Smash and Grab Incident In Front Of Varlamos Restaurant

The Laurelhurst Blog received this information:. 

On Thursday, November 9, I was parked in front of Varlamos on NE 45th Street while my wife and I had a quick dinner.   

While we were inside, a thief or thieves smashed our rear left passenger window.  They reached in and stole two of my computer work bags with my computers and other work and personal items.  

My car was parked behind a large white panel van that was gone when we returned so my assumption is that we were being cased.  

I have reported this information to the police. 

A reminder to hide all valuables even on a busy street like NE 45th Street.  

Vandals Pour Paint On NE 45th Street Overpass

On the early morning of July 1st, vandals poured blue and white paint on the NE 45th Street overpass, including the hand rails.

Neighbors wrote:

For your information, and probably nothing you can do about it, someone opened two pint cans of blue and white paint and poured it on the handrails and surface of the Laurelhurst School/Park overpass. When finished, they poured the rest of the paint on the street below and then tossed one of the empty cans on the street below and the other into the Laurelhurst School Playground. The paint was likely purchased from City People’s (EasyCare is their store brand), but contacting them to see if they remember selling the paint was not helpful. Anyway, there is a mess on the bridge and street below that will likely be there for some time to come. It would be nice if the culprits decided on their own that it was not a great idea and go clean things up.  It will probably take a pressure washer to do the job.

Defacing property public or private is so disappointing and wrong. Sad that no one saw them in the act. 

I drive that street every day I thought it was a bucket of paint that fell off of a truck. I had no idea it was all over the bridge too. Probably the same people that I saw throwing items in the street recently.  

Destruction of property is a crime and hopefully those who did it will be caught and prosecuted. Meanwhile neighbors will probably have to clean it up and cover expenses associated with removing it.

"Crowdfunding"House Under Construction On NE 45th Street Near St. Stephens

 home under construction

 

 front of house from NE 45th Street

west side of house



Another home is under construction in the neighborhood a few doors down from St. Stephens Church at 4847 NE 45th Street.

Seattle Curbed wrote this about the house:

Crowdfunded Seattle 4-BR House Fully Funded in Six Days

In case you were wondering if crowdfunding real estate could work here in Seattle, well, how could it not? That kind of thing is right up our alley (perhaps literally...).  

Real estate crowdfunding company Fundrise took that bet and ended up seeing their upscale single family home project at 4847 NE 45th St. in Laurelhurst get fully funded in six days.  

The $250K raised will be turned into a newly-constructed 3,300 sq. ft. 4-BR/3.5-bath built by local developer Build Urban with an expectation to be 5 Star Built Green.  

So what will the investors get? Fundrise expects investments to return 16% annual (8% paid current & 8% accrued) once the project is completed and sold.

 

 

The Laurelhurst Blog Staff contacted, Jeff Weggener, with Build Urban, who confirmed that they  "utilized the Fundrise platform to crowdfund $250,000 for the project."

In December, neighbors reported a fire at the house, which the Blog Staff asked Jeff about and he said:

We allowed the SFD to use the home for what they call "destructive training".  The firefighters tore into the old home and practiced accessing rooms as if they were on fire.   

We also allowed them to do this on another home we're building in Laurelhurst at 5126 45th Ave NE. Both homes were vacant before this training occurred.

 

Jeff said the home will have the original carport tucked behind the home, so the home will be not as elevated as most new construction homes with the garages typically built below the home.  Jeff said the front door and front porch are  approximately three feet above the ground. 

"This design concept is to highlight the porch and entry details and minimize the presence of the garage at the public edge," he added.   

 

The new home, which will be 3,512 square feet, will "maintain a traditional form," Jeff said.

He added "we are excited to design and build a quality home in this great neighborhood."

The home is scheduled for completion in late July.

 

Long-Time Laurelhurst Home Near St. Stephens Demolished To Make Way For Two New Large Homes

home demolished recently at 4720 NE 45th Street  

 

 

 

 

 home as it stood before demolition at 4720 NE 45th Street 

to make way  for 2 new homes

 

 



The yellow house at 4720 NE 45th Street, built in 1936, directly across from St. Stephens Church, was recently demolished and will be replaced with two homes sitting each on roughly 5000 square feet, as the Laurelhurst Blog reported in April of last year.
 
The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) project numbers associated with this upcoming construction, which is considered a short plat, are Project #3016836 and #3016832,  were submitted to the City in March of last year.  

The owner, Thomas Hall, bought the 2000 square foot home in 1990, and hasn't lived there for quite some time. He also owns the small house next door, 4711 48th Avenue NE.  
 
The land us application states a request "to subdivide one parcel into two parcels of land. Proposed parcel sizes are: X) 5,025 sq. ft. and Y) 5,025 sq. ft. Existing structures to be demolished." However the lot size on the King County Assessor website shows as 9,526 square feet.
 
Branin Burdette, DPD Land Use Planner, told us that "the submitted survey shows the lot at 10,049 square feet, therefore allowing a subdivision of two lots into roughly 5000 square foot lots.  The proposed subdivision shows compliance with the minimum lot size requirements of 5000 square feet."
 He added that there was a boundary line adjustment one on the lots addressed 4716 NE 45^th Street, 4511 48^th Avenue NE and 4720 NE 45^th Street.
   
One Home Per Lot.  a city-wide grassroots group monitoring large homes built on side and backyards of existing homes, said that in "reviewing the permits, it looks as if there were three lots and the developer/owner did a boundary adjustment to ensure that the two lots under the current permit would be 5,000 square foot lots.  
 
The group added that three lots have been given three separate addresses (4720 NE 45th Street, 4501 48th Avenue NE, 4503 48th Avenue NE) and are being combined and manipulated n different ways for the project via lot boundary adjustments to create three new lots sizes: A) 5,097 sq. ft; B) 10,049 sq. ft; C) 6,682 sq.ft.   The largest of those three lots (lot "B") will then be subdivided into two lots, each 5,025 square feet, called a short plat.
 
Burdette said that "currently, the only revised lot line shown is the new lot line directly in the middle.  This new property line runs east to west.  The City right-of-way will not be counted in the overall lot size, lot coverage allowances or setbacks."
 
The new home on the northern lot, Burdette said,  will have access off of 48^th Avenue NE while the southern lot will, most likely, have access off of NE 45^th Street. 
 
"No clear access will be proposed on the southern lot until such time as a building permit is proposed.  We do not regulate the orientation of single family home or where their 'front door' needs to face.  Although it would be unique, a new home on this lot could have their front door face the northern or western property line, if desired," Burdette said.
 
DPD said no addresses have been given to either proposed new lot.

A nearby neighbor expressed concern regarding the current  zoning guidelines and the potential that the new house on the new corner lot would have to be built about 7 feet further to the west than the current structure is, making it a very skinny house.
 
Burdette said that the home on the southern lot would be classified as a reverse corner lot, which means that if they take their front yard off of 48^th Avenue NE, then they would have a 10-foot side yard requirement along NE 45^th Street and if they took their front yard off of NE 45^th Street then a 10-foot side yard would be required off of 48^th Avenue NE. 
 
"Assuming they orient the home towards 48^th Avenue NE, the home could still be 37 feet wide and meet applicable setbacks.  They would have a 19.4’ rear yard setback and should have a standard 20’ front yard," Burdette said.
 
A nearby neighbor commented:

I live in  a home on a 4000 square foot lot, which "apparently was grandfathered in when it was built in the early 1940s when zoning laws were different.  The lot seems small, and is, in comparison to my neighbors.  I know that the Laurelhurst community is concerned with development on less than full-sized residential parcels.  And so, as a neighbor, I request further information and clarification before the project is considered.

Another neighbor commented that "an interesting feature of this project is that the entire side yard facing 48th Avenue NE,  except about 3 feet, is City right of way and may not be figured into the calculations.  

The developer is listed as:

PAUL GLOSNIAK

BDR HOMES
11100 MAIN STREET
SUITE 201
BELLEVUE, WA 98004

The applicant (and person listed as the primary contact) is:

KEVIN CLEARYGOLDSMITH ENGINEERING
1215 114TH AVENUE SE
BELLEVUE, WA 9800

425-462-1080 x257

 

And the architect is:

Baylis Architects

Fire This Morning At Home In 4300 Block Of NE 45th Street

Pictures taken shortly after 6am looking west on NE 45th Street:

Pictures taken shortly looking west on NE 45th Street after 7am:



 General area here fire occurred

An early morning fire in the upstairs of a home on the 4300 block of NE 45th Street caused "minimal damage" as one firefighter told an onlooker. A person on their way to work commented that the information on the scanner "didn't look really bad."
 
Shortly after 6am this morning, six fire engines came racing up NE 45th Street along with several other support fire vehicles. A chainsaw was heard cutting a whole in the 2nd floor roof and glass was broken in an upstairs window for more ventilation.
 
The family next door was seen with their small children going to another immediate neighbor's house during all the activity. Their house was not known to be damaged.

NE 45th Street at 45th Avenue NE was closed as well as 45th Avenue NE at NE 45th Street.  Cars were seen backing up on NE 45th Street after they had seen the cones blocking access to the area, then the vehicles were seen then turning northbound on 46th and 47th Avenues NE.

About 7am "Fire Support Vehicles," a City vehicle, as well as some new fire vehicles, started arriving and talking to the home owners who were standing out in front, most likely to start the investigation of the fire. There were no injuries.

As of this time, several fire engines are starting to leave but the streets have not been re-opened.
 
The Seattle Fire Department tweeted at 6:26am:

Firefighters at working fire 4300 Blk of NE 45th St. All occupants out of 2 story residence.

 

Another tweet was sent out at 6:43am - most likely referring to the same location, however another street was tweeted:

Small fire on 2nd floor "tapped". Fire investigators called to location. 4300 blk of NE 43rd st.

 

Residents Worried About Pedestrians Trying to Cross Busy NE 45th Street

 

Two radar speed signs installed temporarily in March on NE 45th Street

with overpass in background

We received this email from a Blog reader:

I'm hoping you can warn pedestrians, especially those with small children and/or dogs against crossing NE 45th Street at 45th Avenue NE where there is no cross walk and west bound cars are coming over the hill and do not see them until they have to brake quickly.   

Three times in the last two weeks this situation has occurred, twice Mom's with little ones on their way to school  and once a man and his dog in the evening when the sun was in my eyes.   

I know it is not as convenient but people should cross Ne 45th Street using the overpass.  Please post this as maybe people new to the neighborhood don't know this is the proper way and safest way to cross NE 45th.  concerned neighbor!

 

Last month we posted about two parents of Laurelhurst Elementary School children, who submitted a request to SDOT to have radar speed signs installed for one week due to high traffic on NE 45th Street and cars going over the speed limit. SDOT"s study showed that the average speed over 24 hours shows 23.9mph and maximum speed shows 0.1% of 7,686 cars going 65.2mph.

The two Laurelhurst Elementary school fathers also submitted an application, currently under review by the Northeast District Council, for the Neighborhood Park and Street Fund for either radar signs and/or flashing yellow  lights.

During school hours, flaggers try to direct children onto the NE 45th Street overpass as well as into the crosswalks.

The Laurelhurst Community Club told us:

Pedestrians are allowed to cross at street corners whether or not there is a crosswalk.  The problem is that drivers often don’t stop if pedestrians are waiting to cross.   

SDOT is reluctant to install crosswalks because they think it gives pedestrians a false sense of security—flashing lights or traffic signals assist in getting cars to slow.   

Pedestrians always have the right-of-way at street corners.  It is unclear if they do in areas where there is a corner on one side of the street, but not the other.  

Our NE 45th Street overpass was an important attempt to keep our pedestrians safe, but some still choose to cross at corners.

 

Long Time NE 45th Street House To Be Demolished For Two Houses, Submit Your Comments Now

	4720 NE 45th Street to be demolished for 2 new houses (view from front)

view from corner of lot at NE 45th Street and 48th Avenue NE

The yellow house at 4720 NE 45th Street, built in 1936, directly across from St. Stephens Church, is slated to be demolished and replaced with two homes sitting each on roughly 5000 square feet. 
 
The Department of Planning and Development (DPD) is accepting comments on this, Project #3016836 and #3016832, through April 16th. 

This project is a short plat and therefore allows for public comment and possible appeal, Branin, the DPD Land Use Planner assigned to the project.told us  Any future home construction would not require any public notice, he added. The application was submitted on March 12th to the City

The owner, Thomas Hall, who bought the 2000 square foot home in 1990, and hasn't lived there for quite some time, also owns the small house next door, 4711 48th Avenue NE. 
 
One Home Per Lot, , a city-wide grassroots group monitoring large homes built on side and backyards of existing homes, including several in Laurelhurst, told us that possibly the house on the other side, 4716 NE 45th Street, might be part of the re-development, as three existing addresses are shown on this DPD page under the section titled "Permit Remarks."
 
However, Branin told us that he has "no permits or projects that show the other two homes are to be removed."
 
The land us application states a request "to subdivide one parcel into two parcels of land. Proposed parcel sizes are: X) 5,025 sq. ft. and Y) 5,025 sq. ft. Existing structures to be demolished." However the lot size on the King County Assessor website shows as 9,526 square feet.
 
Branin, DPD Land Use Planner, told us that "the submitted survey shows the lot at 10,049 square feet, therefore allowing a subdivision of two lots into roughly 5000 square foot lots.  The proposed subdivision shows compliance with the minimum lot size requirements of 5000 square feet."
 
He added that there was a boundary line adjustment , approved but pending final signatures, done on the lots addressed 4716 NE 45^th Street, 4511 48^th Avenue NE and 4720 NE 45^th Street.
  
One Home Per Lot said that in "reviewing the permits, it looks as if there were three lots and the developer/owner did a boundary adjustment to ensure that the two lots under the current permit would be 5,000 square foot lots. 
 

The group added that three lots have been given three separate addresses (4720 NE 45th Street, 4501 48th Avenue NE, 4503 48th Avenue NE) and are being combined and manipulated n different ways for the project via lot boundary adjustments to create three new lots sizes: A) 5,097 sq. ft; B) 10,049 sq. ft; C) 6,682 sq.ft.   The largest of those three lots (lot "B") will then be subdivided into two lots, each 5,025 square feet, called a short plat.

 
Branin said that "currently, the only revised lot line shown is the new lot line directly in the middle.  This new property line runs east to west.  The City right-of-way will not be counted in the overall lot size, lot coverage allowances or setbacks."
 
The new home on thenorthern lot, Branin said,  will have access off of 48^th Avenue NE while the southern lot will, most likely, have access off of NE 45^th Street. 
 
"No clear access will be proposed on the southern lot until such time as a building permit is proposed.  We do not regulate the orientation of single family home or where their 'front door' needs to face.  Although it would be unique, a new home on this lot could have their front door face the northern or western property line, if desired," Branin said.
 
DPD said no addresses have been given to either proposed new lot.

However, One Home Per Lot said that the new addresses are listed under another DPD land use permit (4720 NE 45th Street, 4501 48th Avenue NE, 4503 48th Avenue NE) and could be the new addresses of the three new houses. 

A nearby nearby neighbor expressed concern regarding the current  zoning guidelines and the potential that the new house on the new corner lot would have to be built about 7 feet further to the west than the current structure is, making it a very skinny house.
 
Branin said that the home on the southern lot would be classified as a reverse corner lot, which means that if they take their front yard off of 48^th Avenue NE, then they would have a 10-foot side yard requirement along NE 45^th Streetreet and if they took their front yard off of NE 45^th Street then a 10-foot side yard would be required off of 48^th AvenueNE. 
 
"Assuming they orient the home towards 48^th Avenue NE, the home could still be 37 feet wide and meet applicable setbacks.  They would have a 19.4’ rear yard setback and should have a standard 20’ front yard," Branin said.
 
A nearby neighbor commented:

I live in  a home on a 4000 square foot lot, which "apparently was grandfathered in when it was built in the early 1940s when zoning laws were different.  The lot seems small, and is, in comparison to my neighbors.  I know that the Laurelhurst community is concerned with development on less than full-sized residential parcels.  And so, as a neighbor, I request further information and clarification before the project is considered.

Another neighbor commented that "an interesting feature of this project is that the entire side yard facing 48th Avenue NE,  except about 3 feet, is City right of way and may not be figured into the calculations.  

Here is a list of the DPD documents on file with the City and by which One Home Per Lot pulled their information:
- http://web1.seattle.gov/DPD/permitstatus/Address.aspx?addr=4720,NE,45TH,ST,
- http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/parceldata/parcel.aspx?pin=5364200425

- http://web1.seattle.gov/dpd/maps/dpdgis.aspx

 
One Home Per lot suggest checking out their web site for recommendations on how to possibly stop this project if you are not in agreement and also going here to learn about similar kinds of projects in the City.  

 

Here is contact information for those involved with the development:

Developer:

PAUL GLOSNIAK
BDR HOMES
11100 MAIN STREET
SUITE 201
BELLEVUE, WA 98004

Applicant (and person listed as the primary contact):

KEVIN CLEARYGOLDSMITH ENGINEERING
1215 114TH AVENUE SE
BELLEVUE, WA 9800

425-462-1080 x257

 

Also affiliated with:

Baylis Architects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neighbor Comments On School Zone Safety On NE 45th Street As Well As 46th And 47th Avenues NE

Two radar speed machines 2 weeks ago on NE 45th Street



Following our recent post about the two radar speed signs placed on NE 45th Street just near the south playground of Laurelhurst Elementary School, the Blog Staff received many  comments.

SDOT delivered the machines two weeks ago to one of several neighborhood school zone areas in response to an application submitted by Steve Clark and Paul Hanson, in conjunction with the City's School Traffic Management Program.  

The two Laurelhurst Elementary school fathers also submitted an application for the Neighborhood Park and Street Fund for either radar signs and/or flashing yellow  lights, which the Northeast District Council will formerly decide on next month,. NEDC will stack rank this project between three other requested traffic safety and park projects, as well as consider available City budgets against cost for each project..

Steve and Paul cited in their application that there was "excessive speed and lack of awareness of pedestrians around Laurelhurst Elementary during school hours."

SDOT conducted a traffic study of that area which showed that the average speed over 24 hours was 23.9mph and maximum speed was 0.1% of 7,686 cars going 65.2mph.

The various comments received specifically addressed why the radar machines were placed on NE 45th Street, rather than the much more highly travelled vehicle and pedestrian areas of 46th and 47th Avenues NE:

On the blog your article mentioned “Mike said he is much more concerned with traffic speed on 46th Avenue NE at all times of the day and secondarily on 47th Avenue NE."  I live on 46th Avenue NE across from the school.  I agree with this parent and will go one further.  After school in particular the chaos that is parking and picking up kids is often crazy, including drivers talking on cell phones while driving, parking on the “NO Parking” side of 46th in the backward direction and blocking driveways.  This happens pretty much every day. I occasionally alert Parking Enforcement, but they have to be here in that window of 3:00 to 3:30 to really make an impact, and I get tired of whining.  Most parents/nannies figure that the No Parking signs don’t apply to them.  I am waiting for the day a school bus rips the rear view mirror off of one of these cars, or a Fire Truck gets stuck in the backup because of these drivers.  Another idea about speed, maybe SDOT could install those speed bumps on 46th like they have up on that long street below the Villa (is that 49th?)   Also every once in a while neighbors have talked about applying for a traffic circle at the corner of 50th and 46th Ave to address the speeding and occasional collisions. Thanks for an informative article!

We have lived across from the school for over 40 years and have always seen cars racing down our street. We have been nearly struck by parents in a hurry to drop off kids, other cars racing down the street not slowing down to see if kids are around. It is a very dangerous area, much, much more so than the one block on NE 45th Street where the radar machines were placed. Why isn't the PTA looking at ways to improve safety on 46th Avenue NE, the school's busiest area by far than any other location? At each corner of the school on NE 47th Street is also very busy, again much busier than NE 45th Street. Hundreds of children and parents are crossing these intersections before and after school, and the school flaggers are not always alert, sometimes chatting with one another and not ensuring the safety of their fellow students and parents.  

If the PTA is looking into school safety, we implore them to first and foremost, come up with a plan for the consistently speeding cars on 46th Avenue NE, a very narrow street, with parking on just one side. Every crosswalk on that street is filled with parents and kids crossing in the morning and afternoon. Why not try to see what can be done - speedbumps, round a bout, etc. ? That should be the first place of attention, not NE 45th Street. The student population is mostly off of NE 45th Street and on the residential streets on either side of the school. 

NE 45th Street is not the issue here at all. The concentration of kids and parents is on 46th and 47th Avenues NE and NE 47th Street. Cars speed on both streets, making 46th Avenue NE especially dangerous as it is a narrow street. Crosswalks on either end of the block are filled with kids and there is often poor visibility with parked cars around the crosswalks. Add to that speeding cars and that poses a very dangerous situation. 

Why are the school parents looking at NE 45th Street to improve safety? Kids are not crossing the street in that one block by the south playground. The highest amount of traffic is 46th and 47th Avenues NE obviously. Cars need to slow down on those residential streets, which people use as freeways to drop kids off at school at a very high rate of speed. In addition, parents park illegally on a daily basis, not having respect for school safety or for the residents who live on the street.  

A comment about safe driving around the school--I sometimes walk in this area in the morning. I am much more concerned about drivers parking where it impedes walking. Some parents park on the wrong side of the street at the school, e.g. driving north but parking on west side of street where southbound cars should park, and then pulling out into traffic. Or parking across the street and helping their kids cross in the middle. Lots of ways drivers could be a little more considerate of neighbors. 

I’ve noticed school buses racing up and down NE 45th in the early evenings going what appeared to be well over the speed limit.  Granted there are no children on board but still seems dangerous. The school buses we saw were flying up or down 45th at around 6 pm, and I am guessing were activity buses. I didn’t see any on 46th but it was the steep hill on 45th by Laurelhurst Elementary. They did appear to be going well over the speed limit for that area though we didn’t clock them. I’ll mention my concern with Seattle Schools.   , I swear one of the buses caught air while sailing down 45th passing the elementary school.

Tonya, a Laurelhurst Elementary PTA member and "Safety Patrol mom" sent us these comments: (in part):

It is illegal for a car to travel more than 20 mph in a school zone.  To help clarify the law, a journalist at the Seattle Times has boiled it down

(article written by Times Eastside Bureau author in 2005):  

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission defines a school zone as 600 feet in length, designated by two signs, both 300 feet on either side of a marked crosswalk.

The speed limit within a school zone is 20 mph at all times on all days unless otherwise posted, said Lynn Drake, the commission's Pedestrian, Bicycle and School Zone Safety Program manager. Speeding through a school zone will net a fine of at least $177, she said."I think what people tend to forget and don't really realize is our schools are now more of a community hub for children even after school," said Drake, naming clubs that meet after the final bell and sports teams that practice on weekends as examples. "There's a constant flow of pedestrian traffic around our schools."

The activity at Laurelhurst Elementary starts and ends far beyond school hours/days as does the activity for the community center and Laser program which are all located on campus.   

Student Safety Patrol is one of the components of pedestrian safety and are there as courteous reminders to all who travel the school zone.  The school also sends out frequent pleas and reminders for traffic safety to the school community.

As a patrol mom, I have stood at crossings at the peak of child foot traffic and watched drivers exhibit truly egregious behavior and open hostility towards children, parents and crossing guards. Laurelhurst is a great, close-knit neighborhood with fantastic community involvement.   

However, the school-zone is regulated by the laws of Seattle, not the annoyance of neighborhood drivers.  We sometimes forget there is a bigger world beyond our own comfortable walls and the heated seats of our SUVs. 

At any one time there are more than 400 small humans tucked away in the school's rooms and streaming out onto the sidewalks.  Thinking about these kids is a helpful way to remember its okay, as a driver, to be momentarily inconvenienced by 20 mph

On April 4th from 11-noon, Feet First is having a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Action Network conference call about funding school walk and bike route improvements in neighborhoods. Residents can join this SRTS conference call and learn about two grant funding sources for infrastructure improvements in Washington.

The speakers will be  Charlotte Claybrooke, (WSDOT) who will present about WSDOT’s Safe Routes to School grant program, which has an open call for SRTS projects right now. And Stevan Gorcester, Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) will discuss how to access TIB urban and small city sidewalk programs for school walk route improvements and Theresa Adkinson, Grant County Health District, who will offer her perspective on how to identify partners, assess needs, and apply for grants.

 

 

Large Trees Causing Sidewalk Damage As Well As Electrical Hazard Removed On NE 45th Street

Trees before removal

 SDOT removing trees

 

Six large trees were removed in the 4300 block of NE 45th Street in front of three homes at the end of October.

The three homeowners have been working since then to put in a new sidewalk and grass and are also in the process of determining what new trees should be planted according to City arbor guidelines.  

An orange paper taped by Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) on each tree prior to their removal said that the reasons for removal were "chronic eletrical hazard, damaging the sidewalk" as well as an "improper species near power lines."

Glen, Tree Trimming Representative, with Seattle City Light, said that "to repair the sidewalk damage from the tree's, the amount of roots that would be pruned to repair the sidewalk and try to save the trees, the trees would ultimately not survive or would fall over.  The trees had to be removed because of the electrical hazard that are present and whatever species is planted in their place will be the proper species for under the power lines."

The City only paid to remove the trees and the three homeowners are sharing the cost of paying for everything else - redoing the sidewalk and landscaping, which one homeowner said was roughly ten thousand dollars each.

A neighbor who lives near the area told us that she experienced an outage about three years ago and there was a fire in one tree.

She said:

City Light cut the trees back from the wires and acknowledged that there was some danger of possible electrocution if the branches got in the wires and someone touched the trees.

City Light offered to cut down the trees if I got a permit from the City of Seattle offices. I applied for a permit, but only a couple of months ago did we finally get permits for each of the three properties.  

Seattle's office of the arborist in the department of transportation declared the trees a hazard and then issued each of the three homeowners a permit to remove them and also insisted that the sidewalk be replaced for safety reasons.

The roots were also causing the sidewalk to lift up, so that it had become hazardous to passersby.

We all hope that the many parents and children that use the sidewalk will find the new-found safe sidewalk enjoyable. The trees also blocked some of the visibility available to those who choose to cross the busy NE 45th Street at that intersection.

Some small trees may be planted in place of those removed at the discretion of the individual homeowner.

The parking strip will be filled with sod and grass to make it level with the new concrete sidewalk. And some landscaping will be made by each of the individual homeowners.

.

 Trees and grass removed, new sidewalk preparation