Legislative Workshop for Environmental Issues @ SPU

Interested in making a difference with the Legislature?

Fortunately, the 2011 Legislative Session is near and as we prepare for the upcoming session, the Environmental Priorities Coalition invites you to join them for the annual Environmental Priorities Coalition Legislative Workshop. The workshop is a fun way to come learn about the 2011 Environmental Priorities and how you can take action to help get them passed.

Here’s the details:

  • Environmental Priorities Coalition Legislative Workshop
  • When: Saturday, January 8th, 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
  • Where: Seattle Pacific University, Gwinn Room
  • Cost: $20 with lunch, $10 without lunch, and $10 for students with lunch
  • environment

Experts will be on hand and a panel of our state legislators will be able to answer your questions about this year’s Environmental Priorities. There will also be break-out sessions on how to use social media to get your voice heard and be your own citizen lobbyist. Also, new this year, there will be a session on Activism 2.0, for folks who are ready to take their activism to the next level to help build the environmental movement.

Space is limited and already beginning to fill up. Register online today.

For more information contact Craig M. Benjamin, Communications Director, Environmental Priorities Coalition.

The Environmental Priorities Coalition consists of the following organizations:

  • American Rivers
  • Climate Solutions
  • Conservation NW
  • Earth Ministry
  • Environment Washington
  • Fuse
  • Futurewise
  • Heart of America Northwest
  • The Lands Council
  • League of Women Voters of Washington
  • Lutheran Public Policy Office
  • National Wildlife Federation
  • NW Energy Coalition
  • People for Puget Sound
  • Sierra Club Cascade Chapter
  • Surfrider Foundation
  • Transportation Choices Coalition
  • Washington Conservation Voters
  • Washington Environmental Council
  • Washington State Audubon
  • Washington Toxics Coalition
  • Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition
  • Zero Waste Washington
  • [mappress mapid=”265″]

SWS Stormwater Group Meets Tonight @ Uptown

This is a reminder that the next meeting of the Sustainable West Seattle Stormwater/Permaculture Project team will be this Wednesday, January 5th, 7:30 pm to 00:00 9 pm at Uptown Espresso at the triangle corner of SW Edmunds St., Erskine Way SW and California Avenue SW, at the south end of the Alaska Junction.

A draft stormwater presentation has been completed and uploaded to BaseCamp for project members.  If members of the project have any time, please take a look at it.

Copies of teh presentation will be available at tonight’s meeting and we’ll discuss it and how to improve it and how to get it out into the community.

Half the meeting will be devoted to the presentation, and the other half we’ll hear from Bill Reiswig about the Pathfinder permaculture project.

Park Opportunity Fund Recommendations Published

The Parks and Green Spaces Levy Citizens Oversight Committee finalized their project recommendations for Opportunity Funding at a meeting held last week. In the first cycle of the Opportunity Fund, $7 million will be awarded to community initiated projects.

The Committee’s recommendations will be forwarded to Parks and Recreation Acting Superintendent Christopher Williams, who will forward his recommendations to the Mayor and City Council. Seattle City Council is expected to approve project funding recommendations in March 2011. The project list is below.

The Parks and Green Spaces Citizens Oversight Committee developed the criteria for evaluating projects with guidance from the Levy Ordinance, and has gone through an extensive public process to recommend funding to the final projects located throughout the city.

Seattle voters approved the $146 million Parks and Green Spaces Levy in 2008. It includes a $15 million Opportunity Fund for community initiated development projects and land acquisition opportunities.

Highland Park Spray Park, Norhtacres Spray Park and 14th Avenue NW Park Boulevard are three additional community-initiated projects that will receive funding from other Levy sources. An estimated $1.5 million in 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy acquisition funds will be reallocated to the 14th Avenue NW Park Boulevard project. The goal is to convert two blocks on 14th Avenue NW (currently street right of way) from existing roadway and parking median into a community park with green infrastructure and safety improvements for pedestrians and cyclists. The community has prioritized this development project in lieu of acquiring additional property.

The two spray park conversion projects will receive a total of $905,000 in additional funding. This will allow for full water re-circulating systems which will provide better play experience and greater water conservation.

For more information please contact Susanne Rockwell at Susanne.rockwell@seattle.gov or 206-684-0902 visit the web at http://seattle.gov/parks/levy/opportunity.htm

First Round Opportunity Fund

2010 Levy Oversight Committee – Recommendations

(Project information is in the form of 1)District, 2)Project Name, 3)Budget Allocation, 4)Notes

CE – 19th & Madison Neighborhood Park – $473,000 -The intent of this project is to create a beautiful, tranquil green oasis in an urban setting, including a sensory garden and a community gathering space on what is currently a vacant lot.

CE – James Court Woonerf – $500,000 – The goal is to convert an existing street and sidewalk into a green, pervious space which invites and accommodates uses by people on foot instead of only cars. It would be adjacent to the newly acquired12th Ave Park which is in the planning stage.

CE – John Street Enhancement Project – $260,000 – This proposal enhances the new park and P-patch by adding a bioswale, planting area and providing better pedestrian connections.

CE – McGilvra Place Green Infrastructure – $364,000 – The project proposes closure of 15th Ave between E Madison St and E Pike St and modifications to the existing park for the creation of bioretention cells and rain gardens to accept runoff from the Cascadia Center’s new building to the east.

CW – Lower Kinnear Park Enhancement Plan – $750,000 – The project goal is to create enhancements that improve trails and signage, restore the native vegetation and make connections to other trails in the Seattle Parks system.

NE – Naturalizing Northgate – $500,000 – This project will refine and complete all remaining channel work in this park, thereby creating a healthier watershed with more controlled flow and plentiful native plants.

NE – University Heights, South Lot Park, Playground Gardens – $747,000 – The project goal is to produce a cost effective operation of a playground, open space, performance area, gardens and a plaza area for the public.

NW – Park Enhancements for Bitter Lake Reservoir – $287,000 – The project goal is to create additional open space and park-like atmosphere enhancements around the reservoir.

NW – The Troll’s Knoll – $685,000 – The goal is to create a model design of a sustainable park space. Proposed sustainable design features include the use of recycled materials, native plants, minimal earth movement, tree retention, storm water management, solar panels and wind turbines.

SE – Jimi Hendrix Park Development – $500,000 – The goal of this project is to complete the development of the park, bringing to life an open green space that is welcoming and provides an unique experience which clearly defines its namesake.

SE – John Muir Elementary PG Improvements – $270,000 – Construction of a new play area to replace existing one, including rain gardens, permeable surfaces and planting beds, native plant restoration.

SE – Lewis Park Reforestation – $260,000 – The project goal is to restore the steep slope area of the urban forest, increase the native plants and tree restoration.

SE – Rainier Beach Urban Farm and Wetlands – $500,000 – The goal of the project is to establish a unique green infrastructure development project transforming the Atlantic City Nursery into a working organic urban farm and demonstration wetlands restoration site.

SE – Santos Rodriguez Memorial Park – $350,000 – The project goal is to revitalize and make more effective use of the available space and to increase public awareness and access to the park.

SW – Puget Ridge Edible Park – $520,000 – The vision of Sustainable Puget Ridge is to create an urban community farm which is a neighborhood meeting place, a community food garden and a test site for environmentally conscientious sustainability.

The total funding for this round is $6,966,000.