Doe a Dear!

A deer was spotted near NE part of Shoreline, in Lake Forest Park
yesterday (Monday), according to Shoreline/LFP PATCH!
Shoreline resident Sonja Groset.

This is pretty remarkable! And a sharp eye and camera for Ms Groset!

Doe spotted in Shoreline
ph credit/ Sonja Groset

Last year a deer was also sighted in Lake Forest Park. Deer have also been spotted in Kenmore, and Kirkland in the last year.

We always appreciate reports of wildlife sightings, and efforts to improve wildlife habitat in the Shoreline area.

Pretty February Snow in Shoreline

A Pretty Sight on a Late February Morning. 

Big Snowflakes! Will it last? 

An Important Announcement for Shoreline

A message from Janet Way.

Janet Way, Publisher -
Of Paramount Importance Blog

Shoreline needs to go back to its Sustainability Goals. As a city that has "shoreline" on Puget Sound,
it is indeed Of Paramount Importance that we should make restoring clean water, clean air, and clean energy an urgent priority. This is a part of our Vision passed by the Council in 2008.


We can aim higher than we have in the last two years. We need to restore our local economy, bring back more green jobs, encourage innovation and small business and make Shoreline a place where families can thrive. Hard work is a part of our history, and we show up and do what it takes to give our citizens hope for a bright future.


An important part of our goals should also be, remembering our past heritage and building upon those values that made Shoreline an attractive and prosperous place to live.  


That is why I've decided to run for City Council again. I'll be filing for Position #4 next week, and will be talking to voters in every part of Shoreline. Our campaign will focus on facts, and on values that Shoreline cares about. We will work for transparent governance and to INCREASE public involvement, not decrease it. The new City Hall should be the people's place. 


I look forward to talking to you and hearing your ideas about how to make Shoreline even better! 


I will continue to make the Of Paramount Importance Blog a place to discuss public policy for the Shoreline Area and raise issues about sustainability and other topics that have meaning to our readers. 


Let's get to work! 


Thanks for following Of Paramount Importance.


Sincerely,


Janet


ps. Call me anytime at 206-734-5545

Brunch with Dennis Kucinich? - Yes, 32nd District Democrats Hosting

Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Progressive Ohio is coming to Shoreline May 22nd.

Speculation about the possibility of him moving here to run for Congress is in the air, even though he still represents his own 10th District in Ohio, Kucinich ran for President twice and garnered a great deal of support in Western Washington in those campaigns.

He stated in some recent interviews that he was likely to be "redistricted" out of his seat, since the majority in his state congressional delegation is Republican.

In Politico, the national political blog/magazine David Catanese stated:

It's widely expected that the Evergreen State's new congressional district will encompass parts of both counties — and Kucinich's inquiry is the first direct evidence that he's actively pondering running for a House seat outside of his home state.

"Kucinich spoke with a couple [leaders] about the redistricting process, how Democratic the new district might be," the activist said.

The activist also said that Kucinich's allies suggested that the yet-to-be-drawn 10th District and the 1st Congressional District represented by Rep. Jay Inslee were "in the top three" districts they were exploring nationwide. Inslee is widely expected to announce a campaign for governor later this year.

That suggests that Kucinich, facing the threat of being thrown into a primary to keep his Cleveland-based seat, is eyeing other opportunities outside of Washington.

But, in recent local interviews, Kucinich was unclear about his intentions, saying he's visited Washington many times to speak on issues of interest to the region.

32^nd Legislative District Democrats invite you to our fundraiser! 

Pancakes, Coffee and Congressman Kucinich

May 22^nd, 2011 Sunday

10:30AM – 12:30PM

Richmond Masonic Center

753 185^th St

Shoreline, WA  98133

Map

$25.00 suggested donation, no one turned away

Join the 32^nd Legislative District Democrats and special guest Congressman Dennis Kucinich for a Sunday Brunch Fundraiser to benefit the 32^nd Legislative District Democrats.

10:30 AM   Brunch              

11:15 AM   Senator Maralyn Chase presents Congressman Dennis Kucinich,

                    Q & A to follow.

RSVP and volunteer:

Carin Chase| Chair    carin.chase@32democrats.org    PO Box 65258 Shoreline, WA  98155  425 775-0600

Winter Sunset In The Woods

Contribution from Inveterate hiker Bob Phelps

Winter Sunset in the Woods
Boeing Creek Area
photo Credit - Bob Phelps

A Beautiful Winter Day in Shoreline! 

Effective Tree Ordinance Resolution Passed by Democrats

March 14th 2010, the 32nd Legislative District passed a resolution in favor of a strong and effective Tree Ordinance for Shoreline and other cities. 

The caucuses selected 33 delegates to the State Democratic Convention in June, to take place in Vancouver, WA.  They passed a number of other resolutions of importance as well.

Here is the website for the 32nd LD.

Resolution for An Effective Tree Ordinance for Shoreline

Submitted by Janet Way

Whereas, the City of Shoreline is now undertaking a process to develop a new tree ordinance and,

whereas, Shoreline’s current tree code is not effective because it is scattered throughout the development code,

whereas, trees are valuable to citizens and visitors to Shoreline as shown in the city’s vision and logo and,

whereas, values trees provide include beauty and quality of life, erosion protection, shade, air and water quality, carbon sequestration, stormwater protection, wildlife habitat, beautiful open space, food and many others and,

whereas, Shoreline contains headwaters of watersheds which effect Lake Washington and Puget Sound and,

whereas, citizens in Shoreline are currently working for the goal of certifying Shoreline as the largest city in the state to be a Backyard Habitat City by the National Wildlife Federation and,

whereas, trees are being lost at a tremendous rate and the tree canopy has been reduced significantly over the last decade and,

whereas, the City of Shoreline supported the passage of the Evergreen Communities Act in 2008 which encourages and assists cities and counties in creating tree ordinances and urban forestry and,

whereas, Democrats support the values trees provide, now therefore,

Be it resolved that the 32^nd District Democrats supports the passage and implementation of strong tree codes in all of our cities which protects significant trees, including species having smaller caliper diameters, which makes the code more useful and accessible, encourages quality urban forestry, and education of citizens about community trees and,

Further be it resolved that the 32^nd District Democrats urge the Shoreline City Council to pass a strong and effective tree ordinance and pursue urban forestry to improve Shoreline’s quality of life this year and notify the city, the Planning Commission and the media about our support.

Passed today, March 14^th 2010.

Fish Singer Place Low Impact Development Strategies

Martha Rose is a local developer in the Shoreline Area. She has championed the "eco-village" concept in several of her recent projects. These projects feature many green building tactics and techniques including the "High Performance House" concept. Marthas previous project on Greenwood Ave N was featured in the Shoreline Sustainabilty Strategy Report.

Her latest project is the "Fish Singer Place" on Dayton Ave N. See her article below on LID techniques she's utilizing.

Her company is hosting a reception TODAY and Sat to showcase the projects during construction to demonstrate how they are made. It's a great opportunity to see this project and techniques as they are put into place.

Martha says "it's time to take it to the next level," join us for a special Behind the Walls Tour of Martha Rose's newest 5-Star Built Green Homes
Fish Singer Place
Wine & Cheese

Friday January 29, 2010 2pm-4pm
Saturday January 30, 2010 12pm-4pm
Address: 15715 Dayton Ave N. Shoreline Wa. 98133

Special Sneak Preview

The making of a High Performance House



Fish Singer Place Low Impact Development Strategies

Located just south of 160th on Dayton Ave N, a (4) lot eco-enclave is under construction. The Fish brothers would likely be very pleased that developer, Martha Rose, is employing many strategies on their old land to help clean up our waterways. Careful civil engineering allows all portions of the property to absorb, retain and purify storm water until it has a chance to sink into the ground and slowly wend its way to Puget Sound. Here are some of those highlights:

Several portions of this 35,000 square foot site are left undisturbed with 7 mature native trees and other smaller deciduous trees left intact. Wood chips from ground tree branches form a thick layer of mulch that create a natural forested condition that absorbs water like a sponge.

Sod is not planted, eliminating the need for lawn mowers, weed killers and artificial fertilizers. Areas suitable for vegetable gardening are enriched with slow release fertilizers such as manure compost, bone meal and wood chips to help create tilth. A similar strategy is used for landscaping plants to allow the native and drought tolerant species to thrive. These beds absorb water almost as well as our little forest.

Our hardscapes also function as water filtration devices. The pervious pavement road, installed over a thick bed of 2” crushed granite railroad ballast, is so efficient at purifying pollutants that it breaks down mercury and other heavy metals into 98% inert compounds. This rock basin that underlies the road is hospitable to microbes that “eat” the harmful substances, allowing cleaned water to be absorbed into the adjacent soil. Rain water on site that is not intercepted by a rain barrel or absorbed in garden beds ends up in this under-road natural treatment plant.

Vegetated roofs also play a role in storm water management. About 70% of the water that lands on a green roof stays there to either evaporate into the sky or to be released by transpiration over a longer time. Plants protect these long lasting roofs from harmful UV rays and also help to temper climate and add beauty to our buildings.

For an up-close look at all of these features, ask to sign up for our tour notices at info@MarthaRoseConstruction.com

These homes are available for sale. See www.FishSingerPlace.com Interested buyers, please ask for a personal tour.


Martha Rose

[Blog post] R.I.P. Sunset Bowl and the Future of Other Bowling Alleys: What Would the Dude Think?

Interest in Historic Preservation, can take many forms. Here is an article from the MAin2 Blog on a place from the mid 20th Century that is now lost, Sunset Bowl. Many icons from this period have already disappeared. We have some buildings here in Shoreline which are also valued, such as The Crest Cinema. Here's hoping it will continue to thrive as one of the Landmark Theatre chains most popular local sites. It may not be fancy, but it works. (Still only $3!)

We have many worthwhile places in Shoreline worth highlighting and saving, which would increase our economic viability if preserved as a cultural asset and promoted as such. Lets think creatively, and make Shoreline the best it can be, without throwing away the past.

R.I.P. Sunset Bowl and the Future of Other Bowling Alleys: What Would the Dude Think?


Bowling alley in WA state / Photo: UW Special Collections, Art Hupy Collection, Hupy 0242-10

Ballard’s Sunset Bowl was demolished yesterday. As first reported by My Ballard, a group of former employees walked through the building one last time to say their goodbyes. Sunset Bowl, built in 1957, had been closed since 2008 after the property sold to Avalon Bay Companies. Plans for redevelopment of the site for a new apartment building have been approved by the City of Seattle but according to a statement from the developer to My Ballard, development is not yet moving forward. A landmark nomination was submitted by the developer as part of the process but Sunset Bowl was not nominated by the Landmarks Preservation Board because it did not meet any of the criteria for listing. Efforts to save Sunset Bowl by a passionate group of advocates were not successful.

Although demolition of the Sunset Bowl building has been expected for some time now, the question of the value of bowling alleys in our communities comes to play. Each year, more and more of these one-story boxy buildings with large surface parking lots are being torn down. Few may stand out architecturally, but their significance for communities as a place for sport and social interaction cannot be denied. Most bowling alleys contain not just bowling lanes but also restaurants and lounges—they are multi-generational, community gathering places.


Bowling alley in WA state / Photo: UW Special Collections, Art Hupy Collection, Hupy 0242-20
The land value for these properties is usually high and the lots present themselves as attractive redevelopment sites. Leilani Lanes, built in 1961, met the same fate in 2007 when it was demolished to make room for a proposed multi-family residential project which has yet to be built. The Leilani Lanes property was sold to developer Michael Mastro in 2005 and foreclosed in 2009. The property remains a gigantic empty lot—not exactly the “best and highest use” is it? Seattleites can still go bowling at the West Seattle Bowl (built in 1948 and renovated in recent years), Imperial Lanes (1959), and Magic Lanes (1960).

It’s interesting to note that all of these bowling alleys date from the mid-twentieth century when bowling as a sport was embraced by the masses. The game grew in popularity in the early 1950s when production of the automatic pinspotter was introduced more widely. The historic and architectural significance of buildings housing bowling lanes has been recognized in other parts of the country but they are no less endangered. The Holiday Bowl in Los Angeles was declared a City Historic–Cultural Monument for its cultural and architectural significance but landmark listing did not save the bowl. The Googie style Holiday Bowl, designed by Armet & Davis and constructed by five Japanese-American businessmen in 1957, catered to a multi-cultural neighborhood in LA’s Crenshaw district. The bowl, its coffeeshop and bar (called Sakiba) served as important community gathering spaces for many ethnic groups, particularly for Japanese-Americans whose bowling leagues thrived at the Holiday Bowl. The bowl closed in 2000 and was demolished in 2003, despite an impassioned effort by many to save it. It was replaced by a Big 5 Sporting Goods store, but the Holiday Bowl’s story lives on as a chapter in the book, Sento at Sixth and Main.

Another Los Angeles bowling alley that was torn down in the last decade was the Hollywood Star Lanes, featured in the cult-classic film, “The Big Lebowski.” The place where “the Dude” bowled was demolished in 2003 (a bad year for LA bowls) by the Los Angeles Unified School District for construction of an elementary school. At least it’s not just an empty lot. With the Sunset Bowl now gone, Ballard has two big empty lots on NW Market Street within a couple blocks of each other.

Note: the images for this post were chosen to show the beauty of the mid-century modern bowling alley. They are photos of an unknown bowling alley somewhere in Washington state. Let’s celebrate these places for what they were and what they mean now.

Crest Cinema photo credit - Shoreline Historical Museum

Value of Museums

Here is a useful article from a study about the "Value of Museums". It comes from a conference in the UK.



Below are some excerpts from their publication in 2007:


"Value of Museums"

I particularly like these points:

There was very strong evidence of powerful
learning outcomes for pupils:
• The vast majority of pupils of all ages (over 90%)
enjoy their museum visits and think they have
learnt something
• Older boys are uncharacteristically enthusiastic
• Teachers continue to value the inspirational quality
of museum work because it enables their pupils
to better understand their subject
• 99% of teachers think their pupils enjoyed the
museum experience
• 97% of teachers think their pupils are likely to
have been inspired to learn more
• 94% of teachers think their pupils will have
gained subject-related facts
• 82% of teachers think the museum experience is
likely to influence classroom teaching
• 94% of teachers think their pupils are likely to
have developed thinking skills and 89%
communication skills
• 94% of teachers think museums will enable their
pupils to feel more positive about learning
The significance of learning in museums
Museums are remarkable sites for learning, capable
of inspiring teachers and pupils alike and able to
respond flexibly to the interests of children and
young people. The experiences that museums can
offer can touch pupils deeply, generating curiosity,
motivating learning, and inspiring self-confidence.
The evaluation research shows clearly how
museums can contribute in powerful ways to a
number of important government agendas,
especially:
• Community cohesion and social inclusion
• Every Child Matters
• The review of the KS3 curriculum
• The implementation of Excellence and Enjoyment
in primary schools
• The professional development of teachers
• The development of schools and the curriculum




Background
Since 2003 the Department for Culture, Media and
Sport (DCMS) and the Department for Education
and Skills (DfES), now Department for Children,
Schools and Families (DCSF), have jointly
sponsored a partnership between national and
regional museums in England that is designed to
increase and deepen relationships between
museums and schools and to strengthen
relationships between museums and communities.
An evaluation of the programme was carried out
during 2006 and 2007. Twelve national museums
with over 50 regional museum partners were
together involved in seventeen discrete projects
across England. The findings from this research
study have been considered in relation to the
findings from three earlier evaluations of the
outcomes and impacts of learning in museums.1
A successful programme
The programme has been highly successful with:
• A strong emphasis on working towards social
inclusion
• Effective and deepening partnerships between
the educational sector and the museum sector
• Powerful learning outcomes for pupils, including
evidence of increased attainment
• The potential for strong partnerships between
museums and communities
A strong emphasis was found in the museums
on working towards social inclusion:
• There were clear socially inclusive targets for the
education and community work
• About one third (30.3%) of the schools that
museums worked with in the programme are
schools with the highest percentages of pupils
eligible for free school meals
• Museum staff demonstrated a thoughtful
approach to social inclusion
• Most projects were actively working towards
community cohesion
• Museum staff were addressing multiple barriers to
the use of museums
• The impact of engagement with museums on
vulnerable individuals can be powerfully illustrated
1 The term ‘museum’ includes all art museums and galleries.
02 INSPIRATION, IDENTITY, LEARNING: THE VALUE OF MUSEUMS SECOND STUDY
Effective and deepening partnerships between
the educational sector and the museum sector
were observed:
• Increased contacts between schools and
museums, especially those that involved a number
of sessions over a period of time, which could be
called ‘serial’ contacts
• An increased number of secondary schools
• Museums playing a powerful role in curriculum
development and delivery
• An appreciation by teachers of the learner-
centred methods used in museums
• A considerable increase in cross-curricular work
(from 3% in 2004 to 35%)
• Ambitions in some of the projects to influence
curriculum development and delivery at a national
level
• Teachers’ perceptions of the positive value of
museums for their own learning and professional
development
• The vast bulk (96%) of teachers who are satisfied
or very satisfied with their museum experience
There was very strong evidence of powerful
learning outcomes for pupils:
• The vast majority of pupils of all ages (over 90%)
enjoy their museum visits and think they have
learnt something
• Older boys are uncharacteristically enthusiastic
• Teachers continue to value the inspirational quality
of museum work because it enables their pupils
to better understand their subject
• 99% of teachers think their pupils enjoyed the
museum experience
• 97% of teachers think their pupils are likely to
have been inspired to learn more
• 94% of teachers think their pupils will have
gained subject-related facts
• 82% of teachers think the museum experience is
likely to influence classroom teaching
• 94% of teachers think their pupils are likely to
have developed thinking skills and 89%
communication skills
• 94% of teachers think museums will enable their
pupils to feel more positive about learning
There are excellent opportunities for museums
to work with the community but this still needs
considerable development:
• Community work is relatively new in many of the
museums in this study
• Some museums were using sophisticated ways of
engaging with communities, but some failed to
grasp what was needed
• Community groups use museums for different
purposes from schools, with more emphasis on
Skills and less on Enjoyment, Inspiration, Creativity
• Most community group leaders were satisfied with
their experiences
• All learning outcomes for community participants
were very positive and often stronger than those
of pupils of the same age. This was particularly
marked with the boys
• Museums have the potential to respond to
learning needs over a broad spectrum
• Not all museums seemed ready to work through
the internal cultural changes necessary to embed
community-based learning into museum culture
The significance of learning in museums
Museums are remarkable sites for learning, capable
of inspiring teachers and pupils alike and able to
respond flexibly to the interests of children and
young people. The experiences that museums can
offer can touch pupils deeply, generating curiosity,
motivating learning, and inspiring self-confidence.
The evaluation research shows clearly how
museums can contribute in powerful ways to a
number of important government agendas,
especially:
• Community cohesion and social inclusion
• Every Child Matters
• The review of the KS3 curriculum
• The implementation of Excellence and Enjoyment
in primary schools
• The professional development of teachers
• The development of schools and the curriculum

Of Paramount Importance - A New Beginning

Of Paramount Importance

It’s 2010 and Happy New Year to all. It’s a good time for a new adventure.

This is a blog about my interests and your interests. As a recently minted Ex-city councilmember, I believe I have a view that could be useful to many. Specifically, the view on the environment and “land use”, which many people may not realize is perhaps the largest role played in local government.

Many years ago (approx 1989), I got involved in some local environmental concerns in order to preserve and extend a wetland in my neighborhood. That neighborhood is Paramount Park, located in southeast Shoreline. What started out as an attempt to protect a 3.5 acre section of wetlands and streams with my neighbors, became a nearly all encompassing quest (some might say obsession) to protect and restore the Thornton Creek Watershed. We had many successes along the way, and some sidetracks. This interest also evolved into related watersheds and political adventures, the last of which placed me square in the middle of local politics and elected to the Shoreline City Council.

Now, as a former elected official, I have the freedom (and more time) to look more deeply into the related issues of land use and link them to the many local issues such as (but not limited to) Open Space, Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Economic Development (ie density vs alternatives), Green Building and Low Impact Development, and even Historic Preservation and all things related including political opinion. These will be specifically related to local land-use issues, but also contain links to issues going on in nearby areas. It will be educational and entertaining whenever possible.

This site will be a place to present alternative views, promote ideas, relate news about land use issues in and around (roughly) the 32nd Legislative District and North Seattle. Other nearby areas also welcome to chime in.

I willl publish links to other blogs and invite guest writers to publish their views. I will also post photos, maps and illustrations to illuminate the concepts.

Basically, I’ve decided that I have a voice which cannot stay silent (much to the dismay of many). Someone in the media once said to me during my council term, they thought that as an elected official I should not be an activist. I disagreed. Perhaps that's why I'm no longer an elected official. C'est la vie! But I do know that I have the HEART of an activist, because positive change is what I seek and what makes me tick. So, I invite you to participate. Any reasoned and civil opinions are welcome, but vicious vulgarity will be subject to editing.

I welcome debate and additions, suggestions and any brilliant ideas.

Welcome to my adventure. Please join me!

Of Paramount Importance

Reason to Be, Sense of Place in Paramount Park!

It's 2010 and this is a blog about my interests and your interests. As a recently minted Ex-city councilmember, I believe I have a view that could be useful to many. Specifically, the view on the environment and “land use”, which many people may not realize is perhaps the largest role played in local government.

Many years ago (approx 1989), I got involved in some local environmental concerns in order to preserve and extend a wetland in my neighborhood. That neighborhood is Paramount Park, located in southeast Shoreline. What started out as an attempt to protect a 3.5 acre section of wetlands and streams with my neighbors, became a nearly all encompassing quest (some might say obsession) to protect and restore the Thornton Creek Watershed. We had many successes along the way, and some sidetracks. This interest also evolved into related watersheds and political adventures, the last of which placed me square in the middle of local politics and elected to the Shoreline City Council.

Now, as a former elected official, I have the freedom (and more time) to look more deeply into the related issues of land use and link them to the many local issues such as (but not limited to) Open Space, Sustainability and Renewable Energy, Economic Development (ie density vs alternatives), Green Building and Low Impact Development, and even Historic Preservation and all things related including political opinion. These will be specifically related to local land-use issues, but also contain links to issues going on in nearby areas. It will be educational and entertaining whenever possible.

This site will be a place to present alternative views, promote ideas, relate news about land use issues in and around (roughly) the 32^nd Leg District and North Seattle. Other nearby areas area also welcome to chime in.

I willl publish links to other blogs and invite guest writers to publish their views. I will also post photos, maps and illustrations to illuminate the concepts.

Basically, I’ve decided that I have a voice which cannot stay silent (much to the dismay of many). So, I invite you to participate. Any reasoned and civil opinions are welcome, but vicious vulgarity will be subject to editing.

I welcome debate and additions, suggestions and any brilliant ideas.

Welcome to my adventure.