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Court ruling on Thornton Creek: it's drainage

On Aug. 13, a Washington State Court of Appeals upheld a City Hearing Examiner's decision that the water piped under Northgate Mall's south parking lot does not meet the legal definition of a creek for the purposes of placing it on the Northgate General Development Plan's maps.

Two citizens' groups, theThornton Creek Legal Defense Fund and Citizens for a Livable Northgate had challenged the Hearing Examiner's decision in court as part of their on-going efforts to daylight Thornton Creek at Northgate.

Knoll Lowney, an attorney for the Thornton Creek Legal Defense Fund and Citizens for a Livable Northgate, said his clients likely will appeal the decision to the Washington State Supreme Court, but he added that the much more important issue of whether or not that piped water is a riparian corridor for the pusposes of the City's Critical Areas Ordinance has yet to be decided.

That law likely will come into play, Lowney said, when discussions begin regarding specific development proposals for the Northgate South Lot property.

"We are determined to see that the creek gets daylighted at Northgate and also to ensure that Northgate becomes a sustainable develpment that can enhance the environment rather than destroying it," said Janet Way, a spokeswoman for the Thornton Creek Legal Defense Fund.

Peak Park site acquired

The Seattle Parks and Recreation Department is expected to purchase the land for the planned Peak Park in Fremont during the last week in August.

Peak Park is the brainchild of Jack Tomkinson, a Fremont resident, who first proposed the idea for the project last year when the nearly half-acre wooded property at 4351 Palatine Ave. N. was put up for sale.

Suzie Burke, a prominent Fremont businessowner, stepped forward last year to buy the land and hold it for future use as a park. Because of declining property values, Burke will take a loss on the property of $150,000 when she resells it to the City.

The Peak Park property will be purchased for $900,000. The project has various sources of funding including the Pro Parks Levy, a Department of Neighborhoods Matching Funds grant, the King County Conservation Futures Fund and donations from the community.

Tomkinson said volunteers are invited to get involved in the planning process by joining "study circles" which will tackle various aspects of the design.

For details, visit the Peak Park web site at www.fremontpeakpark.org.

Kiwanis plans fall fundraisers

The Kiwanis Northgate/Lake City Club will be raising funds this fall for several charity causes. Kiwanis member Alida Fretz says the club is selling 3-1/2 pound cans of gourmet nuts for $20 beginning in November. The club also has pickup sites for used inkjet cartridges at the Whole Foods store at Roosevelt Square as well as at Excel Properties at Green Lake.

Proceeds will benefit the Northwest School for Hearing Impaired Children, Nightwatch and the Kiwanis Worldwide Service Program, which is working to eradicate iodine deficiency disease, as well as providing bike helmets for children.

For more information, contact Alida Fretz at Excel Properties, 524-2135 ext. 146.

Ryther plans open house

Ryther Child Center, a child welfare agency, is launching a public awareness campaign about teenage drug use in connection with National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Ryther will hold an open house on preventing and treating teen drug addiction at its main campus, at 9400 NE 95th, on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 3-7 p.m. For details, call 525-5050.

Walking guide to Ballard

A free walking guide and map to Ballard, called "The Ballard Pedestrian's Friend" is now available to the public. The brochure includes information about neighborhood streets, public gathering places, a 10-kilometer walking route, recommended off-street walks and special Ballard landmarks.

The guide/map is produced by Feet First, an organization founded in 1996 which promotes pedestrian rights and encourages walking. The brochure was funded by a $5,000 grant from the City.

Copies of the guides are available at the Ballard Neighborhood Service Centerm the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, and in cafes, shops and community centers throughout Ballard. An online version can also be found at www.scn.org/feetfirst/ballard. For details, call at 783-3066

Martinez plans retirement

Yolanda Martinez, coordinator of the Lake City Neighborhood Service Center for the last 20 years, has announced her plans to retire, effective Jan. 3, 2003.

As director of the "Lake City Little City Hall," as the center is known to locals, Martinez, 66, has acted as the liaison between the City and Lake City area residents and business owners, making sure local government pays attention to community issues.

She has also coordinated the North District Council, which is made up of representatives from several neighborhood groups from throughout the area.

In addition, Martinez has been an active volunteer in several community organizations including the Northgate Chamber of Commerce, the Lake City Chamber of Commerce, the Lake City Rotary and the North Helpline food bank.

She is also the founder of the Lake City Christmas Project, which provides donated toys, gifts and food to needy families.

Martinez, a Pinehurst resident, jokingly said her first act as a retiree will be to "turn off the PC, turn off the phone, turn on the TV and turn on the fan."

On a more serious note, Martinez added, she will continue to volunteer in the community, especially with Spanish-speaking families who seek her out for everything from helping children find schools to notary services.

There is no word yet from the City on whether or not Martinez will be replaced after she retires.

North Precinct project update

A study on expanding the North Precinct Police Station recently concluded that it is feasible to enlarge the station on its current site.

Sue Partridge, a project manager for the City's Fleets and Facilities Department, said the station could be expanded within the existing footprint and zoning regulations but it would require the construction of a partially underground parking garage and a second floor. The building could not be occupied during construction.

The City is also considering two other options: move the station to a different site or create a second precinct in North Seattle.

"At this point, I don't expect any decision or identification of funding for at least two years," Partridge said. "The project is essentially shelved for the time being, although it will eventually be revived."

Gang activity on Crown Hill

This last summer, a gang has been active in the Crown Hill and Ballard area, police officials say.

Gang members have allegedly been involved in one shooting in Baker Park (located on the 8300 block of 14th Avenue NW) in July. The shooting left one man wounded, and in another resent disturbance involving shots fired, said Officer Duane Fish.

Gang graffiti has also appeared at Golden Gardens and Baker Park.

Fish said when gang activity occurs in neighborhoods, it usually has more to do with marking turf in areas where the gang members live, not other illegal activity such as drug dealing.

"They've just made the decision amongst themselves that this is the area they're going to be high profile in," Fish said.

He added that police are responding to the problem with increased patrols by the Police Department's Gang Unit.

North Matthews Beach official

Over the next several months, four signs reading, "Welcome To North Matthews Beach" will be placed at locations around the neighborhood.

Two of the signs will be on Sand Point Way, one near NE 97th Street facing north and the other near NE 113th Street facing south. Two more will be placed on the Burke Gilman Trail, one at NE 112th Street and another near NE 97th Street.

The artwork for the signs was created by local resident Larry Wall, who owns a poster and book publishing business called Walrus Productions. The sign depicts a flying bald eagle as well as a view of Lake Washington. Wall initiated the sign project as a way to increase the feeling of community among his neighbors.

The signs, which cost $300 a piece, will be paid for with a matching funds grant from the City and also with pledges from local households. In order to gather the signatures needed from residents to indicate their approval of the sign project, Wall rode his bicycle and walked around the neighborhood three to four times a day, talking to neighbors about his plan and showing off typical sign designs.

"Most people had no idea of what their neighborhood was called or they thought it might be Cedar Park," said Wall. He added that he also enjoyed people's reactions to his the North Matthews Beach sign. "Perhaps the best was that most people would say, 'Hey, the sign design looks just like our view!'"