There's a new gift shop on 22nd and Madison, located inside Aegis Living, which opened in February of 2014. The Mercantile features a nice assortment of jewelry, chocolates, locally made cards, lotions and soaps, teas, Seahawks products, children's toys and books, and some unique and vintage items you won't find in other gift shops. 

While you're there stop by the Queen Bee Cafe next door for coffee, crumpets, breakfast or lunch. A great new destination in the neighborhood.

When City People’s Garden Store opened in 1988, we had nine employees and one of every size of Felco pruner on our racks. Now, in our busy spring season we are up to about 65 employees (including landscaping) and stocked to the gills with pruners and plants and gardening products and gifts. As we have grown, so has our focus on organic offerings, non-toxic pest controls, and on educating the public about sustainable gardening. 

In this very busy and crowded world, taking time out to plant some pots, or grow your own vegetables, or create a quiet green space is more important than ever. And doing so with the least impact on the environment is our goal. You’ll find only organic soils and amendments here, and a variety of organic seeds and edible plant starts. And for ornamental gardens with the least amount of need for water, chemicals, or upkeep, there are dozens of native plants, drought-tolerant plants, and disease resistant ones from which to choose.

In April, there are several free workshops at the Garden Store to help you figure these things out, including Great Plants for the Pacific Northwest, Intro to Permaculture, Succession Gardening for Edibles, and Invasive Plant ID and Control. Descriptions and more free workshops can be found at www.citypeoples.com/garden/events.

We would like to encourage our customers to check in with us about their gardening practices. We are happy to point them toward alternatives to chemicals they may be applying, or are having applied, to their landscape. In the meantime, we are also trying to learn more and more about the pesticides used by our suppliers. While the growers of our trees, shrubs, and perennials cannot go completely without using pesticides, we are communicating with them about their use and encouraging practices that use more natural biological controls than chemical ones. With the awareness that customers and nurseries are requesting safer plants for the bee population and their own health, growers are responding with more careful pest management.

Sometimes just taking a walk through the nursery at City People’s Garden Store can help you get connected with the natural world again. See the many beautiful blooms, the promising edible starts, the elegant trees, and familiar shrubs, and let them inspire you to slow down, take a deep breath and imagine your own green oasis.

[Editor's note: we are posting full articles; please ignore the Read More link. We will be correcting this.]

Cafe Flora has an extensive vegetarian and vegan brunch menu that’s perfect for those looking for a healthy and hearty Easter meal. Among the options: 

Spiced Apple Waffle
A cornmeal waffle, spiced apple compote, ginger infused mascarpone and pecan oat crumble.

Strawberry Rhubarb French Toast
Brioche dipped in a rich egg batter, rhubarb compote, strawberry syrup, vanilla creme anglaise.

Rancho Colorado Scramble
Made with eggs or seasoned tofu, slow cooked rancho bean with tomatillos, fresh chilis, sweet corn, queso fresco and blue corn tortilla chips. 

Sunday brunch is served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Reservations for six or more can be made by calling 206.325.9100. 

Full brunch menu can be found at cafeflora.com.

Cafe Flora
2901 E. Madison Street

Here are the Dept. of Planning and Development’s Land Use notices pertaining to the Madison Valley community from the last week.

1733 27th Ave

Land Use Application to allow a 3-unit rowhouse structure in an environmentally critical area. Parking for two vehicles to be provided within two of the residential units, and one surface parking space. Existing single family residence to be demolished under a separate permit. Project also includes 1,500 cu. yds. of grading. Environmental Review includes future unit lot subdivision.

Notice of Decision
Project #3018450

1722 27th Ave

Land Use Application to subdivide one development site into three unit lots. The construction of residential units is under Project #6360009. 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.

Notice of Decision
Project# 3016318 

1726 27th Ave

Land Use Application to subdivide one development site into four unit lots. The construction of residential units is under Project #6338997. 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.

Notice of Decision
Project# 3016316

502 Lake Washington Blvd E

Land Use Application to allow 2,966 sq. ft. of vegetation removal and revegetation in an environmentally critical area. Project includes upgrade to retaining walls, stairs, and walkways.

Notice of Decision
Project# 3017958

1141 M L King Jr Way

Land Use Application to allow a 4-story structure containing 41 apartment units above 6,091 sq. ft. of commercial space. Parking for 27 vehicles to be provided. Existing structure to be demolished. 

Notice of Design Review Board Recommendation Meeting
Project# 3015747

Resources

Land Use Information Bulletins
Property & Building Activity Interactive Map (Click the markers for more info.)
Design Review Board schedules and documents

[Editor's note: we are posting full articles; please ignore the Read More link. We will be correcting this.]

Minutes from the 3-18-15 meeting with Metro regarding the changes to bus routes. 

Jeremy Fichter, Transportation Project Manager III is the lead from Seattle Metro on these changes.  He met with community members to outline the bus proposals and to answer questions.

Please visit MadisonValley.org a description of the proposals.

Please visit Nextdoor.com to follow the dialog of citizen concerns.

Primary concerns for attendees at the meeting:

• Increased frequency of buses (every 10 min) will lead to traffic congestion and perhaps delays.

• Increased transfers to other buses, light rail, streetcars so less one seat rides to destinations.

• One seat rides overwhelming choice over increased frequency

• Safety when transferring and walking to other stops or one’s destination.  Increased walking distances to shopping destinations so carrying purchases would be burdensome.

• Metro is very much encouraging use of ORCA cards for public transport. They are striving for a paperless system in future.

• Implantation of whichever plan is chosen will take place in 2016 after the light rail to UW and Capitol Hill street cars are operating.

Have a say:

Visit http://metro.kingcounty.gov/programs-projects/link-connections/

This website includes an online survey and a calendar of events so that you can plan to attend a community meeting.

Contact:

DeAnna Martin
Community Relations Planner
[email protected]
206-477-3835

Read the minutes from the Merchants Association meeting. 

MVMA Minutes 18-Mar-2015

There were 60 Madison Valley incidents reported to the police during February, almost the same as the number for January (58 incidents). As usual, car-prowl theft and vehicular theft (26 incidents) constituted the largest category of the reports, but property damage/graffiti reports (9 incidents) maintained their spot in second place. There were also 6 burglaries reported during February.

1. On Monday, Feb. 9, sometime between 8 AM and 7:45 PM a burglar entered a home on 26th Ave. E. between Madison and Mercer by smashing a patio door at the back of the house. The burglar then ransacked the house, taking a laptop, change from a change container, a black hoodie and, presumably, other items that are not listed in the police report. Although the residents were away, a large and protective dog was in a kennel in the home at the time, but its presence apparently did not hinder the burglar. The police found fingerprints at the scene.

2. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, there was a non-forcible entry burglary at a residence on 19th near Denny, but the police have not filed a detailed description of the incident.

3. On Friday, Feb. 13 at around 3 AM police were called to a residence on 25th between Olive and Howell to investigate a burglary that had occurred sometime after noon on Feb. 12. After searching to make sure that no one was present in the residence, the police and the victim found that a burglar had gained entry by smashing open a sliding glass door at the back of the building. The police report states that approximately $2600 worth of property was stolen, and that the police found fingerprints.

4. On Saturday, Feb. 14 a resident of an apartment building on 21st near Madison called police to report an attempted burglary of his unit. At around 9:00 AM that day a resident of a neighboring apartment observed a white male and white female attempting to force open a door connecting the the victim’s apartment to the apartment building’s laundry room. The witness recognized the woman as another resident in the building and asked them what they were doing. After the male told her that they were not trying to break into the victim’s apartment, the witness told them that they had better leave and informed the owner of the apartment they were trying to break into, who then called the police. The witness told police that the woman involved in the burglary and her associates were known drug users and “tweakers,” and that there was a lot of traffic in and out of the woman’s apartment. No one answered when the police went to the woman’s apartment to see if she was present.

5. On Saturday, Feb. 14, at approximately 2 PM a resident of a home on Pine near MLK heard a loud noise while showering in an upstairs bathroom. He quickly ran downstairs, found that a dining room window had been smashed, observed a white male dressed in a black hoodie and wearing a black knit cap and a backpack running out of his yard, and then called the police. Shortly after they arrived, the police noticed a person fitting the description on the corner of Union and MLK and detained him. After he was positively identified by the resident as the person whom he had seen running from his yard, the police booked the suspect into the King County Jail.

6. Sometime during the night of Feb. 17–18 someone broke into an apartment building on 23rd near Howell and then stole a bicycle from the building’s bike room. The apartment building is a new one and has video cameras, but whether the cameras were functional at the time of the burglary is unknown.

There were also a completed and an attempted robbery during February.

1. On Tuesday, February 10 at around 9:45 PM a robber with a semiautomatic handgun passed a note to an employee of a specialty store on Madison near 23rd threatening to shoot her in the face if she did not let him into the store. After she let him in, he stole approximately $11,000 worth of merchandise and cash and fled east on Madison. The robber, who apparently lives in Auburn, is known to employees at the store and the robbery was captured on video surveillance cameras. Although the police were unable to locate the robber at the time, it seems likely that he will be apprehended.

2. On Saturday, Feb. 28 at around 9:30 PM a man entered a fast food establishment on Madison near 22nd and told the worker on duty that he was homeless. Apparently homeless people frequently come to the restaurant in the hope of earning money doing odd jobs. In this case, however, the man tried to take the restaurant’s tip jar, but was prevented from doing so by the worker, who told him that she had a knife behind the counter. The man then told her that he could still harm her and that he knew that she was alone in the restaurant. The worker then picked up a phone and told the man that she was calling 911, at which point the man left the restaurant and fled west on Madison. Although the police were unable to locate the would be robber after they arrived, good quality pictures of the robber were recorded by the restaurant’s video cameras.

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

This week we introduce a new series by Kathryn Keller on Madison Valley Land Use Notices.

Here are the Dept. of Planning and Development’s Land Use notices pertaining to the Madison Valley community from the last week.

203 24th Ave E

The proposal is for a 5-story apartment building with 27 small efficiency dwelling units.

Notice of Administrative Design Review
Parcel Information
Project # 3018090  

217 23rd Ave E

Land Use Application to subdivide one development site into three unit lots. 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.

Application Granted
Notice of Decision
Project #6404983

2305 E Madison St 

Land Use Application to allow a 4-story residential structure containing 50 units above 3,492 sq. ft. of retail space.  Surface parking for 13 vehicles to be provided.

Notice of Design Review Board Recommendation Meeting
Design review materials (from prior early design guidance phase)
​Project # 3015490

Resources

Land Use Information Bulletins
Property & Building Activity Interactive Map (Click the markers for more info.)
Design Review Board schedules and documents

A rep from the Dept. of Transportation will be in Madison Valley to give a short presentation of the alternatives and take questions. If you have questions or concerns and want to meet with DOT in person, please attend. 

Wednesday, March 18th
9:30 – 10:00 AM at Cafe Flora

Lavender Heart will be closing after 13 years in Madison Valley. They invite you to join them for a party and raffle on Saturday, March 14th. You can also stop by and stock up on your favorite products now through March 24th.

Party & Raffle
March 14, 4 – 8 pm

Lavender Heart 
2812 E Madison St
(206) 568-4441

Sound Transit has announced two concepts for transit changes in 2016. These are the metro bus route changes they’re proposing for 2016 once the Capitol Hill and University Light Rail Stations are active. Note, this is different from the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). 

Transit Alternative 1 eliminates the #11 to Madison Valley and Madison Park.

At the following link you can learn about the two alternatives.
http://metro.kingcounty.gov/programs-projects/link-connections/

Call to Action

1. Please take the survey. Select the yellow button in the middle of the page that says “Take our survey”.
http://metro.kingcounty.gov/programs-projects/link-connections/

2. I would like for Madison Park and Madison Valley to form a committee of regular public transit users. I see the committee having 2–3 meetings. 

Meeting 1 – Understand the proposals by Metro and Sound Transit as they impact our neighborhoods.
Meeting 2 – Meeting with representatives of Metro and Transit to answer questions and voice concerns.
Meeting 3 – Public meeting to educate businesses and residents about the changes coming to Madison. 

Sound Transit Timeline

March: Phase 2 – Public Engagement Complete
April: Metro Finalizes Routes
May: Phase 3 – Announcement of Finalized Routes
Late Summer: Changes Adopted by King County Council

Local piano teacher Katie O’Rourke will begin offering group piano classes for beginning adult students starting March 19.

The Benefits of Music

Research has shown that playing an instrument helps build self-confidence, concentration, and memory. More recently, research has also shown that music impacts our overall health. A 2005 study* in the Medical Science Monitor found that group-based music lessons — when not focused on performance or — were found to improve mood states, reduce burnout and reverse the effects of stress at the genomic level. People who don’t currently play music can begin learning at any age through recreational group classes or private lessons designed specifically to fit their learning style.

About the Class

Each class of 4–6 beginning students will be introduced to the fundamentals of piano at a relaxing and fun pace. It’s okay if participants don’t have access to a piano, especially for the first few classes, since practice will not be required. There will be performance opportunities for those eager to share their music, but performing will always be optional. After a brief introduction each group will get to choose class activities that suit their unique interests. All styles of music are open for exploration, including classical, jazz and popular music.

For more information vist www.pianowithkatie.com/group. Registration is available online or by phone at 405 696-SOLO. The Piano Studio of Katie O’Rourke also offers group classes for children and private lessons for all ages and levels.

* Barry Bitman et al. “Recreational music-making modulates the human stress response: a preliminary individualized gene expression strategy.” Medical Science Montior 11, no 3 (2005), 31-4