Sustainable Crown Hill Minutes
February 3, 2008

1. Eden Trenor, from the Dept. of Neighborhoods intends to attend a SCH meeting as she is interested in what we are doing.

2. Tree Pruning seminar: Saturday, Feb. 10, 9:30-12, courtesy of Plant Amnesty. Location will be the Piper’s Creek Orchard. Focus will be how to prune fruit trees.

3. Kit: Crown Hill Neighborhood Association
*Info about Frank Chopp is proposing a bill in the legislature on how to assist communities in purchasing surplus properties, ie. Schools. Information will be sent out on the newsletter on how to support this legislation.
* Walkable Crown Hill: is still collecting signatures for traffic circles, but they have been approved and will be going in on Mary Ave
* Looking for more board members: Need 10 people on the board. The neighborhood association has applied for a 501-3c status
* Want to organize a neighborhood bike trip to the Ballard Farmer’s Market

4. Carol Barber: Suggested have a video night on sustainable issues. Both the Crown Hill United Methodist Church and Abundant Life Church were proposed as possible spaces. Some people wanted videos monthly, and some quarterly. She will explore it further.

5. Plastic Bags:
A proposal was put forth to request that Art’s Plaza become plastic bag free. People that expressed an interest on being on this committee are: Carol Barber, Jim, Lanae, Dennis, and Cynthia
A discussion followed about the making of fabric bags out of used items at Value Village. Jen and Kit have sewing rooms and good machines.

6. Cheryl made an announcement that in March and April Tent city will be coming to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church at *5th and 24th. There will be a community meeting announced in the CHN newletter – if people are in support of this activity she encouraged people to be in touch with the pastor. Trinity United Methodist Church in Ballard wants to set up a Homeless Selter in gym

7. Carol Kennedy: 9076 Holman development: There has been no contact from the developer. The CHN association, and CHB association have or will be both writing letters to the developer encouraging a community meeting. Carol will leave it up to the official associations to contact the developer, but encouraged all community members to be involved in any community process as the development will have a large impact on: pedestrian safety and access to metro, noise levels north or Holman, and the proposed park.

8. Carol K. talked about the Pedestrian Safety Master Plan. Jodie Vice reported that they still have not hired a consultant. Barbara Gray is the project manager, and Jodie forwarded my e-mail onto her. Barbara Gray is working on developing a tool for “Neighborhood Walks”, which will be a tool in which communities can educate the consultant about the pedestrian safety issues in their neighborhood. This will be forwarded to us when it is ready.

9. Discussion on the role of Ballard District Council on approving development. They meet the 2nd Wedn night at 7 PM. This council was responsible for how Bridging the Gap funds were dispersed to neighborhoods. It was noted that multi-family building codes are being revised that allow increased density with less environmental oversight.

-Condos are going up on 90th and 15th Ave NW – they are going to build 4-plex condos where there are currently duplexes

10. Danielle: Planning a family friendly Easter egg hunt, that will focus on low sugar foods and community building. Dennis said that he would help.

11. Emergency Planning and Preparedness: Jim Marshall.
Assess how prepared we are as individuals and as a community. Get people together and go through people’s houses and walk through for safety and preparedness. He said there should be 3 days worth of water and food. Checklist is available through the city.
-Suggested that people be appointed for checking on the elderly and disabled; acquire phone numbers so that neighbors can be called
-Every neighborhood should have a point person with a phone list; get to know your neighbors.
-There was a question about the block watches: it is a very passive program as funding was taken away.
People who express and interest are: Dennis, Jen , Brandlyn, Carol B. and Jim, Kirstin, Danielle, and Lanae.
Contact Jim for training on neighborhood preparedness

Have non-emergency numbers available for fire and police
Should have tools to shut off gas and water
Designate a neighborhood meeting place

12. Urban Farming: Mark Mendonca
Want to set up a coalition of people to share energy, resources, information and anything else pertaining to establishing gardens. He would like to see 20 new vegetable gardens started.

Lanae said that there is a community growing space at Abundant Life Church
There was a discussion on seed catalogs and ordering
Cheryl Henry: master composter and horticulturist who is very interested in soil health. Encouraged people to get compost system and worm bins. She has an ornamental garden focus. An intense small garden needs incredibly fertile soils. If the soil is healthy you don’t need pesticides and you can use less water.
Cheryl will do a composting workshop on Sunday afternoon: Feb 17th 4:30, at 8608 27th Ave NW
Soil quality test is an inexpensive test: about $25.00 – test for heavy metals and nutrients.
Everybody needs to add Mg and Ca; If you add calcium to your lawn the dandelions go away; ad Ca by adding bone meal, or add egg shells to worm bin..
Kirstin: will take excess food that people have to a soup kitchen
Discussion about chippers and borrowing one or getting one off of Craig’s list. Some indicated that chippers are very high maintenance tool and may be difficult to borrow.

Magnuson Park: can get rain barrels, worm bins and green cones. Mike Huber goes every Friday, if you would like him to pick one up for you.

Mark encouraged everyone to e-mail him with questions and projects, and he will facilitate getting it done. Think what you want: seeds, projects, things you want to share
Jen: she makes (?) bumble bee houses, bat houses, and bird houses.

Stuff for raised beds: non-treated wood- try the Re-Store Store.
It was suggested that a google group be set up, and Dennis said that he could probably do that.

Next meeting: Jason and Lenae’s house: 9202 11th Ave NW

Recorder: Carol Kennedy

No Comments »