Seattle Floating Homes Newsletter
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FOUNDED 1962 FLOATING HOMES ASSOCIATION, INC. 2329 Fairv1e1o11 East Seattle. Washington 98102 Phone: 325-1132 Number 112 Summer 1989 New owners of Lee's Moorage on North Lake Union have big plans for the historic little dock built SO years ago by Ed Lee. Photo by James Bush, courtesy of the Lake Union Review At Issue: Property Rights News of the condo development of Lee's selling it to the University of Washington Moorage at 933 N. Northlake on Lake Union is through its "planned giving" program but a topic of considerable curiosity and changed his mind. triggers a twinge of uncertainty among Blauert and Viele purchased the floating ho•eowners who watch over the lake scene . property as an investment. They plan to sell the 10 existing and S added houseboat sites Ed Lee, who bought the moorage SO years as condo's with prices ranging from $80,000 ago, sold in 1984 to Paul Blauert, an attorney, and Charles Viele, trust officer to $225,000. There would also be an off ice at First Interstate. Lee had considered Continued on page 3. NEWSLETIER 2 HOW YOU CAN HELP: 1) To coaaent on the 2901 Eastlake proposal (Master Use Perait 18801059) and to push for a full-scale environmental iapact statement, write to Dennis McLerran, Director, Departaent of Construction & Land Use, 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104. 2) To support the old Shelby street right-of-way as a peraanent P-Patch and park preserve, write to Gary Zarker, director of the Department of Engineering; and to Jeanette Williaas, Chair of the City Council's Transportation comaittee, both at 600 Fourth Avenue, Seattle 98104. 3) Attend the Annual ECC Picnic, Sunday, August 13, 4-7 p.m., on Fairview between Hamlin and Allison. Photo by Chris Leman Fairview Park Preserve Have you ever walked or biked along affecting Fairview Avenue East including Fairview Avenue East between Hamlin and elimination of the P-Patch. The Eastlake Fuhrman? It's one of Lake Union's last Community Council has a proposal of its own remaining natural areas, almost rural in it's called the Fairview Park Preserve character and tucked away from the maddening and it could become a unit of Seattle's park crowd. system, a small state park or a nonprofit You can see perhaps the oldest building reserve. Interestingly, the original 1903 in Eastlake (a former houseboat brought up report of the Olmsted brothers suggested the onto land at the turn of the century). Still need for a park along the east shore of Lake standing and bearing fruit are at least two Union. Now may be the time. apple trees that are traceable to the The ECC has proposed to the Seattle original orchard that once covered much of Director of Parks and Recreation that this the Eastlake neighborhood and remnants of a area be purchased vi th funds from the historic cider press exist on the site. upcoming open space bond issue in the Shelby Street was a steep road coming small spaces category. Funds are available down from Eastlake to Fairview paralleling through the state Department of Natural Hamlin to the south and Allison to the Resources for projects that will protect north. It was closed in the early 1940s. public shorelines and improve public access Today, the Shelby r lght-of-way is partially to them. occupied by a city P-Patch (founded in 1981). Fairview is a designated bicycle route and the shoreline is home to a historic population of salmon that may be the only known one to spawn on the Lake. There is a wide variety of animal life due Newsletter coordinator: Peggy Stockley, in part to close proximity of upland habitat 329-7973 to a shoreline. Developers of 2901 Eastlake propose a building that would make major changes "0' .. Hi MM[Ul EM .... , .. EM CCD EM .. , 0 0 U)OOocu:G> " .. EM. CIOCD. +cool»' EM .., • EM .. EM c•:c • .. EM c c ; JEM : c The Floating Homes Association has an answering machine to help us handle telephone calls and provide a quick response to members' concerns. If you have information or a question, call or leave a message. We'll get back to you. 325-1132 Milestone Seaplane Agreement NEWSLETIER 3 After several years of the impact of seaplanes. effort, local residents and "We're very pleased that we Property Rights seaplane operators have could come to an Continued from page 1. agreed on rules to minimize understanding over the the impact of this type of issues," says Caine. "Having building on shore and aircraft on the communities surrounding Lake Union. the city involved makes this sailboat moorage at the end. The agreement was agreement much more For some homeowners at substantial than the ones in Lee's Moorage, buying their formally approved and signed 1985 & 1978 but it's site at the proposed price on Hay 5 in the Mayor's especially important that office. In attendance were would be a financial hardship people use the hotline set up to say the least. Residents the Hayor himself, all by the city to report seaplane operators using Lake have been told verbally they Union, Seaplane Environmental violations." can stay as long as they wish Coalition (SEC) Chair Lynda even if they don't buy their Hotline: 684-8811 site but no one knows for Caine, representatives from sure what it might cost. the Floating Homes The agreement sets hours Plans call for re-arrangement Association, Eastlake, Queen of current houseboats and Anne, Wallingford, Ballard, of operation as 8 a.m. until Sunset Hills Community dusk on weekdays and hint at reduction of space Councils, and representatives Saturdays, and 9 a.m. until between them. from several business dusk on Sundays. It requires Blauert describes the organizations including the takeoff and landing areas to plans as being in a "constant Seaplane Pilots Assoc., the the south in southerly or no state of evolution." Some Lake Union Assoc. and the wind, to the north in observers wonder if the Assoc. General Contractors. northerly winds and along the changes are coming in late All lauded the efforts of center of the lake in either since the shoreline permit Henry Sharpe from the city's case. It also defines noise vas granted earlier. Office of Long Range mitigation procedures and It's a familiar story. A Planning, who, they agreed, flight paths (down the center moorage owner has some basic went above and beyond the of the ship canal). The city rights on how he or she call of duty to forge a is also bound to monitor utilizes their property but document these diverse compliance of these people who live there and pay organizations could accept. provisions. month-to-month need some Several weeks later, Jim Caine emphasized that guarantees that tenants Street's City Council Land there is one substantial elsewhere don't need. If you Use Committee met to consider issue remaining; "the number live in an apartment on land the agreement. Caine, Sharpe of flights. Without a limit and the place goes condo, you and Keasler all gave on them, this document have a choice: Stay and pay testimony. A resolution was doesn't mean very much. If or rent another apartment passed that recognized the they can take off every five down the street. agreement and acknowledged minutes throughout the day, Houseboat owners who the city's obligations in its all the mitigation in the rent their moorage space implementation. The following world isn't going to prevent don't have that choice. It's Monday the full Council them from dominating your stay and pay (if the place approved it unanimously. life." The SEC is currently goes condo) or take your This marks a milestone investigating means to floating home and leave BUT in the attempt to moderate enforce such a limit. there's no place to go. Therein lies the difference. With this in mind, the Floating Homes Association 'Unadulterated' Success will be watching carefully the Lee Moorage project as it Joan Rosenstock had a smile in her voice on the phone moves ahead. No one questions when asked for an update on the water quality issue. In late the right of a property owner spring, the Hetro Council accepted the I-5 Greenlake to achieve profit in the fair separation project which is designed to reduce combined market but the long-time sewer outflow ( CSOs) in Portage Bay by 50% by 1993. Even tenant has an investment to better, the Council went so far as to set a 75% reduction of protect as well. CSOs by the year 2005. For Joan and others on the Green Lake-Portage Bay Water Quality Advisory Committee who have If you have comments on agonized over this problem for months, the Metro Council this subject, please contact vote is pure satisfaction. Bill Keasler, president of the FHA at 325-8017 or leave him a message at the FHA Lease Update office, 325-1132. Dock owners are reminded to double-check to see if their dock is over or even approaches the Construction Limit Line. The state's Department of Natural Resources is requiring new leases in such cases but will only deal with moorage owners. They have been patient but would like to resolve this problem by the end of the year. Call the Floating Homes office at 325-1132 if you have questions. NEWSLETI'ER 4 Mark your calendars for an evening of fun and fund raising! Floating Homes will have their 4th auction on Saturday, December 2nd, at the Mountaineers, 300 3rd West.