Minutes of Board Meeting
November 14 2007
NSCC Northstar Dining Room

Directors Present:
Jerry Owens, Tom Meyer, Kay Mesirow, and Ellen Beck.

Board Representatives Present:
Board Representatives Present: Ken Thompson (North Precinct Representative), Kathleen Braden (List Serve).

Visitors: 
Elizabeth Falkner and Emily Neff (WSDOT), Kelly Lichtenwaldt, Jean Wirch, and Dave Barber.

Vice President Jerry Owens called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.

Introductions were made around the tables

Minutes:
The October 17, 2007 minutes were approved as presented.

Treasurer’s Report:
There was no report this month, but will be one in February, 2008 (and September 2008).

NEW BUSINESS:

Report from Dave Barber
Dave Barber is a community member and one of the founding members of the Licton Springs Community Council. (He works for the City of Seattle, Fleets and Facilities Department. He noted that, in his job, he will be involved in the search for a new location for the North Precinct.)

Dave came to our meeting to inform us of possible construction and changes at North Seattle Community College ("NSCC") of which he didn’t think we were aware. He passed out copies of a letter he had written to Ronald LaFayette, President of NSCC, on which the Licton Springs Community Council was carbon copied. The letter asked Dr. LaFayette to confirm or deny a rumor that NSCC "is planning to build a new building on the NSCC campus for the Washington Departments of Social and Health Sciences and Employment Security."

A lengthy discussion followed Dave’s passing out and reading portions of his letter. There were numerous questions, answers, and suggestions on actions that could be taken. It was decided that LSCC should send its own letter to Dr. LaFayette and also to Bruce Keiser, with carbon copies being sent to Nick Licata, Richard Conlin, Sally Clark, Bob Ferguson, and Ken Jacobsen. There was a sense of urgency about getting the LSCC letter sent because of the upcoming holidays. Kelly Lichtenwaldt volunteered to do the first draft of the letter to get the ball rolling. Thank you, Kelly!! It was decided that we would e-mail drafts of the letter around for additions/deletions and when it was in final form, coordinate having everyone signing it.

Kathleen Braden suggested that an announcement could be sent out to people on the List Serve. She said she would send around proposed language for such an announcement.

OLD BUSINESS:

I-5 Noise Wall Project. Erin Fletcher and Emily Neff of WSDOT came to our meeting to give us an update on the I-5 Noise Wall Project. The noise walls are going to be 12 to 16 feet above grade and provide the most benefit to homeowners who live within 500 feet of the walls.

Erin told us that WSDOT had done a polling of the residents living within 500 feet of the proposed walls in June. They were pleased that 95% supported having the walls constructed.

They held community design workshops and provided us with pictures of the ashlar stone design chosen and the planned landscaping. Construction will begin the spring/summer 2008. There will be meetings with residents before construction and they will be given full information about the hours and time work would go on, etc. They will keep residents informed. Construction of the walls will be from the freeway side, not the neighborhood side. It could be possible that there would be a ramp closure or lane closure because of construction, but this would occur at night.

The cost of the design, construction, and maintenance of the noise walls on the west side of I-5 is $7.5 Million. There will be a future phase of the noise wall project on the east side of I-5 in the Maple Leaf neighborhood.

In answer to a question, we were told that the doors in the noise walls are there because of the need to access major utilities/fire hydrants. Only staff personnel have keys.

We were informed that WSDOT is also considering other methods to reduce noise, such as quieter pavement. They have built test sections and are studying the results. The test sites include: portions of SR 520 through Medina, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Yarrow Point and Bellevue; I-5 between Swamp Creek and the 44th Avenue West Interchange in Lynnwood; northbound and southbound sections of I-405 near Bellevue; sections of I-90 in Spokane, sections of I-205 east of Vancouver, and on I-5 in Federal Way and south of Tukwila. Quieter pavements are successful in warmer, dry

climates, but WSDOT is testing if they will hold up in the unique driving and weather conditions we have in the Pacific Northwest. They are testing durability, quality and quantity of noise reduction, and how noise suppression abilities perform over time. The tests will show whether these alternative pavements make sense for Pacific Northwest highways.

Halloween in the Park. There was a short discussion of Halloween in the Park. Those able to stop by the event said that it seemed to be a good crowd. Ellen said she would first contact Betsy Weill as to find out whom she picked up donations from, and she would write thank you letters to all who donated.

Our next meeting is Wednesday, January 16, 2008.

The meeting adjourned at 8:53 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Ellen M. Beck, Secretary