This Valentine’s Day, we want to share the love. And you’re invited!

Our goal is to take care of people everyday. While it’s usually for clients, we strive to give back to our community and provide care for people who do not walk into our salon. This has included participation in fundraising events, providing haircutting services at Mary’s Place emergency shelter and our ongoing toiletry drive; we collect travel and full size items to donate to Mary’s Place throughout the year. This being the season of hearts and valentines, we want to extend the invitation to everyone!

Annie works with another stylist to get this young girl ready for the big party at SoDo Park!

We invite you to participate in a special Valentine’s Day drop for Mary’s Place. Donate small items at AFH by February 12th. We want to make this a special day for as many families as possible! We encourage beauty and toiletry items - nail polish, toothbrushes, tampons, lip balm, shower products, deodorant. We will also accept new and in-original-packaging underwear (for men, women and children), socks, bras, snacks (granola bars, chocolate bars, microwave popcorn), and reusable grocery bags.

Due to space limitations, we cannot accept larger items. If you have bigger items to donate, we encourage you to check out the Mary’s Place website for a full list of accepted items and drop-off times.

Need a little motivation? Take it from Dana Olsen — the bride whose husband-to-be cancelled the wedding 3 weeks prior, and she donated the entire reception to the families of Mary’s Place. We had the privilege of joining other stylists and makeup artists in getting everyone glam for the big night. Grab your tissues and read the full story here.

Please join us! We look forward to seeing new and familiar faces spreading the love :)

Cafe Flora is offering a swoon-worthy Valentine’s menu filled with indulgent options while remaining seasonal, local, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.

The four-course menu options include Spiced King Oyster Mushrooms, Green Papaya & Rainbow Carrot Ribbons, Meyer Lemon & Butternut Squash Risotto Cake, Citrus Cake with Passion Fruit Mousse, and Pistachio Chocolate Tart.

Cafe Flora’s deliciously colorful Valentine’s Day menu is available Sunday, February 14, starting at 5 p.m. The four-course menu is $70 per person. Reservations are required for parties of all sizes.

Cafe Flora
2901 E. Madison Street, Seattle
206.325.9100 for reservations
cafeflora.com

Here are the Dept. of Planning and Development’s Land Use notices, all within the last two weeks, and announcements of interest for communities from 21st Ave east to Lake Washington and E Union St north to SR-520.

2603 E Thomas St

Land Use Application to allow a three-story, five unit rowhouse in an environmentally critical area. Three surface parking spaces provided on site. Environmental review includes future unit lot subdivision. Zone: Potential Slide Area, Lowrise-2

Notice of Decision

2609 E Thomas St

Land Use Application to allow a five-unit rowhouse structure in an environmentally critical area. Surface parking for five vehicles to be provided. Existing single family residence to be removed. Environmental Review includes future unit lot subdivision. Zone: Potential Slide Area, Lowrise-2

Notice of Decision

1629 42nd Ave E

Land Use Application to subdivide one development site into two unit lots. The construction of residential units is under Project #6442134. This subdivision of property is only for the purpose of allowing sale or lease of the unit lots. Development standards will be applied to the original parcel and not to each of the new unit lots. Zone: Lowrise-1, Scenic view within 500 ft.

Notice of Decision

1711 25th Ave

Land Use Application to allow four, 3-story single family residences in an environmentally critical area. Parking for four vehicles to be provided. Existing structure to be demolished. Environmental Review includes future unit lot subdivision. Zone: Lowrise-1, Steep slope (>=40%)

Notice of Decision

Seattle at Work - Housing Affordability

Join Mayor Murray & department directors to discuss how Seattle is at work in your neighborhood & throughout the city. We’ll be continuing the conversation around the Housing Affordability & Livability Agenda, and we’d like your help in creating new programs aimed at increasing housing affordability, reducing housing barriers, & strengthening tenant protections.

Tuesday, January 26, 5 – 7pm
Seattle City Hall
600 4th Ave

Backyard Cottages - Second Community Meeting

Expanding the construction of backyard cottages could provide thousands of new housing units throughout Seattle and give homeowners an opportunity to earn stable, extra income and remain in their homes. Join us, along with Councilmember Mike O’Brien, at public meetings to discuss policy options that would encourage production of backyard cottages.

Wednesday, February 3, 6 – 7:30pm
Wallingford Senior Center
4649 Sunnyside Ave N

Resources

Land Use Information Bulletins
Property & Building Activity Interactive Map 
Design Review Board

Buildings in Design Review Map

Seattle In Progress

During December Madison Valley burglaries (14) and car prowl thefts (14) remained close to their November levels. There were three crimes against persons, including an armed robbery committed by a person with a concealed-carry gun permit. Other crimes declined a bit however, so that the overall number for December was approximately 50, similar to November’s total.

The Police Department has markedly improved its posting of reports major crimes, and this month we have details for 13 of the 14 burglaries.

1. On Dec. 4 at 5:15 PM a resident of a home on 26th near Denny called the police to report that upon returning home he had seen a light on and a male, described as about 5′11″ with dark hair and a backpack, inside his front door. When the police arrived shortly thereafter, they found the burglar gone and a glass door in the basement smashed open. The burglar took items worth approximately $12,000, including watches and a laptop. The police found fingerprints in the home.

2. Sometime during Dec. 5 or 6 someone removed the screens to three windows of a home on 32nd near Howell. The would-be burglar failed to get the windows open, however, and was unable to take anything from the home. Police found that fingerprints at the scene were too smeared to be useful.

3. In the early afternoon of Dec. 6 a would-be burglar attempted to enter a home on Republican near 30th by smashing a window pane in the back door. Smashing the glass, however, set off an alarm system that apparently scared the burglar away. A neighbor reported seeing three suspicious-looking young males in the neighborhood at the time, but police found no evidence that they were involved.

4. On Dec. 7 at 1:30 PM police were called to a residence on Olive near 27th to investigate a burglary in progress. On entering the house, the resident saw a burglar in the kitchen, yelled at him, and then left the house to call the police. The burglar, described as a young black male about 5′10″ tall and wearing a black hoodie and a white shirt, ran from the back of the home when confronted by the resident. When the police arrived they searched the house and concluded that the burglar had probably entered via an unlocked window. The burglar stole jewelry, but was apparently frightened away just as he was about to take a laptop and an iPad. The police found fingerprints at the scene.

5. On Dec. 12 around 1 PM four males wearing hoodies and covering their faces entered the back yard behind a business on Union near 24th from an alleyway. After they moved to the front of the business, one of them threw a rock at the door in an attempt to smash its pane. When the rock damaged, but failed to break the pane, three of the intruders fled back to the alley, but the fourth threw another rock at the door. When that rock also failed to break the pane he fled east on Union. All of this was recorded by security cameras on the building, and the tapes have been turned over to the police. The business owner believes that local youth are involved. The rocks caused about $2000 in damage to the front door.

6. During the night of Dec. 13 – 14 someone tried to enter a coffee shop on Madison near 29th by prying locks on a door to the shop. The burglar was unsuccessful, however, and police found no fingerprints.

7. Sometime between 11 PM on Dec. 16 and 8 AM on the 17th, a burglar unsuccessfully tried to force open the front door of a business on Madison near 29th but then found an unlocked window at the northeast corner of the building. Once in, the burglar forced open a safe and took approximately $840. Police found fingerprints at the scene.

8. Police were called to a home on 21st near Aloha on Dec. 17 to investigate a burglary that had occurred sometime in the afternoon or early evening of that day. An employee of the home’s owner reported that when she arrived at the home at about 8:30 PM the back door was unlocked and things appeared to have been moved around. The employee also determined that a person who was taking care of cats in the home had locked the back door when she left the home at about 2:30 that day. Police found that the burglar had disturbed several rooms in the house, and that a bathroom window on the main floor was open. Because the owner was out of town police were unable to determine what, if anything, the burglar took. The police found no fingerprints in the home.

9. On Dec. 18 police tracking a vehicle that had been stolen from a Renton address were directed to a house on Pine near 26th. There they saw a man and woman remove items from the stolen car and walk into the back yard behind the house. When police knocked at the house’s front door no one answered. Shortly afterward, the current resident of the house, which is owned by her grandmother, arrived and suggested that the female suspect was probably another of the owner’s granddaughters. The other granddaughter has a history of car theft and also has been forbidden to be in the grandmother’s house. After obtaining permission to search the basement of the house, the police eventually found both the man and woman hiding behind a mound of dirt in a crawl space. Both were read their Miranda rights and taken into custody. When the police talked to the house’s owner, she confirmed that her granddaughter was banned from her home and asked that she be charged with burglary.

10. Sometime between Dec. 24 and Dec. 28 while the residents were away, a burglar entered a home on 22nd near John through an unlocked window and stole items worth approximately $3000. Although there were marks around the window that the burglar entered, police infer that the burglar wore gloves because they found no usable fingerprints.

11. Sometime between Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 a burglar broke into a residence on 22nd near Madison by removing a screen and opening an unlocked window. The residence, which is currently occupied by eight renters, was unoccupied during that period because of the holidays. The burglar took a camera and jewelry worth approximately $1800 from the room of the renter who contacted the police, but the total amount taken was unknown when the police report was written. The police found no usable fingerprints.

12. At around noon on Dec. 25 there was a non-forced entry burglary at a home on 30th near Pine, but police have not posted a more detailed description of it.

13. Sometime between noon on Dec. 26 and 5:30 PM on the 27th, someone entered an apartment on 23rd near John and stole $15,000 worth of clothing, digital equipment, and cash. Police could find no signs of a forced entry into the apartment, and also found no fingerprints. However, there is a possibility that security cameras recorded the burglar(s) entrance.

14. On Dec. 29 residents who returned to their home on 24th near Howell after spending the afternoon and early evening downtown found that someone had used unsecured windows next to their back door to unlock the door and enter the residence. The burglar(s) took cash and digital equipment worth approximately $1700. Police found fingerprints on the windows by the back door.

Finally, it appears that arrests have or will be made in all of December’s crimes against persons.

1. On Dec. 15 a man used a credit card to buy a beer at the gas station at 23rd and Union but left before the transaction had been electronically approved. When the purchase was denied, an employee followed the man and asked that he pay for the beer or return it. At that point the man opened the beer and drank some of it. When the employee tried to grab the beer, the man punched him in the face and fled. The employee hailed a passing police car to report the incident and shortly afterward the police took the robber into custody. At the police station the police determined that the robber was highly intoxicated and recommended that he spend the night at a sobering center. Because the employee did not want to press charges, the robber was released after spending the night at the center.

2. On Dec. 22 at about 1:45 PM a rider on a southbound bus had his iPhone snatched from his hand by another rider who was getting off the bus at the 23rd and Aloha bus stop. The victim and a witness followed the robber off the bus, and when the robber slipped and fell, the victim grabbed his left hand and asked him to return the iPhone. Instead of doing so the robber showed the victim and the witness that he had a handgun, causing them to back away. As the robber fled east on Valley, the other rider photographed him and then called 911. Shortly after the police arrived they were informed that another police unit had apprehended a suspect at 29th and Valley, and when the victim and witness were taken to that location they identified him as the robber. After the police arrested the suspect, they searched him and found the victim’s iPhone and the robber’s handgun. Shortly afterward the police learned that the robber has a concealed carry weapons permit that is valid through 2019. The police report expresses concern that the robber continues to have a valid permit because (1) he has been arrested for a strong arm robbery at 25th and Madison and (2) on 9/26/2015 he had had a handgun confiscated for public safety concerns after he passed out while intoxicated at 10th and Pine. He later retrieved this weapon from the police, and it was the same handgun that he used in the armed robbery in December.

3. On Dec. 14 at around 5:30 PM a bicyclist commuting south on 19th near Madison was threatened by a woman driving a yellow Chevrolet Spark. The driver, who was unknown to the bicyclist, yelled angrily at him and tried to force him off the street. The driver continued to harass the bicyclist until they approached Union, at which point the bicyclist was able to squeeze past several cars waiting to cross the street. The driver, however, passed the cars on the left and caught up with the bicyclist in the intersection. The bicyclist then yelled at the driver to leave him alone and tried to leave the scene. The driver then drove into the back of the bicycle knocking the bicyclist to the ground. After the driver sped away south on 19th the bicyclist contacted the police, and after they arrived witnesses corroborated the bicyclist’s story and gave the police the car’s license plate number. 

Lowell Hargens is a Madison Valley resident and former University of Washington professor of sociology specializing in the statistical analysis of data.

With great fanfare and considerable community debate and discussion, the Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) Advisory Committee delivered a hefty list of recommendations to Mayor Murray last July. Since then, city government is taking the necessary steps to implement the HALA Grand Bargain and Mayor’s action plan with the development of legislation and Council action. Now the real work begins where the residents of Seattle are invited to help shape the changes to our laws that will realize the goals of HALA.

Seattle at Work Community Meeting

The heart of the HALA Grand Bargain is upzoning all multi-family areas, and single family areas within the Urban Villages, in exchange for more affordable housing. As this work proceeds, we have the opportunity to understand what is being proposed and provide feedback regarding the realities of implementation.

Join Mayor Murray and City Staff to continue the conversation around the Housing Affordability & Livability Agenda to discuss creating new programs to increase housing affordability and strengthen tenant protections.

Tuesday, January 26, 5 – 7pm
Seattle City Hall
600 4th Ave

Encouraging Backyard Cottages Community Meetings

Expanding the construction of backyard cottages (aka DADUs – Detached Accessory Dwelling Units) could provide thousands of new housing units throughout Seattle and give homeowners an opportunity to earn stable, extra income, and remain in their homes. Join city staff and Councilmember Mike O’Brien at two public meetings in January 2016 to discuss policy options that would encourage production of backyard cottages.

Tuesday, January 19, 6 – 7:30pm
Filipino Community Center
5740 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way

Wednesday, February 3, 6 – 7:30pm
Wallingford Senior Center
4649 Sunnyside Ave N

The Office of Planning & Community Development (OPCD) published a background report and analysis that provides a good overview. Here are some aspects of legislation being considered and worth thinking about in terms of, “How can backyard cottages work in my neighborhood or other areas I am familiar with?” and, “How do backyard cottages enhance our neighborhoods?”

• What sizes and heights should be allowed for cottages? Does it depend on the specific neighborhood? What portion of a lot should be preserved for green space? How close should cottages be to the property line adjacent to neighbors and how close when by an alley or street?

• What should the parking requirements be? Does it make sense for someone with no garage or driveway but a huge backyard to have to put in a driveway and parking spaces to add a cottage? What about areas with no available on-street parking?

• Should homeowners be able to create a basement or other section of their house as a rental unit (ADU or Attached Accessory Dwelling Unit) and also build a backyard cottage on their property? Should the owner be required to live on the property or is it acceptable for all of the living units (house, basement apartment and/or backyard cottage) to be rented with no homeowner resident?

• Do some ideas of ‘what makes sense’ depend on different kinds of neighborhoods’ housing types? Does the heights of surrounding homes or the standard lot sizes and locations of homes on those lots make a difference in how you think about proposals? Where an area has a ubiquitous architectural style, does that make a difference in what would be desirable?

• Are you considering building backyard cottage? What would be helpful to you? What creative ideas have you come up with? Watch this presentation to hear from folks who have done it describe the process, and where they experienced benefits and impediments.

Metro Transit announced on Dec. 16, 2015, that the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) had stopped its plans to have Routes 8 and 11 go north on 19th Avenue East and East Madison Street. The statement in December 2015’s Madison Park Community Council’s “Neighborhood Connection” newsletter about Route 11 is incorrect: Routes 8 and 11 will stay as is in March 2016, with the restructuring to support the implementation of light rail on Broadway and at Husky Stadium.

The Metro changes will be administrative actions and do not require Metropolitan King County Council approval. The No. 8 will split into Routes 8 and 38 at the Mount Baker Transit Center, and it will continue to go west on East John/Thomas streets starting at 24th Avenue East and East Madison.

Those who wanted to connect with light rail at Broadway and John Street on the No. 11 will have the options of transferring to the No. 8 at Martin Luther King Jr. Way East, walking two blocks on Broadway to the light rail station at John Street or taking the No. 49 or the streetcar (when it starts running) on Broadway.

Keeping the No. 8/11 as is may work out for the best since it will give Metro time to evaluate the results of the Proposition 1 funding (0.1-percent sales tax) improvements and the impact of the two new light rail stations. These changes add service hours that will be applied to other routes since the 19th Avenue East turn required additional service hours.

Other routes changes

Based on information supplied by several Metro drivers and riders, Route 11 is experiencing overflow problems, resulting in people left at the curb during peak hours. On Dec. 18, 2015, Metro stated that Route 11 on the Madison and Pine Street corridor will use 60-foot-long articulated coaches when ridership is at its highest.

Riders of the No. 43 will only have service during peak hours at 30-minute intervals, and this is unfortunate.

Metro is making an additional administrative change that will have Route 10 turn west at 15th Avenue East and East John Street, going by the light rail stateion on Broadway and then west to Pike/Pine downtown via Olive Way and Bellevue Avenue. This change will help some of the current users of the No. 43, but it leaves a gap on 15th Avenue East between East Pine and John streets, a level three-block walk.

Metro’s plans to increase the frequency of the No. 8 to fill some of the gaps when Route 43 goes to peak-hour-only service.

The route change for the No. 10 will provide added service for those in the Summit neighborhood. The sad part of this restructure process is that either Metro did not test the 19th Avenue East solution before going to the County Council or it did not coordinate with SDOT. Hopefully, this never happens again, given the amount of energy put in by a lot of people who were to be impacted by Metro’s change.

One would need to question if Metro tested having the No. 11 turn north at 15th Avenue East and East Pine. I was given responses like the bus can’t turn corners and that it would be a longer run.

So what was the 19th Avenue East solution? Metro also told me that its 60-foot buses could navigate the corner at 19th, but not the 40-foot buses, due to the length of the wheelbase.

BRT options

The one-seat ride that we enjoy going downtown to the Pike/Pine corridor may not be part of our future with the Madison Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that we approved as part of the Move Seattle initiative.

The BRT will have positive impacts for those along the Madison corridor, and that includes new and improved infrastructure, faster service, better signaling and easier access to the medical facilities on Pill Hill, as well as Town Hall, the Central Library and Colman Dock. The businesses on East Madison will benefit from the tourist traffic to our area.

Plans released by SDOT on Dec. 18, 2015, have the BRT only going to Martin Luther King Jr. Way East, which puts the future of a No. 11 Madison routing in question. One possible option is to have some of the BRT buses continue to Madison Park, but this then provides no direct access to the Pike/Pine corridor. Another option would be to have the No. 11 continue to go to Madison Park but turn up East John Street at 24th Avenue East and East Madison Street; this routing gives direct access to light rail and then downtown.

The third option would be for the BRT to go to Madison Park, but this faces two big obstacles, one being the added cost and the second is those in Madison Park not wanting wired transit that would be cleaner, quieter and better for the environment.

We should be aware that BRT means wires on East Madison through to MLK!

Hopefully, improved battery technology may eliminate the need for trolley wires on East Madison in the near future.

In any case, we who use buses on East Madison may face change in the future and should stay involved with the process with Metro and SDOT.

If you have comments or questions about the Metro plans or existing service, please call Jon Bes, Metro supervisor of service planning, at (206) 477-5391.

REG NEWBECK is a Madison Park resident.