December 19, 2024. Public comments are due tomorrow, Friday, December 20th, concerning the proposed One Seattle Comprehensive Plan, which guides the city’s decisions on where to locate specific types of housing in neighborhoods such as Magnolia. In addition to the Comprehensive Plan, the Mayor proposes the Fort Lawton Redevelopment project, which began planning in 2019. The goal is to build as many as 500 new affordable housing units and add 22 acres of parkland. With several processes yet to go, the city is drafting a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that will likely go out to the public for review and comment in early 2025.
The Magnolia Chamber offered comments on the proposed One Seattle Comprehensive Plan. We focused on better understanding and encouraging transparency in the city as the plan proposes upzoning and the doubling of available housing in Seattle. We want to learn more about how the city will invest in transportation, public utilities, public education, environmental protection, and other public assets to support the proposed plan’s goals and objectives.
Located next to the Queen Anne Community Center at 1901 – 1st Avenue West
Magnolia Hub
Located near the Magnolia Community Center at 3301 West Smith Street
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November 18, 2024. Following a major disaster, city services in Seattle will be overwhelmed. A network of about 60 organized Hubs, including the Magnolia, Queen Anne, and Interbay or MIQA Hubs, will activate in predetermined locations.
The MIQA Hubs are activated near community centers, including the Magnolia Community Center, to exchange information and provide neighbors with a place and process for matching their skills and resources with other neighbors’ needs.
Our neighborhood Hubs use two-way radios to get news from adjacent hubs and to support mutual aid around the neighborhoods and from adjacent hubs. Seattle Emergency Hubs network is independent of the city of Seattle, but coordinates with local and regional emergency services where possible.
To help our neighborhood BEFORE a crisis, MIQA Hubs provide periodic drills, preparedness materials for renters, homeowners, buildings, businesses, and organizations, and free training. This includes stocking basic supplies like water and food, each person’s responsibility. We are linking a PowerPoint with information, volunteer requests, and other details we should all know about and engage in as a community: MIQA Hubs
MIQA Hubs is operated solely by neighborhood volunteers who plan for risk reduction and resilience. Everyone’s welcome to join us to learn and practice together. Click here to learn more.
November 18, 2024. We cordially invite all Magnolia Chamber of Commerce members participate in the 10th year of the Seattle Public Safety Survey, We suggest that it is vitally important that the city hear from all who live and/or work in Seattle about their experiences and views of public safety in neighborhoods.
The Seattle Public Safety Survey, conducted by the Seattle University Crime & Justice Research Center, is collecting responses through Nov. 30 at publicsafetysurvey.org. The survey informs the Seattle Police Department’s Micro-Community Policing Plans, which aim to meaningfully address public safety by understanding and directing resources reflecting the unique needs of the city’s neighborhoods.
As editorialize in the Seattle Times, results from years past show that perceptions of crime and public safety change from year to year, differ across neighborhoods, and that what people think about crime and police, their neighbors, and their ability to play a role in public safety affects their neighborhood quality of life.
Participants and police discuss the survey results in dialogue sessions and look for ways to work together to increase public safety. Survey results are available on SPD’s Micro-Community Policing Plans site (st.news/communitypolicing).
Take the Seattle Public Safety Survey today. It’s an opportunity for everyone who lives and/or works in Seattle to identify public safety concerns. Respondents can share more detailed thoughts about public safety in an open-ended question at the end of the survey.
November 4, 2024. The Magnolia Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce that two adorable kitty cats have won the Second Annual Pet Costume Contest. The “Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe‘ entry was far and away the favorite of all the voters attending the annual Halloween Trick & Treat in the Village, who not only had fun visiting all the Magnolia Village merchants but stopped by our booth to cast their votes.
The 2024 Pet Costume Contest Winner – “Lion, Witch, & Wardrobe”
The votes tallied for second and third places were very close, indeed — separated by just two votes. But after careful counting, the second-place entry was “Inmate Juniper,” and third place went to “Up Russell.” Fourth place went to “Hansel & Gretel,” and fifth place was “Benny Mummy.”
Thank you to those who visited our voting table to cast their ballot for their favorite pet costume finalist. We thoroughly enjoyed all the voting enthusiasm and Halloween fun. And, of course, we thank all our brave and creative contestants – felines and canines alike, who willingly let their owners dress them up and sit still for a photo! Great job, everyone.
October 18, 2024. On Wednesday, October 16th, Mayor Bruce Harrell released new details of the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan Update and proposed zoning maps. Though the first draft of the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan Update, released in March 2024, offered little change to the growth patterns of Magnolia and the peninsula, the latest draft proposes significant changes that would affect Magnolia Village and the surrounding neighborhood as well as the surrounding neighborhoods in north Magnolia along 34th Ave. W from W. Barrett to Government Way.
Mayor Bruce Harrell’s latest iteration of his growth strategy and zoning plans proposes more housing supply for all affordability levels across Seattle and in every neighborhood, including Magnolia. The significantly changed proposal from March purports to meet future growth demands while improving affordability for all. The proposal seeks to reduce the areas designated for single-family homes while increasing multi-dwelling housing and affordable units within multi-storied buildings.
For Magnolia, the newest plan would add new zoning for multi-dwelling, multi-story buildings around Magnolia Village, thereby upzoning many streets to allow for higher-density housing. These residential streets are currently zoned for single-family homes, many 50 to 100 years old, with a distinct residential flavor. In addition, the same upzoning is proposed along several streets north Magnolia from W. Barrett St. and several blocks east and west along 34th Ave. W. to Government Way. The proposed upzoning would affect blocks of single-family residential lots and allow for the building of multi-story, multi-person dwellings. The plan also allows for multi-homes to be placed on currently single home lots throughout the neighborhood.
The Magnolia Chamber plans to learn more about the proposal, seek input from our members, and collaborate with other community groups to address the proposal. We strongly urge our members to review the newly released plan and share your thought both with the Chamber and most importantly, the city using their various forums and tools for commenting.
For more information, here are some articles and sites:
Join the Queen Anne Community Council virtually on Wednesday, October 2nd at 7 pm for an engaging discussion with Alexis Mercedes Rinck and Tanya Woo, candidates for Seattle’s City-wide Council Position 8.
After hearing from both during the primary, this hour-long event will allow virtual participants to delve deeper into community-driven concerns and hear their perspectives.
Don’t miss this chance to get informed and involved. Sign up HERE to attend.
September 16, 2024. The Magnolia community continues to have residents and families respond to last week’s announcement that the Seattle School Board is recommending the closure of schools, including Catherine Blaine K-8 School, due to budget shortfalls.
Former School Board member Michael DeBell penned an editorial in response to the proposed closure plan, which ran in the Seattle Times on September 13th. In it, he called for a different approach while highlighting the challenges created by the school closing proposal.
We offer additional resources for those who want to learn more or engage with the district to offer comments and suggestions regarding the proposal:
The Blaine PTA has set up an excellent advocacy page, which can be accessed here. It includes the following information and ideas on how to engage:
Details on how you can engage the school board via Q&A sessions. Importantly, the Magnolia Community Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 17th at 7 pm will now be via Zoom. We would like to encourage those who want to participate to contact the Blaine PTA or Magnolia Community Council to learn more.
Participate in the Save Catherine Blaine K-8 Rally on September 17th at 5 pm. For more information, contact Jake Milstein: at jake.milstein@gmail.com or call 206.718.9602. Click here for media advisory.
The Blaine PTA advocacy page includes a one-page fact sheet, student letter templates, and quick facts on the many impacts of closing Catherine Blaine K-8 School. It also provides how to contact the many officials representing Magnolia on the Seattle School Board, the Seattle City Council, and the Washington State Legislature.
There will be an all district, grassroots 1-hour rally on the south lawn at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, 2445 3rd Avenue South Seattle, WA 98134, on Wednesday, September 18th at 3:45 pm, which will lead into the regular school board meeting at 4:15 pm Sign up to speak here
In addition to the efforts of the Blaine PTA, concerned citizens can sign the latest All Together for Seattle Schools form letter that urges SPS to design a student-centered school system full of diverse, high-quality schools and not attempt to solve a budget crisis at the expense of students. Interested residents and families can also sign up to receive email updates from All Together for Seattle Schools or visit Fund SPS.
September 12, 2024. The Magnolia Chamber aims to closely follow the proposed school closure plan released by the Seattle School Board on Wednesday, September 11th.
Background. Seattle Public Schools’ enrollment has been declining since 2019. The district estimates it will face a $100 million deficit in the coming year if it does not reduce costs.
In May, the Seattle School Board voted to authorize Superintendent Brent Jones to draw up a consolidation and closure plan, which was released on Wednesday. The Superintendent was expected to present the preliminary proposal in June. However, the rollout was delayed after a series of community engagement sessions, during which some parents questioned the district’s rationale for closures and the projected savings.
Under one proposal released Wednesday, the Seattle school district could close 21 schools, some of which also serve middle school students. The district’s application-only option schools would close or become neighborhood schools. That plan would keep 52 schools open and save the district $31.5 million annually. Catherine Blaine K-8 School is slated to be closed under this proposal.
The second proposal closes 17 schools and leave one K-8 school open in the district’s five regions. The proposal keeps 56 schools open and saves the school district about $26 million annually. Catherine Blaine K-8 School is also slated to be closed under this proposal.
What’s Next? If you are interested in learning more, there are several resources.
The Magnolia Community Council is hosting Seattle School Board District 2 member Sarah Clark at a meeting on September 17th. To learn more, click here.
The district will conduct online information sessions on Sept. 24 to discuss the two closure options. It will also host in-person community meetings between Sept. 25 and Oct. 8 to gather feedback and hold sessions for staff. To learn more and engage, click here.
Keep informed by checking in with the Blaine PTSA.
The Magnolia Chamber is concerned with how the proposed school closure proposal could impact families and the children served by the school, but also how such a closure could affect the Magnolia Community Center and adjacent playfields. The unique relationship between the Catherine Blaine K-8 School and the community center, playfields, and Mounger Pool is historically significant and has been a feature of our community since the 1950s. We look forward to sharing more information in the weeks ahead and staying engaged in this vital community issue.
August 24, 2024. The Magnolia Chamber is working in coalition with the Seattle Metro Chamber, neighborhood chambers including Fremont, Ballard, West Seattle, and others to ask the Seattle City Council to continue what is working for employers and employees alike and protect small businesses by eliminating the sunset of total compensation affecting small business, particularly local restaurants.
We have joined many other business advocates in signing the followingletterto the Seattle City Council for their consideration.
Background. Since the 2020 pandemic, restaurants in Seattle have faced increased costs due to inflation and decreased flexibility. The Seattle City Council can act this year to support small businesses and a workforce with jobs and benefits.
Currently, small businesses may count $2.72 per hour in tips or medical benefits toward their wages based on the 2015 law requiring a $15 per hour minimum wage for workers. In addition, the law requires the minimum wage in Seattle to increase every year on January 1 and is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Seattle Tacoma Bellevue area. Seattle’s minimum wage is now $19.97 per hour for large employers with 501 or more employees. Small employers, like most restaurants in neighborhoods like Magnolia, with 500 or fewer employees, can pay $17.25 per hour if they pay $2.72 per hour toward medical benefits or if the employee earns $2.72 per hour in tips. Otherwise, small employers must pay $19.97 per hour.
This system has worked as intended for a decade.
However, in 2025, all employers will pay the same minimum wage, regardless of size.
Without council action, the total compensation credit will sunset on Jan 1, 2025. That means every small restaurant operator faces a 20% increase in labor costs.
We encourage our Chamber members to stay up to date on Council action and to contact your Seattle City Council representative. We will continue to post articles that share more information about the issue and represent various points of view, including the three articles below.
July 29, 2024. The hospitality industry, particularly those with 500 employees or less, faces significant change at the end of this year with the sunset of the total compensation credit in the Seattle Minimum Wage Ordinance, effective Jan 1, 2025.
Currently, small businesses may use $2.72 per hour in total compensation (tips and/or payment towards medical benefits). This system has existed since Seattle’s minimum wage was enacted on April 1, 2015, and has worked as intended for a decade.
Many small business owners are now asking the Seattle City Council to continue to protect small businesses by eliminating the sunset of total compensation.
Without total compensation, every small restaurant operator faces a 20% increase in labor costs on Jan. 1. Several organizations, including the Seattle Restaurant Alliance, are lobbying the Seattle City Council to make the total compensation credit in the Seattle Minimum Wage Ordinance permanent.
Background Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance went into effect on April 1, 2015, and categorized employers into two categories. Schedule 1 (large employers) has 501 or more employees, and Schedule 2 (small employers) has 500 or fewer employees worldwide. (Franchises count all employees in the franchise network.) Former Seattle City Councilmember Jean Godden shares an insightful historical piece concerning the development of Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance here.
Schedule 1 employers—all large employers—pay the full minimum wage. On Jan. 1, 2023, the minimum wage for large employers was $18.69/hour, and starting on Jan. 1, 2024, it is now $19.97/hour.
Schedule 2 employers may pay the hourly minimum compensation, or the minimum wage shown in the following schedule, and make up the balance with employee tips reported to the IRS and payments toward an employee’s qualifying medical benefits plan (total compensation).
In 2025, total compensation ability expires without the Seattle City Council passing a new law protecting small business owners. If the Council does not pass a new law, small employers will pay the same minimum wage as large employers and can no longer count employee tips and payments toward an employee’s medical benefit plan. This will increase by over 20 percent and more than $3 per hour.
Continuing total compensation for small businesses From the outset of Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance, total compensation has been a critical option for small employers, and the city council recognized this policy need back in 2014. At that time, the city council recognized that small businesses, especially restaurants, operate on small profit margins and also compete with supply chain issues, rising costs of goods, and inflation. Allowing for the continuation of tips in industries where they are common gives those businesses the flexibility to reach Seattle’s minimum wage.
Local small businesses, particularly restaurants and other hospitality businesses, are fundamental to building a thriving neighborhood like Magnolia. Our restaurants have reported challenges in running their businesses, especially through the pandemic and post-pandemic periods. It has been reported that the average restaurant accumulated $160,000 in debt after any government relief programs, which could take four years to retire. Several restaurants have altered menus, raised prices, and reduced hours of operation to meet current economic challenges.
Currently, total compensation can also include medical benefits. Allowing for the cost of medical benefits to be counted to make up the balance towards the minimum wage not only incentivizes small businesses to provide health benefits to their employees but also assists in the overall cost structure.
Many in the hospitality sector are encouraging the city council to support continuing total compensation through employee tips and payments toward an employee’s medical benefits plan for small employers.
If total compensation is not extended by new legislation, starting in 2025, small employers will see their labor costs jump significantly, placing additional strain on the small business community.
Next stepsand Actions Taking Place The Seattle Restaurant Alliance is actively meeting with council members and staff to discuss this issue, introduce a legislative fix for the sunset clause, and extend the total compensation credit.
If you are interested in learning more, you can reach out to Austin Miller, Washington Hospitality Association Senior Manager for Local Government Affairs at austinm@wahospitality.org with questions. We also attach more information from the Seattle Restaurant Alliance here.
For additional news, information, & action kits on the issue so you can contact your city council member, please see:
