Present:  Dawn, Andrew, Stephanie, Shannon, Peter, Linda, Ellen, Charlie

Guest:  Gabriela Vega, Freight Master Plan Project Manager, SDOT

Freight Master Plan:  Gabriela gave the group an overview of the City’s Freight Master Planning effort, answered our questions, then asked for the group’s feedback on 8 specific questions.  The City is focusing on the Ballard area as a kind of case study to help them figure out a master plan for accommodating truck traffic.  This is the first time the City has done this.  More public involvement opportunities will be scheduled this spring or summer.

Announcements & Events:

Industrial Lands meeting 3/5 (I didn’t write down the details of this)

West Woodland Neighbors is doing a neighborhood clean up on Sunday, Feb 22 from 9-11, with coffee for participants at Cafe’ Bambino’s starting at 8:30.

The Ballard Partnership for Smart Growth is conducting an on-line survey on public restrooms. http://www.ballardrestroomstudy.com/

Groundswell NW’s annual meeting will be on 3/24, 6:00-8:30 at the Nordic Heritage Museum.  The agenda will include community engagement discussions using the Pomegranate process of convening small groups around particular questions or themes (within the overarching theme of the Ballard Open Space Plan).  There will be 10 tables for partner organizations.  EBCA agreed to take one, and maybe share with small projects that don’t need their own table.  Peter & Shannon agreed to work on the table.  Your ideas are welcome.  (Shannon will be receiving  a Groundswell NW “local hero” award at this event)

There’s going to be a talk on rainwise rain gardens at the Phinney Neighborhood Center (Blue Building) on 3/25, 7-8:30.  Peter’s garden will be featured.

EBCA business:

Dawn and Shannon are meeting on Friday, 2/20, with a student who may be able to help with website design.

EBCA submitted three Neighborhood Park and Street Fund requests:  Crossing market at 11th (Ellen); Crossing 8th around 45th or 46th (Charlie); traffic calming around the Bright Street School (the other Ellen).  The next step is District Council review, probably on 3/11.  The District Council will forward their top three proposals from the District on to the City.  Each proposal gets a short presentation; we’ll have to make sure that each proposal can be represented by someone.  The presentations can have slides or videos.

Spring adopt-a-street clean-up:  We decided to schedule it on April 25th, 10-1.

Jane’s Walk is coming up on 5/2 or 5/3:  This is a call for ideas or themes for this year’s walk.  Some suggestions:  Partner with Groundswell; focus on the 11th Avenue corridor (street ends, Gilman Playfield emergency HUB, crossing at Market, rain garden project)

14th Ave Park update:  sitting here in limbo, still a street without a park; sitting here in limbo, DPR may never start.  SDOT’s putting up resistance, but we know that our strength (and persistence) will lead us on.  Shannon is in communication with Patrick.  We may need to write again to City officials.  Stephanie & Peter agreed to work on a draft letter.