February 4th is the deadline for the 2011 NPF Applications to be submitted. Do you have an idea for a project which might include a traffic circle, speed bumps, new crosswalk, crossing flags, or other small traffic improvements for the neighborhood? Consider submitting an application for an NPF grant. You can get an application here and more information about the program here (note this web page was not updated for 2011 yet). In the past the Ballard District Council has received $85,000 to $110,000 to distribute among three to five projects in Ballard and Crown Hill. The projects do not require a neighborhood match. The selected projects will be built in 2012.
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Mail and Package Thefts Continue
Quite a few mail and parcel thefts have occurred in Crown Hill, Greenwood, Ballard during the holiday season. The thefts are still ongoing. In a new wrinkle, last week, one of our neighbors reported witnessing his outgoing mail stolen on 12th Ave. Until now the MO usually involved following behind the US Mail, UPS, FedEx trucks and then perpetrating the crime. Theft of outgoing mail can be a means of identity theft and the effect can be more devastating than theft of goods from incoming mail or delivery services. Remember that theft of US Mail is a federal crime and should be reported to both the US Postal Service and the SPD. Please be on the lookout for unusual activity around mailboxes and porches. Consider getting a locking mailbox, and having packages delivered to work or a neighbor’s house who is home during the day. To add to that advice, it’s probably a good idea not to place outgoing mail in your mailbox (even with locking mailboxes, a thief can access the outgoing mail).
Rapid Ride Line D is coming
King County Metro will be replacing the current 15 and 15 Express buses which serve Crown Hill with Rapid Ride D Line by the end of 2012. As shown on KC Metro’s graphic (at the end of this article), both the Northern and Southern end of the line details have yet to be firmed up (see below for proposed route). Rapid Ride Line D will serve the route between Crown Hill and Downtown Seattle via Queen Anne.
General information on Rapid Ride is available from Metro’s Rapid Ride web page. Rapid Ride offers many improvements over the current bus service. Some of the improvements include:
- Faster boarding via three doors rather than the current single point of entry
- You won’t need a timetable. Service as frequent as every 10 minutes during the commute periods and into a larger portion of the non-commute day. 15 minute interval at other times during the day, and the same interval as the 15 for the wee morning and late evening hours
- Pre-paid boarding. Pay at the kiosk, and walk on.
- Fewer stops speed transit up with the tradeoff of having to walk a little more
- Improved amenities at stops, including improved lighting, and stop request signals to notify bus drivers of waiting riders
Of interest to many in Crown Hill, Blueridge and Olympic Manor will be how the bus is routed on the northern terminus. The current routing of the 15 turns around using a loop comprised of the residential streets 14th Ave NW, NW 105th St, 13th Ave NW, NW 103rd St, and 14th Ave NW. According to Paul Roybal of Metro, Line D is proposed to use a loop comprised of Holman Rd, 7th Ave NW, NW 100th, 100th Place, 3rd Ave NW, and Holman Road. Stops have not been determined, as yet. This will be music to the ears of many living on the current terminal loop, as articulated buses will no longer be driving on the residential streets adjacent to their homes at all hours. However that also means a longer walk to reach the new bus from many areas in Crown Hill, Blueridge and parts of Olympic Manor. Additionally, this will force a pedestrian crossing of Holman Road for those riders residing North and South of Holman to either board or alight from the bus. The changes will mean easier connections to the 75, 28 and 5 routes running respectively along Holman, 3rd and 8th Aves, and Greenwood Avenue.
View 15/Line D changes in Crown Hill in a larger map
Below is the full route map published by Metro. This is available as a PDF from the Line D information page at Metro.
Free Trees
FREE TREES FOR YOUR YARD: APPLY NOW
Crown Hill residents are eligible to receive free trees for their yards through the City of Seattle’s reLeaf program. Only a limited number of trees are available, and Crown Hill is not the only eligible neighborhood, so make sure to submit your request as soon as possible. Here are a few things to note about this program:
- Trees must be planted in yards, not as street trees. Do not plant under power lines.
- Recipients of trees will also receive a watering bag and a free bag of compost.
- To obtain trees (maximum of four per household) you must attend a planting and care workshop on December 12. It is tentatively scheduled to be held at the Crown Hill Center, 9250 14th Ave NW
- A limited number of the following species are available: Italian prune, Douglas fir, western red cedar, Katsura, and Red oak (the same as the big oak at the Crown Hill Center on the corner of 95th and 13th). The prune is smaller and the shore pine is medium-sized, but the others can become larger trees. For this reason you will need to be selective about planting locations.
- The short application form is due Nov. 22, but since this is a first come, first serve program, it is likely that you will need to submit your form sooner if you want a tree.
- In addition to households, businesses, schools and churches are also eligible (no parks).
APPLICATION
To find the application form and see other information about the program, go to http://seattle.gov/trees/treesforneighborhoods.htm
Crown Hill Center Playground Survey
Recently Small Faces completed work on a grant to install a new play structure in the playground area. This is Phase 1 of a plan to revitalize the playground area. The playground and new structure are open to the public when Small Faces is not using them. Crown Hill Center/Small Faces are asking folk to complete a survey to be sure that the new Crown Hill Center Playground reflects the interests and needs of the Crown Hill Community at large. Please take a few moments to answer the four question survey here. Thanks!