High Point updates: Building community as well as homes

| High Point | West Seattle news

Lots more than just construction going on in High Point, judging by what we heard at the High Point Neighborhood Association meeting last night @ High Point Library, with trustees presiding including HPNA president Andrew Mead: The Commons Park is a big source of excitement right now — the new park at 31st and Graham is now scheduled to open Memorial Day weekend. A P-Patch is in the works for the park, too, and work parties will start in late April; residents are also being invited to design, carve, and paint the columns to be featured in the “amphitheater” area of the park, with workshops starting April 10. Meantime, neighbors are still hoping to campaign for some type of grocery store in the retail space that will be developed along with a 200-unit multifamily building along 35th south of the library; the developer who recently signed to work on the site is Lowe Enterprise. And a new HPNA website is about to be developed, with expert help from neighbors who work in the industry. The last segment of the meeting was scheduled as a Block Watch-organizing presentation, with Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Benjamin Kinlow on hand for that — but first, Community Police Team officer Kevin McDaniel talked about what he’s been focusing on lately, saying, “There’s not a whole lot going on,” aside from a continuing problem with graffiti vandalism. Action’s been taken against one known repeat offender and McDaniel says he’s working to identify others. Interesting aside that came up during his presentation: He’s also keeping an eye out for problems with aggressive dogs. One last aside from the HPNA meeting: We thought it was a little quirky when treasurer Steve Barham mentioned in a discussion of the meeting-refreshments budget that they wouldn’t be buying bottled water any more — till we caught up on city news releases late last night and read about the mayor’s order.

WendyHJ March 14, 2008 (9:52 am)

Thanks for recapping the meeting! I was not able to make it at the last minute and I appreciate getting the in-the-field report.

I’ve not heard any aggressive dog reports or had any personal incidents, and I walk three times during a 24 hour period. We have a few off-leash offenders, but the city’s law in tandem with the HOA rules and a really dense neighborhood really put pressure on folks to adhere to the on-leash rule. Perhaps these are roving dogs from outside the immediate redevelopment area?