Crown Hill Urban Village — Update July 20, 2016

To see the latest information on the Crown Hill Urban Village Smart Growth Committee, you’ll want to check out their website at crownhillurbanvillage.org.

There’s lots of recent activity happening and this is just a sample of some of it:

  • A survey has been developed to assess some of our priorities around the shape of denser development and what city services and infrastructure are required to support that increased growth and create a vibrant, walkable neighborhood. [Take the survey]
  • Neighbors like you are participating in public hearings being held by Seattle City Council. They are spreading the word that Crown Hill, Whittier Heights, Loyal Heights, Olympic Manor, North Beach, and Greenwood are keenly interested in how we can shape growth in the Crown Hill Urban Village.  Bert Hopkins speaks at minute 2 for about 2 minutes of this Seattle Channel video of a City Council hearing on July 6th. We have the largest potential upzone area in the 2035 comprehensive plan, and the impacts of HALA zoning changes may have even more effects. Yet Crown Hill has no effective neighborhood plan.
  • There are new articles appearing on their website. [Visit the website]
    1. So, What is an Urban Village anyway? Find out July 26” — a meet and learn opportunity featuring Geoff Wentlandt from the City to explain some of the terminology. Meeting is at the Greenwood Library on July 26th.
    2. Mandatory Housing Legislation Vote Scheduled” — call to action to  contact your Seattle City Councilmembers to let them know what you think.
  • The committee is starting to flesh out stories from people affected by current development. The first two of those stories are on their website now:
    1. A group of six lawyers are being displaced from their offices on 15th Ave NW by new construction. [Read the whole story]
    2. A retired school teacher will be moving from her comfortable rental across from Soundview Playfields when her duplex is redeveloped into higher density and more expensive housing. [Read the whole story]
  • The committee is working closely with Council Members Mike O’Brien, Rob Johnson, and Lisa Herbold to make sure that neighborhood concerns are heard. The survey mentioned above will be used to frame the discussions and develop a workable plan for our neighborhood and especially the Crown Hill Urban Village.

What can you do?

  1. [Sign up for updates on Committee Activities]
  2. [Volunteer to help out]
  3. [Take the survey]
  4. [Check out the website]
  5. [Attend the What is an Urban Village meeting on the 26th]
  6. Communicate your thoughts to your city council members.