Council of Neighborhood Associations

May 2024

Meeting summary CNA Meeting (05/14/2024)

Quick recap

Neighborhood associations shared updates. The neighborhood policing unit introduced themselves and clarified their role. An outside consultant looked at existing neighborhood centers and proposed recommendations for improvement. The team discussed the concept of neighborhood centers, focusing on scalability and potential for improved streetscape and transit.

Next Steps

  • Robert Vanderpool will send an email to Gerald with more details about the Capital Avenue Partnership project.
  • Casey Schaufler will share more information about the Neighborhood Centers report and its recommendations with the community.
  • Casey will provide more information on the report’s recommendations for neighborhood centers and how they can be implemented in Olympia.
  • Anastasia Everett will provide more details on the Energize Olympia campaign, including income charts and how to qualify for subsidized installations.
  • John Saunders will propose a neighborhood forum to discuss transportation issues and how to make neighborhoods more walkable and bikeable.

Summary

Neighborhood Updates

Karen (Eastside) – Thank you for the sidewalk app; It will be good for the city to have information about neighborhood needs. The new sculptures at Pacific and Boulevard are nice. The neighborhood held a meet-and-greet at Beerwerks that worked well. A member is sponsoring a spay-and-neuter program for pets in homeless encampments.

Lisa (Burbank) raised concerns about homeless individuals in a neighborhood park, so is glad to hear from Olympia Police Department (OPD) on today’s agenda.

Melissa (Bigelow Highlands) agreed with Karen in liking the new sculptures on Pacific and the sidewall app. Their board has not been very active lately.

Jeffrey (Wildwood) – Along with Governor Stevens, volunteers began the first stage of our matching grant project to resurface a pathway between our two neighborhoods.  Wildwood also held a successful neighborhood open house. Since we have one of the city’s most successful neighborhood centers, we are interested in that report.

Martha shared about recent and upcoming activities in the Redwood Estates neighborhood.

Gerald (South Capitol) reported that 15 people testified to the city council about Capitol Way traffic safety concerns and offered ideas for ways to solve problems. He recognized Wildwood as becoming active on this issue as well and invited them to join their group. South Capitol will hold a social picnic at Lincoln Elementary on Sept. 8 with a band and barbecue.  Their board has 18 members, including several renters, who provide valuable perspective. 

Melissa (Evergreen Point) – They are re-building their board. Storm water ponds and grass are issues with their HOA.

Leslie (Northwest) – Their board has been holding bi-monthly meetings.  They are looking to clean up a pocket park by the west-side co-op, hoping to rebrand work parties to help involve more people.  They have begun planning for a late summer party.

Peter (Northeast) said their board in a re-building stage.  They are forming an alliance with other neighborhoods (Eastside, East Bay Drive, and Bigelows) and working on their neighborhood center by San Francisco Street to provide a “third place” for neighbors to gather.

Justin (Southwest) – Their board is working on a block-party re-boot, and looking at how to best use neighborhood matching grant funding to increase outreach.

Larry (Nottingham) – An ice cream social is being planned.  He introduced Daniel, an Evergreen student, who described his capstone project on neighborhood associations Olympia.

Council Update – Robert Vanderpool

The many parts to the comprehensive plan update are challenging for the council, e.g. the land use and environment committee held a two-hour session. He thanked the South Capitol neighborhood for testifying recently about traffic issues on Capitol Way, as this can help build pressure to find solutions.  The council is especially interested in small, tactical ideas to help improve safety, while building funds for larger change. He will be at a conference for the rest of the week, hopefully to get new ideas.

Development report – Tim Smith, using the city’s online construction map, highlighted several major projects in the city, including:

  • Royal Street apartments,
  • Cottage Apartments,
  • 13th and Cherry Townhomes,
  • a project on State Avenue,
  • the west side Chick-fil-A project,
  • a project on Union Avenue

Neighborhood Policing Unit

Sergeant Josh Martinson introduced the neighborhood policing unit of the OPD, which includes two other officers and one civilian employee. Their role includes community engagement, enforcement, social media, and homeless issues. Their primary role is liaison with other units rather than, for instance, responding to 911 calls. The unit’s assigned officers  George, Alex, and Josh, were identified, with Alex primarily working on the west side and Ofc. George on the east side. 

Question: What’s the policy on trailers and campers parking near neighborhood parks? They can stay 24 hours, then must move a distance away.

Question: Can the Washington State Patrol enforce speed limit on Capitol Way?  WSP generally sticks to interstate and state highways, with OPD responsible for city streets. Olympia used to have a traffic unit, but the city no longer has dedicated enforcement staff. Yes, speeding is an issue on Capitol Way. This unit will occasionally do speed checks, but they have other duties.

Neighborhood Center Analysis and Improvement Recommendations

Casey presented a report from an outside consultant that analyzed the city’s existing neighborhood centers and provided recommendations for their improvement. The report aimed to influence the upcoming comprehensive plan update and municipal code revisions. Casey sought community feedback on the report’s recommendations and discussed the challenges faced in developing the centers over the past two decades. The team also discussed the concept of a neighborhood center and identified the need for increased viability of the existing centers and a framework for future ones. There was discussion on the ‘Pit Stop’ site and its status.

Neighborhood Centers and City Development

Larry, and Casey emphasized the importance of neighborhood centers in the city’s development plan, with Casey explaining their function, ideal size, and location. Casey also discussed the challenges of making neighborhood centers more walkable and bikeable and proposed expanding small commercial uses in residential zones. Concerns were raised about the potential impact on local neighborhoods, and the need for further discussion on these issues was acknowledged. John’s question about the Frog Pond’s lack of daily retail offerings was clarified, with Casey explaining that a neighborhood center should ideally have at least three shops to be viable.

Neighborhood Centers and Comprehensive Planning

The team discussed the concept of neighborhood centers, focusing on their scalability, long-term planning, and the need for a walkable, mixed-use community. Robert emphasized the potential for improved streetscape and transit, but highlighted concerns about limited commercial spaces due to zoning laws. Justin proposed House Bill 2250 as a starting point for appropriate development, and the team debated the pros and cons of organic versus planned neighborhood development. Casey introduced a strategies report to guide Olympia’s 2045 comprehensive plan update, emphasizing the need for community input and potential economic development opportunities. The discussion concluded with concerns about proposed expansion of areas around Neighborhood Center, the need for increased community involvement, and the ongoing nature of the conversation.

Energize Olympia 2024 Campaign Update

Anastasia, the City’s Community Development Block Grant program manager, presented an update on the Energize Olympia 2024 campaign, a ductless heat pump group purchase campaign offering exclusive benefits to Olympia residents. She detailed the program’s benefits, how it works, and the timeline for workshops, installations, and the program’s conclusion. Melissa shared her experience with the program and suggested that potential participants should understand how the system works for them. Judy asked about the program’s requirements for ducted systems and rental properties, which Anastasia clarified.

Neighborhood Forums for Transportation Discussion

Larry, John, Melissa, Judy, and Peter discussed the establishment of neighborhood forums to address transportation and neighborhood center issues. They agreed that the upcoming update to the comprehensive plan’s transportation chapter could be a suitable topic for these forums, as it seeks community input. The group also explored the challenges of expanding transportation in the city, focusing on walkability and financial burden, and considered alternative solutions.

The next meeting was planned to continue discussions with a focus on the connection between all roads and livability.

 Gerald voiced a preference for live meetings due to past internet issues.