggest an early evening hour each weekday, and both a morning hour and an afternoon hour on each weekend and holiday day.

Miller Community Solar Microgrid Art Projec

 The public is invited to participate in the design phase of the Miller Community Solar Microgrid Art Project. Could you please share with your networks by forwarding the message below or this link to the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog (https://www.capitolhillseattle.com/calendar/action~agenda/exact_date~8-11-2020/)? 

Thank you!

Julia

_________________________________

Public Art in Progress for Miller Community Center

The design process is underway for a new interior artwork at the Miller Community Center. Seattle City Light, Seattle Parks and Recreation, and the Office of Arts & Culture have commissioned the artwork as part of a larger project to install a power-generating solar microgrid at the Center.    

This art project aims to involve and reflect as many of Miller Community Center’s patrons as possible. Lead artist Julia Harrison invites the public to participate in the design process in these ways:

SURVEY

Visit the project webpage to respond to a short survey: http://www.juliaharrison.net/miller-community-center.html 

MEETINGS

Learn more about plans for the project at either of these online public meetings:

Tuesday, August 11, 4:30-5 pm

Monday, August 17, 12-12:30 pm

Please RSVP to MillerCenterArt@gmail.com for the Zoom meeting link. 

SHARE

Send your Miller Community Center stories and photos to MillerCenterArt@gmail.com. 

DESIGN

What does the Miller Community Center mean to you? What’s your favorite thing about visiting? Can you capture these feelings in a doodle? This video demonstrates a kid-friendly technique that can be used to create new doodles:

https://youtu.be/ItzFmk73OBg

The project webpage (http://www.juliaharrison.net/miller-community-center.html) will continue to offer updates as the project progresses.

Break-in on Thomas Street near Miller Playfield

Break In. This morning (8/2/20)at around 5:30 a.m. a man in a grey hoodie broke into my house on E. Thomas St. near the Miller Playfield. He was slight and lean and white. He climbed in through my bathroom window. Luckily I woke up and he ran out of the house the same way he came in. The police came. But, what can they do? Ever since the homeless camps started cropping up, I feared something like this would happen and now it has. The homeless encampments are untouchable by the police. Too politically charged. The situation is dangerous and untenable. The Mayor and the City Council do nothing. The good neighbors make no demands of the Mayor and City Council to shut down the camps. They just spew ineffectual compassion in pointless posts. Hope this or worse doesn't happen to you.

(From the local Nextdoor group)

And a commonsense reply:

ok maybe we need to look at the granularity of experience and keep in mind stats are unreliable but every summer or earlier the “high pains grifters” arrive from more desolate parts to live of the cream of our latte-land. The seasonal pattern is clear to anyone involved with maintenance or security. Yet after six decades here, while improvements to building security is evident there’s no doubt street level disorder is on the increase. the drugs are cheaper, more available, more addictive, more life destructive if anyone cares to open the eyes....we don’t bother reporting many things and our standards have lowered.

And the original poster again:

I don't know if the man was homeless. He may have been homeless or not. What concerns me is that the homeless encampments are untouchable to the police and they degrade the neighborhood and attract down and out, messed up people. Some are good and some are desperate and out of it. I don't argue that they need help. But encampments in a public park is not help. It's foisting the problem onto a very specific neighborhood because the City can't or won't deal with it more broadly and properly. Until recently the Mayor was opposed to taxing the wealthy in the City to pay for the homeless as were a number of City Council members. I know poverty and inequality and injustice are the problem, but that's not going to be solved very soon. Defunding the police is not going to be enough. Plus, I'm not interested in calling a social worker when I'm robbed. I want the police and I want them to be able to do their job!

Emergency Preparedness Event

Vote for Park and Pedestrian Safety community projects

Please remember to vote by tomorrow evening. This is Participatory Budgeting for Park and Pedestrian Safety projects in your community. And remember, you can vote for three projects in every City Council District if you are so motivated. (Sorry to all you friends and family who do not live, work, play or pray in Seattle and do not have this opportunity. Perhaps you can petition your own city or town to enact Participatory Budgeting!)

(via Thomas Whittermore, who was our DON person some years ago)

Link for your vote:

https://pbstanford.org/seattle2018-d3

Miller Community Center Selected for $3.3 Million Solar Microgrid

http://durkan.seattle.gov/2018/04/miller-community-center-selected-for-3-3-million-solar-microgrid/

I attended an informational meeting about the selection of the site for this demonstration project a few months ago.

The City was choosing between Miller and Van Asselt Community Center for the location of the microgrid. The concerns were, as I recall, that the infrastructure of the (older) Van Asselt Center would be less able to support the solar panels on the roof. Other arguments centered around the central location of Miller vs. the overall lower socio-economic conditions around Van Asselt.

The Miller Community will now have a safe (and powered) haven in the event of any long-duration emergencies.

“In an emergency that causes power outages, the microgrid will continue to power the community center so kids, seniors, and other neighbors will be able to stay warm, charge their phones, do homework and most of all stay safe until we get the lights back on at their homes.”

Call To Action

HEAR AND SPEAK OUT ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD'S ZONING CHANGES!

Click HERE to see upcoming events.

Next Community Meeting

Wednesday, March 21, 2018  6:30 - 8:30pm

Holy Names Academy
Main entrance on 21st Ave East. If no one is at the door, press buzzer and someone will come to let you in.

Agenda

• Update from Madison-Miller Park Representatives on SCALE regarding MHA/HALA legal appeal
• Opportunities to get involved
• March 29: Mandatory Housing Affordability District 3 + 7 Open House: 6-8pm at Washington Hall 
• April 16: Committee of the Whole for Districts 3 + 7 for MHA in Council Chambers 10:30 to noon (all Seattle City Council members participate). All events are open to the public and provide time for public comment. 

MHA/HALA Upcoming Neighborhood Planning Events

Here is an update on upcoming events regarding City of Seattle planning that affects our neighborhood. Plan to testify or just read up or attend a meeting to get a great lesson in Civics!

 Turn Out! MHA Public Hearings and SCALE Update

New Preschool at Miller Community Center

http://capitolhilltimes60.1upprelaunch.com/Content/News/Schools-Youth/Article/Miller-Annex-Preschool-ready-for-little-learners/26/344/5545

http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2018/03/partnership-puts-capitol-hill-community-center-space-to-work-as-new-miller-annex-preschool/

Feb 28 Community Meeting Rescheduled to March 21

Madison-Miller Park Community members,

We have decided to cancel our scheduled meeting this Wednesday night, Feb. 28th, given that we do not have any new updates or events to bring forward to the larger community. 

Our next Madison-Miller Park Community meeting will be Wednesday, March 21, at HNA, 6:30 - 8:30pm.  At that meeting we'll give an update about the HALA/MHA legal appeal efforts (i.e.: SCALE) and talk about ways you might get involved, specifically:

• March 29: Mandatory Housing Affordability District 3 + 7 Open House: 6-8pm at Washington Hall 
• April 16: Committee of the Whole for Districts 3 + 7 (which means all Seattle City Council members participate) for MHA. All events are open to the public and provide time for public comment. 

Thank you!

Dara Ayres and Elaine Nonneman, Co-Chairs

Council Hearing on Parking 2/21/2018 9:30 AM

Parking SOS!  Public hearing on Wed., Feb. 21 -- 9:30 a.m. in Council Chambers, 2nd floor of Seattle City Hall 601 Fifth Avenue (can be viewed live on Seattle Channel 21 or its web site, and later at its archive).  The hearing is about Council Bill 119173 with its many parking-related changes in the Land Use Code, among them to reduce or eliminate the requirement for new buildings to include on-site parking.  

Whether or not you can speak at the hearing, please urgently consider a written comment.  The hearing comments are limited to two minutes, but there are no limits on the length of written comments.  Despite urging from many, this important hearing is not being held in the evening, when more people could attend.  

From the Feb. 21 agenda are these links to the legislation, the official case for the legislation, and some good questions by Councilmember Herbold.  Following is public interest background, and then contact information for the Mayor and City Councilmembers. 

CB 119173

Full Text: CB 119173 v1

Summary and Fiscal Note

Mayor's Letter

Director's Report

Proposed Areas With Parking Flexibility Map (01/03/18)

April 2015 Report to Council (01/03/18)

Letter from SDCI to Councilmember Herbold Regarding Questions

About Parking (Added 01/03/18)

Central Staff Memo (Added 01/17/18)

Presentation (02/07/18)

Central Staff Memo (02/07/18)     

Seattle School Traffic Safety Committee Seeking New Members

Here is an opportunity to advise the Mayor and City Council regarding decisions to help make walking and biking to school in Seattle safer and easier.

Click HERE to view more details.

Upcoming Community Outreach Events

Are you wondering what is going on with Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) and neighborhood rezoning? Here are some opportunities for you to learn what's going on, meet folks from other neighborhoods and get involved.

Click HERE for a full schedule of upcoming events.

Next meeting of the Madison-Miller Park Community
Wednesday February 28, 2018 6:30 PM
Holy Names Academy - enter by main entrance on 21st Ave East. Ring bell if no one is at the door to let you in.

Meeting Notes for 01/17/2018

To view the meeting notes from the last neighborhood meeting click the link below.
Meeting Notes

Next meeting will be Wednesday February 28, 2018 6:30 PM at Holy Names Academy - enter by main entrance on 21st Ave East. Ring bell if no one is at the door to let you in.

Notice of Appeal to MHA FEIS

A legal notice of appeal to the City of Seattle's Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) was filed on November 27, 2017.

Click these links for more detailed information:

• Full Legal Notice  
• Letter of explanation to the Madison-Miller Park Community

Mandatory Housing Affordable FEIS Now Available

Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) ensures that new commercial and multifamily residential development contributes to affordable housing. MHA will provide at least 6,000 new rent-restricted, income-restricted homes for low-income people. The MHA affordable housing requirements would take effect when the Seattle City Council adopts new zoning that adds development capacity.

We are pleased to release a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on the proposal to implement MHA in urban villages and commercial and multifamily zoned areas throughout the city.  You are receiving this message because you commented on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). Read the FEIS notice of availability here.

As a next step in the process, the City’s Office of Planning and Community Development (OPCD) will forward legislation to the City Council for their review, which would enact MHA in the study area. After additional community engagement and public hearings, the City Council is expected to consider voting on the proposed legislation in the summer of 2018.