to California Ave. project

Editor's Note: This letter was sent to the Seattle Department of Planning and Development with a copy to this newspaper.

Following is a list of exceptions to the proposed Project No. 3007538.

1. It violates the Neighborhood Planning Process; see recommendation 1.2 in that "the existing zoning should remain with no changes within the Admiral Urban Village."

2. There is no alley behind the east side of California Avenue, which would require commercial deliveries on the avenue impeding the orderly flow of traffic. Also, 44th and 42nd Avenues Southwest are not through streets between Southwest Oregon and Southwest Admiral Way, a distance of some one mile. This appears to violate the concurrency provisions of the Growth Management Act.

3. The application identifies four bus routes, 51, 733, 57 and 85, when in fact they do not serve the area.

4. The proposed building heights are excessive and would turn that street into a canyon with rooftops as high as 54 feet.

5. There will be no buffer of transition zone between single-family residences and the project.

6. It will have a negative effect on the existing affordable housing on the block which appears to violate existing city policy.

7. It has been our experience that NC 2-40 created many empty storefronts along California Avenue Southwest and this proposal would exacerbate that problem.

8. The elimination of the existing small businesses in the area would occur due to lack of on street parking is a high probability.

9. A major concern is that there are three public schools in the immediate area with a population exceeding 2,000 students. Lafayette Grade School, Madison Middle School and West Seattle High School will put children in jeopardy from the increased traffic on the side streets. In addition, the plan of the Seattle School District to convey students on public transportation will put more children at risk walking on the streets.

Based upon these concerns we believe an Environmental Impact Statement is a requirement. Without that we request this application be denied.

Dennis Ross

Al Rousseau

Admiral Community Council