In January 2012, residents of Wedgwood and Ravenna-Bryant neighborhoods formally began a community-driven process to develop a neighborhood plan for 35th Ave NE. This planning built on the excellent work the Wedgwood community completed with the Vision Plan in 2010, which resulted in several “Suggested Actions” to achieve the neighborhood’s shared vision.
The 35th Ave NE business district spans two neighborhood community groups which are separated to the north and south by NE 75th Street: the Wedgwood Community Council and Ravenna-Bryant Community Association. Both the WCC and RBCA have their own priorities and taking on a joint neighborhood planning process was logistically challenging. Therefore, both groups have since endorsed this community-driven planning effort for 35th Ave NE.
A COMMUNITY'S "NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN"
The purpose of all of this process is to develop planning tools to create the conditions for the community’s shared vision to become a reality. The City has a neighborhood planning process for community’s identified in their Comprehensive Plan as Urban Villages. This is a process that the City’s Department of Planning and Development (DPD) develops with the communities in these Urban Villages so that the growth planned for these communities can be done in a way that is desirable for the community and the City.
The communities along 35th Ave NE are not designated as an Urban Village and nor do they currently have the density to become Urban Villages. In fact, during the Vision Plan process, its not clear whether these communities want to become an Urban Village. As a result, the DPD doesn't have the resources to support the development of our neighborhood planing tools as part of their well-defined process.
Nevertheless, we have consulted with several City officials over the past two years to develop what we believe will be an effective and acceptable process. Through conversations with City staff, we have determined that the most pressing planning tools for us to pursue is:
- A streetscape plan for the business district and
- A review of the existing zoning and development of recommendations for zoning changes (if any).
THE SCHEDULE
We have recently been awarded a Department of Neighborhoods Neighborhood Matching Fund grant to hire a consultant to work with the community and develop these tools. We expect that with the consultant's assistance, we will complete these tools by the end of 2014.STEERING COMMITTEE
The 35th Ave Committee is the volunteer group of about 11 residents from Wedgwood, Ravenna-Bryant, View Ridge, and Hawthorne Hills which have formed to continue the planning efforts begun in 2010 with the Vision Plan. We do not have an objective other than to develop planning tools that fairly represent the community's shared vision.HOW CAN YOU GET INVOLVED?
There are many different ways that the community can be involved in the process.- Spread the word by telling your friends and neighbors about this planning process. Especially if they live on or close to 35th Ave NE.
- Stay informed by checking this website, subscribing to the Wedgwood Land Use Email Listserve, “Like” the WCC and RBCA on Facebook, or “Follow” the WCC and RBCA on Twitter to stay current on upcoming events.
- Educate yourself about planning and streetscape concepts so we can develop the most effective plan possible.
- Review the Coffee Talks which we co-hosted with the American Planning Association – Washington Chapter’s Community Planning Action Team.
- Review the results of the 35th Ave Survey.
- Check out our Planning Articles and Posts board, Streetscapes board, and our Architectural Style and Design board on Pinterst if you don’t know where to start.
- Donate funds or professional services.
