WINTER 2004 REPORT

UNIVERSITY PARK COMMUNITY CLUB

 

The UPCC board met in early February and considered, among other things, whether to undertake a quarterly community meeting.   The board without dissent decided that due to the lack of a particular issue, one similar to the implementation of the Noise Ordinance, a newsletter was more appropriate for bringing matters of community concern to residents of University Park.  What follows is a compendium of matters that have come up during the three months since the last community meeting.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

 

In mid-January the UPCC joined the Friends of Ravenna Ravine and the UW's Office of Regional Affairs in sponsoring a clean-out of English ivy, Asian blackberry, and other invasive exotic species from the banks of the watercourse in the ravine.  Members Arlene and Earl Bell joined with residents Alice Cummings and the George Bridges family and seven UW undergraduate students during four hours of intensive work during what turned out to be a fine day for honoring MLK through community service.   Thanks go to Trader Joe's and Starbucks for supplying food and beverages for the hard-working crew.

 

Sound Transit

 

On January 8th there was an open house at Kane Hall for Sound Transit's presentation of the North Link Draft Supplementary EIS light rail proposals for the North Link alignment.  This included a modified alignment proposed by the UW due in part to vibration problems involving the Physics building.  The modified route follows the Montlake route near Husky Stadium but eliminates the Montlake station.  This route also identifies Brooklyn NE and NE 45/47th as the next station rather than the previously agreed NE 45th and 15th NE.  Thus the construction impact would be transferred to local businesses in the University District.   UPCC board members are inclined to prefer the original stop as being more convenient and less disruptive to local business in line with the University District Community Council's preference.  The recommendation of the North East District Council awaits the input from the Greater University District Chamber of Commerce response to the alternatives.

 

Meeting with UW Executive Vice-President

 

UPCC board members Earl Bell, Kent Wills and Barbara Harrell met with UW Executive Vice-President Weldon Ihrig to discuss matters of mutual concern in our neighborhood and the University District.  The main objective was to outline past differences like the lifting of the lease lid, the Campus Master Plan, student housing problems and boisterous and destructive student behavior in order to look forward to better future cooperation.  During the meeting there was discussion about how we can improve relations and in subsequent communications specifics like the MLK observance were noted.   Our major overriding concern is, and will continue to be, the need for some action by the UW to screen out illegal and dangerous housing being offered to students through UW auspices.   Some progress has been made and more may be expected in an era of improved relations.   Regretfully, this new era has yet to start, as the UW's representatives lobbied against the 'Off Campus Behavior' Bill (HB 2807) sponsored by 43rd District Rep. Murray when it was before the House Higher Education Committee.  

 

Off Campus Code of Conduct

 

The UPCC has been working with state Representative Ed Murray since early 1999 to achieve state legislation requiring the UW to establish a student code of behavior for off-campus conduct.  HB 2807 was the third attempt by Murray to gain statewide acceptance for holding state university students accountable for their off-campus as well as on-campus conduct.  Such a code would establish penalties for egregious student misconduct which University Park residents routinely experience. 

 

Currently four of six state institutions have such codes; only UW and Central Washington lack such a code.  During the 2004 legislative session the House passed ESHB 2807 91-3 with both our 43rd representatives voting with the majority.  Unfortunately the Republican-controlled Senate Higher Education Committee's chairman, Don Carlson of Vancouver, chose to hold the bill in committee and prevent it from reaching the floor for a vote.  The UPCC provided oral and written testimony at both the House and the Senate hearings of their Higher Education committees supporting the measure.  The Seattle Police Chief, Mayor Nickels, and the City Attorney all supported passage of the bill.

 

The UW has steadfastly refused to acknowledge any responsibility for student off-campus conduct and is one of the few major state universities having no such code.  The UW cites its lack of authority, lack of financial resources, and privacy issues, among other things, as its reasons for avoiding being part of any off-campus solutions to neighborhood problems.  Moreover, in recent testimony UW administrators place the blame for the perceived problems entirely on the University District melee while avoiding recognition of the systemic problems throughout the year.

 

They point to the formation, in the aftermath of the September 2003 melee of the Intervention and Prevention Teams consisting of UW campus police, Seattle Police, and Liquor Control Board officers as their solution to our problems.  Unfortunately, our experience has been that these IPTs operated only several nights a week and were confined to the Greek Row area.  The program is to be suspended in the summer and there is no way of knowing when it will be resumed.  The UW seems oblivious that these teams have little or no effect in quieting the longtime, almost daily, onslaught of UW student disturbances in one or more parts of University Park.  Indeed, it is ironic that one of the unintended consequences of the IPTs may have been to push the partying the partying further north into University Park.

 

UPCC will continue to work with our state legislators and others to gain enactment of this important legislative measure.  Its passage will be a major step forward in placing responsibility and accountability for off-campus student activities where they belong É on the UW and the students.

 

Noise Ordinance

 

The new city noise ordinance went into effect in October last year and to date the results have been mixed, 16th being quieter and 20th being, if anything, worse than before the implementation of the ordinance.   Other areas have been affected but most much less than 20th.   Members and residents need to be alert to daytime and nighttime noise disturbances and to call 625-5011 (Police non-emergency) to report them.  Each of us has some responsibility to test the value of this ordinance but if we do not test it, we have little basis for complaint afterwards.   Of course, in the event of a dramatic disturbance like the "U. District Melee" calls should go to 911 but for loud parties the number above should be used. 

 

Parking Enforcement

 

Residents of University Park may have noticed that street parking is more available now.  To a certain extent it may due to a combination of factors including efforts by the UPCC to secure better enforcement and the UW's support for an additional officer, but more likely due to the Mayor's discovery of parking violations as a method of covering other municipal deficits.  Funds generated by parking enforcement far exceed the cost of the enforcement operations even though they take place only five days per week for the most part.  At least, though, enforcement is continuous throughout the year, and apparently will not stop during summer as it has in the past. Again, eternal vigilance is the price of a working enforcement program and if vehicles are parked without Zone 6 permits, or do not get moved frequently (72 hours is the max permitted without moving) it is up to residents to call in their complaints.   And again, 625-5011 is the appropriate telephone, rather than 911. 

 

Housing Incentives in the University District

 

With the completion of the University Avenue transit and pedestrian improvements, the City of Seattle has proposed housing and business district improvements as its latest University District Revitalization strategy.  The city has proposed several techniques to stimulate housing development in the District, including reducing onsite parking requirements, density bonuses, tax exemptions and other techniques.  The overall objective is to increase the local population and generate more "buying power" to turn around the atrophied business climate in the District. 

 

UPCC is cautiously optimistic that our support for development of affordable housing, particularly for students, through the revitalization programs could alleviate pressure on illegal and unsafe conversions of single family houses in our neighborhood.  We will monitor the housing development incentives as they are developed this spring and keep our membership informed of developments.

 

Parks and Open Space

 

The Club endorsed the development of a park at the intersection of N.E. 43rd and 11th Avenue N.E. as proposed by the UDCC and the Roosevelt Neighbors Alliance.  Generally, there is a shortage of parks in our part of the city where the density is quite high and the need is clear.   For these reasons the City received funds to acquire parcels from both the County and the Pro-Parks levy.  The Club continues to be interested in the maintenance and improvement of Ravenna Park and the ravine.   At our October community meeting time was made available to Ella Thompson to present information about Friends of Ravenna Park and we endorse their proposal for a design grant to improve the playground at Ravenna Avenue. 

 

 

Finally

 

University Park routinely experiences missing street signs of various sorts, potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping, burnt out street lights, etc.  Use the numbers below to report such things; the city is quite responsive to calls.  They need to hear from us when these things occur.

 

Illegal dumping                                                       684-7587

Potholes                                                                 684-7508

Graffitti hotline                                                       684-7587

Street light outage (need pole number when calling)  684-7056

Street/Traffic sign repair/replace/outage                   386-1206

 

NEXT COMMUNITY MEETING

 

The above Newsletter items indicate that there will be much to report at our next community meeting.   The Board has not yet decided upon a date but at this time the most likely date will be in the latter part of June.   Among other things we will need to elect officers for the coming year.   In this regard those who wish to become candidates, or who wish to nominate others for board positions, should feel free to forward nominations to the Club's secretary Patricia D'Alessandro or to Earl J. Bell.