Ravenna-Bryant Helps Spread the Word

A very kind thank you to the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association for spreading the word about the community planning being done by residents from Ravenna-Bryant, Wedgwood, and other NE Seattle neighborhoods for 35th Ave NE.

Many thanks, RBCA!

Welcome To Our New Blog!

Recently, residents of the Wedgwood, Ravenna-Bryant, and other NE Seattle neighborhoods have begun a community-driven neighborhood planning process for 35th Ave NE.  (You know this already if you're on this website.)  Yet, while the Wedgwood Community Council's (WCC) Land Use Committee did a lot of leg work to initiate this process and get it up and running, the neighborhood planning is not necessarily a WCC or Ravenna-Bryant Community Association (RBCA) en devour, despite the two groups being critical components of the planning process.  Therefore, to clarify this and make sure the planning more reflects the broader community it represents, we have moved off of the WCC website and have started this blog.  Enjoy!

Mayor McGinn Visits Wedgwood

(This originally was posted on the Wedgwood Community Council's website) 

UPDATE: The mayor’s office posted photos from their weekend, including their stop in Wedgwood.
UPDATE: Video of the town hall is embeded below.

Mayor McGinn paid Wedgwood a visit on Saturday, March 10th, for a walking tour of 35th Ave NE and to host a community town hall.  The mayor, who arrived on his trusted two wheeled chariot, was also joined by numerous City staff from the Mayor’s Office, Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Police, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Department of Transportation, and Seattle Parks and Recreation.   Additionally, several community members joined the walking tour representing Sustainable NE Seattle, North East Seattle Together (NEST), Eckstein Bikes and Bryant Bikes,Ravenna-Bryant Community Association, and Wedgwood Community Council.

We started the brief walking tour by showing the mayor the new Jasper building and describing the history of recent Wedgwood land use issues including the evolution of the Vision Plan and the ongoing neighborhood planning.  We then walked down to Van Gough Coffeehouse to meet Janet Gibson, who owns the coffee shop.  The walk then carried on south to the Seattle Audubon where the mayor met Russ Steele (store manager), Shawn Cantrell (Executive Director), Cathy Jaramillo (current board president), and Charlie Kahle (incoming board president).  Lastly, we showed off the mayor the Hunter Farm Project and discussed all the different events that occur at the site such as the Wedgwood Art Festival, Planet:HOME, and theemergency preparedness drills.  As we walked, the mayor and City staff were very gracious to share their thoughts and ideas.

Following the walking tour, the mayor hosted a town hall at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church.  McGinn addressed a slew of questions to nearly 70 community members on a range of topics.  Thanks to all that came to the town hall.  A special thanks to Mayor McGinn and all the City staff that came out to Wedgwood and made time to listen to us and our NE Seattle neighbors. Watch the town hall below on the Seattle Channel.

The mayor’s office also posted photos from his weekend neighborhood walk and town hall here in Wedgwood.

Coffee Talk 2: Making a Neighborhood Walkable and the Importance of Proximity

(This originally was posted on the Wedgwood Community Council's website) 

Coffee Talk: “Making a Neighborhood Walkable and the Importance of Proximity”
Thursday, March 22nd, from 7-8:30PM at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church (8008 35th Ave NE)

As part of the ongoing neighborhood planning process for 35th Ave NE, we are hosting a series of Coffee Talks on various planning concepts.  These Coffee Talks are hosted thanks to the help of the Community Planning Assistance Team (CPAT) of the Washington Chapter of the American Planning Association.

Our next Coffee Talk will be on March 22nd at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church (Fellowship Hall -downstairs) from 7-8:30PM. The presentation will be on “Making a Neighborhood Walkable and the Importance of Proximity” and will feature Paula Reeves from WSDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program; Kevin O’Neil, transportation planning manager from SDOT; and Lisa Quinn, the Executive Director of Feet First; and will be facilitated by the UW Urban Planning Department. As always, everyone is welcome.  Thanks again to Top Pot for providing coffee and some other deliciousness for the Coffee Talk. 

Future Coffee Talks Include:

• Coffee Talk: “Design at a Human Scale. A Primer on Urban  Design Concepts and City of Seattle Design Review Guidelines” - Thursday, April 26^th at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church (Fellowship Hall – Downstairs) from 7-8:30PM.  Speakers: John Owen, Makers Architecture and Urban Designand Cheryl Sizov, Senior Urban Planner with City of Seattle DPD.
• Coffee Talk:  ”Place-making and Successful Streetscape Features” – Thursday, May 24^th, Location TBD.  Speakers: Brice Maryman, SvR Design and Catherine Benotto, Weber + Thompson Architects
• Coffee Talk:  ”Density and its Benefits” – Thursday, June 21st, Location TBD – Speaker: Kevin Shively, Nelson\Nygaard Consultants
• Coffee Talk: “Financial realities of development.  Incentivizing successful development” – Speakers, date, and location not yet confirmed.  Possible dates:  July 23-27
• Coffee Talk:  ”The Trade Offs of Land Use Planning” – Thursday, Aug 23^rd , Location TBD. Speaker:  Erin Christensen, AIA, LEED AP ND, Mithun