Venus Velazquez stood before two dozen members of the Alki Community Council making the case for neighborhood planning, telling them Alki needs to write its own neighborhood plan to avoid becoming overcrowded with restaurants, bars and hotels.

The City Council candidate reminded the group she'd worked four years in West Seattle trying to implement its neighborhood plans. Velazquez put an extra squeeze on her West Seattle connections Thursday evening because the previous night she'd been arrested in Ballard for drinking and driving, a move that could endanger her electability in less than two weeks.

Velazquez worked for the city's Department of Neighborhoods after the citywide Seattle Comprehensive Plan was written a decade ago. It included individual plans for nearly 40 neighborhood business districts across the city, four of which - the Junction, Admiral, Morgan Junction and Westwood - are in West Seattle. Residents, property owners and neighborhood business employees in each "urban village," wrote the plans as the business districts were called.

Delridge residents convinced city planners their neighborhood needed a plan too, so Delridge also got to draft a neighborhood plan of its own. Many of the positive changes in Delridge - a new branch of the Seattle Public Library, more affordable housing units, and its own city-run neighborhood service center - came about because Delridge has a neighborhood plan, Velazquez said.

In the mid-1990s, city planners determined the Alki business district was not large enough to qualify as an urban village. But without a neighborhood plan designed by Alki residents and business owners, the popular beach community could lose control of its future, Velazquez said.

Resident Gary Ogden said some of the hillsides at Alki are zoned for two- and three-story buildings with no requirement for parking.

Velazquez reminded the small crowd that 10 years ago many West Seattle residents opposed participating in the Comprehensive Plan. Attitudes have softened since then. The Comprehensive Plan is a tool against "spot zoning," which sometimes results in incompatible land uses being next to each other.

She urged the city to allow small lots in residential areas.

"I hope you think of tonight when you read the paper tomorrow," Velazquez told the Alki group, referring to the danger her drinking arrest could pose to her campaign. "I spent four years of my life over here."

Her opponent, Bruce Harrell, said nothing about Velazquez's brush with the law the night before. Instead he claimed a large development firm paid for a campaign mailing on her behalf and warned that Velazquez hopes to become chairwoman of the City Council's land-use committee.

"I'm not going to tell you what to do with Alki," Harrell told the Alki Community Council.

Harrell is an attorney who started his own firm about 10 years ago. He earned bachelors and law degrees at the University of Washington and was on a football scholarship. He once worked for former City Councilman Paul Kraabel.

As an attorney, Harrell said he's acquired the ability to navigate through disagreements to find solutions to problems by listening to all sides. He started a law firm about 10 years ago, he said.

He's convinced taxpayers' money could be saved in city government but admitted he doesn't know how efficient city agencies are. He also supports "transparency" in government processes as well as a "diverse economy in Seattle."

He's also been volunteering to help complete Sound Transit's light rail project through Rainier Valley.

Harrell supported an ordinance to require nightclub operators in Belltown to take more responsibility for the areas around their clubs to reduce criminal activities. Velazquez opposed the proposed ordinance, he said.

If carrying capacity, safety and other issues can be worked out, Harrell is prepared to support replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a multilane street. But he wants a more open design process.

Seattle School Board

Steve Sundquist is running for the West Seattle seat on the Seattle School Board. His opponent Maria Ramirez, did not attend the Alki meeting.

Sundquist stressed his experience working as a senior manager in the corporate world. He retired in 2005 and now wants to use some of this acquired skills improving schools.

When asked what's wrong with Seattle schools, Sundquist said they are led by "not a particularly strong board." Surveys indicate the public has a similar attitude toward the current School Board, he said.

Another problem is inconsistency.

"Some schools perform and others don't," Sundquist said. "Success can be pretty patchy."

He stressed that he knows how to make systemwide changes in institutions such as Seattle Public Schools. You focus on programs that are working and repeat those successes, he said.

Just as each school needs an academic plan, so too do they each need a security plan, Sundquist said.

He thinks new teachers should be partnered with more experienced teachers for the first years of their careers to help show them the ropes.

Children who get into trouble at school should receive help at an early age.

Parents ought to be more involved in their children's schools.

Sundquist said he likes a place called The New School, which has students as young as age 4.

Years ago, schools used operating levies for "extras," he said. Now voter-approved operating levies provide 25 percent of the money to run schools, he said.

Education in Washington has its most supportive governor and Legislature in a generation yet there's still not enough money for schools, Sundquist said.

He reminded the small Alki crowd that nine out of 10 jobs currently require a high school diploma.

Tim St. Clair can be reached at 932-0300 or timstc@robinsonnews.com