Neighborhood activist group "Getting It Right for West Seattle" has been active for months with the primary aim of influencing what they refer to as "smart development" and focusing on the Whittaker, the project now in process and proposed to be built at the corner of Fauntleroy and Alaska Street. They have done their own studies, conducted surveys, held public meetings, created posters and built a website to address the issues they see the project causing. The group is in part funded by UFCW21.

As currently designed, the project would have 370 apartments, some small shops and a major grocery store, likely Whole Foods.

They have produced a video, complete with 3-D animation demonstrating what the traffic issues are should the project go ahead as planned. It suggests that not only would the project created traffic tie ups extending back to the West Seattle Bridge but that pedestrian safety might be compromised.

They are urging people in West Seattle to take action if they are interested by writing to City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen in advance of a public meeting and vote scheduled for March 11 on the "alley vacation" with the Seattle Transportation Committee and go so far as to provide the text of what people should send. That vote is a key piece of the plan going forward and became an issue in the last Mayoral campaign.

The group's aims are to make West Seattle:

• A pedestrian focused community
• With local shops and transit
• With fewer safety and traffic hazards

You can follow the group on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/GettingitRight4WS