Pathways Open House

From: ktarullo@ci.olympia.wa.us
To: ktarullo@ci.olympia.wa.us
Date: Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:41:24 -0700
Subject: [olympianeighborhoods] Neighborhood Pathways Open House - Nov 15

The City launched our Neighborhood Pathways program in September. Staff is very excited about this new opportunity for neighborhoods. Pathways make walking and biking trips more efficient, and have the potential to create safer route options. 

 

Open House: Thursday, November 15, 6PM – 8PM, City Hall, Room 207

The City is hosting an open house for residents to come and talk with staff and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee members, and have any questions answered about the program. Staff will provide maps of Olympia and potential pathway sites, notebooks with an inventory of existing pathways, and examples of pathway projects from the pathways pilot program. Join us anytime between 6PM and 8PM if you are interested in the program and would like more information.

 

Preliminary Application Deadline: Friday, November 30 (Extended)

We encourage neighborhoods to look into how pathways can benefit their neighborhoods. The preliminary application is a quick and simple process that allows neighborhoods to tell the City what their priority is for a pathway project, and how they see it benefitting their neighborhood. A full project scope and budget is not required until the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee reviews all Preliminary Applications and invite groups to submit Full Proposals. Please see the process timeline on our webpage (below).

 

New Pathways Map

We are excited to share a map of pathways in Olympia, located on our Neighborhood Pathways webpage. The pathway data on this map may not be current, but will give an idea of where there is potential for building formal pathways in your neighborhood. Please feel free to let me know if you have edits to this map, this map is a work in progress and staff knows there are likely pathways out there that we are not aware of. 

 

http://olympiawa.gov/city-services/transportation-services/plans-studies-and-data/neighborhood-pathways-pgm

 

Please feel free to contact me with questions about the program.

 

 

Kerry Tarullo Associate Planner

Public Works Transportation City of Olympia 360.753.8575 

 

Arts Walk Cover - Honoraria

2 WEEKS LEFT TO APPLY– 2013 ARTS WALK COVER ART SEARCH

Date: November 5, 2012

                                                                                                                                          

Released by:

·         Stephanie Johnson, Arts & Events Program Manager

·         360.709.2678

·         sjohnso1@ci.olympia.wa.us

Applications for the 2013 Arts Walk Cover Art Search Due November 19.

Olympia Arts Walk spring and fall 2013 will each celebrate the work of a participating artist in the design of the maps for the events.  A jury panel will select two artists --one for spring and one for fall-- to be commissioned by the City of Olympia to each create a new, original work of art for the cover of the Arts Walk 2013 maps.  These maps are a major part of event promotion, and final artwork will be viewed in a variety of ways, up close and from a distance, and reproduced in several different media including newsprint.

Application Details:

·         Eligibility - Artists who have officially (name on the map) participated in Olympia’s Arts Walk within the last two years are invited  to submit images of current work; students are not eligible to apply.

·         Honoraria - $600

·         Deadline for Receipt of Application - Monday, November 19, 2012, 7pm

·         Applications Available -      Online:  www.olympiawa.gov/publicartCFA
                                               Via Email:  sjohnso1@ci.olympia.wa.us
                                               By Calling:  360.709.2678
                                               In Person:  The Olympia Center, 222 Columbia St. NW

Pathways Project Update

Here's an update from the NWONA board on our plans for submitting an application (or two!) for all the ideas being generated in the neighborhood for making more walking/biking connections.
The NWONA board has asked board members Dorothy & Susan to co-chair this process. They are facilitating the first meeting on Thursday, November 8, 2012, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Vic's Pizzeria. (Don't worry, if you can't make that meeting--you can still be involved!)


Please let Dorothy & Susan know if you can attend by emailing ournwona@gmail.com or signing up at our NextDoor site so they'll know how much space to reserve at Vic's. Dorothy & Susan are also monitoring and compiling all the great ideas flowing here on the NextDoor Pathways group!
Additionally, the City is hosting an open house Q&A time on Thursday, November 15, 6-8 p.m. at City Hall. Dorothy & Susan will attend that meeting, and invite you to join them so NWONA neighbors can attend in unison. Hope we see you there! 

Westside Break-In

 Laura Wohl, Public Information Officer
·         360.753.8214 – desk
·         360.951.8889 – mobile
·         lwohl@ci.olympia.wa.us<mailto:lwohl@ci.olympia.wa.us>

Break-in on the Westside

At around midnight on October 31, 2012, a woman woke in her Westside home to find a masked intruder at the foot of her bed.  The man held a butcher knife and demanded that she give him money, which she did.  The crime was not reported until this morning when the frightened victim talked with her neighbor who then called the police.  The victim was unable to give a description of the robber because of the mask.  Neighbors reported seeing two men leaving the area of the victim's front yard around the time of the incident.  

Olympia Police officers have developed several persons of interest and the investigation is on-going.  Anyone with information about this crime is urged to call the Olympia Police Department at 360.704.2740 or Thurston County Crimestoppers at 360.493.2222 (callers may remain anonymous).

Laura Wohl | Public Information Officer - Police Department
City of Olympia WA | PO Box 1967 | Olympia WA 98507-1967
phone:  360-753-8214
email:    lwohl@ci.olympia.wa.us<mailto:lwohl@ci.olympia.wa.us>

All correspondence to and from this email address is a public record, potentially eligible for release.
City of Olympia website:  www.olympiawa.gov<http://www.olympiawa.gov/>

New Meeting Space

Invitation to Share:  The EcoHouse@Fertile Ground

 

Dear Friends,

 

After two years of preparations, we're excited to invite our friends to The EcoHouse@Fertile Ground - a new community meeting place, shared office and workspace. It's a small comfortable house with good energy, part of an urban oasis of sustainability in the heart of Olympia.

Looking for an office space close to Downtown?

Need a meeting or event space?  

If you are a non-profit, small business or individual who needs a flexible comfortable place to do your green thing… look no further!

 

We're seeking several new office-mates and community space users beginning November 2012!   Support the Commons and join our collaborative community.

 

Looking for the perfect space for a Board Meeting? 

A Holiday Party? 

Secret Café?  

Class or Workshop?

Need a professional space to meet your clients? 

A quiet place to work?

 

We’ve got you covered.  You and your partners will be impressed with the warm, clean meeting rooms and beautiful natural surroundings.  You’ll feel great about working alongside others creating a better world.  The Location is central and easy to find – right behind the library.

 

Visit our website for options and rental pricing.  Contact us by email or phone if you have questions or want to schedule a time to come by for an hour or two, give it a test drive. 

 

We’ll keep the coffee warm until then.

 

Chris van Daalen, Board Member

Jeff Thomas, Board Member

The Commons@Fertile Ground

www.EcoHouse.FertileGround.org

ecohouse@fertileground.org

Chris:  (360) 789-9669                                                           

Jeff:  (360) 239-7564

 

 

 

 

 

Pathways

The City launched our Neighborhood Pathways program in September. Staff is very excited about this new opportunity for neighborhoods. Pathways make walking and biking trips more efficient, and have the potential to create safer route options. 

 

Open House: Thursday, November 15, 6PM – 8PM, City Hall, Room 207

The City is hosting an open house for residents to come and talk with staff and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee members, and have any questions answered about the program. Staff will provide maps of Olympia and potential pathway sites, notebooks with an inventory of existing pathways, and examples of pathway projects from the pathways pilot program. Join us anytime between 6PM and 8PM if you are interested in the program and would like more information.

 

Preliminary Application Deadline: Friday, November 30 (Extended)

We encourage neighborhoods to look into how pathways can benefit their neighborhoods. The preliminary application is a quick and simple process that allows neighborhoods to tell the City what their priority is for a pathway project, and how they see it benefitting their neighborhood. A full project scope and budget is not required until the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee reviews all Preliminary Applications and invite groups to submit Full Proposals. Please see the process timeline on our webpage (below).

 

New Pathways Map

We are excited to share a map of pathways in Olympia, located on our Neighborhood Pathways webpage. The pathway data on this map may not be current, but will give an idea of where there is potential for building formal pathways in your neighborhood. Please feel free to let me know if you have edits to this map, this map is a work in progress and staff knows there are likely pathways out there that we are not aware of. 

 

http://olympiawa.gov/city-services/transportation-services/plans-studies-and-data/neighborhood-pathways-pgm

 

Please feel free to contact me with questions about the program.

 

 

Kerry Tarullo Associate Planner

Public Works Transportation City of Olympia 360.753.8575 

Garfield School Reconstruction

I just wanted to pass along an invitation to a community meeting about the
Garfield Elementary Renovation Project on Nov. 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30
p.m. in the Garfield Library. Our design and construction team have some
preliminary plans to share along with some other updates on the project
and we want to be sure that neighbors are informed. Please let me know if
you have any questions. Thanks so much for your help and support in
sharing this information. 

Best regards, 
Ryan 

Ryan Betz 
Director of Communications & Community Relations
Olympia School District
Office: (360) 596-6104

The Rain and the Drain

HELP PREVENT LOCAL FLOODING

Date: October 31, 2012

                                                                                                                                          

Released by:

·         Gary Franks, Operations Supervisor

·         360.753.8333

·         publicworks@ci.olympia.wa.us

Crews Battling Heavy Rain to Prevent Flooding

Olympia crews worked in the rain through the night clearing catch basins and storm drains of leaves, but with approximately 10,000 storm drains in Olympia, they could use your help! If it is safe to do so, use a garden rake or shovel and remove leaves and other debris from the storm drains near your home or business. Be sure you remove the leaves and debris off the street or they will just return during the next storm. Remember, safety first – if you feel it is unsafe, or there is severe flooding, please contact Public Works Emergency Dispatch for assistance.

City Ordinance in Effect:

·         In September 2011, the Olympia City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting residents and business owners from sweeping, raking or blowing leaves into the street. Leaves, sand and other debris can clog storm drains and cause local flooding. Find out more about this ordinance on our website.

Options for Excess Leaves:

·         Turn them into Compost: Put sustainability into action – use your leaves for compost or mulch around your plants. When properly used as mulch or compost, leaves provide an outstanding organic matter and nutrients to the soil. Get more information about composting on our website.

·         Put them in Your Organics Cart: Put your leaves into your organics cart so they can be recycled and turned into rich reusable compost. Don’t have an organics cart? Call 360.753.8340 to sign up.

·         Temporary Containers: Residents can request a temporary yard waste container from the City of Olympia for leaves and seasonal yard maintenance projects. For container pricing information contact 360.753.8368, option 2.

Need Assistance with Flooding?

·         If flooding is severe and you are unable to clear the drain, please call Public Works Emergency Dispatch at 360.753.8333.

####

Paint the Intersection!

Come Paint the Intersection

Of

Garfield Ave. and Thomas St.

When? Saturday, September 29th

(Rain date: October 6th)

10am-3pm

Why? Intersection murals slow traffic in

your neighborhood by making drivers

aware that this is a place where people

walk, bike and play.

Who? Everyone in the neighborhood

What? A day of painting, food, celebrating,

and fun activities

For more info contact mheiland@intercitytransit.com or

360-705-5817

Proposed site for Intersection

Painting

Forum - Boys and Girls Club

NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION WILL HOLD COMMUNITY FORUM/NEIGHBORHOOD CONVERSATION ON THE UPDATED DESIGN OF A NEW BOYS & GIRL’S CLUB ON OLYMPIA’S WESTSIDE

Date of Forum:  Monday, September 17, 2012 – 6:30 p.m.

The Olympia Coalition of Neighborhood Associations will hold a community forum/neighborhood conversation to review and discuss the updated design for a new Boys & Girls Club in Olympia on the campus of Garfield Elementary School.

The forum will be Monday, September 17, 2012, 6:30 p.m. at Olympia City Hall Council Chambers, 601 4^th Avenue E.

It will be moderated by a representative of the Coalition. Board members and staff from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Thurston County will be present to share information and answer questions about the latest design. The forum is open to the public.

About the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations:

The Olympia Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (CNA) was formed in 2006. Its primary purpose is to provide a forum for individuals and community organizations to discuss important topics with neighborhood association leaders, and to ask individual associations for support and help.  The Coalition also helps associations connect with and learn from each about other how to organize and advocate more effectively. 

This summer, the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations and the City of Olympia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalize the CNA’s role, including coordination by the CNA of neighborhood issues forums on timely topics of community interest. 

Questions? Contact Bob Jones, Chair, Olympia Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (CNA), 360.867.0867; email: bobjonesmilitary@comcast.net.

Coalition website:  www.olympianeighborhoods.org

_________________________________________

Cathie Butler | Communications Manager

City of Olympia WA | PO Box 1967 | Olympia WA 98507-1967

phone:  360-753-8361

email:  cbutler@ci.olympia.wa.us

FIVE ARRESTED FOR BURGLARIES OF NORTHEAST AND WESTSIDE HOMES

FIVE ARRESTED FOR BURGLARIES OF NORTHEAST AND WESTSIDE HOMES

Date:  August 28, 2012

                                                                                                                                          

Released by:

·         Laura Wohl, Public Information Officer

·         360.753.8214 – desk

·         360.951.8889 – mobile          

·         lwohl@ci.olympia.wa.us

Police make arrests in recent burglary cases

Olympia Police arrested five people associated with two different residential burglaries yesterday.  In the first incident, a computer, game consoles and other items were stolen from a Westside home on August 17, 2012.  One of the victims contacted Olympia Police and reported that the stolen computer had shown up for sale on Craig’s List.  Yesterday, Detectives contacted the sellers, pretending to be interested buyers.  The Detectives met with two juveniles who showed them the computer.  The two were arrested when the computer they were offering matched the stolen computer.  Two more juveniles were arrested later in the day, having been identified as also participating in the Westside burglary.  Detectives believe the group may be responsible for other Westside burglaries that have occurred in the last month.

In another incident, police were called to a Northeast home at around 3:00 am this morning for a burglary in progress.  The caller reported that someone was inside the home’s detached garage, which had been locked previously in the evening.  While the resident watched, a person left the garage, pushing a wheel-barrow full of tools, and headed towards the street.  Police responded and found Kraig Czapiewski with the stolen goods.  Mr. Czapiewski was arrested for burglary.  Police are investigating whether Mr. Czapiewski, who has a history of burglary and theft, may have been involved in several recent Eastside burglaries. 

####

BURGLARIES ON THE RISE IN OLYMPIA

BURGLARIES ON THE RISE IN OLYMPIA

Date:  August 2, 2012                                                                                                       

Released by:

·         Laura Wohl, Public Information Officer

·         360.753.8214 – desk

·         360.951.8889 – mobile          

·         lwohl@ci.olympia.wa.us

Olympia Sees Increase in Residential Burglaries

Crime data from the Olympia Police Department shows that the residential burglary rate has climbed in 2012 and is currently 48% above the 2011 rate.  The number of burglaries in the City took a sharp jump during the month of July, particularly in the Westside and Southeast areas.  63% of the burglaries have involved unsecured homes and garages.  In several cases, items of value were visible from windows and the burglar simply opened a door or window to steal the items.  In other cases, suspects have walked through neighborhoods checking homes for unlocked doors and windows.  Upon finding an unsecured home, they enter and steal easy-to-carry items such as laptop computers and jewelry.

The Olympia Police Department is concentrating its efforts on solving these crimes and stopping the people responsible.  The police department is asking for the public’s help:

·         Secure your windows and doors. Thieves are opportunists who look for easy targets. If you feel you must leave windows open due to the warm weather, use a wooden dowel to limit the amount of distance the window can open.

·         Be vigilant. Be aware of your own surroundings and of what’s happening in the neighborhood. If you are the victim of a break-in, call 911 immediately and let the police search your home and the surrounding area.

·         Report suspicious activity quickly. If you observe suspicious people or activity in your neighborhood, call 911 and report this to police without delay. 

Police and the public, working together, are a proven tool for reducing burglaries and catching burglars.  Police are also tracing stolen property, increasing patrols in the affected areas, and using crime analysis to find the people responsible for this crime trend.

If you have information that might lead to the identification and apprehension of the persons responsible for these crimes, please contact the Olympia Police Department at

(360)753-8300 or Thurston County CrimeStoppers at (360)493-2222.

FREE WATERFRONT PUBLIC ART TOURS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29

FREE WATERFRONT PUBLIC ART TOURS THROUGH SEPTEMBER 29

 

Date: August 1, 2012

                                                                                                                                          

Released by:

• Stephanie Johnson, Arts & Events Program Manager
• 360.709.2678
• sjohnso1@ci.olympia.wa.us

Looking for a great FREE activity for yourself or out-of-town guests?  Take a guided tour along Olympia’s scenic waterfront to learn about the public art that is both shaped by and defines our community!  Sponsored by Olympia Parks, Arts & Recreation and the Olympia Arts Commission, tours leave every Saturday through September 29 at 11am from the bell in front of the Farmer’s Market near the traffic circle.  Tours take approximately one hour and include information on Triumph of the Vegetables, Motherhood, Tide Pool of Time, Kujira I, The Kiss, South Sound Map and the Percival Plinth Project.

 

For more information, call Olympia Arts & Events at (360) 709-2678.

olympiawa.gov­­­­

Message from Chief of Police

 

Chief Ronnie Roberts sent the following message to neighborhood associations in Olympia as an introduction to the newest members of the Olympia Police Department (OPD).  

 

 

Over the last year we have been feverishly working to hire officers to fill vacancies left by retirements and resignations.  I wanted to introduce you to some of our new officers. 

Officer Ryan Donald is out of the Academy finishing his last rotation with his PTO.  Officer Ryan Donald was born in Frankfurt Germany in 1980.  He grew up in a military family.  He enlisted in the U.S. Army Military Police Corp. just after September 11, 2001.  Officer Donald was stationed in Germany after receiving his basic training.  He has completed two deployments to Iraq and one to Kosovo.  After returning to the states he was stationed in Arizona where he worked with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.  Officer Donald left the military after eight years and was employed as a Loss Prevention Officer before being hired with the Olympia Police Department.

Recruit Officer John Minshall is currently at the police academy.  Recruit Officer John Minshall was born in Gilroy California in 1984.  He has lived in the Tacoma are for 25 years.  Recruit Officer Minshall has been an active reservist in the U.S. Army for the last ten years.  Four of those years were on active duty and deployments to Iraq.  For the last year he has worked as a full time Corrections Officer with the Olympia Police Department.  He is married and has two children.  Recruit Officer Minshall is enrolled in college and is working on his Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership.

Officer Yaraslov Pavlenko is currently in the police academy. Recruit Officer Yaraslov Pavlenko was born in 1988.  He immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine in 1992 with his family.  He grew up in southern California before moving to Vancouver Washington.  Recruit Officer Pavlenko worked in construction and as a Reserve Deputy with Clark County Sheriff’s office.  He is fluent in Russian and English while having working understanding of Spanish.

Officer Eric Henrichsen is currently awaiting entry into the academy in September. Recruit Officer Eric Henrichsen was born in Oak Harbor Washington in 1987.  He attended Central Washington University graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology.  After graduation he worked as a Loss Prevention Officer with Walmart.

Officer Javier Sola  Del Vigo is currently awaiting entry into the academy in September.  Recruit Officer Javier Sola Del Vigo was born in Bilbao Spain in 1973.  He served in the Spanish Army before immigrating to the United States to learn English.  He attended South Puget Sound Community College where he received his AA certificate.  He enrolled with the Evergreen State College and graduate with a Bachelor in Arts Degree.  Recruit Officer Sola Del Vigo attended the American University I Cairo Egypt where he studied Political Science.  He has attended and completed the Bates Fire Academy. He also attended Pierce College where he received certification as an EMT.  Recruit Officer Sola Del Vigo became a naturalized citizen in 2008.  He is a U.S. Marine Corp. reservist as was recently promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  He is recently married and living in Olympia.  Recruit Officer Sola Del Vigo is fluent in Spanish and English while possessing a working knowledge of Basque.

Officer Ashley Cavalieri   is currently awaiting entry into the academy in September.  Recruit Officer Ashley Cavalieri was born in Federal Way Washington in 1986.  She attended Highline Community College where she played basketball.  Recruit Officer Cavalieri transferred to Notre Dame de Namur University where she continued playing college basketball.  She graduated with a BA degree in Political Science.  She returned to Washington where she has completed Masters Course work in Education.  She has a certificate of completion from the PIMA Medical Institute for dental assisting.

Officer April illman is currently awaiting entry into the academy in September.  Recruit Officer April  Illman was born Enterprise Alabama in 1987.  After marrying she moved to Clarksville Tennessee with her husband who was stationed at Fort Campbell Kentucky.  She attended Troy University in Alabama and graduated from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville TN.  She has a Bachelors of Science degree in Criminal justice with a minor in Psychology.  Recruit Officer Illman moved to Washington in May after her husband was transferred to JBLM. 

This is an exciting time for the police department and brings enormous challenge.  I am proud of the diversity in culture and backgrounds. 

We will be conducting a formal swearing in of Officers Sola Del Vigo, Cavalieri and illman on Wednesday, August 1^st at 3 pm in the Council Chambers. We will also be promoting Officer Matt Renschler to the rank of Sergeant.  If you have time please join us.

--
-------

Alert from Olympia Police

On July 26^th, a neighbor who lives near Sherman St NW and Jackson Ave NW heard a knock on a seldom used door on the side of her house. She answered and found a well-dressed young woman who said she was giving away books (in exchange for donations) related to funding for school. The resident said she wasn’t interested and the contact ended, but she felt that the whole thing was a little strange.

There are two possibilities with this scenario. The young woman might have been legitimate or she may have been using a ruse to determine whether anyone was home. Most residential burglaries occur during daytime hours.

We’ve had a few burglaries in the Northwest area over the past couple of weeks. Laptops have been the primary target. Help us stop this trend and find those responsible with:

-          Prevention – please secure your homes and vehicles

-          Reporting – please call Dispatch about suspicious people or vehicles and to report crime (9-1-1 or 704-2740)

-          Communication – get to know your neighbors and talk about what is happening in your immediate area

Police officers assigned to the area will be patrolling and making contacts, too.

Thanks, Amy

Amy Stull

Police Community Programs

Olympia Police Department

360-753-8049

astull@ci.olympia.wa.us

Excitement in the Neighborhood

Monday morning at about 3:45 AM, there was considerable police activity in the neighborhood.  The following note from the Olympia Police provides limited information on this activity.

Jerry Parker

------------
The Sheriff's Office was chasing a suspect in a vehicle. The person crashed and ran in the area of Farwell & Division. In the process of continuing to run, he unlawfully entered 3 homes or outbuildings. Our K-9 tracked him and he is in custody for the Sheriff's Office charges and warrants as well as three additional burglary charges that will be referred to the prosecutor.

Boys and Girls Club Forum Planned

The Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (of which NWONA is a member) has organized a series of forums on neighborhood issues.  The first of these will focus on the Boys and Girls Club facility planned for construction adjacent to Garfield School.  That even has been  tentatively slated for Monday, August 27 at 6:30 - 8:30 PM at City Hall

Skills Exchange

Calling All Do-ers, Repairers and Makers!!

 

 

Transition Olympia is sponsoring RE-SKILLING events at the Love Our Local (LOL) Fest as well as the Olympia Village Building Convergence (OlyVBC).  We seek local folks who have a skill they’d be willing to share.

 

At LOL on August 19th from 1-9pm, near the San Francisco Bakery:  Offer a brief (30-60 minute) presentation one or more times during the day.  This could also be a prelude to a more extensive workshop during the VBC or later in the year as part of a Re-Skilling Fair. 

 

At VBC the week of August 19^th-25^th:  Offer a more in-depth workshop, where folks get hands-on practice learning the skill.  These workshops would need to be free-of-charge, in the spirit of VBC.

 

Re-Skilling Fair:  We are in the beginning stages of planning a more extensive program for later in the year.  More to come…

 

Skills run the gamut, from drop-spindle wool spinning, to cob construction, to darning socks, weaving baskets, making a mason-bee house, filtering water, buying and using hand tools, making soap, etc… anything that contributes to our resilience and interdependence, as individuals and as a community.

 

If you or anyone you know would like to participate and help build our local community, please complete the attached survey.  For more information contact Gita Moulton at gitamoulton@earthlink.net.

 

Look forward to hearing from you!!

 

 

Neighborhoods Gain Powers

The City and the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (CNA) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding that makes neighborhoods major players in formulating and implementing City policy.  This agreement assures neighborhood association (like NWONA) a voice in code enforcement, neighborhood planning, City personnel recruitment and selection, and many other aspects of City government affecting neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, I am unable to post the pdf. to this blog.  If you would like to view the agreement, send me a note.

Jerry Parker
jerome.parker@comcast.net

High Density Corridor in Neighborhood Future?

As most residents know, the Comprehensive Plan is being updated by the City.  To many, this may be as exciting as watching paint dry.   Neighborhood engagement often occurs in opposition to a specific proposal, e.g. the Boys and Girls Club proposal for the ballfield or the 7-Eleven at Harrison and Division.

The Comprehensive Plan provides an opportunity to look ahead.  The current draft from the City has one particular provision that should get attention from this neighborhood: the proposal for a high density corridor for 1/4 mile on either side of Harrison.

The following excerpt is taken from the draft:

Over time, areas near certain major streets will change from areas dominated by strip commercial development and other low intensity uses into ‘urban corridors’ with a mix of high-density uses where people enjoy walking, shopping, working, and living. ........These corridors, first described in the 1993 Thurston Regional Transportation Plan, should include supporting land uses such as community centers, day care centers, social service offices, educational functions, and parks and other public open space.....

• A compatible mixture of housing, such as apartments and townhouses, within or near commercial uses
• Excellent, frequent transit service
• Housing and employment densities sufficient to support that transit service
• Wide sidewalks with street trees, attractive landscaping, and benches
• Multi-story buildings oriented toward the street rather than to parking lots
• Parking spaces located behind the buildings or in structures

Slightly less intensive land uses at the fringes of the corridors will provide for a gradual transition from the intense activity of the major street edge to less dense areas about one-quarter mile from the main street.

(A map of the proposed corridors: http://olympiawa.gov/plans/comp-plan/~/media/Files/Plans/Comp-Plan/focus-areas.pdf) 

This excerpt and additional details can be viewed at: 

http://olympiawa.gov/plans/comp-plan/land-use-and-urban-design

City staff is currently revising the initial draft in response to public comment.  A new draft will be issued July 6.  Hearings on the new draft are scheduled for July 23, 25, and, if necessary, July 26.  

For more details, visit the Imagine Olympia web site: 

http://olympiawa.gov/imagine-olympia.aspx

Neighborhoods Gain New Role in City

A recent meeting between the City Council and the Coalition of Neighborhood Associations (NWONA is a member) established new roles for neighborhoods in the setting and implementation of City policies.  FYI

NEIGHBORHOOD UNIVERSITY – GRAFFITI PREVENTION

NEIGHBORHOOD UNIVERSITY – GRAFFITI PREVENTION

Date: June 6, 2012

                                                                                                                                          

Released by:

·         Amy Stull, Community Programs, Olympia Police Department

·         360.753.8049

·         astull@ci.olympia.wa.us

Neighborhood University Focuses on Graffiti Prevention

Neighborhood Associations and Block Watch Groups are invited to a Neighborhood University focused on graffiti prevention. Learn more about what you can do, what the City is doing and what other neighborhoods have done to battle taggers. This two-hour session will feature information about the problem, prevention tips, advice and materials for cleaning and time to talk to others about sharing resources.

When: Saturday, June 23^rd from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Where: City Hall, 601 4^th Ave E, Room 207

No RSVP is necessary. If you are interested in the subject but not affiliated with a neighborhood group, please contact Amy Stull at 360.753.8049 or astull@ci.olympia.wa.us for more information.

Westside Police Station Attacked - Again

WESTSIDE POLICE STATION VANDALIZED

Date:  May 30, 2012                                                                                                    

Released by:

·         Laura Wohl, Public Information Officer

·         Phone:  360.753.8214, Cell:  360.951.8889

·         E-mail:  lwohl@ci.olympia.wa.us

Broken Windows at Satellite Police Station

The City of Olympia Westside police station located at 221 Perry Street NW was vandalized last night between 11pm and 3am, Wednesday morning.  Most of the windows in the building were broken.  It appears that a hammer or similar tool was used based on the pattern of the broken glass.  No entry was gained through the damaged windows and the Police Department believes that vandalism was the primary purpose for the breakage.  The police have no suspects at this time and no motive for the crime is apparent. 

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call the Olympia Police Department at 360-753-8300.

####