Broadviewseattle

Have you seen the salmon at Carkeek Park?

Sat, 25 Nov 2023 15:47:21 +0200

You can see a report at this site. Go visit before the salmon run ends. Kids love to see them.

Community Invited to Review Design for Carkeek Play Area Renovation

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 21:38:25 +0200

by Karen O’Connor on November 21, 2023

Join us Saturday, December 2!

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to meet the design team and learn how community input helped shape the preferred schematic design for the renovation of the Carkeek Park play area. Please join us on Saturday, December 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at picnic shelter #1 just west of the play area. Carkeek Park is a regional park in northwest Seattle at 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd, Seattle, WA 98177.

We are excited to welcome the community to the park, share the design for input and share s’more making treats.

The Carkeek Play Area Renovation project will replace the existing play area and make accessibility improvements to the pathway from the parking lot to the play area. This project will use synthetic safety surfacing in the play area. If necessary, this project will also hire an artist to repaint the Salmon Slide. All improvements will meet accessibility and stormwater requirements. The play area is being designed by SPR in-house Landscape Architects and this is the third public engagement event for this project. This project’s scope has been expanded and will now include an internal renovation of the restroom building to meet all current accessibility requirements.

For more information on both projects please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/projects/carkeek-park-playground-renovation or contact Colin Campbell at colin.campbell@seattle.gov or 206-256-5604.

Safety advocates call for changes to ‘Seattle’s most dangerous corridor’

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:17:48 +0200

An article in the November 19th Seattle Times about neighbors requesting changes to make it safer for pedestrians.

The full article is at this link.

Prostitution is down on Seattle’s Aurora Avenue. Will it stay that way?

Sun, 05 Nov 2023 18:38:19 +0200

Text of article in November 5, 2023 Seattle Times. Link to article including pictures.

By Sara Jean Green

Seattle Times staff reporter

When a veteran vice detective tried to book a room at the Emerald Motel on Seattle’s Aurora Avenue North last spring, he was told all 28 rooms in the 1940s-era travel lodge were already reserved for the entire summer.

It was the same story at the 42-room Seattle Inn next door.

“Those hotels were charging those girls $200 a night in cash,” he said. “They were making good money there,” tying their business to the pimps and sex traffickers from up and down the West Coast who flocked to a roughly 10-block stretch of Aurora.

The two motels on the west side of the urban highway, just south of North 125^th Street, were the site of an open-air sex market that attracted droves of sex buyers and contributed to increased lawlessness — shootings, homicides, robberies, drug dealing and other crimes — in the surrounding neighborhood, according to police.

The victimization of prostituted women and girls, and the violence that came with it, got so bad that the Seattle Police Department and City Attorney’s Office had the two motels declared chronic nuisance properties, a rarely used mechanism in the municipal code that requires a property be shut down until police determine crime has been abated.

The motels were shuttered in August, immediately disrupting the local marketplace and greatly reducing the number of prostituted women seen walking the streets in sky-high heels and barely there clothing. While the chill and rain of fall has seemingly further reduced their ranks along Aurora, the true effect of the motels’ closures won’t be known until next spring or summer, when warmer weather typically sees a return of prostituted women to the area’s streets and parking lots.

That’s because Seattle — which repealed its drug traffic and prostitution loitering laws in 2020 and has seen hundreds of officers leave the Police Department — has gained a reputation as a city where demand remains high, there’s little risk of arrest for sex buyers, and pimps and traffickers can make lots of money from the lucrative sex trade.

Aurora has for decades been the city’s epicenter of prostitution, and it remains a destination for both local pimps and traffickers, as well as those who shuttle women and girls along the West Coast “circuit,” peddling sex here and in cities like Portland, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Phoenix. At the same time, social-service providers who offer women and girls a path out of prostitution are stretched to capacity and say the men who pay for sex have become increasingly aggressive and violent.

After prostitution activity plummeted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Seattle police and King County prosecutors say the Aurora “track” saw a resurgence in women walking the street, congregating in parking lots and flagging down motorists — while also waiting for men to respond to online ads, and meeting them back in their motel rooms. It was a hybrid system meant to maximize profits.

In the case of one out-of-state pimp arrested in Seattle late last year, federal prosecutors are seeking forfeiture of nearly $73,000 in cash, a diamond-encrusted Audemars Piguet watch, other diamond jewelry and two handguns allegedly purchased with prostitution proceeds, court records show.

The lead SPD vice detective in that case said pimps typically set daily quotas of $500 to $2,000 for each of the prostituted women working for them.

Meanwhile, Aurora has long been known as a “pimp-controlled track” where aggressive recruiting tactics make it extremely dangerous for women who work independently and retain the proceeds from their prostitution, according to the detective and her colleague, whom The Seattle Times agreed not to identify because they both work undercover.

“It’s always made me so angry that these guys are buying expensive cars and jewelry and things like that — and are playing video games all day — while screaming at you while you’re the one out on the street, in the cold,” the detective said. “He’s still the one in control, and it’s infuriating.”

Change in tactics targeting prostitution

The Seattle City Council unanimously voted in June 2020 to drop drug traffic and prostitution loitering laws from the books because of their disproportionate impacts on people of color.

While that decision was made to address longstanding inequities in who police stop, question and detain, SPD leaders say it has limited officers’ abilities to engage with women who are being prostituted, hampering their ability to get to the root of the problems plaguing Aurora.

Since the prostitution loitering law was repealed, “we don’t have any power to question them,” said Capt. Lori Aagard, commander of the SPD’s North Precinct, referring to women working the “track.”

“You’ve legalized it,” added Lt. Joe Osborne. “Prostitution loiter isn’t illegal, so they can walk up and down the street all day long.”

Though Seattle police can still contact women and girls they suspect are involved in prostitution, officers can’t ask for their identification or do anything that makes them feel that they can’t walk away, Aagard said.

And while SPD’s Vice & High Risk Victims Unit still conducts sting operations on Aurora, the unit has shrunk from eight detectives and two sergeants before the pandemic to two detectives and a sergeant who splits his time between vice and another unit, mirroring staffing cutbacks across the agency, according to the remaining detectives. They said 20% of the victims prostituted on Aurora and locally online are minors and that they recently encountered two Tacoma girls, ages 16 and 17, being trafficked on Aurora.

“We’re going to deal with the pimps, but tell me: How [do] you do that without engaging with the workers being prostituted?” one detective asked. “You’ve got to have a victim who says they’re being victimized to go after the pimp. You have to be able to build a case.”

(Pimps typically exploit women and promote prostitution, while traffickers do the same to minor victims or adults compelled to prostitute through force, fraud or coercion.)

Audrey Baedke, co-founder and director of programs at REST, a Seattle nonprofit that operates an emergency shelter and offers services and housing for people escaping the sex trade, said there are pros and cons to the City Council’s decision to repeal the prostitution loitering law.

She’s heard many survivors say that going to jail or seeing their trafficker locked up saved their lives by disrupting their prostitution, removing them from an unsafe environment and providing them time to want to make a change and seek help. But others have told Baedke they felt exploited by police and unsafe while interacting with officers on the street, she said.

It’s better to get women into shelter first, where their basic needs can be met, before asking them to cooperate in a police investigation, Baedke added.

“Women have such strong trauma bonds with their traffickers that their emotional well-being is dependent on their traffickers’ well-being,” she said. “If they’ve betrayed the person they love the most while that trauma bond is still strong, they internalize the guilt and that can destabilize them or traumatize them further.”

Because police can no longer question most of the women directly, they shifted focus to businesses facilitating prostitution, with the goal of disrupting pimps’ operations by cutting off access to motel rooms and, by extension, creating conditions that discourage other criminal conduct.

Investigators began compiling data late last year about calls for service and crimes committed at four Aurora motels, then met with their owners and managers to offer public-safety suggestions, Osborne said. While they found significantly less prostitution at the Nites and Comfort inns, where managers routinely reported incidents to 911, that wasn’t the case with the Emerald Motel and Seattle Inn.

The owners of those two properties were given a choice: voluntarily enter a corrective agreement with police or face a lawsuit from the City Attorney’s Office, said Meagan Westphal, an assistant city attorney who works as her office’s liaison with the North Precinct.

The two motels were closed as chronic nuisance properties and given more than 30 conditions to meet — ranging from improved aesthetics and wiring to hiring 24-hour security — before they will undergo a variety of inspections on the path to reopening, Westphal said.

Once the motels are allowed to reopen, the owners must maintain those terms for two years or risk a city lawsuit for breach of contract, said Westphal. Owners are required to proactively work with police to make conditions uncomfortable for people to commit crimes there.

“It’s a pretty extraordinary remedy,” Westphal said. “It’s not a tool we use all the time, and obviously these hotels rose to the level where it was the appropriate remedy.”

It was the same tool police and city attorneys used three years ago to abate criminal activity at the Everspring Inn, the scene of homicides, assaults, prostitution and drug activity that became so dangerous SPD stopped sending detectives into the motel to conduct undercover investigations.

“With the Everspring, once it closed down and was subject to a corrective agreement, we saw a massive reduction in calls for service and complaints from the community,” Westphal said.

Between January 2019 and mid-August 2020, the Everspring generated 577 computer-assisted-dispatch events, which include both officer-generated responses and calls to 911, according to SPD data. In the roughly three years since then, as of early October, the motel at Aurora and North 82nd Street has generated 123 CAD events, which encompass reports of crime and other emergencies.

The Everspring finished serving its two years under police supervision earlier this year and is no longer under a corrective agreement.

The Seattle Inn and Emerald Motel generated 411 and 258 CAD events, respectively, between January 2019 and their closures in August, the police data shows. In the following eight weeks, the motels were the subject of just 12 total incidents.

Renovations were clearly underway on a recent Friday at the Emerald Motel, where construction supplies were stacked on pallets, a dumpster was set up in the parking lot and workers moved in and out of the vacant rooms. One of the motel’s owners declined to comment, unsure whether he could speak publicly about the corrective agreement he signed with SPD.

Things were quiet at the Seattle Inn next door, with no sign of improvements beyond the fences stopping drivers from pulling into the property. The motel’s owners didn’t return phone messages seeking comment.

A quarter-mile to the north, a handful of provocatively dressed young women congregated in the Lowe’s parking lot, tapped on car windows and seemingly negotiated with sex buyers before climbing into pickups and work vans that drove off into the neighborhood.

Seeing women and girls prostituted on Aurora is sad and ugly, “but what’s more unsavory is seeing all the pimps — they’re kind of scary,” said Dan Oberloh, whose shop, Oberloh Woodwind and Brass Works, sits just north of Lowe’s on North 127^th Street.

“They’re up here trying to recruit. That’s what makes them so hideous — they’re basically slavers.”

Escaping the sex trade

Before the start of the pandemic, the women and girls prostituted on Aurora would most commonly ask outreach workers for toiletries and hand warmers, said Baedke, the REST co-founder.

Now, the most requested items are pepper spray and kubatons — handheld, sticklike self-defense tools that attach to a keychain, she said.

“Buyers became more aggressive after [the start of] the pandemic, likely because their lives felt more out of control and purchasing a human being for sex also makes it more possible to act violently against them,” Baedke said. “So there was a huge uptick in violence from buyers, and we haven’t necessarily seen that taper down.”

REST serves about 600 people annually, nearly 90% of them female with smaller numbers of male and nonbinary individuals. Thirty-six percent are Black and 10% are Native American, Baedke said, even though those demographics account for 7% and 1% of King County’s population, respectively.

Baedke said white men account for the vast majority of sex buyers, and she recalled one young woman of color telling her they pay her for sex “because I don’t look like their daughters.”

“What we know is the more vulnerable someone is in society, the more likely they are to be trafficked,” she said. “And in our society, being young, being female, being BIPOC — specifically Black and Indigenous — makes it more likely for someone to be trafficked because they are more likely to be targeted,” said Baedke, referring to Black, Indigenous and people of color.

The nonprofit’s clients have told harrowing stories about being held hostage, getting doused with gasoline, being beaten or having a pimp threaten to go after a younger sister to force compliance, said Baedke and Mary Williams, a REST substance use disorder professional.

“It’s all-around bad, and it messes with your mind,” said Williams, a sex-trade survivor who escaped her pimp 30 years ago. “Nobody gets out of this stuff unscathed. For most people, it wasn’t a fun, beautiful ride. It was horrible.”

Beaver family that moved into Seattle’s Carkeek Park may complicate salmon-spawning journey

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 22:43:52 +0200

By Amanda Zhou

Seattle Times staff reporter

Called by the sound of flowing water and ample trees, a family of beavers have moved into Carkeek Park, building a series of dams along the mouth of Pipers Creek.

The largest dam — which incorporates a fixed park bench and two large trees — has widened and grown to the degree that water is spilling on to a walking trail nearby. The dam, reinforced with mud and branches, also may present a challenge for chum salmon, which are set to return and spawn at any moment, said David Koon, the salmon program director at the Carkeek Watershed Community Action Project.

It’s not clear yet how the beaver dam will impact the spawn, he said, and some of that will depend on how much and when it will rain this season. Beavers build dams to create a pond where they can build a “lodge” to provide protection from predators.

David Koon, the salmon program director at the Carkeek Watershed Community Action Project, points out a beaver dam on the mouth of Piper Creek in Carkeek Park. It’s unknown to what extent the dams will affect salmon spawning. (Amanda Zhou / The Seattle Times)

In a natural environment — where a river flows consistently all the time — a beaver dam would be no problem for spawning salmon, he said. But Pipers Creek, surrounded by a highly urbanized and concrete-laden watershed, is no natural river.

Even without beavers, the survival rates of the salmon’s eggs are low at Carkeek Park, he said. Due to the nonporous nature of the watershed, the stream’s depth often increases and decreases rapidly before and after rain, leading the eggs often to be washed out. Plenty of other things like runoff from fertilizers, tire dust and dog poop also threaten the eggs.

While beaver dams can sometimes help salmon eggs, slowing down water and filtering silt, the ones in Carkeek Park may prevent the salmon from traveling fully upstream. If the downstream waters are high enough — which they aren’t right now — Chinook and coho salmon can jump over the dams and the chum can beat their way through the gaps, Koon said. Otherwise, the salmon will have to wait for when the water levels get high enough during active rain.

“I don’t think there’s going to be anything so dire from this, that we’re like ‘we’ve got to get rid of these beaver right now’ … I think it’s kind of like ‘let’s wait, watch, learn and adapt,’ ” Koon said.

Normally dead salmon at the end of the season are found as far as a half-mile up from the mouth of Pipers Creek in Venema Creek, he said. The beaver dams sit on the first 300 feet of that path.

Seattle Parks and Recreation is working with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to “explore mitigation strategies” to “manage” the beavers, said Parks spokesperson Rachel Schulkin; though the department will have to wait until after the migration season to make any changes.

Parks and Recreation intends to apply for a permit to install a device within the dam that would drop the water level, and may also implement fencing to protect trees. The beavers, which likely came over from Golden Gardens, may be relocated, she said.

Standing next to a 2-by-6-inch plank built into the largest dam, Koon estimated the dam’s length is more than 50 feet and the depth of the pooled water is at least 5 feet. Koon, who has kept an eye on the salmon at Carkeek Park for years, said he’s seen small dams at Pipers Creek likely built by young inexperienced beavers that get washed out after one big rain in the past.

“These ones are clearly experienced,” he said. “They’ve done some really good, amazing engineering.”

This year, as the stream has moved and broken through some of the smaller dams, he’s seen the beavers expand and lengthen the large dam, patching up sections overnight. Koon said the two adult beavers and a “kit” or baby beaver have had additional baby beavers since moving into Carkeek.

Be part of a focus group about a park around the replacement of the Bitter Lake Reservoir

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 14:26:38 +0200

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) is leading a park and open sace design for the area around a new Bitter Lake water reservoir. Seattle Public Utilities is leading the replacement of the reservoir which will have a smaller footprint and provides opportunities to design an expanded park with unstructured open space.

We are seeking volunteers to be part of a focus group which would give their insights about features to be included in the park design. This Focus Group will meet prior to two public meetings in the afternoon.

The first meeting is scheduled for:

Thursday, October 26, 2023

3 – 4 p.m.

Bitter Lake Community Center, 13035 Linden Avenue North

Light refreshments will be provided

The second meeting has not yet been scheduled and would be held in late November or early December.

If you are interested in participating in the group please RSVP by noon on Monday, October 23^rd.

SPR looks forward to hearing your ideas!

Kevin Bergsrud
Senior Planning and Development Specialist

City of Seattle, Seattle Parks and Recreation
O: 206-684-5831

Shape the next 20 years of walking, riding and rolling in Seattle

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:09:30 +0200

Seattle Neighborhood Greenways comments on Seattle Transportation Plan:

The Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) has been busy crafting the Seattle Transportation Plan (STP) that will shape the next 20 years of our streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, transit networks, and public spaces. During extensive community outreach, SDOT asked whether people wanted a plan that will “stay the course,” pursue “moderate pace,” or “rapid progress,” and Seattleites overwhelmingly (95%) support rapid progress towards transformational change!

Unfortunately, the first draft plan fails to live up to that vision:

It fails to include redesigns of our most dangerous streets like Aurora Ave, Rainier Ave S, Lake City Way, MLK Way S, and 4th Ave S. And it fails to lay out a credible pathway to reaching zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 (Seattle’s adopted Vision Zero goal).
It fails to include any specific pedestrian-only streets — not even Pike Place Market.
It fails to show how we will reach our climate goals to reduce emissions by doubling the number of people biking by 2030.

The good news is that with your help, we can remake the Seattle Transportation Plan to meet the city’s climate, safety, and equity goals — with urgency and accountability.

How to Improve the Seattle Transportation Plan

To make sure the plan effectively moves Seattlites in years to come and reduces emissions and traffic fatalities, SDOT needs to make the following improvements to the plan:

A Clear Vision: Restore the previously included goal to have walking, rolling, biking, and transit be the most convenient way to get where you need to go, rather than just making it possible to walk, roll, or bike.
Rapid progress: Pick the rapid progress alternative that 95% of the public wanted and revise the plan to achieve it.
Safety: Show a credible plan (like Seattle Neighborhood Greeneways proposed last year) for how the city will reach Vision Zero by 2030, including redesigning our most dangerous streets, and adopt a policy that all streets should only have at most one car lane in each direction (80% of people walking are run over on streets with more than one lane of traffic).
Climate: Rapidly increase investments in bike, pedestrian, and transit networks to meet the city’s ambitious goals so that by 2030, 7% of trips are by bike, 24% walking or rolling, 24% by transit, 10% in electric private cars, and 35% or fewer non-electric private cars. Require every project be designed so that it contributes to this goal. This must include a strategy to rapidly roll out a network of safe and convenient bike routes to where people need to go and pedestrianized streets or zones at the heart of every neighborhood.
Equity: Meet Transportation Equity Framework commitments by 2028. Improve safety and prioritize investments in communities with histories of disinvestment. Do this work in tandem with strict anti-displacement measures, community engagement, and expanded affordable housing options on non-arterial streets.
Accessibility: Make our city accessible for the 25% of residents that are non-drivers. Demonstrate that the city is complying with the ADA consent decree (and go further!)
Accountability: Set specific, measurable, achievable, and timely goals to hold ourselves accountable to change.
Process Reform: Too many projects get bogged down with seemingly endless processes that do not result in better outcomes. Community engagement for safety projects should be short and seek to understand and mitigate any real harms. Community engagement for projects that are primarily about creating community spaces should reflect community needs and desires.
Get the Details Right: Features like diverters, bollards, and concrete bike lane protection (not floppy plastic posts) should be standard to make our streets safer and more welcoming.
Transparency: The public needs a second opportunity to comment on a new draft plan before it is finalized and sent to City Council.

Three easy ways to Influence the STP Before Oct 23

Send an email to the Seattle Department of Transportation.
Use the comment box on the Seattle Transportation Plan Online Engagement Hub to tell SDOT “Seattle should pursue rapid change. It should prioritize the movement of transit, cyclists, and pedestrians over cars to move faster towards a zero emissions and traffic safety collisions in Seattle.”
Forward this email to a friend. Word of mouth is a powerful form of advocacy.

Some Seattleites near Aurora Avenue considering moving after increase in shootings

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 22:57:43 +0200

From KING 5 News

SEATTLE — Amid a rise in fatal shootings along the northern Seattle corridor of Aurora Avenue, residents are calling for change as stray bullets threaten their safety.

Seattle Police Department (SPD) data shows there have already been more fatal shootings this year in central North Seattle than in all of last year, and it’s only October.

One couple who lives on Aurora Avenue North and North 103rd Street told KING 5 about the harrowing experience they had in their homes early Sunday.

“Around 2 a.m., my husband and I were sleeping in our bedroom and we hear just, uh, loud, many, many gunshots,” said Jahira Teague. “There’s a hole, maybe 3 feet above from where we were sleeping, and then we saw from the other side of the wall where it had entered in.”

A bullet barely missed them while they slept when it went flying across their bedroom. The frightening scenario even prompted the couple to make changes to their home layout.

“We actually moved [bedrooms]. That’s our office now,” said Teague.

Another man who lives south of them, near Aurora Avenue on North 96th Street, said, “I don’t feel safe in my own home.”

A longtime Seattleite, Richard Reyes, took video of the gunshots he heard reverberating through his neighborhood over the weekend.

“I’m concerned somebody could just shoot right through the window,” said Reyes.

Four separate households along the Aurora Avenue corridor — north of 95th Street — echoed the same sentiment: they are routinely losing sleep over fear of stray bullets coming into their home.

Natalie Rodriguez, another nearby resident, experienced just that earlier this year.

“I noticed it was lodged in between some papers here,” she said, pointing to the desk in her living room, referring to a bullet she found after hearing her glass window shatter.

She lives just up the road, off Aurora Avenue in the Broadview neighborhood.

“If the bullet would have gone any farther, it might’ve actually gone straight through my bedroom where I was sleeping,” said Rodriguez.

Seattleites like Rodriguez are concerned they might become another statistic. SPD data shows the North Seattle area surrounding Aurora Avenue is a hotspot for shootings and shots fired.

Meanwhile, another longtime local, Andrew Steelsmith, said he recently grabbed his 3-year-old son and hid with him from the sound of gunshots in his home in the middle of the night.

“Now we have a 3-month-old, and it’s getting worse, and you would think there would be police patrolling,” said Steelsmith. “I’m gonna beg for one police officer to go up and down the street between 100th and 109th, between the hours of 12 and 3 a.m, and those shootings will stop. I guarantee it.”

KING 5 reached out to Seattle police to ask whether they plan to increase patrols in this area. SPD spokesperson, Officer Shawn Patrick Weismiller, replied, “Violent crime is our highest priority… We constantly assess trends in crime, and when staffing allows we make adjustments accordingly.”

But for the nearby residents, if adjustments do not come soon, they’re out.

“I’m either gonna try to get the word out or move,” said Steelsmith.

“I wanna move,” added Reyes.

“I’ve actually started looking at apartments in the Edmonds area,” said Rodriguez.

“We do hope to move,” said Teague.

SPD data shows shootings tend to become more frequent in the summer months, and that’s true of the last three summers in a row.

Save the Date for the October 2023 Home Fair

Thu, 05 Oct 2023 19:15:48 +0200

Once again, Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections (SDCI)is hosting our popular Seattle Home Fair. We’ve moved our Home Fairs from winter to fall! We wanted to be able to answer your questions in time for you to apply for, and receive, that construction permit for your planned spring/summer renovation project.

We’re holding six virtual lectures on October 14, 2023 (see below). Recordings of these virtual lectures will be available on our website a few weeks after the Home Fair. RSVPs are encouraged.

There’s also an in-person event at the Filipino Community Center on October 21, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. SDCI staff will be available to answer your questions. Additionally, there will be 3 presentations to attend at the in-person event:

Learn about ADUs and DADUs
An Overview of Seattle’s Tree Regulations
Renting in Seattle Q&A

Remember to show up early! Space will be limited.

The Home Fair is free and will be jam-packed with useful information about rental housing rules, our permitting and inspection process, emergency preparedness, and much more. Get a jump-start on your home improvement project. Whether you’re a homeowner, landlord, renter, or potential homeowner, the Home Fair virtual lectures or the in-person event will have something for you.

October 14, 2023 Lectures:

New Tree Protection Code Information and Tree Regulations Virtual Presentation
SDCI staff will present an overview of Seattle’s tree regulations, including an update on what’s changed since the new rules became effective on July 30. This session will focus on information most useful for homeowners and tree service providers.
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Renting in Seattle Virtual Presentation
Whether you are a renter or a housing provider, there is a lot to know. Renting in Seattle provides information and resources on rental regulations and fair housing laws in the City of Seattle as well as tips and best practices.
9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Building Codes, Electrical Codes, and Inspections Virtual Presentation
Together these protect your home from a wide range of hazards – whether it is by implementing safe wiring, fire prevention, or stronger structural integrity. When a community has up-to-date building and electrical codes in place, they are more protected against these hazards, and increase the value of your investment.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Earthquake Home Retrofits Virtual Presentation
This will be an introduction to the new prescriptive plan set and a discussion about what it means to construct a seismic retrofit to an existing home.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Landslides Virtual Presentation
Learn everything you need to know to help prevent landslides on your property, including tips for managing vegetation. This helpful session will open with a presentation providing information about landslide prevention, including a handy overview of the top dos and don’ts. We will spend the rest of this session answering your questions about how to help prevent landslides on your property.
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Tips and Tricks Regarding the Seattle Services Portal Virtual Presentation
Learn how to submit your application, submit a trade permit, check that status and more.
1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

February/March 2023 Home Fair Material

Landslides

Earthquake Home Retrofits

Onsite Stormwater Management

Onsite Stormwater Management video
Onsite Stormwater Management presentation
Resources:
- Onsite Stormwater Management Calculator
- Stormwater Code
- Updating Stormwater Regulations
- Send Us a Question (Q&A Portal)

Construction Inspections Information

Renting in Seattle

New Tree Protection Code Information and Tree Regulations

Fall Social – Greenwood Community Council – Oct. 5 at Halcyon Brewing

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:33:49 +0200

From the Greenwood Commity Council: A few of us have been working on getting the Greenwood Community Council up and running again with events. The purpose of the event is to meet some of the new folks in our neighborhood, reconnect with old faces, and meet our local election candidates. We have invited local candidates for City and County Council elections and have received confirmation from at least two, Dan Strauss and ChrisTina ObeySumner.

Community Invitation to Participate in Carkeek Park Improvement Projects

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 22:40:28 +0200

by Karen O’Connor on September 14, 2023

Join us Saturday, September 23!

Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to learn more about and provide input on two upcoming projects for Carkeek Park. Please join us from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 23, 2023 at shelter #2 just east of the play area. Carkeek Park is a regional park in northwest Seattle at 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd, Seattle, WA 98177.

We are excited to welcome the community to the park for a fun fall afternoon. We will have cider pressing available so bring your own cider container and leave with it full of apple cider.

The Carkeek Park Pedestrian Bridge Replacement project will replace the pedestrian bridge built in 1955 that connects Carkeek Park and the beach on the western side of Burlington Northern railroad tracks. SPR is working to design and construct a new bridge while maintaining the current bridge and limiting the potential impact to beach access for park visitors. This is a kick-off event for the bridge replacement project will be designed by LMN Architects. Construction is planned for late 2025. Please take this short survey to help inform the design team and let us know how you use the park https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5Z885Q7.

The Carkeek Play Area Renovation project will replace the existing play area and make accessibility improvements to the pathway from the parking lot to the play area. This project will use synthetic safety surfacing in the play area. If necessary, this project will also hire an artist to repaint the Salmon Slide. All improvements will meet accessibility and stormwater requirements. The play area is being design by SPR in-house Landscape Architects and this is the second public engagement event for this project. This project’s scope has been expanded and will now include an internal renovation of the restroom building to meet all current accessibility requirements. At this event, the design team will present design options for the site and gather community input.

For more information on both projects please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/allparks/carkeek-park or contact Colin Campbell at colin.campbell@seattle.gov or 206-256-5604.

Upcoming changes to Aurora Ave

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 17:48:45 +0200

No Turn on Red Signage and Widened Crosswalks

Hello Aurora Avenue Friends,

As we continue to develop a shared future vision for the Aurora Ave N and identify near-term projects to advance improvements on safety, we are making changes that seek to reduce the number of pedestrian collisions on the corridor.

We will update several intersections with No Right Turn on Red signage and widen crosswalks along Aurora Ave N to improve visibility of crosswalks and crossing space to reduce collisions between vehicles and people walking.

One of the primary pedestrian collision patterns on the corridor involves conflicts between turning vehicles and pedestrians crossing in the crosswalks at signalized intersections. Restricting right turns on red helps to reduce these conflicts.

We will install No Turn on Red at most signalized intersections throughout the corridor. This will include 59 new no turn on red signs at 17 intersections along the corridor and will upgrade crosswalk markings from 8´ to 10´ corridor-wide.

To learn more about No Turn on Red signage please click here to read our blog about it. You can also check our map of No Turn on Red signage and upgraded crosswalks here.

You can expect No Turn on Red changes to the following intersections:

Winona Ave N
N 77th St
N 80th St
N 83rd St
N 85th St
N 90th St
N 92nd St
N 95th St
N 100th St
N 105th St N/Northgate Way
N 112th St (Washelli Cemetery)
N 115th St
N 117th Pl (Home Depot)
N 125th St
N 130th St
N 135th St
N 145th St

You can expect widened crosswalks at the following intersections:

N 68th St
Winona Ave N
N 77th St
N 80th St
N 83rd St
N 90th St
N 92nd St
N 95th St
N 100th St
N 105th St/N Northgate Way
N 112th St (Washelli Cemetary)
N 115th St
N 117th Pl (Home Depot)
N 125th
N 130th St
N 135th St
N 145th St

Sincerely,    

Jules Posadas

Sr. Public Engagement Lead 

aurorastudy@seattle.gov 

(206) 905-3620 

To stay up to date on this project, sign up for email updates here and visit our website. If you have questions or comments, please contact us at (206) 905-3620 or aurorastudy@seattle.gov.   

September is Preparedness Month

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 16:56:48 +0200

National Preparedness Month is an observance each September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time.

2023 Theme: Take Control in 1, 2, 3

The Ready Campaign’s 2023 National Preparedness Month theme is “Take Control in 1, 2, 3”. The campaign will focus on preparing older adults for disasters, specifically older adults from communities that are disproportionally impacted by the all-hazard events, which continue to threaten the nation.

We know older adults can face greater risks when it comes to the multitude of extreme weather events and emergencies we now face, especially if they are living alone, are low-income, have a disability, or live in rural areas.

Access the new webpage available in English and Spanish languages at Ready.gov/older-adults and Ready.gov/es/adultos-mayores. For more information on preparing with disabilities visit Ready.gov/disability or Ready.gov/es/discapacidad in Spanish.

Meet the Candidates September 7, 730 pm

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 17:14:20 +0200

Meet the candidates at the Haller Lake Community Club.

Monthly Meeting

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 at 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Topic: Candidates Night

Come hear from candidates running in Haller Lake and Bitter Lake. The following candidates have confirmed attendance: TDB

Social time 7-7:30 pm
Meeting begins at 7:30 pm inside, masks recommended.

Open to all.

Where: Haller Lake Community Club and Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84789477952?pwd=MHJrUUZyM2U3NGJRRFJDRE85bmtCdz09

NE 130th & NE 125th Mobility and Safety Project

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:57:22 +0200

Updated August 31, 2023

What’s Happening Now?

Light rail is coming to NE 130th St near I-5 in 2026 and we’re working to make it safer and easier to get to the station and around your neighborhood. We’re in the early stages of planning and design for improvements and we want to hear from you. Our design proposals include feedback received during the NE 130th St & Shoreline South/NE 148th Stations: Multimodal Access Study and the 130th and 145th Station Area Planning process. Continue reading below for more information on design proposals and to tell us what you think about the proposals and your vision for your neighborhood. We have multiple ways to give feedback on the project:

Fill out our online feedback form (takes about 10 minutes to complete)
Stop by one of our community drop-in sessions with project staff (we’ll announce dates and times as they are scheduled)
Send us an email at NE130thSt_NE125thSt_Project@seattle.gov or call us at (206) 400-7515

We’re also partnering with community-based organizations to connect with all members of the community.

To get the latest information on project activities, we encourage you to sign up for email updates.

Design Proposals

The following design proposals are still under evaluation and are not final.

NE 130th St: 1st Ave NE to 3rd Ave NE (map)

Two-way shared use path on the north side for people walking, biking, and rolling

1 general purpose travel lane in each direction

Two-way center left turn lane

Planting strip with street trees

NE 130th St I-5 overpass: 3rd Ave NE to 5th Ave NE (map)

Two-way shared use path on the north side for people walking, biking, and rolling

1 bus only lane between the southbound I-5 on ramp and 5th Ave NE to serve the planned bus stop on the southwest corner of NE 130th St and 5th Ave NE

1 eastbound general purpose lane

2 westbound general purpose lanes

Planted median from 3rd Ave NE to southbound I-5 on ramp

No eastbound left turns from NE 130th St onto northbound 5th Ave NE to improve station access and traffic flow

Roosevelt Way NE: West of 8th Ave NE (map)

Two-way protected bike lane (transitions to one-way bike lanes east of 8th Ave NE)

1 eastbound general purpose lane

1 westbound general purpose lane

two-way center left turn lane

Roosevelt Way NE: East of 8th Ave NE (map)

Transition to one-way protected bike lane on both sides of the street

1 eastbound general purpose lane

1 westbound general purpose lane

1 two-way center left turn lane

NE 125th St: 10th Ave NE to Lake City Way NE (map)

Protected bike lanes on both sides of the street

1 eastbound general purpose lane

1 westbound general purpose lane

1 two-way center left turn lane

Project Overview

Sound Transit is opening the NE 130th St Infill Station at NE 130th St near I-5 in 2026. The new station will bring an estimated 3,300-3,700 daily riders with 90% of them arriving by walking, biking, rolling, or transit. To provide better access to the new light rail station, we’re making improvements along NE 130th St, Roosevelt Way NE, and NE 125th St between 1st Ave NE and Lake City Way NE. These improvements will make it easier and more comfortable for people walking, biking, rolling, and taking transit.

Project Goals

Improve access and make it easier for people connecting to the new light rail station via NE 130th St, Roosevelt Way NE, and NE 125th St

Reduce serious injury and fatal crashes between vehicles and people walking, biking, and rolling

Make it safer and easier for people biking and driving to share the road

Improve bus frequency and reliability and support new service from King County Metro

Enhance the experience for people riding the bus

Incorporate community feedback into project design

Project improvements include:

Adding protected bike lanes throughout the project area, including a new shared use path for walking, biking, and rolling on the north side of NE 130th St

Adding new bus stops at 8th Ave NE and 10th Ave NE and upgrading selected existing bus stops to prepare for King County Metro’s planned new service

Installing bus lanes and other bus priority features to improve frequency and reliability

Updating street and intersection designs to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes

Updating street designs to minimize conflicts between vehicles and people biking

Crossing improvements such as leading pedestrian intervals to give people walking a head start, new signalized crossings, and restricting right turns on red

Sidewalk repairs and new accessible curb ramps in selected locations

SDOT is coordinating with Sound Transit and King County Metro to make these improvements and increase transit access in the area. In addition to the new light rail service, King County Metro is planning new bus service to support access to the NE 130th St Infill Station. We look forward to hearing from you about how this project can help you get safely to/from the new light station and around your neighborhood.

Project Map

This project map shows the new light rail station and the streets where project elements will be built. The project area starts at NE 130th St and 1st Ave NE, heading southeast along Roosevelt Way NE, and then east along NE 125th St, ending approximately at Lake City Way NE.

Schedule

Planning (2023): We are talking to community members and business owners to build on previous planning and community engagement work done in the area. Our work includes designing safety and accessibility improvements equitably and within available funding.

Design (2024-2025): We will create and share project design proposals, ask for community feedback, and finalize project design.

Construction (2025-2026*): We will share more information about construction schedules, activities, and neighborhood impacts when we reach this stage.

Light rail service begins (2026): Sound Transit plans to open the NE 130th St Infill Station and begin service in 2026. Please visit Sound Transit’s website for current schedule and project information.

*Construction schedules are subject to change based on crew and material availability.

Project Background

The NE 130th St & NE 125th St Mobility and Safety Project is the result of multiple planning and community engagement processes. We heard from neighbors in Pinehurst, Lake City Way, and other surrounding neighborhoods about your priorities for improving safety and accessibility in your neighborhood. As a result of the NE 130th St & Shoreline South/NE 148th Stations: Multimodal Access Study published in 2020, we secured funding to move forward with this set of improvements that incorporate what we heard from the community.

Below is more information about the early planning efforts for this project.

NE 130th St & Shoreline South/NE 148th Stations: Multimodal Access Study: In 2020, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) worked with community members on a study of areas around two new light rail stations. The community identified key priorities for improvements, including:

Upgrade sidewalks, bike facilities, and street crossings in neighborhoods near the future light rail stations

Provide walking and biking connections along NE 130th St and NE 145th St

Improve the NE 130th St overpass for people walking and biking

The study came up with 18 ideas for projects for the two new light rail stations. Three of the ideas (#1, 15, and 17) are part of the NE 130th St & NE 125th St Mobility and Safety Project:

NE 130th St Overpass and Shared-Use Path (#1)

NE 125th St & Roosevelt Way NE Street Redesign (#15)

NE 125th St Transit & Crossing Improvements (#17)

130th and 145th Station Area Planning: In 2019, the Office of Planning & Community Development (OPCD) started planning for the 130th & 145th (now called the 148th) Light Rail Station areas. This process brought together community members, City of Seattle staff, and other public agencies to talk about the changes these new light rail stations will bring to the region. We heard from the community about the need for:

Improved safety for people walking and biking in the area

Improved connections to surrounding neighborhoods and light rail stations

Better east/west bus connections from adjacent neighborhoods to the light rail station

Bus stop upgrades for connecting routes to the light rail station

Fall Volunteer training for Seattle Urban Naturalists

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 13:17:14 +0200

Are you interested in nature and education? Learn how to guide students in parks, develop skills in public speaking in group engagement, and get acquainted with a variety of Pacific Northwest flora and fauna. We will be leading learning experience in various habitats and teaching about how to engage different audiences in an equitable fashion. Trainings are Saturdays in September from 9-3. Applications close August 23rd.

Apply today!

Environmental Education Volunteering – Parks | seattle.gov<https://www.seattle.gov/parks/volunteer/environmental-education-volunteering

For more information, please contact: Penny.rose@seattle.gov>

Back-To-School Spaghetti Social at Bitter Lake Community Center

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 10:35:15 +0200

by Christina Hirsch on August 15, 2023

All families welcome!

Let’s get ready to go back to school! Join us on Friday, August 18 and share a delicious meal and get ready to say goodbye to summer. We will be handing out school supplies to help everyone get geared up for class. Please contact the community center if you have school supplies you would like to donate. Pre-registration is required!

Location: Bitter Lake Community Center

Date: Friday, Aug. 18

Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Cost: $6/family (2 backpacks per family; additional backpacks $3 per child).

Questions? 206-684-7524

Prostitution drops on Aurora Avenue after Seattle motels’ closure, but residents remain skeptical

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 17:31:45 +0200

From KOMO news:

Following the recent closures of two crime-ridden motels, neighbors told KOMO News there has been a noticeable drop in prostitution along Aurora Avenue in Seattle, but they expressed skepticism that the decline is sustainable.

On July 26, the Seattle Police Department (SPD) and Seattle City Attorney’s office served chronic nuisance declaration letters to the property owners of the Emerald Motel and the Seattle Inn. Within days, both motels temporarily closed while their owners agreed to stipulations of compliance needed to stop criminal activity.

Following the closures, KOMO News traveled along Aurora Avenue and saw only three prostitutes in the area near both motels. That compared to the dozens of sex workers that KOMO News witnessed during the same time of day just a few weeks earlier

In the days since the closures, people living along Aurora said they had observed far fewer instances of prostitution, yet they expressed skepticism that the lack of sex-fueled criminal activity would last.

“I think (prostitutes) will eventually be back unless the police enforce things. We’ll see,” said neighbor Shannon Hays.

“The city of Seattle needs to continue to diminish (prostitution) to stop it,” added business owner Thad Thompson. “It can’t be allowed.”

Since both motels closed a week ago, Thompson told KOMO News he’s witnessed prostitutes in an area where they didn’t use to be, including near the North Seattle/Shoreline border.

“Last night, when we left work, we saw five or six prostitutes, which was disappointing,” he noted.

KOMO News reached out to SPD for comment. They said officers have observed a drop in overall prostitutes working along Aurora in the last week since the motel closures.

Yet the pessimism along Aurora Avenue remains, including from a group that does outreach to street-based sex workers.

In a statement to KOMO, members of the “Greenlight Project” insisted prostitutes would actually be put at risk by the motel closures because more prostitutes will now work in isolation, as opposed to in groups.

“I’m sure they would pick a new life, because this is no life at all for them,” said Thompson.

SPD told KOMO News the following regarding the department:

SPD has and will continue to address the crimes along the Aurora Avenue corridor, including human trafficking. The department frequently works with city and federal partners in conducting operations to identify suspects engaged in or promoting this criminal activity. Businesses identified for their involvement in numerous crimes occurring at or near their location have been provided with Chronic Nuisance Declarations to take immediate action in eradicating illegal activities and safety concerns. The Seattle City Attorney’s Office will be moving forward with follow-up on whether or not the parameters of the declaration have been met by the businesses.

12th Ave NW Basin Drainage Improvement Project July 2023

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 21:42:54 +0200

12th Ave NW Basin Drainage Improvement Project

Construction workers installing a section of the new drainage system on 11th Ave NW

Hello Broadview community! Construction for the 12th Ave NW Basin Drainage Improvement project has continued steadily through the summer months on the underground pipe and conveyance work. Crews have completed the following tasks since our last update:

Completed installation of the new drainage system along 10th Ave NW
Began installation of the new drainage system along 11th Ave NW, beginning at the south end of the project west of the pump station and working their way north

Looking ahead, the contractor expects to:

Continue installation of the new drainage system along 11th Ave NW until reaching the NW 122nd St intersection. This is the last segment of underground pipe to be installed.
Begin roadway restoration work on NW 125th St as soon as late July or early August. This work will begin at the 10th Ave NW intersection and continue eastward until reaching the 6th Ave NW intersection. Paving is planned for a couple dates during mid to late August. Any residences with driveway access impacts will be notified.
Continue miscellaneous construction activities throughout the project area

Upon completing the underground pipe installation work on 11th Ave NW and the roadway restoration work along NW 125th St, the contractor expects to continue roadway restoration at the southern end of the project on 11th Ave NW. They plan to work their way north along the project area doing roadway restoration until reaching the 10th Ave NW and NW 125th St intersection. The contractor will restore sections of the roadway as required by regulations, as well as any additional roadway areas that were disturbed by this project’s construction activities. Construction for the whole project is expected to be completed in fall 2023.

To protect trees near the work area, the project is following the tree protection plan and direction from City arborists who have visited the site.

See the yellow areas on the map for approximate work areas. All work will take place in the right-of-way.

Construction Safety is Everyone’s Job, check out some top safety tips at: www.seattle.gov/utilities/constructionsafety

We want to thank the community for keeping everyone safe by staying away from the construction work areas as much as possible. Great job, keep it up everybody!

Natural Drainage System Project Update

The project team is working to finalize the design for the Natural Drainage System (NDS) improvements. Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to construction, which is expected to begin as soon as 2024. For questions about the NDS project, please contact Grace Manzano, project manager, at grace.manzano@seattle.gov

Thank you!

We want to thank you for your patience during construction. We know construction can be disruptive, and we appreciate your understanding as we complete this necessary upgrade to your neighborhood’s drainage system. We always strive to make our projects as easy on the community as possible.

As always, if you have a question about the underground pipe and conveyance project, please contact the project manager directly by emailing Wan-Yee Kuo at Wan-Yee.Kuo@seattle.gov

Best,

Broadview Project Team

Visit the project website

Celebrate Plastic Free July with SPU Solid Waste!

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 20:47:17 +0200

by SPUMedia on July 11, 2023

This summer, Seattle Public Utilities Solid Waste Division and our partners are taking part in an international campaign called Plastic Free July.

You might be asking yourself, what is Plastic Free July (PFJ) and how do I get involved? PFJ is an annual and ongoing global movement to encourage everyone to “be part of the solution to the plastic pollution problem for cleaner streets, oceans, and communities”. Reducing single-use (AKA disposable) plastics is a great way to get started! You can take the global challenge and find great resources from plasticfreejuly.org and towardszerowaste.se as well.

Read this blog then follow SPU social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter this July to learn about a variety of topics including:

How to reduce plastic use and repurpose the plastics you already have (simple swaps!)
How to recycle plastics RIGHT! (Empty, Clean, & Dry is an important step!)
Keeping plastics out of the compost (produce stickers have got to go!)

Come Talk Plastics in Person!

SPU and our partners, Tilth Alliance, Cedar Grove, Recology, and WM will be out in the community talking with customers about Plastic Free July! You can find us at the following spots (more to be added soon!)

July 11^th – Lifelong Thrift on Capitol Hill from 12-3pm with Recology
July 14^th – Northgate Community Center’s 17^th Anniversary Celebration from 5-7:30pm with Master Computer Sustainability Stewards
July 29^th – Grocery Outlet in the International District with Recology (timing TBD)

Looking for a fun way to participate in Plastic Free July with SPU? Join the Global Challenge or try one of the following ideas.

Join other SPU customers, Seattle residents, and people around the globe who are choosing to refuse single-use plastics like shopping bags, straws, cups, and packaging to create a world without plastic waste. Visit plasticfreejuly.org to pledge to give up single-use plastics for a day, week, or even the whole month of July!

Here are some tips to get you started:

What is one single-use plastic you can avoid this month? Say no to straws? Buy your groceries in bulk? Get plastic-free packaged produce at the farmers markets?
What is one single-use plastic you can swap for a more durable option this month? Bringing your own cup, bag, containers, straw, and silverware will help make the swaps easy.
How about reusing the plastics you already have one more time before you throw them out? Plastic bags make great trash liners and dog waste bags, and plastic yogurt containers are the perfect size for snacks on the go as reusable containers!

What are some ways I can reduce my plastic use in July and this summer? Ask Evelyn Shows You How!

Our staff on the Ask Evelyn Instagram Live Show are here to help you out! Check out these 60-second episode clips on limiting plastic at kids’ camps and BBQs!

S’more Tips on Reducing Single-Use Waste: Kids Camp Edition
Sending your little ones to camp this summer, but find yourself overwhelmed with single-use snack packaging? And what about those art projects they’re bringing home? See what our waste experts have to say about reducing plastic camp waste!

Green Grilling: Reusable Goods for Your Next BBQ
This July you might be hosting a cookout for friends and family. Take a minute to learn some super simple tips on how to re-think this tradition by incorporating reusable items and reducing plastic waste!

How do I make sure the plastics I already have/used are being recycled? Glad you asked because we need your help!

When in Doubt, Find Out. Not sure if that item of plastic is recyclable or not in your blue recycling cart in Seattle? Check out the Where Does it Go? Tool if you are unsure whether a plastic item (or any item!) is recyclable. For plastics, that means not focusing on the number on the bottom, but on the shape and firmness like tubs, jugs, and bottles.

Empty, Clean, and Dry. Remember to clean out your recyclable plastics and keep them dry before putting them in your blue recycling bin. Give containers a good rinse and let them dry. Or if you can’t get them clean, put them in the garbage. Leftover food in plastic jars can create mold that can spread to other recyclables ruining them. Liquids in plastic bottles can ruin the fiber in the paper in a load, making it harder or unable to be recycled.

Keep Plastic Bags & Film Out. Do not put plastic bags or plastic wrap in your blue recycling cart and do not bag your recyclables. Thin plastics, like bags and wrap, get tangled in recycling equipment, and the processing facility must shut down. Stopping the equipment to remove the plastic slows processing down, driving up costs, and is a potential safety risk for workers. Go to bagandfilmrecycling.org to find a drop-off location near you. If that is not convenient, you can throw them out. See our Q&A on plastic bags and film if you have more questions.

Keep Plastics Out of Compost!

It is especially important to make sure to keep ALL plastics out of your compost or food and yard waste cart. Plastic bags, containers, and packaging should NEVER be put in the compost bin because they contaminate the finished compost people use on their lawns and gardens with plastics. Be sure to check for sneaky and small plastic items like twist ties, rubber bands, and produce stickers.

In May, for Compost Awareness Week, we shared a blog that touches on the importance of keeping plastics out of your compost and its impact on the environment.

Additionally, you can reduce your plastic use in gardening by buying durable tools in wood and metal or borrowing from a tool library, avoiding plastic weed barriers, and making plant markers out of rocks or sticks. And did you know, in Seattle you can put your clean, empty, and dry plastic plant or nursery pots in the recycling? A win for compost and recycling!

For more information on reducing plastics in the garden, check out these tips from the Plastic Free Foundation.