South Capitol Neighborhood Association Board Meeting Minutes
Weds, April 10, 2024 6:30-8:30 pm
Lincoln Elementary School library
Introductions and Call Meeting to Order
Members of the South Capitol Neighborhood Association (SCNA) Board in attendance:
John Saunders, President
Gerry Apple, Vice President
Sue Hedrick, Secretary
Morgan Montes, Treasurer
Emily Tilger, Kelley Dolan, Gordon White, Valerie Hammett, Nora Hawkins, Scott Freeman, Cicely Conway, Kevin Rutherford, At Large members
John called the meeting to order.
Approval of March Meeting Minutes and Today’s Agenda
Gordon made a motion to approve the March 2024 meeting minutes. Emily seconded and the motion was approved.
There was one addition to today’s agenda – report on the April 9, 2024 Olympia City Council meeting. Gordon made a motion to approve the revised agenda, Scott seconded, and the motion was approved.
New Board Member Orientation
John explained how SCNA board members can communicate with each using a google groups email distribution list. The board’s documents, such as minutes for the monthly board meetings and annual membership meeting, bylaws, city grants, rosters, communications, and events, are stored in an SCNA google drive.
There is also a folder for all of the board’s current committees – Parking, Traffic, Legislative Campus Modernization, and Triad (annual meeting of the state, city and neighborhood). Board members are welcome to join any of the current committees or create a new one if there is a topic or issue they would like the board to take on.
John previously sent a welcome email to the new board members on February 16, with links to the board distribution list, Google drive and a list of all board members.
Committee Reports
Traffic – Gerry Apple
At the board’s previous meeting in March, Olympia Mayor Dontae Payne attended and heard concerns expressed and possible solutions offered to this problem. He suggested that members of the board and other interested neighborhood residents attend meetings of the city council to voice those concerns and possible solutions during the public comment period.
Following the mayor’s remarks, Treacy Duerfeldt suggested an item be added to the April board meeting agenda to discuss specific steps for the board to take in communicating concerns with the city council and staff.
Traffic Committee members met on April 3, 2024 and further discussed the strategy for communicating at Olympia City Council meetings the neighborhood association’s concerns and recommended solutions for addressing speeding on Capitol Way, and improving safety and increasing walkability in the South Capitol Neighborhood.
The Traffic Committee meeting notes, which Gerry shared at the April board meeting, are at the end of the minutes.
Treacy Duerfeldt offered to send an email to the South Capitol neighborhood distribution list, asking residents to consider attending targeted city council meetings and supporting the board’s message when it is shared.
At the April board meeting, attendees agreed that speed bumps and more law enforcement patrols are a priority, as is painting crosswalks to make them more visible and installing orange flags or, even better, flashing lights, for increased crossing safety.
At Valerie’s request, Kelley explained again the term, “Complete Streets,” which means planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining streets that enables safe access for all people who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
Kelley said she will share a link to a Department of Transportation pedestrian crossing survey 2021 action plan.
The board agreed a consistent message will need to be drafted in time for the April 23rd city council meeting and shared with the city council’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee as well.
Valerie stressed that the message should be kept simple with a focus on walkability and safety in our neighborhood, and we should pitch the low cost solutions. Sue countered that it might be good to start high and ask for the more expensive solutions, accepting that we may have to settle for the lower cost ones at first.
Kevin reported that the city may be putting in another crosswalk by 17th Ave SE and will be trimming trees and bushes for better visibility.
Treasurer’s Report
Morgan provided a verbal report on the board’s finances, then sent a written report to the president and secretary, a copy of which is at the end of the minutes.
City of Olympia Neighborhood Association matching grant
John said that our 2024 matching grant was approved by the Olympia City Council, but one requirement is for the board to acquire liability insurance for the event. He has reached out to a number of insurance brokers, but has not yet received a quote from them.
Kevin said he will check with his finance person at Scott Lake who might have a resource for that.
John said that Gerry has agreed to chair a committee to organize our early Fall barbeque/picnic social event. He reminded those who volunteer that they will need to keep track of any time they spend planning and putting on the event since it is a requirement of the grant.
The board discussed possible dates. Emily moved that Sept 8, 2024 be the first choice for the event, Nora seconded and the motion was approved.
Kevin moved that Sept 15, 2024 be the backup date, if Lincoln School is not available on the 8th, Emily seconded and the motion was approved.
Gerry asked for volunteers to help plan and put on the event. Kevin, Morgan, Emily, Sue, Scott and Valerie volunteered. Pickup trucks and coolers were mentioned as must-haves for it.
Parking Committee – Valerie Hammett
Valerie said that the next meeting of representatives of the South Capitol Neighborhood Association, City of Olympia and the State on parking issues will be on September 20th. Tim Davis and Kevin Rutherford agreed to participate on the committee as well as Collum Liska. It was agreed that enforcement needs vary street by street, and parking permit renewals are overly complicated.
John gave a little history on why the parking permit process is somewhat burdensome. It was designed to limit the permits to those who are truly living in the South Capitol neighborhood since on-street parking spaces on both sides of Capitol Way are scarce.
Communications – Emily Tilger
Emily reported that the South Capitol Neighborhood Facebook page has about 500 followers, and blog posts from the SCNA website are being posted on it as well. Scott will be her backup for the Facebook page as well as the SCNA website.
Presentation by Deschutes Estuary Redevelopment Project in May
John said that staff from the Department of Enterprise Services sent a note to him and our neighborhood representative, Howard Goldberg, asking if they could do a presentation at our April board meeting.
Our agenda was already full, so John suggested our board meeting in May instead.
In their request, they said that, in February, they reached out via mail to a number of property owners, including some from the South Capitol neighborhood who have direct access to the waterfront. From this group, they were able to meet with a handful of individuals to receive input on a conceptual design. However, they would like to connect with more neighbors in the hopes of hearing from additional adjacent property owners.
In May, they would like to describe the project and provide updates on their current conceptual design work. They would also like to collect contact information for any adjacent or viewshed neighbors for future listening sessions.
In addition to the May presentation, it was suggested that DES staff set up a booth at the early Fall SCNA BBQ/picnic. Another suggestion was the possibility for a booth about solar power installations on homes.
Motion to adjourn
John moved to adjourn the meeting, Kevin seconded, and the motion was approved. The meeting ended at 8:01 pm.
Next SCNA board meeting – Weds, May 8, 2024 6:30 pm, Lincoln Elementary School library
Written Reports
4/10/24 Treasurer’s Report
Innovator Checking $2,297.02
Business Prime Savings $20.00
Recent Income:
Annual Dues Checks: $15.00
Recent Expenses:
Google G Suite: $10.42
March adjustment:
One adjustment to actual expenses was $20 for the Secretary of State annual filing, which was completed on March 16th. The filing cost was previously incorrectly reported as $75.
John Saunders was added to our credit union account as well, so we now have two signers.
4/3/24 Traffic Committee Meeting Notes
Treacy Duerfeldt, Sue Hedrick, Gerry Apple, Valerie Hammett and Kelley Dolan met at Treacy’s house to discuss the SCNA board’s strategy for communicating and commenting at Olympia City Council meetings our concerns and recommended solutions for addressing speeding on Capitol Way, and also improving safety and increasing walkability in the South Capitol neighborhood.
Concerns:
Walking along Capitol Way – increased noise level from speeders, particularly when the streets are wet. Risk and fear of being hit by cars
Biking on Capitol Way – no bike lanes, risk and fear of being hit by cars
Living on Capitol Way – increased noise level from speeders, risk of cars crashing into houses or property, particularly on the curve near the freeway
Crossing Capitol Way – inability to cross because drivers will not stop. Crosswalks are not very visible, no flashing crosswalk lights or orange flags at some. Drivers frequently run red lights.
Kelley said the term used now is “Complete Streets”, which means planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining streets in a way that enables safe access for all people who need to use them, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities.
How many South Capitol neighbors have personal stories to share?
Oscar & Barbara Soule live on the curve near the freeway bridge and have had drivers crash into the guardrail multiple times and across their yard and into their house.
Jeff Stillman lives on the curve across from the Soules and has had a driver crash into his fence. He now has put boulders on his parking strip.
Treacy will send out a note to our listserv and ask South Capitol neighborhood residents to send him their personal experiences with speeding and reduced safety on Capitol Way.
Recommended Solutions:
Time the stop lights (alternate them turning to red without cars triggering them)
Install speed bump(s)
Make crosswalks more visible (bright paint, flashing lights in school zone, better signage)
Attend Olympia City Council meetings City of Olympia Calendar
The Traffic Committee will develop a consistent message to present and ask South Capitol neighbors to attend city council’s meeting on the 3rd Tuesday of each month, either in person or online (prefer in-person as it will make more of a statement)
We hope to get our message ready for the April 16th city council meeting. If not, it would be the May 14th meeting. To send an email to the neighborhood listserv, send it to: south-capitol-neighborhood@googlegroups.com
We should also share concerns and recommended solutions with the Olympia Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee.
Emphasize:
Safety and Walkability
These cannot be improved when drivers treat Capitol Way like a highway. Four lanes encourage speeding. Narrowing Capitol Way and adding bike lanes could slow down traffic.
Future Project to Narrow Capitol Way
John Saunders asked Michelle Swanson, transportation planner for Olympia, about this. She said the project to reduce lanes on Capitol Way will be added to the Capitol Facilities Plan in this year’s update and it is planned to be done sometime in the next six years, subject to funding. Project scoping is expected to start this year. Completing the project requires getting grants. So, there is a possibility that the project will happen. She also said that we should advocate for the project at the City Council meeting and Bike/Pedestrian advisory committee meeting.
At the March 13th SCNA board meeting, John suggested asking the City of Tumwater to reduce the speed limit between Custer Way and Carlyon Ave from 35 mph to 25 mph.
How to Provide Public Comment at Olympia City Council Meetings
Public comment can be given in person or through Zoom during the meeting at the indicated portion of the agenda.
In person
You can sign up at City Hall beginning at 5:30 p.m. the day of the meeting. The signup sheet will be removed a few minutes before the meeting begins and given to the Mayor.
Online via Zoom
Providing public comment through Zoom requires advanced registration by 4:30 p.m. the day of the meeting. A registration link is included in the meeting packets on our Agendas & Minutes page. When you register to view the meeting, you will be asked if you want to participate in public comment. After you complete the signup form, you will receive a link by email to log onto Zoom on the day and time of the meeting.
Olympian Article re Speed Humps installed in Lacey
A year ago, residents on 66th Ave SE (between Rainier Rd and Ruddell Rd) complained about speeding traffic. The City of Lacey did a speed study which showed that 85% of drivers were driving 10 miles per hour over the 25 mph speed limit on the street.
The city then circulated a petition among the homeowners and a super-majority supported installing speed humps. They could be in place for up to a year before the homeowners will have to vote again on whether to make them permanent. If they vote yes, they will then share in the cost of the installation. Four rubber humps cost about $6,500. Asphalt humps cost about $15,000 each.
Rubber humps have also been installed on 8th Ave NE to slow cars using it as a shortcut between College St and 15th Ave NE.
South Capitol Neighborhood Association 