Wednesday neighborhood walk with Councilmember Rasmussen

Weds. March 21st, 6 - 8 PM: Councilmember Rasmussen walks round the Miller neighborhood and chats with neighbors, in part to see how we've been since his visit in 2005.

Tentative Agenda ( I suggest you meet up with Tom as he walks along your street: contact people noted, or me (Andrew Taylor, tayles@jps.net) if desired. Catch up with him at any stop if he's not visiting your block)

6PM: Start outside home of Victor & Anne Delucchi, 201 22nd Ave. E. Tom's help with "their" bus-stop was invaluable.

6:20 ish, walk along 100 block of 20th Ave. E. and meet outside home of Heidi Ob'bayi, 127 22nd Ave. E and chat with residents of that block

6:40 ish, walk to 21st and meet outside home of Mike Clarke, 121A 21st Ave E. and chat with residents of that block

7:00 ish, walk to 1800 block of 20th Ave and meet on front porch of Prince of Wales apartments with Jon Vandemoortel, members of MaDCAP and residents of 20th Ave E.

7:20 ish (perhaps) stop by McKinney Manor to chat with residents.

7:30 ish, walk down E. Madison Street (19th Ave E. to 24th Ave E.) to look at and discuss redevelopment of commercial areas.

Here are some topics neighbors are interested in talking to him about:

• Are things really getting better? - Lately, there's been a noticeable increase in drug trafficking, loitering, and prostitution.
• I'd like him to take note of "Lake Denny," the large area of the street in front of the Madison Inn and the Firestone tire shop that floods every time it rains. One must walk down the center of the street between 21st. and Madison just to cross to the other side.
• appreciative of the resources and attention that he helped bring to the neighborhood, resulting in some dramatic changes; my thoughts about what helped the most and what could work in other areas concerns about controlling development, keeping housing affordable, and adequate parking
• rapid and far-reaching change in our neighborhood over the past 20 years, likely to continue to accelerate - can this neighborhood continue to honor its African American heritage, embrace our long-standing residents, and continue to provide affordable family housing despite exponential growth in housing prices? How do we sustainably manage green space, control water drainage, ensure livability for generations to come? Are we prepared to cope with the disasters we know are coming our way - and especially are we prepared to protect our most vulnerable neighbors?
• And a (highly relevant to us) note from a Ballard resident: CM Rasmussen in Ballard claimed that allowing developers to provide less parking with allow saving in constructions costs to be passed along in less expensive housing to tenants. We have condo owners parking their second cars in front of our houses (you know, the ones whose property taxes subsidize their development and permitting expediting), and the new visiting owner's friends the tooth fairies also park there when visiting. The fourplex residents can't park their Audis in the storage units that are officially garages so my neighborhors get that also. And the housing to condo conversion assistance bill was blocked by Frank Chopp who must be concerned about the Washington Builders Association getting upset.