Letters to the Editor

To the Editor:

I just read your "Thomas the Tank Engine" editorial (Seattle Press, August 9 – 23, 2000) and mused on how parallel your experience was to mine in trying to constructively engage key electeds on the pressing, seemingly all-consuming issue of transportation and mobility in Seattle.

I just wanted to extend my congratulations—you passed the initiation.

Keep the faith, though. It appears the efforts of myself and others in the Northgate area may be starting to have a positive effect. It appears the City is about to try to address--in a holistic manner through a master-planning effort--the plethora of inter-related issues currently facing the Northgate area, including the siting of a new library, community center, park, light rail station, and mall expansion (and, of course, whether a creek will run through it).

Maybe, just maybe, your persistence will indeed have a beneficial effect. Good luck.

Thomas A. Heller

A Seafair Moment

To the Editor:

Woolen blanket spread across the green and gold park lawn; Mom is unloading the picnic basket. She's placed the cottage cheese and chocolate cake beside the red opaque glass bowl of potato salad. The sky is pale blue. The sun is bright. It's already a hot day. Home-made pies retrieved from the SUV are sunning themselves and waiting for the relatives' arrival. Mom pulls jars of pickles and olives from the cardboard box with napkins, soft drinks in cans, and potato chips. Infant Joey stares wide-eyed, open-mouthed, spittle dribbling from his chin. The toddler, Margaret, sucks her thumb and asks Mom for a popsicle. Dad is stacking black briquettes in the barbecue, readying the lighter fluid and laying out meats for cooking—ground beef, hot dogs and some boneless breast of chicken when, down the lake, a scissors sound is heard which waxes louder ripping as the gathered squint to see the cause: four jets in passing, blasting from the jaws of death, barely cresting the trees, down there on the deck and thirty feet above the lake surface, dippled by breezes, the hurtling bejeezus craft explode--BOOM!--in four directions. Margaret screams, and covers her ears, her pigtails flying side to side. Dad reaches for his glasses, fallen to the lawn, and Mom stoops to retrieve Joey from the chocolate cake, daubing his face with a hankie and a quick coo and kiss, wishing they hadn't come.

William Imhof

Cell-phone Towers Use Public Space for Free

To the Editor:

Metricom, a multi-million dollar company, has applied to put 16 panel cell phone antennas atop the Seattle Public Utilities water tower, located on the border between the cities of Seattle and Shoreline, at 145th and Dayton Ave. N. Several neighbors and I are up in arms that a publicly owned structure is being put to commercial use. Our modest homes will suffer a loss of property values to residents who can ill afford to absorb the loss. Our peace of mind and quality of life will suffer due to health concerns raised about the possible negative effects of microwave and radio frequency radiation. Why must we bear the burden so a commercial company can make a little extra money by not building their own tower, away from residents' homes? Why must we have an unsightly, possible hazardous structure literally in our backyards? Did Congress truly intend for the 1996 Telecommunications Act to cause homeowners to have absolutely no say over what possible hazards go up right next door to us?

I encourage all residents who don't wish to see a cell tower rise next door to them, to get a comment letter no later than August 18th to: Planning Dept., City of Shoreline, 17544 Midvale Ave. N., Shoreline, 98133. Your neighborhood could be next! for more information call 206-367-0163.

K. Cameron by e-mail

Gibson's Arboretum Story is Inaccurate on Facts

To the Editor:

It is unfortunate that Paul Gibson, in his recent article (The Seattle Press, June 14 - 27, 2000) regarding the Washington Park Arboretum, chooses to ignore or fails to understand many underlying issues of the Arboretum and the current Master Plan proposal.

First, while accurately stating that the University of Washington and the Arboretum Foundation are members of the Arboretum's governing body (the ABGC), he fails to mention that the third partner in the ABGC is the City of Seattle. In fact, the city owns and maintains the land and roads that comprise the Washington Park Arboretum and through the elected members of the City Council provides all of the citizens of Seattle with a decisive voice on issues affecting the Arboretum. In addition, the Arboretum Foundation does not manage the Arboretum--that responsibility is left to the University and the City.

Second, contrary to Mr. Gibson's inaccurate characterizations, fences and fees for city parks are illegal and are not part of the Master Plan proposal currently under consideration. In addition, I disagree strongly with his assertion that the majority of people do not come to the Arboretum to enjoy and learn from the thousands of plants and trees that grace this public space. Visit the Arboretum any time of the year and along with the joggers and picnickers you will find people walking through the park admiring, photographing and studying the plants and plant collections.

Finally, the proposed buildings would amount to only one quarter of one percent of the total Arboretum acreage and would be built in conjunction with major changes to Arboretum Drive and the parking lots to improve mobility, green space and pedestrian safety within the park. In addition, the plan would provide safer access for bicyclists along Lake Washington Blvd., daylight Arboretum Creek, restore damaged wetlands and shorelands and improve drainage along Azalea Way.

As a frequent visitor to the Arboretum, I hope the current Master Plan is approved. Visitors to the Washington Park Arboretum deserve exactly what the Master Plan proposes: both a great park and a great Arboretum.

Mike Riley

Old Weed Attacks Residential Neighborhoods Anew

An old weed, once mostly out of sight and under control, is creeping its way back into our neighborhoods. If we don't act quickly the weed will again overrun our pleasant neighborhoods. It is particularly pernicious and injurious to lawns sometimes leaving gaping holes, but most problematic is the harsh visual impact on strolling, cycling or commuting residents of the affected neighborhood. This weed, of course, can also sometimes be found partially blocking sidewalks, crosswalks and wheelchair access ramps at intersections.

In searching for a plant classification the closest I could come was Signa(um) Nanus Diversi Commercium; Latin for "Small Diverse Commercial Sign." Mainly sprouting up at street intersections, it sometimes makes its way into the parking strips in front of our homes and is generally allowed "to grow" under the guise of "helpfulness." Signa Nanus Diversi Commercium gets its foothold in a neighborhood through mechanical dispersion by two legged animals roaming a neighborhood in search of prime visibility and traffic flow locations. Growing to an average height of 18 inches, it blooms immediately upon planting. The most common blooms are a variegated variety (see black and white pictures below) with hues ranging from red (rubens) to blue (coeruleus) usually on a white (albus) background. It has a small compact root structure which makes for easy removal (see "Control of Signa Nanus Diversi Commercium" below).

Control of Signa Nanus Diversi Commercium, an ugly weed, requires minimal effort but great persistence for a brief period to effectively eradicate the weed. I am suggesting a five-stage process that requires minimal stooping and pulling accompanied sometimes by minor assertiveness. If you spot a Signa Nanus Diversi Commercium on your property (which does include the space out to the curb):

(1) Make note of the phone number on the sign so that later you can call (minor assertiveness needed) the individual or company and request they not place these signs on your property or in the neighborhood; they create "visual litter" and also are illegal by City of Seattle Ordinance.

(2) Carefully lean or stoop (stooping and pulling needed) over the "weed" and grasp the head of the Signa Nanus Diversi Commercium between the thumb, forefinger and index finger (work gloves are generally not needed) and give a slight tug upward. Some of us have "allergic" reactions to certain weeds If you feel that may the case with you, call Jerry Davenport (Seattle Sign Control) at 684-5282 and request the "weed" (sign) be removed.

(3) Removal of the "bloom" can be difficult, but the weed's "stem" and "root" can be reused as a stake in your garden. If removal of the "bloom" is too difficult the entire "weed" can be recycled by rolling up the "bloom" around the "root" and placing it in your recycle cart.

(4) Weed prevention can be encouraged by calling or e-mailing (minor assertiveness needed) a City of Seattle Councilperson (684-8888 or 233-0025 TTY) and request a rewrite of the current ordinance so the company and individual advertising on the Signa Nanus Diversi Commercium (sign) can be cited and fined.

(5) If an individual or company requests to place a sign on your property please say "no" (minor assertiveness needed), "We don't want any Signa Nanus in our neighborhood."

We all work very hard to keep our neighborhood attractive and pleasant. Let's try to keep our neighborhood as weed-free as possible and be particularly diligent about the dreaded "weed" Signa Nanus Diversi Commercium--commercial advertising signs.

The Leavitt-Baron Family

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