posted 01/08/09 09:55 PM | updated 01/09/09 03:39 PM
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Central Area Neighborhood District Council Meeting

By Jefferson
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The Central Area Neighbrhood District Council met this evening at the Garfield Community center. In attendance, were approximately 14 people, including Tienne Milnor for the City Attorney's Office.  The group discussed crime issues, school closure issues, and assistance to returning veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Note to anyone seeking help for a returning vet in the CD, call 206-720-7008 for advice and referrals.) 

Ms. Milnor was able to provide some interesting insight into gang issuses and Garfield's objection to the Twilight Exit opening on the deserted stretch of East Cherry.  According to Ms. Milnor, the bus shelter at 23rd and East Cherry will be rebuilt to face 23rd Avenue.  It's believed this will discourage illegal activity.  On the issue of the Twilight Exit, Ms. Milnor conceeded that Garfield was not within 500 feet of the Twilight and therefore had no power to veto it's opening.  However, she pointed out that NOVA was within the 500 foot range, but conceeded that it likely would be closed and therefore would also not have standing to object to the Twilight Exit.  Ms. Milnor did indicate that the approval for the Twilight was all but wrapped up and that the final step would to have the owners of the Twilight call her to finalize the Good Neighbor Agreement.  Tata Market and AM/PM (both of which are open to teens and sell alcohol) were not required to sign Good Neighbor Agreements.

Ted Divina of the Department of Neighborhoods, Community Building Division was also on hand to bring up some small scale community involvement projects:

Prevent flooding by adopting a drain 

Small Sparks provides grants of up to $ 250 for small scale community-building initiatives.  Have an idea?  email Mr. Divina at ted.divina@seattle.gov.

Help to keep our roads safe by reporting potholes to the City. They promise to fill them promptly.
Enter your pothole reports through this easy form:  http://www.seattle.gov/Transportation/potholereport.htm

The next meeting of the Central Area District Council Meeting will be on February 12, 2009, at the Garfield Community Center (2323 East Cherry Street)

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double standard
Why do they have to sign anything. I certainly don't mind if they do but it should be the same for everyone.
Comment by CDrealestateguy
January 09, 2009
( 0 votes )
good question
I attended the Central Area Neighborhood District Council meeting last night at Garfield Community Center and there was a lengthy exchange between Tienny Milnor of the City Attorney's office and a neighbor attendee.

The Twilight Exit is now in negotiations with the city before it can open. The city is requiring the Twilight Exit to sign a "good neighbor agreement" to, according to Tienny Milnor, make sure "everyone is on the same page." At the meeting various attendees mentioned that the Twilight Exit would be within 500' of the edge of the Garfield campus (not the front door of the school itself) which seemed to justify the school board's objection to TW's liquor license, as well as Mann/NOVA school (which is on the chopping block for closure).
Other concerns mentioned my Ms. Milnor were noise, crowd control, public drunkenness, and fights/violence induced by alcohol consumption.

Since the school board filed an objection, there is a due diligence procedure (which seems to be facilitated by the City Attorney's office) to make sure all sides are satisfied. Another attendee asked if AM/PM and Tata Market were compelled to negotiate a good neighbor agreement with the city, but they were not.

I am not sure why the Twilight Exit is being singled out, when there are other business serving alcohol (two convenience stores and an Ethiopian Restaurant) within 500' feet of Garfield HS and Mann. Nevertheless, the school board has managed to create enough of a roadblock to force the Twilight Exit to negotiate.

At this stage, negotiations are ongoing and it seems that the Twilight... read more
Comment by john
January 09, 2009
( +10 votes )
Twilight Exit Being Singled Out
I am dismayed about all the fuss over the Twilight Exit's liquor license, as it seems they are outside the 500 foot range. Seems like a singling out for who knows whatever reason. There does not seem to be the same heat placed on the two convenience stores that sell alcohol all day and night, and appear to be within 500 feet of Garfield? This includes the infamous AM/PM mart, which seems to be the genesis of a lot of illicit activity, drunkeness, and other disturbances. I am not up to speed on Twilights operating hours, but my guess is that they will be a night spot, and not affect the daytime. I am excited to see a neighborhood bar opening up that appears to appeal to a wide audience and will only add to the charachter of the neighborhood. In my opinion, the conveneince stores do not add to the positive charachter of the neighborhood and seem to be a hang out for either illicit activity, panhandling, or public drunkenness. A neighborhood restaurant/bar/tavern seems to be in a different league than a convenience store which sells alcohol (AND cigarettes) 24/7. I would be more focused about the fact that the convenience stores sell cigarettes and being within 500 feet than alcohol-which I would venture to guess takes more doing to purchase underage these days. What if a full service restaurant that serves alcohol opened in the same spot as the Twilight Exit? It would not be primarily focused or marketed as a "Bar" but it would have some of the same services? Would Garfield raise a fuss about that? If they did, then what sort of businesses are acceptable to them as they are defining... read more
Comment by Elmwood
January 09, 2009
( 0 votes )
it's "Tana market" not "Tata market"
http://www.ethiopianrestaurant.com/washington/tana.html

And I agree - it would be great to have a neighborhood restaurant/bar that offers additional eating choices nearby! I'm wondering who needs to sign this Good Neighbor Agreement. We live a block away and haven't heard anything. Is it the Central Area Neighborhood District Council that signs it?
Comment by Shelley
January 12, 2009
( 0 votes )
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