Provide your input on shoreline street end improvements for 11th Ave NW

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Dawn

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) is improving public access and shoreline habitat at 11th Avenue NW as part of SDOT’s Shoreline Street Ends Program. This program aims to enhance public access to shorelines at over 140 locations where Seattle streets end at the water.

Improvements at 11th Ave NW will be designed and constructed by graduate and undergraduate students in the University of Washington’s landscape architecture “Design/Build” program. Shoreline access improvements at this street end will focus on increasing views of the Ship Canal and enhancing public access to the water.

GET INVOLVED!

SDOT will be hosting an open house
Where: Ballard Public Library, 5614 22nd Avenue NW
When: Monday, January 26th from 6 PM – 7:30 PM.

Please join to provide feedback on the designs and communicate what you’d like to see at the site.

Construction at this site will begin at the end of March, 2015. For more information about the shoreline street ends program please visit: www.seattle.gov/transportation/stuse_stends.htm.

To learn more about UW’s Design-Build program please visit:
http://larchwp.be.washington.edu/features/designbuild/

Update on the plans for the property at Market and 15th

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Dawn

The site is currently occupied by the Shell Station, Burger King and a 2 story office building

In November of last year, we posted a notice for a Design Review for a 5-story office building at NW Market and 15th Ave NW owned by Martin Selig Real Estate. For those interested in keeping up on the progress of the development, notes from the November meeting are now available online.

The proposed project is for development of a 204,000 sq. ft. 5-story office building with 210 parking spaces below grade. The design proposal presented at the Design Review meeting is here.

he preferred scheme includes a public-accessible courtyard and two-story lobby at Market and 15th

The applicant’s preferred option includes a public-accessible courtyard and two-story lobby at Market and 15th with parking access on the east

3 options were proposed:

Option 1 was the applicant’s preferred option, an almost square 5-story building with a south facing courtyard cut into the massing with the main entrance at the corner of Market and 15th. Two levels below grade would provide parking with access from the service ‘alley’ or woonerf in the east setback. Curb cuts would be located on NW Market St and NW 56th St.

Option 2 is almost square 5-story building with an east facing courtyard cut into the massing with the main entrance at the corner of Market and 15th. Two levels below grade would provide parking with access from the service ‘alley’ or woonerf in the east setback. Curb cuts would be located on NW Market St and NW 56th St.

Option 3 is square 5-story building with the main entrance at the corner of Market and 15th. Two levels below grade would provide parking with access from the service ‘alley’ or woonerf in the east setback. Curb cuts will be located on NW Market St and NW 56th St.

The Design Review board did recommend that the applicant reach out to neighborhood groups and to pursue the Living Building Pilot program. The applicant has been given the go ahead by the Design Review Board to apply for a Master Use Permit.

City of Seattle now accepting proposals for Neighborhood Park and Street Fund

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Dawn

The improved crossing at NW 58th and 14th Ave NW were thanks to Neighborhood Street Funds

The improved crossing at NW 58th and 14th Ave NW was thanks to Neighborhood Street Funds

The 2015 Neighborhood Park and Street Fund is now open. Application deadline is February 9.

If you have an idea for the East Ballard neighborhood, please contact EBCA and we can help you with the application process!

NPSF 2015 fact sheet

NPSF 2015 Application

What is the Neighborhood Park and Street Fund (NPSF)?
These funds are a portion of Seattle’s city budget – approximately $2 million in 2015 (pending final budget approval)- that are set aside for neighborhood improvements to streets and parks. NPSF projects are proposed by the community.

What projects can NPSF money be used for?
The NPSF can be used for projects valued up to $90K to fund park or street improvements.

Examples of park projects include: playground improvements, trail upgrades, tennis or basketball court resurfacing, park benches or tables, natural area renovations, and accessibility improvements.

Examples of street projects include: crossing improvements such as marked crosswalks, curb bulbs , and pedestrian countdown signals; and traffic calming, such as traffic circles, median islands, and speed feedback signs. This funding source may be used for sidewalk repair and, rarely, for short segments of sidewalk construction (less than 100 feet, or one third of a block).New sidewalks are typically more expensive than this funding allows.

SDOT has created a list of approximate project costs per project type.

Who decides which projects will be funded?
The NPSF is a competitive process and not all projects will be funded. Each Neighborhood District Council will review applications and select three projects to forward to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Seattle Parks and Recreation (Parks) for detailed feasibility and cost analysis. Funding decisions are based on recommendations from District Councils, Parks and SDOT, with the final decisions made by the Mayor. For more information, contact your Neighborhood District Coordinator.

If you have an idea for the East Ballard neighborhood, please contact EBCA and we can help you with the application process!

Got a community project that needs funding? Why not apply for a Dept of Neighborhoods grant?

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Dawn

Neighborhood Matching Fund announces its 2015 funding opportunities
for community-initiated projects
Free workshops start this month for community groups

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods’ popular Neighborhood Matching Fund (NMF) announces its funding opportunities for 2015. All three of its funds – Small Sparks, Small and Simple Projects Fund, and the Large Projects Fund – support the efforts of community members as they work on projects to build stronger neighborhoods and communities. More than 5000 projects have occurred across the city since this program began 27 years ago.

This year’s Phinney Ditch Party was made possible with the help of a Small Spark’s grant and a minigrant from Groundswell NW

The Small Sparks Fund which provides awards of up to $1,000 per project accepts applications year-round. This is great funding opportunity for implementing small community projects as well as supporting activities such as Neighbor Appreciation Day, Night Out, Earth Day, and others.

Planting Partnerships on 14th was thanks to a Small And Simple Project Funds Matching grant

The Small and Simple Projects Fund, which provides awards of up to $25,000, has three opportunities to apply. Deadlines for applications are February 2, June 1, and October 5, 2015 by 5:00 p.m.

For those interested in applying in February, NMF staff is hosting workshops about the guidelines and application process. The dates are as follows:

Thursday, January 8; 6 – 8 p.m. at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16^th Ave S – Room 309
Wednesday, January 14; 6 – 8 p.m. at Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N – Room 3

To RSVP call 206-733-9916 or go online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/NMFWorkshop. Childcare and interpreters can be arranged for workshop participants who RSVP and request these services at least 72 hours in advance. Additional workshops will be offered prior to each Small and Simple Projects Fund application deadline.

Ballard Corners Park got a boost from the Large Projects fund

The Large Projects Fund (LPF), which awards up to $100,000 per project, is open to applications once a year. The deadline is May 4, 2015 by 5:00 p.m. It is mandatory for interested community groups to attend one of the six LPF workshops offered before applying. The workshops are as follows:

Tuesday, February 10; 6 – 8 p.m. at Northgate Community Center, 10510 5^th Ave NE – Multipurpose Room
Thursday, February 19; 6 – 8 p.m. at Casa Latina 317 17^th Ave S – Worker’s Center
Tuesday, March 10; 6 – 8 p.m. at High Point Community Center, 6420 34th Ave SW –Multipurpose Room
Thursday, March 18; 6 – 8 p.m. at Northgate Community Center, 10510 5^th Ave NE – Multipurpose Room
Wednesday, April 1; 6 – 8 p.m. at Garfield Community Center, 2323 E Cherry St. –
Multipurpose Room
Thursday, April 9; 6 – 8 p.m.at El Centro de la Raza, 2524 16^th Ave S – Room 106

The NMF program has staff to advise community groups on ways to develop successful applications and projects. Community members are strongly encouraged to contact a Neighborhood Matching Fund Project Manager before applying at 206-233-0093 or NMFund@seattle.gov.

To learn more about the Neighborhood Matching Fund and its support to community-initiated projects, visitwww.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/nmf. The website provides details on the criteria and requirements for each fund, along with instructions for the online application process.

# # #

Seattle Department of Neighborhoods provides programs and services that engage residents in civic participation, foster stronger communities, make government more accessible, and preserve and enhance the character of Seattle’s neighborhoods.

The difference between a good neighborhood and a great one

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Dawn

It’s the people who care about your neighborhood who make it great!

Posts on this site are usually written in the 3rd person in the voice of the East Ballard Community Association. Today’s post is a little different and written from the author’s perspective. Today I’m sharing with you how I spent my morning of the first year of 2015. I’m not sure exactly why I’m sharing this, but what I did this morning felt really good and perhaps sharing my experience can inspire you to do a little something for your neighborhood in your own way.

This morning, I bundled up in my puffy jacket, hat and gloves, donned my orange work vest with the EBCA logo, grabbed my can of Krylon camouflage spray paint and headed out to 14th Ave NW on a mission. My mission was to paint over graffiti tags that had been plaguing a handful of planters in the medians along 14th.

sanctioned street art in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

sanctioned graffiti in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

My personal feelings toward tagging and graffiti are mixed and conflicted. I recently visited Williamsburg, Brooklyn and photographed some amazing street art that was very colorful, creative and evocative. There are some incredibly talented street artists out there who use the public and private landscape as their canvas. I don’t condone this activity if done without permission, but I can appreciate a lot of the work. As for tagging, I understand many a street artist in their early days hones their skills through tagging. It’s a creative outlet of sorts. There’s even a tag of a yellow flower on my yard waste can that is really cute that I can’t get myself to remove, hence, the conflicted feeling toward graffiti and tagging.

I just can’t get myself to remove this cute tag

What I don’t appreciate about tagging (other than it’s blatant illegal vandalism of property) is that it gives the appearance that we don’t care about our community (both from the tagger’s point of view and the resident’s). This is especially worrying in a community like East Ballard where we’re trying to come together and build a sense of community. If you’re an East Ballard tagger and want a creative outlet, I can hook you up with a legit project, just email me! If you’re a resident, please report tagging on public property ASAP using the City’s Fix it Find it App, report online or give the City a call at (206) 684-7587. I highly recommend the app if you have a smart phone, it’s easy to use and the City’s very responsive. If there’s graffiti on your private property, then please take responsibility and clean it up yourself.

These planters are East Ballard property, not the City’s. It’s our responsibility to care for them!

Hence, the purpose of my mission this morning. I was taking responsibility on behalf of my neighborhood to cover the tags on the planters on 14th. Although many of you probably think the planters are owned by the City and are under the City’s jurisdiction, this is not true. The City gave these planters to the East Ballard community under the agreement that we would care for and maintain them. They’re technically private property owned by the community. Your donated Ballard Market receipts go toward funding some of these maintenance activities, plus your participation in our bi-yearly Adopt A Street Cleanups help, but it’s not enough if we want to keep our community clean and safe year round.

Another activity our community participates in almost on a daily basis is dumping unwanted items in planting strips and medians. Some of you think that you’re providing a service to the community by offering free stuff to your neighbors, but what you’re really doing is illegal dumping, which makes our neighborhood look like a dumping ground, encourages others to do the same, and burdens the City to clean up your mess. I encourage you to please get rid of your items in a more responsible manner, but if you do see discarded items, please report them immediately using the Fix it Find it App, report online or call (206) 684-7587.

Please stop leaving your trash in the medians!

Please stop leaving your unwanted items in the medians! This is not a welcome service to our community!

On my mission today, I did my part for the neighborhood by covering tags on 3 planters, picking up trash in the medians, reporting 3 instances of illegal dumping in the median and 1 instance of tagging on a public electrical box. I did all that in just about 1/2 an hour with time to chat with a neighbor walking her dog.

I guess what I’m trying to convey with this story is that it’s not hard to take responsibility for making your neighborhood great. It doesn’t even have to take a lot of time. Figure out something that works for you in your own way to show you care for your neighborhood. Share your ideas with your neighbors and with EBCA, participate in neighborhood events, start a project, or just go out and pick up a little trash every now and then. The more you pay attention to your surroundings and talk to your neighbors, the more ideas you’ll have for how you can contribute. When looking for a new home, it’s traditionally the location we think about first, but it’s the people who live in your neighborhood and show how they care in their own unique way that really make the difference between living in a good neighborhood and a great one!

Dawn Hemminger.

City Council Passed legislation for the 14th Ave NW Park!

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Dawn

Did you feel that something momentous happened in the East Ballard neighborhood at about 2 PM yesterday afternoon? Well, that “something” came from the Seattle City Council meeting where they unanimously passed legislation to fund the 14th Ave NW Park! Thank-you to those from the neighborhood who attended the City Council Parks Subcommittee last week to show support. Jean Godden and crew voted to approve legislation at that meeting, but full council approval was also needed. That official approval came yesterday with a unanimous 8-0 vote. We now have funding to go out for bid once the Parks Dept and SDOT finalize design. SDOT’s Street Improvement Process (SIP) continues to be a big hurdle. The Parks Dept is stalled at reaching 60% completion of SIP right now and working with other City Departments to get the process moving forward again. We’ll continue to keep you updated on the process and are pleased that the momentum is in the forward direction!

Show your support for the 14th Ave NW Park at City Council Dec 2

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Dawn

courtesy of Mithun

City Council Parks, Seattle Center, Libraries, & Gender Pay Equity Committee Meeting
Tuesday Dec 2, 9:30 a.m.
City Hall Council Chamber, 600 4th Ave, 2nd floor

Please join the EBCA next Tuesday to show your support for the 14th Ave NW Park. Item 6 in the agenda for this City Council meeting will include a discussion and possible vote relating to transferring partial jurisdiction over a portion of 14th Ave NW between NW 59th and NW 61st from SDOT to the Parks Dept for neighborhood park purposes. The discussion will also be whether to approve re-allocation of funding in the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces levy from the acquisition category to development category for a Ballard Urban Village Park.

Your attendance and voice of support for the 14th Ave NW Park could have a positive influence on City Council’s decision. If City Council votes YES on this day, then the Parks Dept will be able to continue forward with design and have the funding from the levy available when needed to go out for bid on construction. A Yes vote will be a very critical milestone in the progress of the 14th Ave NW Park that the East Ballard community has been striving toward for almost 10 years!

[polldaddy poll=8479693]

Design Review Meeting this Monday for a 5-story office building at NW Market and 15th Ave NW

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Dawn

photo courtesy of google maps

You may have recently read an article on MyBallard about a proposal for a new 5-story 204,000 sq. ft. office building at the NE corner of 15th Ave NW and NW Market St (That’s the Shell station property next to the Burger King). There is going to be a Design Review meeting open to the public this Monday 8pm at the Ballard Community Center that the EBCA encourages you to attend. This is an opportunity to provide direct input into the design of one of Ballard’s gateway corners.

Details below:

Area: North/Northwest Address: 1448 NW Market St
Project: 3018687 Zone: COMMERCIAL 1-65′, URBAN VILLAGE OVERLAY, SCENIC VIEW WITHIN 500 FT., AIRPORT HEIGHT DISTRICT, ARTERIAL WITHIN 100 FT.
Notice Date: 11/06/2014

Contact: BRAD HINTHORNE – (206)381-6019
Planner: Beth Hartwick – (206) 684-0814

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The proposal is for a 5-story, 204,000 sq. ft. office building. Parking for 210 vehicles to be provided below grade. Existing structures to be demolished.

MEETING

Date: Monday, November 24, 2014

Time: 8:00 p.m.

Location: Ballard Community Center
6020 28th Ave NW
Sunset/Captain Ballard Room

All meeting facilities are ADA compliant. Translators or interpreters provided upon request. Please contact the Public Resource Center at prc@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8467 at least five business days prior to the meeting to request this service.

OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT

The Director will accept written comments to assist in the preparation of the early design guidance through November 24, 2014. You are invited to offer comments regarding important site planning and design issues, which you believe, should be addressed in the design for this project.

Comments and requests to be made party of record should be submitted to PRC@seattle.gov or

City of Seattle – DPD – PRC
700 5^th Avenue, Suite 2000
PO Box 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019

PROCESS

An application for Design Review related to future development of this site has been submitted to the Department of Planning and Development (DPD). The first phase of Design Review includes the Early Design Guidance (EDG) meeting. At the Early Design Guidance meeting, the following occurs:

1. The applicants will present information about the site and vicinity as well as early massing design concepts.

2. The public may offer comments regarding the design of a development on the subject site.*

3. The Design Review Board will provide guidance and identify those Design Guidelines of highest priority for the design as it moves forward towards Master Use Permit (MUP) application.

4. Following the meeting, DPD will issue a written Early Design Guidance report summarizing the meeting. This report will be sent to those who signed in at the meeting or otherwise requested a copy.

*Please note that public comment at the EDG meeting is limited to design considerations. If environmental review is triggered, comments related to environmental impacts (such as traffic, parking, noise, etc.) may be sent to DPD following notice of that review.

MORE INFORMATION

This proposal may be viewed at our Design Review Program website at http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/Design_Review_Program/Overview/. For more information regarding this application or the Design Review process, you may contact the Land Use Planner listed above, go to the Design Review Program website or visit our office at the address above. (We are open from 8 am to 4 pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 10:30 am to 4 pm Tuesday and Thursday.)

Find out what’s happening with Seattle Parks this Thursday

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Dawn

The Central Ballard Residents Association (CBRA) has invited Dan Johnson, Seattle Parks Division Director, and Patrick Merriam, acting North and Central West Parks Resource Manager, to speak at their monthly meeting this Thursday, November 13, 2014 at 7pm. The meeting will be held in the Ballard Swedish Hospital cafeteria conference room. All are welcome, even those of us from the East side!

Another fabulously successful Adopt A Street Cleanup last Saturday

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Dawn

2014-11-01 11.14.10.jpg
Thank-you neighbors for coming out last Saturday morning to clean up 14th Ave NW. We had a bunch of new neighbors come out plus our trusty regulars who are now pros at keeping our neighborhood clean. We had about 20 volunteers this time around, enough to cleanup 14th from NW 65th to Leary! Each time we do this event, it becomes a personal challenge for some to find the most unusual object. Chris and Emilie won that challenge this time around. We ended up giving whatever this was to David Smith at Blowing Sands Glass for a future art project. Very cool! Check out more pics from this event on our Flickr site.

What the heck is this thing?