This Wednesday is our regular Wallingford Community Council meeting, in room 202 of the Good Shepherd Center (4649 Sunnyside Avenue N). We have an action packed agenda of endorsements and reviews to get through, and we hope you can make it:
- 7:00 – 7:15 round table intro, announcements
7:15 – 7:30 review endorsement of the Green Lake Summer Skateboard Program (July – December)
7:30 – 8:00 2 final transfer station designs– review and feedback with SPU project manager Bill Benzer and Tim Croll
8:00 – 8:15 disaster preparedness update from Mary Heim
8:15 – 8:45 discuss merging the community council with the neighborhood office
8:45 – 9:00 discuss the annual meeting in May
To give a bit of background on the merger discussion, the Wallingford Community Council (WCC) and the Wallingford Neighborhood Office (WNO) were formed to serve the neighborhood long, long ago (some WCC paperwork dates to 1969!) The WCC was focused on developing and enforcing the neighborhood plan for the past 20 years, which required dealing in divisive land use issues. The WNO was born from the neighborhood plan and has been focused on uniting the community to organize community events and operate the neighborhood office.
Over time the roles of these organizations have changed. Most importantly, the WCC participants that developed the neighborhood plan have left the council, including the group focused on enforcing land use policies. The council now operates through consensus and principally focuses on engaging with government and supporting neighborhood groups rather than fighting development plans. Because of this change, there is no longer a personality or mission driven reason to separate the WCC from the WNO.
There is also overhead and confusion resulting from having two separate neighborhood organizations performing overlapping functions. The Wallingford community that is not involved with the organizations has trouble distinguishing between the groups, and the participants in the organizations are not being effectively shared. Both groups are also challenged by the fact that neighborhood blogs have taken over much of the role of informing and connecting the community, resulting in the WCC Wallpaper being shut down and also calling into question the purpose of the WNO e-news.
There are still important functions provided by these organizations. The WCC rolls up to the Lake Union District Council, is responsible for representing the Wallingford community to city government, and acts as fiscal sponsor for neighborhood groups. The WNO operates the Kiddie Parade, Garden Tour, and Home Tour, plus it funds and operates our neighborhood office.
We are exploring the idea of whether a common group organized around these functions will be stronger going forward than either organization standing on its own. If you’re interested in exploring this issue with us and in particular if you’re interested in being part of the board next year, please come to this WCC meeting. Thanks!
The WCC was formed in the mid-1960’s, ironically, to mitigate the plans for the original Transfer Station. The WNO is a relatively recent creation as part of Weaving Wallingford established by the Wallingford Neighborhood Plan adopted in 1998. There were concerns expressed in Team Wallingford at the time about the potential for confusion and possible overlap in activities. Until recently, the WCC ran community events such as the Kiddie Parade and provided insurance. These have since been transferred to the WNO as sponsor.
The WCC provided much more than “fighting development plans”, although land use issues are a very important component for the council. I would also comment that mitigation is not “fighting” a plan, but rather determining how best to modify a proposal to avoid future conflict and problems. This is why we have SEPA, land use code, a Neighborhood Plan, and the WCC – to provide a mechanism for mitigation.
The WNO is great as an information exchange, but has not had the resources or initiative to tackle land use issues. Beginning around 2008, the WCC also began to change focus away from land use issues. Members left because there did not appear to be much purpose if the WCC leadership was no longer interested in mitigating development or lobbying for the Neighborhood Plan. As such, the two organizations began to look even more similar.
My thoughts are that the 45-year-old WCC offered many more features than mitigating development plans. The advantages included a central contact point for city agencies, a PUBLIC forum to meet and discuss issues of concern to the neighborhood (and formulate a plan of action), to monitor and implement the Neighborhood Plan, to organize “round table” committees with City staff to discuss and mitigate concerns of the community, and distribute information about substantive issues facing the neighborhood. An important distinction is that the WCC is an open public entity with elected board-members, whereas Weaving Wallingford is essentially a closed private board.
The WCC has always skated the edge of locating community members to volunteer to serve on the Board. Few are willing to donate the time necessary to join the board to facilitate discussion and action on community issues. The “usual suspects” who worked to organize community projects seldom had time or energy to also serve on the Board. The annual “shaking the tree” to “volunteer” people at this time of year became a tradition. It should not be that hard, but few step forward. It takes a lot of work to serve on the Board and perform outreach and solicit neighborhood opinion before taking action.
I suggest that the WNO serves primarily as an information exchange and event organizer. The WCC has traditionally served as the action arm and point entity of our neighborhood government. Yes, there may be room for efficiencies, but the two organizations should be different. We need a public organization that has an interest in mitigating land use issues for our neighborhood and lobbying for implementation of our Neighborhood Plan. Thousands of hours and hundreds of households participated in creating the Neighborhood Plan. The Plan provides a road map and institutional memory for the Wallingford community as volunteers come and go, usually due to burnout 🙂
Cheers!
It is with dismay that I read Eric’s post regarding the proposed demise of the Wallingford Community Council as a separate and effective organization. The WCC has existed for more than 40 years, and Wallingford would be a much different and less attractive neighborhood if it wasn’t for the hundreds of volunteers that worked for and through it for so long.
The “reasons” for eliminating the WCC as a separate organization are not based on the lack of need for its mission, but on a recent failure of the organization to step up to its responsibilities to protect and advance the interests of the neighborhood. This is clearly reflected in the following comment in Eric’s message.
“Over time the roles of these organizations have changed. Most importantly, the WCC participants that developed the neighborhood plan have left the council, including the group focused on enforcing land use policies. The council now operates through consensus and principally focuses on engaging with government and supporting neighborhood groups rather than fighting development plans.”
Characterizing those who left the counsel as being focused on “fighting development plans” is not only wrong, but reflects a lack of understanding of land use matters and the history of WCC’s efforts. As one of those who left the council in 2008 because of the Board’s fear and refusal to stand up for land use issues, I can say that I primarily left not because of disagreements with the positions of the board, but because of the apparent fear of most board members to take any stand at all. Often, abstentions on votes on critical issues were the majority.
Very few residents of Wallingford, and I suspect very few current board members, know how different our community would be if a few individuals had not donated hundreds (in the case of neighborhood planning, thousands) of hours working on issues which required that they stand up to City Hall and outside developers. Almost always, these efforts were of invaluable benefit to the community as a whole, but were unrelated to the personal interests of those working on the issues.
I was only involved in the land use committee and WCC board for a few years. Yet I can point to several instances of how things would be drastically different if the WCC Land Use Committee hadn’t been active. For example, the medical office building between Sunnyside and Dick’s drive in was slated to be a large auto body and paint shop. The attractive mixed use development on the SW corner of 45th and Bagley was going to be developed into a car wash with an estimated 200 vehicle trips across the sidewalks during peak hours. Businesses abusing public shoreline street ends were forced to clear up their act and the public’s access to the lake. Wallingford got design review standards and restrictions on auto type drive in business along Stone Way and 45th. The list could go on and on. All of this was accomplished without litigation, but instead through the efforts of a few dedicated people and the reputation of the WCC’s commitment to land use issues. Developers would bring proposal to the WCC for review and comment because if its effectiveness. Often projects were cooperatively improved to further the interests of developers and the neighborhood.
Over the years the WCC has been interested in land use issues, it has negotiated, lobbied, and yes – even litigated to protect the interests of the community. There simply is no other party who is in a position to do it. The WCC had a broad enough base so that issues all around the community are of concern, not just when a project affects a few of our neighbors.
Hundreds of neighbors spent years working on the various neighborhood plans, much of which was adopted by the City. The WCC used to seek to have those plans observed. Now no one appears to be taking on their stewardship. All around the neighborhood there are clear violations of the neighborhood plans and land use codes, with little or no neighborhood oversight
Evidently operating though “consensus”, means avoiding taking any stands that may be controversial. When I left the WCC, the board was considering a rule that would for all practical purposes make it impossible for the organization to timely respond to land use issues. The Community Council hasn’t outlived its need, but abandoned its principals and courage. It would be a shame to eliminate the organization because its leadership (or membership) has failed it.
Yes, it is important to recognize that nobody on the board is paid, so it is vital that the organization act to express the collective will of its participants. If we had an active land use group or were dealing in divisive issues then this merger discussion would likely not be happening. So, if you are interested in joining the board or reenergizing it’s land use focus then please come to tonight’s meeting.
Well said, Greg and Lee.
One elephant in this living room is that the WCC failed to provide a forum for community discussion when the Seattle School District’s Facilities decided behind closed doors to completely ignore the Wallingford Neighborhood Plan. “Too controversial!” Lincoln would not be an interim school in what appears to be perpetuity, Hamilton would be housed at a large-campus with THEIR OWN playfield, theater and community amenities (like a 21st century library), Wallingford would have a brick and mortar community center building on the Hamilton site. Think of the work that went into that long-range planning. It was brought to you by Team Wallingford and the people responding here are some of those usual suspects.
The sound of Council member volunteer feet hitting the pavement was loud. My participation with the Wallpaper ended at that time as well.
A Community Council is where individuals, groups, developers go first in the grass-roots structure of Seattle. I had great success with traffic calming on a residential arterial (Thackeray below 45th) by bringing it to the Council. It turned out that I didn’t need official Council support but the advice of informed Council members was invaluable. We got traffic calming, though those were the good old days when we had a strong Department of Neighborhoods, headed by Jim Diers
(a casualty of the Nickels administration, what a loss there); with WCC member help we also got a grant through the Lake Union District Council for a permanent chicane, a traffic-calming feature.
Now Wednesday nights are very crowded in Wallingford. What is the deal with FIRST Wednesday for everything. Also, the Wallingford Chamber recently ended its involvement with the Wallingford Neighborhood Office (originally, the Office was intended to bridge a perceived gap between the two organizations as well as have a there there, as well as provide administrative support for both); In a perfect world, all would be housed in a community center.
Volunteer commitments are, to my mind, the same thing as professional commitments, just minus remuneration. That active WCC of yore was one of those and many thanks go to that band of usual suspects, you know who you are.
Having a strong WCC in place might just come in handy for any number of IFs.
In Seattle, churches – we found out recently – have very little city oversight (one person in one department unless DPD is involved) and the same goes for the School District.
My volunteer dues are current and the It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Tree Planting Project is celebrating our urban forest with an event on 28 May: Earthy Earth Day. Details will be posted soon. The Wallingford Neighborhood Office is one sponsor of that event in partnership with Seattle City Light.
The negative energy here is sad. Everyone on the council now had little or nothing to do with the Hamilton fight one way or the other. If you have a vision for the wcc and want to contribute positive energy towards making that happen then please come to the meeting tonight.
Being a volunteer requires the same level of commitment and professionalism as a paid position. No fair saying “it’s only volunteer”. It is a full time job and not many thanks. So, thank you, Eric, for stepping in to take the reins. Seriously.
This is not about Hamilton, though it was likely exacerbated by Hamilton. The only reference above is in a single paragraph… and the comment is accurate as it does appear to be the elephant in the living room. I know that I felt I had to dance around it in my post. Sadly. District Facilities sucks.
Instead of focusing on the negative, think about all the positive land use mitigation that the WCC has influenced over 45 years. Think of projects like Meridian Park, Wallingford Playfield, the tree plantings, Team Wallingford, traffic improvements to 45th, to 50th, and to Stone Way, the Wallingford sign at QFC, the crosswalk design, the Art Walk, the Garden Tour, the Home Tour, the Kiddie Parade, traffic circles, Wallingford Steps, workparties. I’m sure others can thinkof more. All a result of having a functioning WCC.
Never give up, never surrender!
We need the WCC … even if it may not be necessary at a precise moment in time. WCC has developed a city-wide reputation for professionalism in land use matters, and positively impacted many land use proposals (as listed by other posts). The WCC operates as a non-profit entity that also can buffer individuals from attack (and liability) when a strong stand is needed to mitigate negative impacts of development. WCC has encouraged positive development, as many learned when bringing a project to the attention of WCC and getting a warm response. And the WCC has engaged in litigation when necessary to stay true to the vision of the neighborhood plan and to prevent irrevocable negative development.
We need the forum and the organizational entity WCC offers, for those times when it is critical to take a stand on behalf of the neighborhood and to stay informed so when those times emerge we will be ready. I will help keep it alive, for the times when it is necessary, and I’m confident others will step forward as well.
the Wallingofrd chamber recently ended its involvement with the Neighborhood Office?
Did I read this right?
I was a Wallingford resident for the first fourteen years of my life, living on Densmore, mosty right across the street from the boy’s gym at Hamilton, which I attended along with Interlake Grade School and Lincoln High; where I delivered the Outlook and later the The Seattle Times for a few years; playing for thousands of hours at the Wallingford Playfield; and generally spending most of my formative years there, I retain fond memories of those times.
At the end of WW2 my parents made the decision to “move to the country”, which was actually the sparsely settled area around Haller Lake, then a couple of miles north of Seattle. We settled into a fairly large (by our standards) chicken ranch and goat farm, fruit and berry orchard, I hitchhiked on Aurora to get to high school, my dad continued to operate his unfinished furniture store on 45th Street. (Barrett’s Nude Furniture, a risqué name in those times, now the site of the moribund Golden Oldies record store) across the street from the original Dick’s Drive In.
Now I’m still in Haller Lake, living in a house my dad and I built on “the back lot” sixty years ago from Popular Mechanics plans with the help of a professional plumber and a real electrician. The goats and chickens are long gone, but it’s been an idealistic place to raise for children.
It wasn’t until a couple of decades ago that I finally realized how important neighborhoods and communities and community organizations are to the social fabric that weaves us together and can provide the basic infrastructure that allows us to interact with others in harmony, and to grow and prosper.
I’ve followed community affairs as well as I could and have paid particular attention to Wallingford, which I consider my birthplace, despite the fact that I was six weeks old before my parents settled here after an arduous automobile trip from the Midwest (so many flat tires and potholes that they had to stop in Idaho for my birth).
Now I’ve observed the ups and downs of the Wallingford Community Council for some time, have hoped that it wouldn’t die a gruesome death at the hands of inept leadership, Machiavellian politics or perhaps even worse, volunteer burnout. I’m still convinced that the WCC is viable, especially if it once again finds the resolve to speak truth to power, and to really represent and advocate the interests of its entire constituency.
I fervently hope it isn’t further weakened it by blending it into Weaving Wallingford, a very commendable organization in it’s own right, bur without the institutional memory that the WCC has.
Because the WCC hasn’t for several years sent a representative to the Seattle Community Council Federation, the city-wide umbrella NGO that has assisted communities and neighborhood groups since 1948, we can only rely on perhaps outdated policies to attempt to mitigate harmful governmental actions and policies.
Founded in 1948, the Seattle Community Council Federation is one of the nation’s oldest and most active coalitions of neighborhood groups. Yearly dues for member groups are $50. SCCF welcomes new member groups, and encourages renewal by groups whose membership in SCCF may have lapsed. Individual donations are also welcome and tax deductible, and go very far, as SCCF is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization. Please mail your check to SCCF, 2370 Yale Avenue East, Seattle, WA 98102-3310. For questions, contact treasurer Chris Leman, (206) 322-5463, [email protected].
We meet most months at 7 p.m. on the third or fourth Thursday at the NOAA Pacific Marine Headquarters, 1801 Fairview Avenue East.
Great perspective, Rick. Thank you for you work on open space issues, as well. Perhaps you are correct that it is important to acknowledge the history in our community, rather than avoid mentioning it, and learn from it.
School District Facilities made what amounted to a full-on assault to back out of prior agreements regarding Hamilton. This is not unusual for them. They are skilled at “divide and conquer” tactics. Witness many other school projects throughout the city. Facilities representatives told us that they do not pay attention to neighborhood plans, which seems a remarkable statement.
District Facilities does not always tell the truth. They played fast and loose with the “facts” in presentations to the School Board, at community meetings, and even to the Hearing Examiner, where their testimony is shielded behind their attorney. Coupled with some naive parents who did not do their homework, a few toxic individuals, and a council leader not accustomed, or possibly not willing, to play hardball, this division did a number on the ability of the WCC to navigate a path regarding Hamilton. Where, in the past, a retreat or round table would have been used (the School District refused to participate), the Board found itself unable to fashion an approach on Hamilton.
The Wallingford Neighborhood Plan included a path that had been developed since 1981 for Hamilton to move to Lincoln. This was the approach in the School District Facilities Master Plan (FMP) through 2008 and staff at the City were also on board. It was discovered that District Facilities never performed a cost/benefit analysis for Hamilton-at-Lincoln, so several Wallingford design professionals wrote and submitted one to the District. Moving to Lincoln would have saved an estimated $10 million dollars on the project, and resulted in a larger, more complete campus in line with District standards and space for their own athletic field. These same design professionals also made recommendations for Hamilton-at-Hamilton that would have trimmed an estimated $12 million from that project with improved sight lines and lower adverse impacts.
The School Board would not intervene because their only sources of information were the same people at Facilities that were misinforming the community. The School Board does not have its own independent research staff.
Everyone in Wallingford supported a renovated Hamilton, but District Facilities painted those who spoke up as “anti-child” and “anti-school”, and some people bought it without doing their homework by checking the institutional memory of the neighborhood. Facilities had a history of backing out of previous agreements and some sought to try to hold them to what appeared to be a better plan for everyone that would also have started Wallingford on its way to finally achieving a Community Center.
In 1996 the School District backed Hamilton out of the first Building Excellence program (BEX I), approved by voters, so that Ballard High School could use Lincoln. District Facilities then took Hamilton out of the BEX II program, also approved by voters in 2001. Finally, the District backed out of their own Facilities Master Plan and ignored the Wallingford Neighborhood Plan in 2008.
This “divide and conquer” by District Facilities unsettled the WCC for nearly 3 years and the WCC took a break from “fighting development plans” (although it is not always required that mitigation result in fighting). It appears that the WCC may be able to move forward again if given the chance. Hamilton was a tough spot in our history, churned up and caused by School District Facilities. We can move beyond that now.