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Lake City gets update on plans

More than 200 people came to the Lake City Community Center April 14 to chow down on pancakes and view the latest proposed design guidelines for creating a Hub Urban Village in the heart of Lake City.

The event was a joint-effort of the Lake City Chamber of Commerce, which organized the fund-raising pancake breakfast, and the Lake City Neighborhoods Design Guidelines Task Force, which organized the open house regarding its efforts to draft the HUB design guidelines. The task force is a subcommittee of the North District Neighborhoods Council, which is made up of representatives from community groups from throughout the Greater Lake City area.

In addition to the chamber and North District Neighborhoods Council, several other organizations were on hand with displays of their latest projects, including John Rogers Elementary (which is seeking donations to renovate its aging playground), the Lake City Library and Thornton Creek Alliance, to name just a few.

One display that attracted a lot of attention invited the public to pick their favorite building design from a selection of photos taken of existing buildings throughout Lake City. The leading vote getter by far was the Lake City Parkplace Apartments, which received nearly two dozen votes. The beige building with red trim features pitched roofs of varying heights and balconies. "The reason I like it is that it's broken up," said Victory Heights resident Jerri Fredin of the building's design. "It's not a box look."

The Lake City Neighborhoods Design Guidelines Task Force plans to submit its recommendations to the City for review in June.

Aurora improvements considered

Medians may be the solution to high accident areas on Aurora Avenue North, according to both the State's and the City's Departments of Transportation.

Rather than install a median, some members of the Aurora Avenue Merchants Association suggest limiting the times when left turns are allowed to prevent accidents and allow customers to get to local businesses.

There will be an open house on the State Route-99 Safety Study on Thursday, May 9, 5-8 p.m. at Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, 7500 Greenwood Ave. N. For details, call 389-3095.

Home team wins championship

In March, the Granite Curling Club, located in the Haller Lake neighborhood, hosted the mixed curling national competition, and the Washington state team went home the champions for 2002. The final score was Washington nine, Minnesota seven.

Magnuson director steps down

The executive director of Sand Point Magnuson Park, C. David Hughbanks, has announced his decision to resign his post, effective July 1. Hughbanks, 65, has held the position the past two years. No new executive director has been named.

Nickels staffer named 'Rising Star'

Ravenna resident Marco Lowe, director of community outreach for the Mayor's office, has been named a Rising Star of Politics for 2001 by "Campaigns and Elections" magazine.

Every even-numbered year, the magazine honors individuals who have made their mark in campaign consulting, management, party organization, and issue advocacy. Previous recipients of the award include George Stephanopolous, James Carville and Mary Matalin.

Wallingford Steps contractor

Seattle Parks and Recreation has awarded a contract to A-1 Construction Company for construction of the Wallingford Steps Project, a project to provide connections between the upper Wallingford neighborhood and the Burke Gilman Trail/Gas Works Park.

Construction will start in May with completion anticipated in August 2002. Constructed improvements at the site will include concrete staircases, ramps, seating, railings, pavers, concrete planters with irrigation, plantings and lighting.

For more information about the project, please contact Tim Motzer of the Parks Department at 684-7060.

Zoo plan hearing set for May 21

The planned April 29 hearing on the Phinney Ridge Community Council's appeal of the environmental impact statement on the Woodland Park Zoo's Long Range Plan has been postponed until May 21.

The council filed its appeal because its members believe the EIS does not adequately address impacts from proposed porjects such as a new office building planned for the North Meadow, said Irene Wall, council president. She added that even setting major building projects aside, the EIS doesn't offer enough information on general issues like water use and impacts on local wildlife.

Broadview Community Council reviving itself

For some community councils, getting 30 people to attend a monthly meeting is a regular event, but at the Broadview Community Council's April 15 meeting, it was a triumph. For months the council has been struggling with low attendance. Fewer than five people showed up at some recent meetings. Currently, the council has no president.

"It's really hard to get community leaders in (Broadview) because we don't have any very hot issues," said longtime member and former president Gloria Butts a few months ago. "It's the issues that bring people in."

This past month, the council managed to find a hot button issue: the same unexpectedly high electric bills received by residents throughout Seattle.

The council could get a big turnout for its May meeting as well when it will discuss another potentially controversial topic: the growing problem of non-running cars collecting on streets and residential lots.

The Broadview neighborhood is bordered by Puget Sound to the west, NW 145th Street to the north and Aurora Avenue to the east. The southern boundaries are Carkeek Park on the west and Holman Road NW and North 105th Street on the east.

The Broadview Community Council's next meeting will be held on Monday, May 20, 7 p.m. at the Broadview Library, 12755 Greenwood Ave. N. For details, call the Greenwood Neighborhood Service Center at 684-4096.

Locals honored at Lake City Chamber luncheon

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels and Lake Forest Park Mayor David Hutchinson were on hand at the April 17 meeting of the Greater Lake City Chamber of Commerce to help present the Lake City Elk's Citizens of the Year Awards for 2001-2002.

Three awards were given out, one for Lake City, one for Shoreline and one for Lake Forest Park.

Sandra Williamson, owner of Aunt Sandie's Daycare/Preschool at NE 123rd Street and 25th Avenue NE won the award for Lake City for her efforts to clean up the neighborhood.

For the last six months Williamson has spent 20 hours a week picking up litter, removing graffiti and having abandoned cars towed.

"I just decided I was tired of people talking about how dirty Lake City looks," Williamson said.

Another North Seattle business owner, Jeff Weissman received the award for Lake Forest Park. Weissman and his wife Maggie own the Great Harvest Bread bakeries in Lake Forest Park and along Sand Point Way. The couple are also partners in the Great Harvest Bread in Ballard and in another outlet that will be opening in West Seattle this summer.

King County Councilwoman Carolyn Edmonds won the award for Shoreline. In a humorous moment, she was mistakenly called upon to present her own plaque.

"I really like coming to chamber meetings," Edmonds said. "This is my first meeting and I get an award."