There are several items on the agenda for tonight’s Ballard District Council meeting that we wanted to pass along.
The Compass Center is the first item on the agenda. They own the now-vacant lot at 1753 NW 56 St. As we’ve reported before, their plans are to build an 80-unit facility to provide affordable housing for persons transitioning from homelessness.
Also on the agenda is Lise Ward from the Parks Department with an update on the 2008 Seattle Parks Green Space Levy and the opportunity to develop a new park in Ballard.
Bill Bryant with SDOT will be discussing the Market/45th Street Transit Corridor Improvements which addresses the east/west transit efficiency between Ballard and U District.
The entire agenda can be found here. The meeting starts tonight at 7 p.m. These meetings are open to the public. Public input and questions are encouraged.
I sadly can't make it tonight, so I hope you Swedes will do your usual excellent reporting job on the meeting.
I moved to Ballard seven years ago from NYC, and been consistently appalled by the lack of effort to keep our town's streets free of garbage, and I'd like the Ballard District Council to address this issue.
I walk around Ballard a lot, specifically the area south of Market Street, and I simply can't believe the amount of trash visible on the streets and sidewalks. Don't any of the businesses feel any responsibility to keep the front of their businesses clean?
I was a building manager in NYC for eight years, and the Dept. of Sanitation was quick to deliver a $25.00 violation if the sidewalk in front of one's business or residential building wasn't swept clean to one foot into the street, and this includes snow and ice removal. The street rule insured that manager's weren't simply sweeping/shoveling garbage and snow into the street.
Cracking down on business owners and residential business owners would generate revenue for the city, and keep our burg more welcoming.
Quite frankly, I'm sick and tired of wading through the myriad of broken glass, cigaratte butts, and general refuse that tarnish Ballard streets.
Perhaps a “feel good” campaign for all Ballard residents to do their part to keep the streets clean would work, but I recommend a stiff penalty for those who don't make the slightest effort to keep the front of their businesses and residences clean of refuse.
And no, don't blame the smokers for their butts, nor the club kids for the broken glass. Business owners owe it to their clientele to provide uncluttered access to their shops, even if the eyesore is a dead raccoon ten feet away from their entrances.
bscowler……Well said!!
where can i sign a petition to get violations like that observed? what a great source of revenue too.
bscowler,
The District Council meetings are open to the public. I've been to two meetings and they were both pretty interesting. Check out the web site at http://ballarddistrict.org There is contact info there. Maybe the Chamber of Commerce might be willing to partner with you or one of the other organizations which sit on the Council.
Thanks Alysse. Perhaps I'll go and vent my frustration to the few who can make things happen. ;-)
One quick word of advice… Don't mention that you just moved here* or that you are from somewhere else. Just bring the trash to their attention and report what other world class cities are doing about it.
*Seven years = just moved here. Unless your great great grandparents personally chased off the Native Americans, too many Ballardites will tune out everything you say after “New York”.
It is the absolute truth. “I moved from blah blah blah.” They have tuned out, will talk pettily behind your back, and more than likely shun you until they need a favor. Of course they will deny this and blame you for your wrong perceptions. But I digress…
On the trash subject. Leaf blowers should be BANNED! One example, I was standing on Market and 22nd in front of the Italian restaurant when all he11 broke loose as the building's hired gun blew all the dust and trash up the sidewalk, past and through the pedestrians into the street in a cloud of exhaust, filth and noise. He proceeded around the corner, sand blasting any and all in his path.
Don't actually pick up and clean anything, just blow it at someone else and let them take care of it. WTF.
Salty Much?
Since I moved here I've met lots of great people and never felt like an outsider. Of course I don't feel the need to tell natives how great Seattle would be if they had some real (whatever) like where I'm from. When people don't like me, it's probably not because I'm from Hawaii.
I appreciate your advice, however – if Ballard can't muster the effort to have streets at least as clean as New York City's, then we've really got problems.
My great great grandparents actually fought in the Revolutionary War, and my first American ancestor moved to Maine in 1645. I think I have the lineage to complain no matter where I choose to reside. ;-)
Well, very recently we did have a six page bi+($ fest about how everyone from elsewhere has ruined Ballard and shouldn't tell 'real' Ballardites how to do anything.
I live in Lake City and work in Ballard. Please point out to the SDOT guy that although there is regular and frequest bus service to the U Dist from Lake City, there are NOT frequent busses from the U Dist to Ballard, which would make my commute by bus almost an hour, most of which is spent on a street corner in the U Dist waiting to transfer. Having a two hour commute daily, rather than the 30 min (15 each way) by car – is not a good use of my time, and ain't gonna happen until SDOT understands that longer busses on the current schedule are not the answer, more frequent busses are!!
The only people who complain about new-comers are here on this blog. I have never heard one word uttered about such silliness anywhere in Ballard.
But that's how ballard shop keepers handle their trash/problems! Don't like looking at drunks? hey!! Exclusion zone! Who cares if they're now in our yards and doorways, they're not in a park where a shop keeper can see them.
Such good advice SPG
Can I paraphrase?
State the problem. State possible solutions. State one or 2 really good solutions. State interest in solving problem.
Wait for response and choose next step.
We all got history, and no offence intended.
ALAN J GERSON contributed to the lives of young people as a member of the Board of the Chinese-American Planning Council, and the Advisory Boards of the Puerto Rican Family Institute's New Arrivals Youth Group, and the St. Anthony of Padua after-school program. A longtime supporter of the Project Open Door Service Center and the Caring Community, Gerson contributed to a better quality of life for seniorcitizens. A supporter of the arts, he is fighting to create a folk music museum and affordable artist workspace.
Please vote for him in District-1 Council election on Septemer 15th. To continue his good reforms.
that is a good news abt gerson.
ALAN J GERSON – For Dist 1
We are only one day away from the Democratic Primary and only one day away from returning our favorite Alan J. Gerson back to the City Council!
check his site : http://www.geron2009.com
Please Vote tomorrow (15 Sept)for Alan.