Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council |
Planning Coordinator:
Neighborhood Representatives: Bailey Park Neighbors
Bridge Crest Shary Flenniken
Carlton Park I Gretchen Taylor
Carlton Park II
Central Valley Bill Rasmussen
City View—South
City View—North
Discovery Park Neighbors Ron Piland
Dravus Corridor
Land’s End Robin Budd
Magnolia Boulevard/Perkins Lane Neighbors
Magnolia Village Joan Abrevaya
Manor Place Candy Martin
Salmon Bay Neighbors
Thorndyke Business District
Thorndyke Corridor Neighbors Chris Wyrick
28th Avenue Corridor
Local Organizations: Discovery Park Advisory Group
Discovery Park Adopt-an- Area Stewards* * Individual Steward’s Site
Ella Bailey Park Stewards
Fisherman’s Terminal
Fisherman’s Terminal Industrial Council
Magnolia Bridge Advisory Group
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by Marlene Rogers |
Planning for Magnolia’s Future Our Goal: Getting to “Yes!” |
About the Magnolia Neighborhood Planning CouncilGuiding Philosophy
There are three guiding principles upon which the Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council is based, transparency, equity, and forthrightness: · Transparency in its actions and operations, · Equity as an element of all that it is associated with, and · Forthrightness, the quality of candor; carrying out its business in an honest and straightforward manner
The Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council desires to be a robust organization, that seeks to carry out the mandate of the people of Magnolia, that works with the people of Magnolia to develop a vision and plan for Magnolia, and that will strive to always operate in a manner that is transparent, equitable, and forthright.
Brief History of Magnolia Planning
The Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council was established in order to provide a vehicle to facilitate the process for developing and implementing a neighborhood plan for the Magnolia area, and planning and undertaking local neighborhood improvement projects. In the 1980’s the City of Seattle created a number of neighborhood planning areas, which included urban villages. Urban villages were at the time (and still are) designed to absorb greater density. The Magnolia area did not possess the attributes that would be conducive to this type of neighborhood development, which included having a large enough retail core area that could accommodate greater density of multi-unit/multi-story residential buildings that would have retail units at street level. At the time Magnolia’s community leaders did not want to accept in general the type of density that the City was seeking to bring about in Seattle neighborhoods as a whole. Therefore they made the decision not to undertake to engage in the planning that would have resulted in a neighborhood plan for Magnolia. Part of the consequence of not having a plan however has been that Magnolia is ineligible for certain City funds for capital improvements, and Magnolia is yoked for planning purposes with Queen Anne Hill. This all has resulted in inequitable treatment of Magnolia by the City, in comparison to how it treats neighborhoods which do have a neighborhood plan.
Neighborhood Planning Initiative
In retrospect the decision at the time was sound, however over time the dynamics of Seattle’s neighborhoods have changed. In Magnolia, as well as in the rest of Seattle’s neighborhoods, the pressure of City land use policies which have encouraged rampant development activity are being felt at an ever increasing pace. The fabric of the neighborhoods, that which gave them their unique characteristics, their sense of community, their sense of aesthetic values, their savoir faire, all of which attracted people to them, is being ripped asunder. To counter these effects the MNPC is undertaking an effort to create a neighborhood plan, as authorized under City Council Resolution 30238, in the hope that the development around the Magnolia area can be managed, and in some cases contained. The planning council, with the guidance of the people in the Magnolia neighborhoods, seeks to create a plan which sets out the vision for Magnolia, the quality of life it wants to maintain in Magnolia, and the methods whereby all future development in Magnolia’s planning area is to be accounted for, reviewed, and encouraged, or discouraged. Foundational documents which will be part of the greater Magnolia Neighborhood Plan will be a number of “plans” that have been developed for various parts of Magnolia, including the: · Ursula Judkins Viewpoint Plan · Ship Canal Plan · Interbay Plan · 100 Year Plan See Also: Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Guidebook
Constituent Services In addition to its planning activities, the planning council is committed to facilitating a program of constituency services for the stakeholders of Magnolia, the people that live, work, and play in and around the Magnolia area. This derives from a strong sense among the planning council’s leaders and representatives that there is a necessity for civic accountability and civic action, which is based in the social contract between government and its citizens. One of the most important things we do and will do as a Magnolia community leadership organization is to assist residents, businesses, and other stakeholders in Magnolia as an intermediary with agencies and/or departments of the City of Seattle government. Although we cannot override the laws and regulations of a municipal government, we can ensure that constituents are given an adequate and considered response in a timely manner by City government. We can also propose and work to carry out with municipal government, solutions to problems and/or issues that are affecting the people/neighborhoods of Magnolia. This may include coordinating with Magnolia residents, businesses, or other community organizations to facilitate civic programs or grant opportunities for neighborhood maintenance or enhancement initiatives.
An additional feature of the planning council’s constituency services is the generating and disseminating information to the general public, about matters which are related to the Magnolia community. Dissemination and outreach will be accomplished through community meetings, a monthly newsletter, and periodic e-mail communications.
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