A second meeting to discuss planning in South Wallingford is scheduled for Jan. 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wallingford Bible Fellowship (3701 Burke Ave. N). The meeting is open to residents, property owners, business operators, developers and anyone else who lives, works or plays in South Wallingford.

 The initial meeting, organized by an ad hoc committee of the Wallingford Community Council and held on Oct. 27, drew 35 community members for a presentation on the history of planning in Wallingford and development pressure in South Wallingford (including a number of specific development proposals that have come to the attention of the Community Council), a discussion of zoning south of 40th Street, an introduction to shoreline management issues affecting Wallingford, and a brief review of salmon recovery efforts on Lake Union. City Council member Richard Conlin gave a brief commentary on the possibility of follow-up planning in Wallingford to kick off the event.

 Attendees developed some general goals for South Wallingford in the last hour of the meeting. Participants wanted to see a diverse, cohesive mixed-use and mixed-income, live-work neighborhood, characterized by development in scale with existing buildings. Effective transportation facilities designed to facilitate neighborhood pedestrian traffic, provide public transit connections (by bus and perhaps by monorail) to adjacent neighborhoods and the community at large, and minimize the impact of automobile use were high on the list of priorities. Participants also wanted to see a lake front reserved for water-related industrial uses or maintained for public access and developed in a manner encouraging recovery of the natural shoreline. Preservation of views for the entire community, and protection and enhancement of existing open space were other important goals.

 In addition to the development proposals brought to the Community Council by property owners and developers, some specific ideas for particular parcels were discussed, including a suggestion that a waterworks and community center be developed on the Metro "tank farm" site.

 The results of this solid beginning will be reviewed and further developed at the next meeting. This second event will also include a presentation of draft proposals for realizing the vision for South Wallingford.

 - TOM VEITH, Neighborhood Planning Committee

 Wallingford Community Council