Calling all crafters and artists! The RECC Holiday Craft Sale is coming!

The Third Annual Ravenna Holiday Arts and Crafts Sale will be held at the Ravenna-Eckstein Community Center (6535 Ravenna Ave NE) on Saturday, December 4th, from 10am-4pm.

DATE: Check. VENUE: Check. But what about the CRAFTS?

Striped Baby Hat, from sugarandwool.com; picture ©2009-2010 Ann Scranton

That’s where YOU come in.

Via email (from one of the organizers of the event):

The sale prides itself on high‐quality, unique, crafts made by local artisans. We are currently accepting applications from artists. Items must be handmade (not mass-produced).

Interested in selling your hand-wrought wares to at this local event, or know someone else who might? Email ravholiday [at] gmail.com to receive an application form.

Applications are due by October 29th.

Thanks to Deb for the info.

Are you missing a cat?

It's a boy, and BOY is he hungry!

Hot out of the inbox:
Could you post this on the Ravenna blog?  We were found by this cat (see photos) who keeps trying to walk into our house, so he’s clearly tame. I am sure his owner must miss him very much.  he was found wandering on Park Road, near Ravenna Blvd and 20th Street, last Thursday.  Thanks so much.

He looks very cuddly, yes?

He has a large gray patch on his face, and two gray patches on each side, and is very friendly.  If you are missing him, please call or email me, and I can get him back to you. Please forward around the various neighborhood lists as needed — he needs to go back home!
T Sconyers
neighborhood cat magnet
If Party Cloudy here (that’s what I’ve decided to name him) is yours, please contact Cat Magnet T at tracey.sconyers [at] gmail.com or 523-1225.
We here at Ravenna Blog would love to post any happy reunion photos, should they occur. Let us know.

Lost White Ferret APB – More info (sort of)

White ferret mug shot (approximate)

If you live near 27th Avenue NE between NE 65th and 60th Streets, be on the lookout for a LOST WHITE FERRET.

Varmint last seen approximately here

Any leads? Contact me here (rebecca [at] ravennablog.com), in the comments below, and/or the twitter feed (twitter.com/RavennaBlog).

Thanks to Nazila for the tip.

UPDATE: More info from a craigslist post:

HALEN got out in the morning on Friday, 10/8. She was last seen on 27th Ave NE. She is albino and about 2 pounds. She is very friendly and curious and will come up to you if she sees you. She won’t bite.

If you have any information, please call Molly at [see below].

I found the post through EveryBlock, but it has since been deleted.  I’m leaving off the contact phone number until I hear back from my source*.

___________________

*Yeah, I have a #lostwhiteferretwatch2010 source. U MAD?

Sisleyville EIS Scoping Comments Deadline Nears

NOW is the time to send in your thoughts about the proposed rezoning of the properties around 15th Ave NE and NE 65th St, if you haven’t already.  The deadline for public comments about the Environmental Impact Survey for the Roosevelt Development Group’s proposed zoning changes is next Wednesday, September 1.

If you feel well-informed on the issue, feel free to skip down to the “How should I send in my input?” part of this blog post and start there.

For the rest of us (myself included), I’ve hunted down answers to some common questions about the scoping process AND what the content and form of our comments should be.

What is the scoping process?

I found the following description of the scoping process in the Enviromental Scoping Information Report (EIS) for the East Link Project (applies to our situation as well; emphasis mine):

The purpose of scoping is to determine the range of alternatives and identify the potentially significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS. The scoping process is also intended to eliminate detailed study of those issues that are not significant and those issues that have been addressed by prior studies. This scoping process includes public meetings at which anyone may have their oral comments recorded and/or provide written comments. Written comments are encouraged throughout the scoping period.

In other words: Developers want to make big changes in your area. Here are their plans. What do you think?

There have been two public meetings on the Roosevelt/Ravenna rezone issue where public comments were recorded (sort of; DPD tries to explain what happened here, Glenn Roberts gives his impression here). Now the comment collection window is closing. It’s time to let the city know what YOU think about these rezone plans!

Why should I send in my input?

Again: Developers want to make big changes in your area. Here are their plans. What do you think?

It’s in OUR neighborhood where these proposed changes may take place, OUR backyards. It doesn’t matter whether you support the rezones or not: You should let your City know what you think, either way.

What should my input look like?

The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association has an excellent list of comment suggestions (MSWord doc) that will help you organize your thoughts in writing (no matter what side of the issue you’re on):

  • Briefly explain who you are and why you are interested in the project.
  • Comment only on issues relevant to the decision being made.
  • State informed opinions and, where possible, include data to support your opinion.
  • Keep focused on your objective.  You want DPD to hear your concerns and be compelled enough to investigate further.
  • Ask for studies that you think are important but have not been provided.
  • Ask to be added to the project mailing list and request a copy of the notice of decision. (You must give your mailing address, because notices are only sent through US Mail.)

The DPD has already identified six key elements for discussion in the Environmental Impact Survey for the Sisley properties (DPD Notice of Determination of Significance):

  • Height, bulk and scale
  • Land use
  • Parking
  • Housing
  • Shadows on open spaces
  • Traffic and Transportation

Now, the Roosevelt Development Group has outlined six different proposals for the EIS which were on display at the last scoping meeting on July 21st.  You may want to address specific plans in your comments (for instance, the plan that rezones the area for 160-foot-tall buildings). You can find a description of those alternatives here. Graphics of the six alternatives are also online (pdf, 5.6 MB file).

If you want to be a Thorough Theodore, you may want to apply ALL SIX key elements (Height, bulk and scale; Land use; etc.) to ALL SIX of the RDG’s six proposals.  Yeah, that’s a lot of work, but that’s what happens when a developer throws six different proposals out all at once.

If you like some direction on which of the six proposals you should spend your time on, Glenn Roberts (Roosevelt-Ravenna Zoning Issues) has the following to say (emphasis mine):

I agree with almost every remark made [in the scoping meeting transcripts]. And strongly agree that only Options #1, 2, and 6 be studied in the EIS. #1 is no change, #2 is the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association rezoning plan, and #6 (because it is so patently ridiculous) the 160′ RDG proposal.

How should I send in my input?

  • By email: You may send along your comments to Shelley Bolser (shelley.bolser@seattle.gov) at the Department of Planning and Development.
  • By fax: (206) 233-7902
  • By mail: Here is a Blank RDG EIS Scoping Comment Form (pdf) you can mail in, also to Shelley. This comment form includes the list of six key elements for discussion mentioned above.  The address is:

City of Seattle
Department of Planning and Development, Attn: Shelley Bolser
700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000
PO BOX 34019
Seattle, WA 98124-4019

However you choose to send your comments in, INCLUDE THE PROJECT NUMBER: 3010100.

TO SUM UP:

  1. Print out this page. Read the top.
  2. Read about the proposed rezoning alternatives (all six).
  3. Look at these comment-making suggestions.
  4. Think.
  5. Write.
  6. Send it to the DPD by September 1.

_____________________

References

got garage?

Kevin Colbert could sure use your help, especially if you live close to 21st Avenue NE and NE 70th Street.

the search area

For the past two years, Kevin’s been renting a garage near his apartment to store and work on his motorcycle and a project Jeep. But the people he rents from are moving, and so must he.

If you have or know of a garage nearby that Kevin could rent, you can contact him by email at (colbertkt [at] gmail.com) or by phone (335-9979).  He could provide some references, if rent money alone is not enough to persuade you.

[Note: My father’s first child was a 1956 Willys Jeep pick-up that we still use to go to the dump and to cut down Christmas trees. Had to try and help Kevin out!]