March HPAC Meeting, Mar. 22, 7-8pm via Zoom

Welcome to our fourth week of March this cold and rainy spring. HPAC will be encouraging you to stay home, stay warm, and log in this month to our virtual meeting – link below.

Bring any concerns you may have for the group, and be prepared to welcome David Goldberg and team from the Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development to hear about progress on the South Delridge Action Plan they are working on with the community.

They’ll share information about:

• Their partnerships with SPU and other City Departments
• Engagement that’s already completed to help guide their understanding of priorities
• Ideas about what the Outcomes of the work might be
• Rough phases of work moving forward
• They’re interested in hearing ideas on engagement for 2023 and any opportunities to partner
• Hearing about Outcomes of interest to HPAC members

Your HPAC eBoard is still researching places we can resume in-person meetings during the remodeling of the HPIC building, let us know if you have any suggestions!

Meanwhile join us on Zoom:
Time: Mar 22, 2023 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85738442024?pwd=RE9ISDh0RDgyeTdRTXJON3F2cWRnZz09

Meeting ID: 857 3844 2024
Passcode: 311502
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In news around the neighborhood, SDOT has completed the ground work for the new pedestrian activated traffic signal at 12^th SW and SW Holden,

electrical and lamping still to be completed. We’re excited about this new safety feature for all walkers and rollers.

And from our sister organization HPIC, the April 2023 roving HPIC Corner Bar is all set! Friday, April 7, 2023 – make your way to the Senior Center of West Seattle, snag a tamale or two, along with a drink from the no-host bar, and dance the night away to the tuned of The Half Brothers, Gods of Silicon, and DJ Rich!

HPIC Corner Bar is a time to be with your friends and neighbors from all parts of Seattle, and to highlight the longevity and impact of the Highland Park Improvement Club over more than 100 years.

February HPAC Meeting, Feb. 22, 7-8pm via Zoom

Snow, hail, lightning, all just part of another Northwest winter month. A great time to prune, and spend a cozy evening indoors in conversation with community about upcoming projects and concerns.

This month HPAC will focus on neighborhood discussion of trends and eBoard updates on ongoing projects. This will be a chance to chat with others and let us know what’s important on your block. The City of Seattle Office of Planning & Community Development is starting on a South Delridge Action Plan, covering Highland Park, Westwood, South Delridge and Roxhill (and we hope Riverview). Their initial scope of work survey is live until the end of day, 2/19/23, or come to our meeting to talk about your dreams for the area.

In other area news, see this photo of workers finalizing another project left over from the Reconnect West Seattle efforts. SDOT folks completed the pedestrian safety corridor along the south side of Riverview Playfields, connecting park pathways to the SW Webster Greenway. This solution included new ADA access ramps on both sidewalk ends of SW 11th. Thank you SDOT!

Join our Zoom Meeting at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81563287684?pwd=WEhXRytQcW9aaC84Mkt3UTBSM1p1UT09

Meeting ID: 815 6328 7684
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First 2023 HPAC Meeting, Wed. Jan. 25, 7-8:30p.m./via Zoom~

Welcome all to 2023 and lunar New Year of the Rabbit – a new year for engagement and solidarity! Join us virtually for our first meeting of the year

We’ll be welcoming our new SW Precinct LEAD Project Manager Michelle McClendon for updates on public safety around the Rozella Building in South Delridge and to hear about other area concerns and hotspots. You may remember Sean Blackwell in this role last year. He’s been reassigned to another position, we wish him well and will miss him and his tremendous work building awareness and coalitions in the neighborhood, Michelle is excited to take up where he left off.

HPAC Co-Chair Craig Rankin will report out on an exciting project going on to collect oral histories about the Duwamish Greenbelt and share the new West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails map.

From the WDGT group: “What do you know of the history of the West Duwamish Greenbelt?  Have you or your family or your family before you lived near the greenbelt?  Do you know others who have experienced this history?The West Duwamish Greenbelt Trails group is looking for people with memories of the greenbelt. We will be hosting an oral history forum this winter to discover and record this history.  We are looking for stories, photographs, and artifacts to be shared. Please reply to wdgtrails@gmail.com with a name and contact information if you would like to participate in this event or if you know of someone we should contact.”

HPAC eBoard folks will report out and discuss the current City of Seattle work on the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan which has numerous implications for the future way our community grows. Notably the plan lists our area as one with a high risk of displacement. They have a virtual Community Meeting happening Jan. 30, 6-7:30pm.

SDOT Director Greg Spotts will be in attendance to hear from you how traffic is flowing in the community and any trouble spots or issues. Be sure to check out his Twitter feed @Spottnik if you enjoy geeking out on traffic related detail. During the recent low-bridge hydraulic work he live tweeted shots of the crew getting the piston out of the bridge turning mechanism for example.

Look forward to seeing you online at this link:

Time: Jan 25, 2023 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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Announcing: Next HPAC meeting, Wed. Oct. 26, 7-8:00+pm/via Zoom!

Hope all are enjoying this return to normal rainy fall weather and a relief from the smoke!

We will remain virtual for this, our last meeting of 2022, and we are very honored to be hosting the new SDOT Director Greg Spotts. All are welcome, he wants to learn about our area directly from the community to help him build a strong understanding of the city for his work ahead – so bring your questions and ideas!

We will also hear from Seattle Public Utilities about a new swale project they are planning for SW Holden west of 16^th SW.

Find the Zoom link to meeting below.

(In order to allow as much community input and conversation time as possible with these guests, this month we are recommending any Public Safety issues be deferred to the SW Precinct’s first in-person Crime Prevention Council meeting since 2020, Thursday November 17^th from 7pm- 8pm at the SW Precinct Community Meeting Room. And of course, we always welcome hearing your concerns, please feel free to email them to us if you prefer.)

In addition: YOU ARE INVITED!! We look forward to seeing folks at the upcoming Tricks or Trees! Highland Park is throwing a block party to celebrate the best of Fall! Lots of fun for everyone – including our furry neighbors!

    Free Trees!  Choose up to four trees for your property. DIRT Corps and the Duwamish Valley Youth Corps will have a gorgeous variety of native, urban-friendly trees to choose from. Homes, businesses, and places of worship are eligible. First come first served. Seattle properties only.

    Pets in Costumes!  We’re bringing back the Pet Costume Contest – prizes awarded to Most Original, Best Ensemble, and Funniest pets in costume.  Prizes provided by Addy’s Pet Shop. 

    Music and Food!  We’ll be celebrating Dia de Muertos with music from Mariachi Alma Nueva and tacos and tamales from CocinaMX 32!  We’ll also have an ofrenda to honor your loved ones.

    Candy!  Come dressed in a costume and trick or treat from our participant booths (while learning about their environmental projects): RainWise, Green Infrastructure Mini-Grants, DIRT Corps training program, and the King County WTD West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility.

     Clothing Donation table! Neighbors from the Bethany West congregation will be collecting cold weather clothing donations on behalf of Highland Park Elementary.

    Presented by HPIC & HPAC.  Sponsored by DIRT Corps, Highland Park Corner Store, DVYC, Seattle Parks Foundation, Seattle Office of Economic Development, and King County.

Updates on Projects around the Neighborhood:
SDOT has reopened consideration of the SW Trenton Stay Healthy Street. HPAC will be watching this work closely as traffic patterns are now returning to normal after the bridge opening.

The Office of Arts & Culture has announced the selection of artist Matthew Mazzotta for the Highland /Holden Intersection art piece. His concept, tentatively titled “Where’s the Party” will be a larger than life Stellar Jay perched at the corner to watch over the neighborhood.

Work has begun on the pedestrian activated stop light being added at SW Holden and 12th Ave SW. Hopefully including replacement of the fire hydrant on the corner.

Seattle Parks Department contractors have been working to beat the rains installing a fresh new walking trail surface on the east side of Riverview Playfields. Thank you Parks! (they are asking bike riders stay off this surface for a couple of weeks so the gravel can settle in well).

Long term FYI’s – SDOT continues to work on two projects brought forward by the HPAC community, improving the pedestrian walkway on the south edge of Riverview Playfields on SW Webster, and improving the inadequate pedestrian infrastructure at 4^th Ave SW and SW Roxbury.

Hope to see you online or or real time:

HPAC Coalition is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

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Next HPAC meeting, Wed. Sept. 28, 7-8:00pm/via Zoom

Greetings friends and neighbors! Fall is in the air, and with it a return to our monthly meeting times which will continue to be on Zoom – find the link below.

Of course, our biggest news is the reopening of the West Seattle Bridge to vehicle traffic! As you can see by this shot of the morning “traffic backup” at the Highland/ Holden intersection, this is the most impactful event of the past 2-1/2 years for our area. Our thanks to SDOT, in particular to the Reconnect West Seattle/Home Zone team for all the work they did to try and mitigate the horrific impacts this detour route had on our neighborhoods. HPAC will continue to monitor any lingering problems folks may notice, feel free to email us if you are not able to attend a meeting. So far it’s been a collective sigh of relief!

This meeting we will have a guest presentation regarding the future King County West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility being built near the 1st Ave Bridge. Right now, the tank site is in 30-60% design phase, which means they are looking for public input on the site itself, and also for community benefit ideas that support clean water goals in the communities around the site.

If you are unable to attend the online open house and community survey for the West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility is open for your comments. Let us know if you have any questions or comments! www.kingcounty.gov/westduwamish-cso

We expect an SPD representative will be at the meeting as well to listen to any public safety issues folks have, as well as our LEAD intervention program representative Sean Blackwell who can bring us up to date on work they are doing. We have heard concerns about the impacts of the City interventions at North Delridge RV encampments just leading to campers moving to other streets in the area. Please let us know more about what you are experiencing!

On the horizon for HP/Riverview/So. Delridge:

• HPAC is working to meet with the new SDOT director Greg Spotts – let us know what kind of concerns you might want relayed to him.
• Watch for work to begin this winter at the Highland Holden Intersection project – basically SDOT will be making permanent all the temporary bump outs and lights that were installed for the detour traffic. We will also have a public art piece going in on the corner – more on that to come.
• Art Interruptions will be appearing on the Delridge-Highland Park Neighborhood Greenway this fall. More information on this can be found here. https://artbeat.seattle.gov/2022/05/03/artists-selected-for-art-interruptions-2022-along-delridge-highland-park-neighborhood-greenway/
• SDOT will also be completing the northward extension of the 12^th Ave SW Greenway from Highland Park Elementary School to Riverview Playfield by installing a pedestrian activated stop light at the corner of SW Holden and 12^th Ave. SW. right in front of the Highland Park Improvement Club property.

• Swales are being planned by SPU along the section of 16^th SW to the west of SW Holden. These will capture street runoff and make the road feel less like an arterial. The SPU planning team will be presenting on this at our October meeting.

• Finally SAVE the DATE!! Oct. 29 from 12-4 join HPAC/ HPIC/ Dirt Corps/ HP Corner Store & King County WTD are thrilled to be co-sponsoring “Trick or Trees” – a Saturday extravaganza featuring live music, a costume contest for pets, trick or treating for kids, AND up to 4 free trees available per household to plant in your own backyard. Join us at the HP Corner Store and SW Kenyon St. for the fun. More info to follow!

Hope to see you on Zoom or around the neighborhood. HPAC is an all-volunteer, neighborhood advocacy group – your ideas and volunteer energy are always welcome and needed.

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZ0kd-CvqjojGtQMmUmsqMdSfp7rdTaRrDao/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGhpzsjHdCUuRmHRpx5HYigXe3wiH5EjbdssRLQDjNCTwfFMPIVILZLEerC

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89909741900?pwd=NktMYlUvbUFILzJRV0lIbzdUdmkvUT09

Meeting ID: 899 0974 1900

Passcode: 805068

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June meeting Cancelled + Updates from your eBoard

A joyous Juneteenth to all – the HPAC eBoard is proud to join in marking this momentous day in U.S. History with friends and neighbors!

While standing meetings are not held over the summer, we will continue to monitor neighborhood 4^th of July safety issues and keep you up to date on the Greenway Public Art Interruptions and the Highland/Holden Public Art project.

Please look for us at the Highland Park Improvement Club Reset Fest from 2-7pm on Saturday June 25 – marking one year since fire damaged our beloved gathering place. Join in for music, games and updates on the rebuilding planning at Riverview Playfields, field #1.

Since we are cancelling our June meeting we asked SDOT partners to share updates on projects of interest to the neighborhood. We have been tracking the proposal to keep SW Trenton as a Stay Healthy Street and know that this is a high impact on our neighborhood mobility and have asked in multiple venues for a reconsideration of the closure between 16^th SW and Delridge Ave SW. The current SDOT response:

“The permanent route selection for the Delridge-Highland Park Stay Healthy Street will happen after the West Seattle Bridge reopens later this year. The current route will stay in its current, temporary form until then.

This is so we can get additional traffic data and have further conversations with the community about the Stay Healthy Street and the existing Neighborhood Greenway, which first opened in 2017.

We know the Delridge and Highland Park communities are passionate about this Stay Healthy Street. This summer, we’ll continue to attend events in the area to take input on the Delridge-Highland Park Stay Healthy Street.”

Regarding other projects still in the works SDOT has these updates:

West Seattle Bridge update

The bridge is expected to reopen the week of September 12, but the timeframe could be impacted by weather, COVID-19 workforce impacts, supply chain issues for materials, and testing and inspectionresults. Consequently, a firm reopening date will be announced 30 days in advance.

Highland Park Home Zone update

We have completed 21 out of 29 Home Zone project elements. Below are updates on the remaining eight projects. For updates on Reconnect West Seattle, please visit WestSeattleBridge@seattle.gov.

Projects that are or will be in construction soon include:

• Median islands on 16th Ave SW at SW Elmgrove St and at SW Cloverdale St
• A Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at Dumar Way SW and SW Orchard St
• Sidewalk repair on 8th Ave SW

Projects to be constructed in the fall (due to crew availability and weather):

• SW Webster St between 11th Ave SW and 12th Ave SW
• 9th Ave SW between SW Roxbury St and SW Cambridge St
• 14th Ave SW between SW Elmgrove St and SW Kenyon St

Projects to be constructed after the bridge reopens:

• Highland Park Neighborhood Greenway with new traffic signal at 12th Ave S and SW Holden St
• Removal of existing flashing beacon and crosswalk at 11th Ave SW and SW Holden St

Questions or comments? Contact WestSeattleBridge@seattle.gov or call (206) 400-7511.

Have a great Summer and see everyone at the park!

Next HPAC meeting, May 25th, 7-8pm/ In-Person 2.0

Greetings neighbors. With warmer days finally upon us we’ll be holding this month’s meeting in person again, outside at the award winning Highland Park Corner Store. Come by and say hi in person as we discuss neighborhood doings. We’ll talk about the SDOT planning for a safe pedestrian walkway along the south side of Riverview Playfields, do a quick review of our questions to submit to Mayor Harrell, and take any items of interest or concern from folks. Meanwhile enjoy these signs of the season.

The stairs at SW Kenyon and 8th Ave SW are offering glimpses of a squirrel family that has set up housekeeping in this challenged Seattle City Light power pole. (You can see the little ones out exploring just above the data cables).

The back gates into the Duwamish Greenbelt trails from South Seattle College are open to walkers Monday-Friday when classes are in session! A great season to take a hike to the Seattle Chinese Garden while the Peonies are in bloom.

HPAC News/ Cleanup – Sat., April 23, 10 a.m.-noon /In-Person Meeting – April 27

Greetings! Hoping for some sun this weekend during our Highland Park Cleans Up event. We will meet at 10am at the Highland Park Corner Store to hand out bags, grabbers, gloves and vests – then spread out and do some spring cleaning in the neighborhood. Join in and let’s spruce up Highland Park/Riverview! Co-sponsored with HPIC and Seattle Public Utilities.

Join your HPAC eBoard in person on Wednesday April 27 at 7 pm in person at the Highland Park Corner Store for an informal, in-person meetup. This will be our first “face to face” chance to meet up with neighbors since the COVID shutdown in 2020! We plan to use the time to say hello to anyone who can drop by and take ideas of what issues HPAC can address in the future. Bring any input you may have on any cool ways our area can celebrate the re-opening of the West Seattle High Bridge this summer. Hope to see you at one of these events soon!

March 23, 2022/ HPAC Meeting Agenda

This month HPAC welcomes back SDOT staff with updates on Home Zone and Greenways work that has been progressing throughout the neighborhood. If you have followup questions regarding projects, or ideas for new protections needed to buffer any changes you have noted in the West Seattle Bridge Detour Route traffic, agency representatives will be on hand to speak with.

In progress installation of curbs, soil and planting along the Webster Street Greenway.

We also welcome back CM Lisa Herbold and team for further updates on planning for the proposed low income housing at 16th SW and SW Holden, site of a former Seattle City Light substation. They have been working on clarifying concerns expressed by the community at their last visit such as:

You can link to a full discussion of the project background as described by Council Person Herbold here.

We continue to meet via Zoom during the planning and rebuilding of the HPIC hall, join us virtually on Mar 23, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Meeting Link:
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Meeting ID: 867 4174 3885
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February 23, 2022/ HPAC Meeting Agenda

It may be a cold week, but spring is in the air in Highland Park. Stay warm and join us for our monthly meeting via Zoom.

Signs of spring come to Highland Park

We will be hearing from representative of the King County Wastewater Treatment Division to learn more about the upcoming West Duwamish CSO Control project set to begin soon. If you are unfamiliar with these projects have a look at the construction at 4^th South and South Michigan Street, where they are almost done with a huge holding facility. The West Michigan side will be much smaller, but serve a similar purpose, capturing and holding excess rain runoff from Highland Park, preventing contamination of the Duwamish River during big storms.

If you attended last month’s meeting, SPD mentioned their annual report on crime trends, you can read it here. They will be at our meeting too for any questions or concerns, Westwood Village area ranked 4th in volume citywide in Community generated 911 calls.

Also up in the HPAC business category:

• Planning for Spring Cleanup events – sites you think need to be addressed, dates, etc.
• Helping with a Flip your Trip outreach event? – mask mandates are lifting and traffic will be ramping up, can we help try and get more folks out of their Single Occupancy Vehicles?
• A look back at our area’s five years of hosting Camp Second Chance – what’s working? Any outstanding concerns? Do we have any guidance or response to State Sen. Joe Nguyen’s bill now in the State Senate regarding lifting SEPA requirements for new camps?
• Inviting any interested parties to help out on eBoard positions – we are an all volunteer advocacy group and rely on community energy!

See you on-screen soon at:

HPAC February Meeting

Time: Feb 23, 2022 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

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Meeting ID: 848 3210 4257

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