Fall is in the air, kids are slowly heading back to schools, and traffic is definitely ramping up throughout Riverview, Highland Park and South Delridge. The acting eBoard members invite you to attend and participate in setting our agendas for the year. Take our short survey to let us know what type of meetings are most interesting and helpful to you.
We welcome all back for our first meeting of the 2021-22 season. This month we’ll be hearing from Seattle Police Department with neighborhood crime trends, plus the Port of Seattle sharing impacts we can expect to neighborhood traffic as Terminal-5 reopens in January 2022.
Finally, we will be hosting Home Zone and Reconnect West Seattle team members from SDOT for a report out on the projects they are working on. There have been some changes in direction, particularly for residents on 16th Avenue SW, we’ll have them explained at the meeting with opportunities for suggestions and comments.
If you are noticing new detour route incursions of vehicles, or other traffic pattern changes to report your voice is needed!
See you at 7PM on Sept. 22 – virtually on Zoom during the HPIC rebuilding process.
Your HPAC leadership team has decided to start HPAC’s annual summer break a little earlier this year and will not be hosting a June HPAC meeting next week. We will return as usual in September, or perhaps for special topics meetings should need arise.
Please stay safe: Happy Juneteenth, Fourth of July and joy to all celebrating the easing of our COVID lockdown!
We’ve been coping with a pandemic, and a major bridge closure, but are you ready for our next big seismic event?
Be Prepared!
If we had a major earthquake tomorrow that left us without water for several weeks would you know how to harvest water from your hot water tank or make a makeshift toilet?
New HPIC Emergency HUB
Both before and after a disaster, reliable information about services and supplies is just as important as preparedness for keeping people safe. The Highland Park Improvement Club is a member of the Seattle Emergency Hub Network, whose goal is to train Hub Captains and community volunteers to help provide important information both before and after a disaster strikes. Erika, one of the HPIC Hub Captains will join us to give an overview of the Emergency Hub network, HPIC’s role, and give a preview of the types of events we have planned with the HUB in the coming months.
Other neighborhood concerns welcome, public safety, traffic, fireworks planning etc.
Join us Wednesday, May 23 at our monthly meeting, still via Zoom. 7-8:30pm:
Time: May 26, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
There’s still time to support the HPIC May fundraiser – help us finish off our huge remodel projects so we can reopen the building to the public soon. More info and Donate link here.
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To dive deeper into understanding Seattle planning for our next big earthquake, take a look at this very interesting series of webinars OEM is making available for the first time to public participation:
The Office of Emergency Management, in coordination with representatives from multiple City departments, has organized a series of webinars focused on the City’s earthquake response plans. The first webinar will be held on May 27th and will be a high level overview of how the City prioritizes and coordinates during response to a major earthquake. The four subsequent webinars will occur during June through September and will dive deeper into individual areas of the response including firefighting, mass care, and utility and transportation restoration. Each webinar will also highlight how individual and neighborhood preparedness efforts tie into the overall response.
All webinars are open to the public and will include captioning in Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. All sessions will include a Q&A session at the end, and will be recorded and posted to the Seattle OEM YouTube channel. Registration is not required, but participants can register to receive a confirmation email, calendar appointment, and event reminders. View the full schedule on OEM’s events calendar or see session information below.
Description: Seattle Office of Emergency Management staff will provide an overview of our region’s earthquake risk, likely earthquake impacts, and describe what a local government response to a catastrophic earthquake looks like. This will include an overview of citywide response priorities and coordination, how the city communicates emergency information to the public, and key preparedness actions the public can take before an earthquake happens.
Future webinars in this series will provide more detail on specific areas of response, including firefighting, search and rescue, utility restoration, transportation restoration, and emergency shelter and feeding
Description: Staff from the Seattle Fire Department will provide an overview of how the City directs life safety response operations after a major earthquake This will include information on how they prioritize their response efforts with limited resources, how they begin requesting outside assistance, and what the public can do to prepare.
Description: Staff from the Seattle Human Services will provide an overview of how the City will coordinate with regional partners to stand up shelter and feeding operations after a major earthquake, and the implications for personal preparedness.
Description: Staff from Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities will provide an overview of plans for restoring utility service after a major earthquake. This will include information on how damage to utilities is assessed, how restoration is prioritized, where your personal preparedness fits with utility response, and how utility providers coordinate with other City departments and with regional partners.
Description: Staff from the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) will provide an overview of plans for restoring transportation after a major earthquake. This will include information on how the restoration of roadways and bridges is prioritized, and how SDOT coordinates with other City departments and with regional transportation agencies.
Seeing these new SDOT signs around the neighborhood? Drop in to our Monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28 for updates from SDOT regarding work on the Home Zone projects and reporting on Reconnect West Seattle efforts rolling out in 2021 that need our input. Bring any new concerns or traffic impacts you are noticing!
We’ll also reserve some time to generate neighborhood specific concerns and questions for upcoming Mayoral candidate forums. Plus – save the date: Saturday May 1 Work party opportunity at Highland Park Improvement Club – help trusty trustees pull down the 100 year old chimney and do general garden/lot maintenance – social distancing + masking observed! Drop in any time 8am-4pm.
Meetings are still happening on Zoom, here’s the link for this month: Time: Apr 28, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Flyers by David Boyer at Westcrest ParkSPD Mounted Patrol at Morgan Junction Community Festival in 2017, photo credit: West Seattle Blog
March 24, 7-8:30pm HPAC monthly meeting via Zoom.
Agenda:
Guest Kristen Ramirez from the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs will talk about public art being planned in conjunction with the Highland/Holden intersection improvements.
Guest District 1 Council Representative Lisa Herbold will discuss City Council thinking on Public Safety budgeting and alternative programs being developed to support police work in the community.
Help keep our elders safe – we are working with the West Seattle City Vaccine site to get folks access to vaccinations – particularly those without internet or search skills that may need a phone call or a personal outreach – contact Nickie at HPIC1919@gmail.com if you know anyone in the neighborhood over 65 that needs a shot.
Consider signing this petition in support of the Duwamish Tribal ongoing recognition efforts:
The March 8 meeting with SDOT on the Highland Park/Riverview/South Delridge Home Zone Plan was a great success. Thanks to all who turned out for that, and for all your help planning and making needed suggestions to keep our neighborhood safe during the bridge detours. The good news is that SDOT is now targeting June of 2022 for completion of the High Bridge repair! The eBoard will be joining other West Seattle groups in sending a letter of support to federal government funders as the City seeks to raise the needed monies for the work.
Information on the Compost Giveaway is found in your HPAC/HPIC Newsletters.
Announcements -learn about upcoming free compost giveaway events!
Report from Waste Management on best compost practices
Presentation & Discussion:
Your Pandemic Garden 2.0: “You started it last year, now what?”
Led by neighbor gardener and Seattle Tilth Alliance Community Education Manager Chris Hoffer. Learn more about starting and maintaining a garden to grow food in the city. Meet other neighborhood gardeners and share ideas and inspiration!
Chris will take us through:
Getting Started: Beds, Boxes and Containers
Plants for Success
Tips for Long-term Success
Resource sharing + Q&A
Zoom meeting info:
Time: Feb 24, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Greetings all – just 5 more days to submit your comments or requests to the SDOT Home Zone Plan – add suggestions for your block, or thoughts about the Greenway routing.
All Welcome. We will have representatives from SPD for a short visit, and a comprehensive presentation and conversation with SDOT Home Zone Planners, to help them prioritize the traffic mitigation proposed for Highland Park/ Riverview & South Delridge.
Time: Jan 27, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
We have some limited opportunities to work on demo of the HPIC ceiling, plus trash grabbers, gloves & bags for folks to do socially distanced neighborhood cleanup at large and in Riverview Playfields.
Tools available at 10am at Highland Park Improvement Club, 1116 SW Holden. Return pickup tools and collected trash by 3pm.
Free SDOT traffic mitigation signs available day of event or email HPACtraffic@gmail.com to request alternate pick up.
Share a picture of your cleanup @HPACWS #HighlandParkCares or post to our Facebook Page!
Save the date for the HPAC monthly meeting [all welcome]:
Wednesday Jan 27. 7-8:30pm – We are gathering online via Zoom. Agenda includes:
Report back to the neighborhood on SDOT Home Zone planning & proposed actions
Public safety report from SPD SW Police Precinct
Introduction of Janet Shull from the Seattle Office of Economic Development who will leading a neighborhood planning process for Highland Park in 2021
Log in here:
HPAC Coalition is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Monthly HPAC Meeting
Time: Jan 27, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
General Interest update on Automated Ticketing on the WS Low Bridge:
UPDATE! -Starting on Jan. 11, unauthorized vehicles on the West Seattle Low Bridge during the day are subject to a $75 fine for each trip.
The Low Bridge has become an extremely important path for emergency vehicles, buses, and heavy freight to get in and out of West Seattle while the High-Rise Bridge is closed for repair until 2022. To keep this critical route clear for these essential trips, other vehicles may not drive on the Low Bridge between 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Alternate routes for people who cannot drive on the Low Bridge include the 1st Ave S Bridge or South Park Bridge. Click here to find detour routes and learn more about travel options.
Seeing these new SDOT signs around the neighborhood? Drop in to our Monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28 for updates from SDOT regarding work on the Home Zone projects and reporting on Reconnect West Seattle efforts rolling out in 2021 that need our input. Bring any new concerns or traffic impacts you are noticing!
HPAC 