E-Alert Archive - Seattle Floating Homes

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April 21st 2018

FHA AGM Follow Up
Board Business – We had a great turnout for the AGM on Wednesday – thanks to everyone for signing in and checking the status of you membership, and a big thank you to all the docks who have taken out dock membership jointly. Thank you also to Susan Susor and her team who did a great job with the food. President John started the meeting by thanking outgoing members of the board Tom Hesselbrock (Treasurer), Sue Jostrom (Vice President), Dave Chappelle (Environment), Joe Inslee and Bill Albert. New board members who were then voted in are Karen Mooney (Treasurer), Sharon Morken (Tour Volunteers), Joan Rosenstock, and Butch Smith. You can read more about the board, including how to contact them, on our website here. You can download the video of the meeting here, or their is an audio only version here.

Aurora Bridge – Shawn Wendt, a project engineer on the Aurora Bridge Painting project gave an update on what to expect with the forthcoming repair work. Their flier has been loaded to the website Westlake/Northlake News page. One resident asked what kind of expansion joints will be used on the Aurora Bridge when that portion of the project begins. He was concerned because he lives near the SR 520 bridge (on the Bellevue side) and says those joints generate a bit of noise. Frances Fedoriska of WSDOT Communications got back to us to say “Based on the contract plans, the expansion joints currently on the Aurora bridge will be replaced in kind or repaired during WSDOT’s rehabilitation efforts up on the roadway. The expansion joints on the SR 520 bridge are a special type of encapsulated joint, and not the same as on SR 99.”

DNR Lease Template – The main event at the AGM was a presentation by DNR Assistant Division Manager (Shoreline) assisted by his colleagues Tara Wilson and Cailan Nealer, about the new DNR Lease Template. You can view Derrick Toba’s presentation here. The current plan is for lease template discussions to be finalized this month, outreach meetings to take place in May to discuss DNR Rent Process, Calculations and Revaluations. The FHA will distribute the lease template in June, with an outreach meeting late June to discuss the lease template, and the new leases will roll out starting July 1st. Look out for announcements from the board regarding details of the outreach meetings.

Seaplanes on Lake Union – The current plan is for the buoy ‘runway’ to be piloted from Memorial Day to Labor Day. We have covered this topic fairly regularly in previous e-alerts (which you can review here). The Eastlake Community Council has an excellent page with links to useful info, and the article from their most recent issue, here. It will be interesting to see the impact that the new flights to Vancouver and the buoys have on lake users.

Puget Sound Keeper Summer Clean Ups – Kathryn Davis, Stewardship Manager, gave a quick overview of the upcoming Seattle Summer Cleanups. She has specifically asked that dock residents let her know the morning of July 5th if they have lots of debris in or near their dock so that she can direct the clean up crews where they are most needed. Kathryn would also love to hear from you if you would like to join a clean up crew in your boat or kayak. Please contact Kathryn at kathryn@pugetsoundkeeper.org or on 206.297.7002. You can find out more about the clean ups scheduled for 6.14 (Arboretum), 7.5 (Lake Union) and 8.4 (Salmon Bay) on their website here.

Seattle Public Utilities – Has anyone else received notice from Seattle Public Utilities that they have been charging their sewer service wrong for several years? The notice says that houseboats are considered commercial and have mistakenly been charged as residential, so they are going back 3 years to assess the higher rates. The FHA Board would like to find out which docks are affected, so please get your dock ‘captain’ to drop a reply to this email address if you got the message so we can assess the impact.

Inter-lake Ferry System Message – A Message from the Urban Public Waterfront Association
Greetings Float Home Association. We are a non-profit that connects people with the waterways. We are focused on improving the public accessibility, activities, and environmental stewardship for our waterways. We do this by sponsoring and overseeing various projects. This year our primary project is an inter-lake mini-ferry. We have identified the north-south route for the pilot route, and plan to add more stops and routes with Ballard and the University being the next expansions. We are preparing to launch a funding campaign where supporters can help shape the future of this on other projects. Please Visit UPWA.org if you would like to join our mailing list. We welcome your questions/ feedback/ and support.
-Geoff geoff@upwa.org Urban Public Waterfront Association (UPWA.org)

FHA Tour – September 9th, 12-5 pm
Tom Campbell is looking for houses on Eastlake to feature in this years tour. Contact him at dthomascampbell@gmail.com if you are interested. Sharon Morken is our Tour Volunteer coordinator and she would loved to hear from you if you would like to help out. Apparently there are all sorts of opportunities and you get on the tour for free! Sharon’s email address is roxysurvives@yahoo.com.

Join us Facebook – www.facebook.com/groups/SeattleFloatingHomesAssociation is the address of our private group where you can ask questions, seek recommendations, share photos etc with other floating home residents.

April 1st, 2018

Aurora Bridge Painting – I have uploaded the feedback from the March 6th Community Meeting to the Westlake/Northlake section of the FHA website. You can read it here.

Eastlake Community Council – I have uploaded dates of upcoming zoning, parking and cleanup meetings to the Eastlake News section of the FHA website. You can read about them here. ECC have also issued an action alert re the parking situation, and are asking residents with an opinion re CB 119221 to reach out to Council members and speak briefly to the City Council at 2 p.m. Mon., April. 2. If you need a list of who to contact you can find them here.

FHA Tour – September 9th
This year’s tour will feature homes on Eastlake, from the Log Foundation up to Fairview Landing. If you are interested in having your home featured on the tour please contact Tom Campbell whose email address is dthomascampbell@gmail.com.

The FHA Annual General Meeting will be held on Wednesday April 18th at Lake Washington Rowing Club 6-9 p.m. Dinner 6-7 and meeting at 7. The address is 910 N Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98103. The agenda will include officers from the Harbor Patrol and Derrick Toba from the Department of Natural Resources who will talk about the new lease template.

Thank you for checking that your neighbors are receiving our e-alerts.

March 22nd 2018

The biennial FHA Tour will take place on Sunday, September 9th, from noon to 5 p.m. Tickets will go on sale July 2018. But before we get ahead of ourselves, we need floating homeowners to offer up their houses to be on the tour, and volunteers to help run the event or work on the day of the event. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to make new friends. Tour Chair, Tom Campbell, and his committee, have decided that this year’s tour will feature houses from the Eastlake area. If you have a floating home on Fairview Ave E, and would be willing to be included in the show, please email Tom at dthomascampbell@gmail.com. We also have an awesome new Volunteer Coordinator, Sharon Morken, who would love to hear from you if you would like to get involved. Her email address is roxysurvives@yahoo.com. Both Tom and Sharon will be at the AGM so you will have chance to find out more from them.

Aurora Bridge – Message from Marqise Allen, WSDOT Communications
“Good afternoon, everyone. I wanted to circle back around briefly with all of you to thank everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with Liberty Maintenance and WSDOT staff last week about the SR 99 Aurora Bridge painting project.My hope was that you all would be reading this a tad sooner, but we’re making a couple tweaks and looking into a few final details based on the feedback we received during last Tuesday’s meeting. However, you’ll shortly be receiving a recap of that meeting along with answers to some lingering questions surround parking, work hours and the timing of certain work during the project.”

Message from Megan Bird, Event Designer
“I’m the event coordinator of a private event being held on a boat on Lake Union (moored at the North Wall of Lake Union Park) on May 19th. I wanted to personally reach out to you to give you a heads up about the party and the fact that the city has granted us a temporary Noise Variance until 11:30 pm that evening. I’m hoping this will not impact your community much, but I did want to connect with you you to personally give you my contact information should you have any questions or concerns! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns, or if you need any assistance that evening. 206.399.7155 www.akurantevent.com” You will find the formal Neighborhood Notice for the community as well as a copy of the permit here.

Boat for Sale – Mike Jostrom has a Capris 14.1 sailboat for sale. Sail it away for $1500! Apparently its in good condition and a nice boat to hone your sailing skills.You can contact Mike at mjostrom@gmail.com

Lake Union Painting – Jerry Steffen jr. has an Aurora Bridge South Lake Union painting for sale. Included are Kenmore airplanes, duck boat, kayak, sailing and floating homes. The painting is priced at $3,000. Size: 15″ height by 38″ wide. If you are interested, please contact Jerry at jerrybsteffenjr56@yahoo.com

March 9th, 2018

FHA Annual General Meeting
This year’s FHA AGM will take place on Wednesday, April 18th at the Lake Washington Rowing Club. The doors will open at 6 for food and drinks, and the official part of the meeting will start at 7 and run till about 9 p.m. The agenda is still being firmed up but you can expect to enjoy a presentation from DNR representative Derrick Toba who will talk about the new DNR Lease Template, as well as other assorted speakers. Jann McFarland and I are working hard to make sure we have everyone’s email addresses, but there are some we still don’t have, so please can you circulate this notice around your dock? I have included a small sign at the bottom of this e-alert which you could print off and put on your dock noticeboard to help spread the word. Folks can subscribe to this mailing list here.

Center for Wooden Boats is looking for docents
The Center for Wooden Boats (CWB) is beginning a new era with the opening of the Wagner Education Center in South Lake Union Park. We are seeking enthusiastic individuals who enjoy working with people to conduct tours and share information about our fleet, Lake Union, and traditional maritime skills. Applicants should be able to commit to eight hours a month. Training and materials are provided. Contact volunteer@cwb.org to apply. Docent training will begin in May 2018. Applications are due by April 1, 2018.

The Next Big One?
Several residents of the floating homes community attended a meeting on earthquake preparedness held on January 31 and sponsored by the Eastlake Community Council. The first speaker (Bill Steele of the Pacific NW Seismic Network) discussed the most recent discoveries regarding earthquake activity in our region, and introduced ShakeAlert, which is an early warning system currently still under development. The second speaker (Cindi Barker) represented the Seattle Emergency Communications Hub, a neighborhood volunteer organization preparing to respond to the next earthquake by designating hubs in order to localize responder activities. Two years ago, Eastlake became part of the hub system; the two hubs are located at Rogers Playfield and the Pea Patch. In addition, the FHA Safety and Security Committee is planning to focus on emergency preparedness this year, and welcomes interested volunteers. Some emergency supplies (such as a hand cranked radio and battery charger) are available for sale at the Houseboatique.

Board Minutes
The minutes of February’s Board Meeting are available for you to peruse here. And we are excited to welcome three new members to the board, beginning in April. They are Buth Smith from Dox Coop, Sharon Morken from Fairview Landing and Joan Rosenstock of Portage Bay. We still have a space or two and are keen to get more members from the Eastlake area. Please email Sue Jostrom at suejostrom@mac.com. You can read more about some of our board members here.

Harbor Advisory Council meeting recap from Bill Albert
The long-discussed Lake Union advisory buoys installation is slated to be in place starting Memorial Day, being removed Labor Day (or shortly after). All of the permits are completed and signed, and the City is working on a Lake Union safety brochure to pass out to the SUP and kayak rental companies on the lake. There is concern about the new lights on the Fremont bridge interfering with the night vision of anyone piloting a boat near or going under the bridge. Finally, the possibility of losing the debris pen has abated considerably; it looks like it’s on the path to keep its home next to the Harbor Patrol on a long term basis.

Rental Opportunity
Professor Susan Solomon from MIT is an international leader in atmospheric science. She is interested in coming to Seattle to work with the professors in the Atmospheric Sciences Department at the University of Washington. She has stayed in Seattle before and rented a houseboat when she was here. She enjoyed this experience very much and would like to rent a houseboat again when she is here – targeting January through August of 2019. If you have a floating home with rental availability for that time frame please email Jennifer Weiss at jenweiss@uw.edu

Facebook
Did you know that the Floating Homes Association has its own private Facebook group? You can join here.

February 15th

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials will begin Lake Washington’s annual summer refill operations February 15, 2018. Vessel owners should closely monitor lake elevations and adjust mooring lines as necessary. Water managers are targeting a typical annual refill of the lake to elevation 22 feet this spring. Fill rates and target elevations vary through May based on conditions. Refilling the lake to 22 feet will help meet increased summer water use, providing water necessary for fish passage, navigation and salinity control. You can read more about it on our website here.

Sad news from Portage Bay of the death of Elaine Davis, who was a floating home dweller for more than 45 years. You can read her obituary, and that of her husband Phil who died in 2015, on our obituaries page here.

Harold Ehrlich emailed the FHA with the following message – ‘This is “a shot in the dark”, but I need a spot, either to buy or permanently rent, for my houseboat/floating home. Can you lead me in the right direction? Thanks, Harold’. If you have any leads please contact Harold at he2604@msn.com.

Another message came in from Carrie Rose – ‘This is a long shot but I’d like to rent or house sit on a houseboat and thought you might know of someone who has a need for my services. I’m on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrierose5/.’ If you know of anything suitable please email Carrie at carrie.rose@concur.com.

Last, but not least, the minute of November’s board meeting have been posted to the FHA website, you can read them here. December and January’s will be posted soon.

January 25th

How to Prepare for an Earthquake
Eastlake Community Council is hosting a meeting to help the neighborhood plan for a disaster on Wed., Jan. 31, at 6:30 p.m. in the Agora Conference Center, 1551 Eastlake Ave. E. The speakers will be Bill Steele of UW’s Pacific NW Seismic Network for a presentation, followed by Cindi Barker of Seattle Emergency Communications Hubs. For background on their two organizations, see pnsn.org/outreach and seattleemergencyhubs.org.

A Message from Rob Widmeyer:
Kathy and I are replacing our existing single story floating home at 2017 Fairview Avenue East (A) with a new two story house. The new one will be built off-site and brought to our site when complete. We almost have the permits and construction could start by March 1st. We are wondering if when the new one is ready about the end of the year, there would be any interest in placing our existing floating home in an existing moorage spot where our house could be a cost effective alternative to remodeling or replacement. The house has been well maintained improved over the years. It seem sad to think it will simply be demolished. Our float is 35’-6 x 31’-0”, but could be reduced to as small as 26′ x 27′, so might fit in many spots.We have info, drawings, and photos. Please email Rob on rwidmeyer@lmnarchitects.com for more information.

Want to Join the FHA Board?
The FHA is currently recruiting potential new members to serve on our Board of Directors. Our mission is to protect, preserve and promote the vitality of Seattle’s historic floating homes community through education, advocacy, environmental stewardship and collaboration. The board cold use more representation from Eastlake, and people who are interested in Safety/Security or Community Events. Please contact Sue Jostrom suejostrom@mac.com for more information.

January 9th 2018 – Lake Elevation, DNR Lease Presentation, Reporting Illegal Encampments, Aurora Bridge Update, Support the FHA
Lake Elevation
Bill Dowell of USACE says, “I have reviewed the Lake Washington elevation data and the current elevation is right on point and has been since December 1. Typically the elevation is at 20 feet (officially measured at the Locks) and around February 15 we begin Summer refill. We gradually refill the lake reaching 22 feet around May. The Water Manager, working with Locks officials, gradually use that water throughout the Summer, reaching 20 feet around December 1. Water elevations can be viewed on the FHA site here. Again, we have been hovering right at 20 feet since December 1, which won’t change until around mid-February. We do appreciate the floating home owners and consider them a valued stakeholder. If anyone has questions or concerns we’re happy to answer them.You can contact Bill Dowell if you have questions – Work: 206.764.3464 Cell: 206.300.4177 or email: William.R.Dowell@usace.army.mil

Derrick Toba and the DNR Leases
As you may know, the FHA is currently working with the Department of Natural Resources, alongside other interested parties, to create a lease template for all stakeholders. Derrick Toba, Assistant Division Manager of the DNR’s Aquatic Resources Division for the Shoreline District kindly came to our most recent board meeting and gave a fascinating presentation explaining the background to the leases. You can view the presentation here. There will be more information coming out about the new lease at the FHA’s AGM.

A Message from Bill Albert, FHA Safety Officer, about Reporting Illegal Camping
Illegal camping is one symptom of the large, complex problem of homelessness citywide and nationwide. Seattle Parks and Recreation is working together with Seattle Police, Seattle Human Services, Seattle Office of Housing, the City Attorney, and community partners on a shared, broad response to try to address the multifaceted problem. Illegal camping in parks presents hazards to people (including the campers themselves) as well as to property. To ensure a consistent, coordinated, and humane response to campers throughout the city, in April 2008 the City of Seattle issued rules and guidelines for all property-owning departments: administrative rules and an Executive Order on unauthorized encampments.

First and foremost, if you see a crime in progress in your park, call 911. To report camping at your park or on other City property: Contact the Customer Service Bureau (CSB) by telephone at 206-684-CITY (2489) if the encampment is obstructing a sidewalk or park feature. Specifically mention the obstruction, its location, and report any other relevant information, i.e., number of people, potential hazards (discarded needles, trash, open fires) etc. You can also report camps using the City’s ‘Find It, Fix It’ Service Request Mobile App http://www.seattle.gov/customer-service-bureau/find-it-fix-it-mobile-app. The app has a drop-down menu for reporting. While it doesn’t specify encampments, you can select “other” and write in “Encampment.”

Aurora Bridge Update from WSDoT’s Marquise Allen
Though we’re still in the throes of winter, spring will be here before we know it. Which is why I’m writing to announce that WSDOT has awarded the SR 99 Aurora Bridge painting and paving project to Liberty Maintenance out of Youngstown, Ohio. We expect the contract with Liberty to be executed in early January. They’re an experienced company when it comes to cleaning and repainting large steel truss bridges, and they’re looking forward to the project. Once the contract is executed, we’ll extend an invitation to Liberty to attend an upcoming open house. A date for that will be announced in January. During the meeting, we’ll go over a preliminary project schedule and address any questions or concerns.

Liberty Maintenance will hire an independent air quality laboratory to monitor the painting project as soon as the contract is official. We will be sending you their full reports as well as summaries of the findings. Staff will need time to analyze the data and create summaries for the corresponding reports. Therefore, there will be about a two week delay between testing and when you receive the reports and summaries. These air quality reports and summaries will be in addition to the weekly progress updates you will also receive. That’s about all the new info for now. Please don’t hesitate to email us at AuroraBridgePaintProject@wsdot.wa.gov if you have additional questions. Best, Marqise Allen, WSDOT Communications
206-440-4699.

Support the FHA
If you are a member of these docks, your association already bought you membership – 2420 Westlake Co-Op, 2460 Inc., 3146 Portage Bay Pl E, Dox Co-Op, Fairview Landing, Lees Moorings, Mallard Cove, Nesika Chuck, Roanoke Reef, Tenas Chuck, The Lake Union, and The Log Foundation. To find out how your dock association can enjoy a 10% discount please email contact@floatinghomesseattle.org or call Jann McFarland on 206 323-3489.

If you prefer to purchase individual membership, you can do it at our Online Store here, or if you prefer to mail us a check, please click on this link to download the Membership Form and send it, along with a check for your dues, to the address on the form. Thank you for your support – we can’t manage without you!

That’s all for now. As ever, please feel free to email the FHA at contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org if you have questions, comments or suggestions.
All the best, Sarah

December 13th – Houseboatique, Fremont Lights, Lake Union Wake

FHA Boatique
Santa On The Dock
Fremont Bridge Lights
Huge boat wake on Lake Union
Eastlake Community Council Holiday Cruise
Support the FHA

FHA Boatique
Blair is opening up the Holiday Boatique again on Saturday, December 16th, from 12 – 4 pm. Get a jump start on holiday shopping with our new and classic merchandise, including 2018 Desk Calendar, compression bags for compact storage at home or when traveling, two-tone soup mug, embroidered apron, heavy duty canvas tote, Turkish cabana towels, waterproof pouch with neck cord, emergency charger, beautiful note cards, books and more. Come browse, buy in support of FHA, and mingle with friends and neighbors in the spirit of the season. We hope to see you there. Happy Holidays!! The Floating Home Boatique is located at 2329 Fairview Ave East (Located just 1/2 block North of Pete’s Supermarket in the lower parking lot). We accept Credit Cards, Cash or Check.

Santa On The Dock
Lake Union Rotary presents Santa On The Dock pictures Sunday December 16 . You can buy tickets for $35.00 in advance SantaontheDock.com. This is a great opportunity to capture special memories with your children, grandchildren and pets. Weather should be sunny. There are a few slots open before the time of the Seahawks game for you football fans. For Sounder fans who may be suffering from serious partying the night before, there are afternoon slots available.

Fremont Bridge Lights – Message from Ching Chan, Communications Lead, Seattle Department of Transportation
In celebration of the Fremont Bridge’s centennial anniversary, the Seattle Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Office of Arts and Culture (ARTS), will light the Fremont Bridge on the Winter Solstice, December 21st. Installation of permanent, artist-designed lighting under the bridge, and pedestrian lighting on the bridge sidewalks, is underway. The color and tone of the art lights will gently reflect seasonal, solar, and lunar patterns. The art lights will create a soft glow that will subtly enhance the character this historic piece of Seattle’s cityscape, celebrating the vibrant artistic spirit of the Fremont and Queen Anne communities through public art.

Lighted bridges distinguish cities around the world, yet Seattle remains one of the only major US cities without lighted bridges. We selected the Fremont Bridge for this pilot project because of its 100th anniversary and landmark designation. Built in 1917, the steel-frame Fremont Bridge was the city’s first double-leaf bascule bridge (draw-bridge that lifts from the middle) across the Lake Washington Ship Canal. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

In 2016, SDOT and ARTS commissioned lighting artists Hayley Buckbee and Ian Campbell (RSVR Visual Research,www.rs-vr.com) to create a contextually sensitive lighting concept for all three Ship Canal bridges—Fremont, Ballard, and University Bridges. The artists engaged community members in the design development process through a series of public events in Fall 2016.

Starting Thursday, December 21st, the Fremont Bridge art lights will be on during the evening hours. This is Phase 1 of the Fremont Bridge Lights project. We expect Phase 2 will be ready in the spring and will softly illuminate more of the bridge. There will be no impacts to traffic—for people walking, biking, driving, or boating. As the City moves forward with lighting all three Ship Canal bascule bridges, there will be opportunities to participate in stewarding Seattle’s future Bridge Lights.

Huge boat wake on Lake Union (re-posting from Nextdoor)
If anyone with property/boats along the shore of Lake Union sustained any damage around 1:55 today, it was likely due to a boat named the Lola M, which came blasting in from the northeast end of the lake and left a very large wake. We saw its wake hit the boats at the Union Harbor condos and the floating homes just to the south of the condos. Another boater apparently clued him in to the correct way to “test” his boat’s speed, because he then did it correctly after a quick chat, and then departed.

The Lola M is apparently owned and operated by a company called LIR Marine LLC, which has its legal address at 3527 Ne 96th St, Seattle WA 98115-2545. The company’s officers are listed as Ian and Guinevere Costin. According to information the company has posted, Lir Marine currently leases the Lola M, a commercial vessel, to companies in need. We work with our clients on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis with the option of a captain. Our boat is a 41′ coastguard utility vessel, built to military specifications. Various uses for the boat include, logistics, crew, support, supply, work boat, command center, rescue and light towing. Harbor Patrol are aware.

Eastlake Community Council Holiday Cruise – Saturday, Dec. 23, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Join the cruise on the historic ferry the Islander. Purchase tickets from http://brownpapertickets.com (search for Eastlake Holiday Cruise) or click here. NOTE: Tickets are limited to people who live or work in Seattle’s Eastlake neighborhood and their guests; and to employees or guests of Champagne Cruises.

Join the lighted boats coming through Union Bay to enjoy the grand finale overwater concerts in Portage Bay (7:45 p.m.) and Lake Union (8:45 p.m.). This classic Seattle event features a stunningly beautiful tableau of hundreds of decorated boats,; the largest has an amplified choir. Boarding (at 1611 Fairview Avenue East) begins at 5:30 p.m., we sail at 6:30, and return about 9:30.

Tickets ($40) include dinner, salad, and dessert (vegetarian options available). Kids up to 6 years old are free, but only if pre-registered by an e-mail with their names and ages to info@eastlakeseattle.org (so that the cruise company and Coast Guard have an accurate pre-count of all passengers, even those not needing tickets). There’s a no-host bar (cash, credit cards, and debit cards accepted on board). For questions: info@eastlakeseattle.org.

At the cruise, we will collect for the University District Food Bank, which serves Eastlake and nearby neighborhoods. The Food Bank welcomes non-perishable food items and toiletries (bar soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper, safety razors); and/or cash.

Support the FHA
If you are a member of these docks, your association already bought you membership – 2420 Westlake Co-Op, 2460 Inc., 3146 Portage Bay Pl E, Dox Co-Op, Fairview Landing, Lees Moorings, Mallard Cove, Nesika Chuck, Roanoke Reef, Tenas Chuck, The Lake Union, and The Log Foundation. To find out how your dock association can enjoy a 10% discount please email contact@floatinghomesseattle.org or call Jann McFarland on 206 323-3489.

If you prefer to purchase individual membership, you can do it at our Online Store here, or if you prefer to mail us a check, please click on this link to download the Membership Form and send it, along with a check for your dues, to the address on the form. Thank you for your support – we can’t manage without you!
Happy Holidays! Sarah Morlidge

November 28th – Aurora Bridge, Holiday Boatique

FHA Holiday Boatique
Aurora Bridge Painting
Argosy Christmas Ships Festival
MOHAI Events and Exhibitions

FHA Holiday Boatique – Volunteers Required
Blair is looking for an couple of volunteers to help out at the Holiday Boatique on Sunday. Please email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org if you are available for either a morning or afternoon shift. The HOLIDAY BOATIQUE is on Sunday, December 3rd, 10am – 4pm. Get a jump start on holiday shopping with our new and classic merchandise which you can view here, including 2018 Desk Calendar, compression bags for compact storage at home or when traveling, two-tone soup mug, embroidered apron, heavy duty canvas tote, Turkish cabana towels, waterproof pouch with neck cord, emergency charger, beautiful notecards, books and more. Come browse, buy in support of FHA, and mingle with friends and neighbors in the spirit of the season. We hope to see you there. Happy Holidays!! The Floating Home Boatique is located at 2329 Fairview Ave East (just 1/2 block North of Pete’s Supermarket in the lower parking lot). We accept Credit Cards, Cash or Check.

Aurora Bridge Painting – A message from Marqise Allen of WSDOT Communications
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. I wanted to check in and provide the latest update on the upcoming SR 99 George Washington (Aurora) Bridge painting and paving project scheduled for next summer. Five-day work weeks are still planned for painting, but a late adjustment will require crews to sandblast and paint up to three weekends during the project. Additional work was added to paint steel sections near the center of the bridge to better protect and preserve those areas from the elements. The only way to reach this section of steel is from the top of the bridge, which requires lane closures to create a safe work area. Weekday travel is too busy to allow lane closures. Therefore, crews will work on three selected weekends to reduce traffic delays, while still getting the work done. We’ll be providing advance notice of the work in our weekly project updates.
Contract out for bid
We have wrapped up the final details of the contract, and it is now out for competitive bidding. Thank you again for being engaged and sharing your thoughts on this project. We implemented your feedback from previous meetings, in addition to sharing an advanced draft of the contract with Puget Soundkeeper, which also provided input that was included in the project. You can view the contract on WSDOT’s website using the link. We anticipate announcing who the contractor will be by the end December.
Next steps
As we set our sights on next summer, we’ll look to meet with you again before the project gets underway. There are no dates at this stage, but stay tuned as we make our way through the competitive bidding process and help the contractor develop a schedule for the project. And as always, feel free to contact us at AuroraBridgePaintProject@wsdot.wa.gov if you have any questions or need additional information. We’ll continue to send updates as the project progresses, but you can also visit the project webpage for updates.
Argosy Christmas Ships Festival
You have probably already noticed that this in already underway. You can find out when to expect the boats here My favorite is when they gather at Gas Works Park on the 23rd for the Grand Finale.

MOHAI Events
December 5, 7 – 8:30 pm (galleries open until 8 pm)
Telling the Story of Al Smith: An Evening with the Curators
$5 MOHAI Members / $10 General Public
How do you tell the story of Seattle’s Central District, vibrant jazz scene, and much more through the lens of one man’s camera? Gain insights into the life and legacy of Al Smith and the development of MOHAI’s new exhibit Seattle on the Spot: The Photographs of Al Smith. Panelists include:
Moderator: Vivian Phillips Seattle Arts Commission chair, Howard Giske, MOHAI’s Curator of Photography and a long-time friend of Al Smith. Butch Smith, Al Smith’s son and collaborator on the Seattle on the Spot exhibit. Paul de Barros, jazz historian and collaborator the Seattle on the Spot exhibit. Quin’Nita Cobbins, historian, BlackPast.org webmaster and collaborator on the Seattle on the Spot exhibit.
December 7, 10 am – 8 pm Free First Thursday
Seattle on the Spot: The Photographs of Al Smith and MOHAI’s popular miniature Hammons House, are accessible at a special rate on first Thursdays of $8 for adults, $6 for student/senior/military.
December 12, 5:30-7:30 pm Portrait of the City: The 25 Most Important Photographs from Seattle History, Hotel Theodore, Seattle $15 (includes one drink and small bites)
From Edward Curtis to Instagram, Leonard Garfield, MOHAI Executive Director, reveals the 25 most important photographs from throughout Seattle’s history and the incredible stories behind the lens. This program is presented in partnership with Hotel Theodore. Please see the website for more information.

MOHAI Exhibitions
Seattle on the Spot: The Photographs of Al Smith
November 18, 2017 – June 17, 2018
Al Smith’s photography chronicled Seattle’s vibrant Central District neighborhood and the city’s African American community with great warmth and intimacy. Developed in partnership with the Black Heritage Society (BHS) of Washington State, Seattle on the Spot: The Photographs of Al Smith, honors 65 years of Smith’s brilliantly expressive documentary photography and celebrates the neighborhood and people who inspired him.
Hammons House
Through January 15, 2018, 10 am – 5 pm. Free for MOHAI members / Included with admission. Back by popular demand, MOHAI’s famous Hammons House will be on display for the first time since the museum’s move to Lake Union Park. This finely crafted miniature house was designed by renowned Seattle architect Joseph Coté and built in 1955 by Fritz Hahn and Ernest Gebert.

November 19th

FHA Holiday Boatique
Arlene’s Victorian Carolers
FHA Facebook Group
Sudsy Water from Superior Motors
Interesting Offer from a French Artist
Board Minutes

FHA Holiday Boatique

Seattle Floating Homes Association welcomes you to our annual HOLIDAY BOATIQUE!! Sunday, December 3rd, 10am – 4pm.

Get a jump start on holiday shopping with our new and classic merchandise which you can view here, including 2018 Desk Calendar, compression bags for compact storage at home or when traveling, two-tone soup mug, embroidered apron, heavy duty canvas tote, Turkish cabana towels, waterproof pouch with neck cord, emergency charger, beautiful note cards, books and more. Come browse, buy in support of FHA, and mingle with friends and neighbors in the spirit of the season. We hope to see you there. Happy Holidays!! The Floating Home Boatique is located at 2329 Fairview Ave East (just 1/2 block North of Pete’s Supermarket in the lower parking lot). We accept Credit Cards, Cash or Check.

Arlene’s Victorian Carolers
If you happen to be having a holiday party on Friday, December 8, Holiday Harmony are four professional singers (Seattle Opera) in all Victorian costumes and they’ll come to anyone’s Christmas party and sing. They sound amazing and are very reasonably priced. Arlene Fairfield has tehm coming to the Log Foundation for a short hour on Friday, December 8 in the evening, they are available to come by other houseboats or homes in Eastlake or on Cap Hill. If you’re interested call or text Arlene at 206-898-8795 and she can give you the contact name and number. Here is their website: http://holidayharmony.biz

FHA Facebook Group
If you are new here you may not know that the FHA has a closed Facebook Group which we invite all floating home owners and dwellers to join here https://www.facebook.com/groups/SeattleFloatingHomesAssociation/

Sudsy Water from Superior Motors
Puget Sound Keepers have asked that neighbors keep an eye on the car washing at Superior Motors on Fairview. The washing water is supposed to be collected by a filtration unit at the back of the site. If you see sudsy water escaping, PSK ask that you call the SPU Pollution Reporting number and they will respond. The number is 206-684-7587. They usually call back within an hour. If you are able to take a photo to send Puget Sound Keepers that’s helpful. If you have questions for Puget Sound Keepers please contact Sue Joerger, 206-297-7002, ext. 105 or sue@pugetsoundkeeper.org.

Interesting Offer from a French Artist
Every now and then we get unusual offers from people, and this is definitely one of those! A French artist (painting, sculpture etc), by the name of François Provost, is offering to paint a houseboat for free. He will even pay for his own accommodation and air fare. All the floating homeowner would have to do is pay for the paint, allow Francois some artistic license with their houseboat, and agree to the publicity he is hoping to generate. If this kind of thing floats your boat, reply to this email and I will forward the necessary info to you.

Board Minutes
The minutes of the board meetings can be reviewed here.
If you have news you would like to share please email me at contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org All the best & Happy Thanksgiving, Sarah Morlidge

October 23rd

Board Meeting Minutes

The minutes of the FHA Board Meetings from June and August have been added to the website – https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/board-minutes/ . Please email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org if you have any questions.

Rental Opportunities

If anyone knows someone interested in renting a floating home on Portage Bay (yellow two story with garage door facing the water; 2 BR 1.5 BA), please let Maggie Chon know. It will be available at the beginning of November. You can reach Maggie on 206 755 3101 or umchon@gmail.com . There is also an opportunity to rent a houseboat on the front row of Roanoke Reef. If you know someone whose interested in that one, please contact Steven Schreiber at sschreiber@timesuck.net.

Head of the Lake Regatta

Lake Washington Rowing Club and the University of Washington are hosting the annual Head of the Lake regatta on November 5th. The regatta will take place on the Seattle waterway from the northeast end of Lake Union to Conibear Shell house near Husky Stadium. The race course begins at College Club of Seattle on the northeast end of Lake Union, through Portage Bay and the Montlake Cut, and loops around Union Bay, ending in front of Conibear Shell house. Attached is a letter of notification showing detail of times and point of contact for the regatta. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us. Thank you,

Head of the Lake Organization Committee

A Message From Bill Albert

Our old FH will be towed away and demolished at the end of the month (not sure to whether to put a happy or sad face on that, maybe both?). If anyone needs logs, or knows of anyone who needs logs, please let me know. And, if you have an idea of where or who to contact who might be interested please let me know. Cheers! Bill 206-229-5569 or walbert99@yahoo.com

2017 Public Safety Survey

Seattle University is working with the SPD to distribute the 2017 Public Safety Survey. The survey will be used to generate feedback for community crime and safety concerns to help determine the needs of Seattle. A report on the survey results will be provided to the Seattle Police Department to assist them with making your neighborhood safer and more secure. The survey is accessible at publicsafetysurvey.org from October 15th through November 30th. If you would like more information about the survey, please do not hesitate to contact Matthew Todd, Seattle University Research Assistant, Seattle Police Dept. West Precinct MCPP

Tip 209A

The FHA Legislative Committee has been working the Seattle DCI to make sure the floating home community was heard during their revision of Tip 209A. The City is now acknowledging that many repairs do not need permit exemptions, including siding, roofing, doors, or windows. You can read Tip 209A in full here. This revised tip was issued in April 2017 and is effective now.

September 23rd – Docktoberfest

Docktoberfest 2017!
Ahoy afloat friends! Join the Seattle Floating Homes Association for the annual Docktoberfest party! Bring your neighbors, bring your friends – all are welcome! Let’s celebrate the change from this smoky summer to the falling leaves and pumpkin spice lattes of autumn!
Where:
Seattle Center for Wooden Boats
1010 Valley St, Seattle, WA 98109
When:
Thursday September 28, 6-9pm
What:
Light food & snacks!
Beer, wine and drinks for all ages!
Live music by WB and Bonnie!
All free!

August 7th

Free Beer from the FHA
Aurora Bridge Paint Project
Obliteride bicycle ride and Lake Union 10K August 13th
District 4 Public Safety Open House August 16th

Free Beer from the FHA
A shout out to our Social Committee Chair, Tom Campbell for organizing beer for the Seattle Night Out Dock parties on the Log Foundation, Willow Cove, Roanoke Reef, Mallard Cove, Tenas Chuck, 2460 Inc and Westlake Cove. The beer, which was lovely, came from Counterbalance Brewing, so thanks to them as well!

Aurora Bridge Paint Project
I have posted the Responses to Questions & Concerns from June 6 Follow-Up Community Meeting from Justin Fujioka and Curt Winningham on the Westlake/Northlake news page of the FHA website. You can read it here

Obliteride bicycle ride and Lake Union 10K walk are both occurring in Eastlake — Sun., Aug. 13 . The Obliteride will occur on Eastlake Avenue and on Fairview Avenue North (not Fairview Avenue East). On Eastlake Avenue, traffic lanes and on-street parking will not be restricted; it is not clear yet whether traffic lanes on Fairview Avenue N. will be restricted. The Lake Union 10K walk will involve traffic and parking restrictions on Fairview Avenue East. info@eastlakeseattle.org would appreciate hearing from residents and businesses regarding impacts of the traffic or parking restrictions, noise, etc.

District 4 Public Safety Open House
There will be a meeting with honored guests, including high ups in Fire, Homeless and Crime Prevention organisations, on Wednesday, August 16th, 5-7. Details are on the Eastlake News section of the FHA website here.

July 12th

Free Beer
Save the Date – Docktoberfest
DCI Request for input regarding marinas and gray water
2412 Westlake Ave N Notice of Construction
Ship Canal Water Quality Project

Dear FHA Members and Friends, Now that you have recovered from celebrating the 4th of July, I have news of a couple more celebrations that are coming up!
Free Beer
If you are having a dock party for Seattle Night Out (Tues., Aug. 1), the FHA would like to buy you a beer! For gatherings this summer among or between docks, FHA would love to supply a small keg of local brew for the occasion. In return we’d only ask that you post a small sign which we will also supply, noting where the beer came from. If you’ve a party in mind that you’re planning, get in touch with contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org for more information.
Save the Date
Looks like we will probably be celebrating Docktoberfest on Thursday, September 28th at the Center for Wooden Boats. More information will follow, for now just make sure you don’t have other plans that night!
DCI Request for input regarding marinas and gray water
We have received a letter from Megan Mueller requesting input from FOWR stakeholders. You can read the letter here . Please feel free to pass it on to anyone else who wants to have a say.
2412 Westlake Ave N Notice of Construction
There is an updated letter regarding the rebuilding of the marina here.
Ship Canal Water Quality Project
Seattle Public Utilities and King County are working together to build an underground storage tunnel to reduce the amount of polluted water that spills into the Lake Washington Ship Canal from Ballard, Fremont, Wallingford, and north Queen Anne. The 2.7-mile, approximately 14-foot diameter tunnel will capture and temporarily hold more than 15 million gallons of storm water mixed with some sewage that overflows during heavy rains. When the storm passes, flows will be sent to the existing West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant in Magnolia.You can read more about it here.
If you have information you would like to share with the FHA community please send it to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org

June 11th

Aurora Bridge Painting Phase 2 Open House
Picnic in the Park hosted by Lake Union Association
Waterways 18, 19, 20 and 22
Soundkeeper Sweeps start June 17th
FHA May Board Meeting Minutes

Aurora Bridge Painting – WSDOT hosted a small meeting for those houseboat dwellers right below the bridge last Tuesday. The main Open House is coming up this Tuesday, June 13 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m at Seattle Pacific University, Upper Gwinn Commons, 3310 6th Avenue W, Seattle and all are welcome. You can read details here.

Picnic in the Park hosted by Lake Union Association – The Lake Union Association will be hosting a ‘Picnic in the Park’ on June 21, 2017 from 12 pm – 1:30 pm. Speakers will include candidates for Mayor, City Council, City Attorney, Port Commission. Ticket info here.

Waterways 18, 19, 20 and 22 – New FHA board member, Janet Williams, attended the recent Lake Union Association meeting and shared their letter to the Mayor regarding changes in public access at waterway’s 18, 19, 20 and 22 with us. You can read it here

Soundkeeper Sweeps – There will be clean up events on June 17th at the Arboretum, July 5th & August 12th (Salmon Bay). More information is available here

FHA May Board Meeting Minutes – The minutes of May’s board meeting have been posted to the website. You can see them here.

Thank you to everyone who has been sending me their updates on DNR leases, Condo/Co-op status/Private Dock etc. If you have news to share please email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org.

June 4th

1818 Fairview ave E Construction is starting June 5th
April’s Board Meeting Minutes
Dock Ownership status & DNR Leases
Is it a Western Pond Turtle?

1818 Fairview Avenue Construction work starting – fences are going up June 5th.Project will affect Fairview Ave E floating homes as far as Roanoke for cars heading S on Fairview to Fairview N.and using Blaine to get to Eastlake. Looks like they will be working weekends as well as weekdays. Starting early June, with anticipated completion in August, will they will be installing underground electrical and communication lines. Pedestrians will be routed to the South side of E. Blaine St and the West side of Fairview. Eastlake access will remain open, there will be no parking on E. Blaine or in the private lot. You can view full details of the project plus contractor contact information here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/eastlake-neighborhood-news/

The minutes of the April Board Meeting have been posted here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/board-minutes/, May’s minutes will be posted after the board meeting this Wednesday. If you have any issues you would like to share please reply to this email or contact the relevant board member. You can see the full list here – https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/board-of-directors/

Finally, we are looking to update the information we hold about which floating homes are on docks that are co-op, condo, leased or privately owned, as well as which ones have DNR leases. Thank you to everyone who has already shared, please feel free to reply to this email if you have not yet.

Thank you also to those of you who have shared wildlife photos, which included a sighting of what might be a Western Pond Turtle, which is much less common than the painted turtles we normally see in th is area.. Decide for your self here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/photos-wildlife-on-the-lake/

Please reply to this email address with any other news you have to share with your fellow floating home residents. Cheers, Sarah

Thursday May 18th, 2017

Dick Wagner Sail Past – On Sunday, May 21, there will be a Sail Past honoring Dick Wagner. It will leave The Center for Wooden Boats at 5 pm, led by the Virginia V, and travel west to east, north along the east side of Lake Union and then west down the Ship Canal to pass The Old Boathouse, where the idea of CWB was born. Then the flotilla will return to CWB. I thought the Floating Homes residents might want to know about this since Dick was a past-president of FHA. There also are Open houses at 3 pm at CWB before the flotilla and again at 7 pm after the boats return. Colleen Wagner and her sons will be present. Questions to Judie Romeo, Assistant to the Founding Director, The Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St. Seattle, WA 98109

Lake Union Buoys – Message from Jim Holmes, project manager at the city – “My apologies for not getting back to you sooner. At this point we do not have a date for buoy installation. We are awaiting final approval from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. They are experiencing a severe backlog, and are unable to give us a time frame approval. When they are installed they will be a single line of five buoys that will flash during takeoff and landing. Boat traffic will be encouraged to stay clear at that time. Compliance is voluntary and there will be no enforcement.”

Tuesday, May 16th 2017

Remodeling rules – Amy Woods of Wandesford Dock would like to know if your dock has remodel/reconstruction rules for floating homes over and beyond the city/state laws and regulations can you please share them with me for our dock to consider? She is specifically looking for requirements for leased/rent docks, so if you live on one of those and have guidelines or suggestions that you would be willing to share please reply to this email and I will pass your message on to Amy.

Aurora Bridge – Justin Fujioka of WSDAT would like to remind you about the upcoming open house on Stage 2 of WSDOT’s SR 99 Aurora Bridge painting project which will provide community members with an opportunity to learn more about the project and provide us with feedback. There is more information on the website’s Westlake News section and you can contact Justin on 206-440-4690 or fujiokj@wsdot.wa.gov

Open house details

· When: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 13 (arrive any time)

· Where: Seattle Pacific University, Upper Gwinn Commons, 3310 6th Ave. W., Seattle

2412 Westlake Ave N is starting reconstruction of their fire damaged office. You can find out more on the Westlake News section of the FHA website.

House sitter services – Dana Nohavec is a lifelong Seattleite who has always wanted to experience living on a houseboat. She is a public school teacher of nearly 30 years in the Kent and Snoqualmie School Districts. 22 of these years at the same elementary school and says she has many local references. If you are interested please contact her on danawolffnohavec@gmail.com.

Lake Union Navigational Buoys – The hunt for information is on-going. I have been passed on to my third USACE contact – hopefully third time’s a charm, it would be nice to get the heads up before Memorial Day!

Wildlife sightings abound – https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/photos-wildlife-on-the-lake/ please send submissions to this email address! Thank you to Maggie Chon for sending in the photo at the top of the e-alert. Does anyone know what type of turtle it is?

Sunday, April 23, 2017

New FHA Board Members
Thank you to everyone who came along to the FHA annual General Meeting on Wednesday, and to our sponsors for their support of the event. There was a great turn out, drawn in part no doubt by the wonderful food Sue Jostrom and Susan Chatlos-Susor provided. There were excellent presentations from Puget Soundkeepers and the Harbor Patrol. Our President, John Leness, gave an update on the issues the FHA Board is currently working on, and the new board was elected. We said farewell to Mike Dellario, Libby Kutcipal and Joyce Black. New Board members elected at the meeting are Tom Campbell, Courtney Cooper, Raanan Schnitzer, Janet Williams and Elliot Wolf. You can read all about them and the rest of this year’s board here – https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/board-of-directors/ . Committee membership will be decided at the next board meeting.

Puget Soundkeepers Alliance – as well as updating us on upcoming sweeps, dates for which you can see here , Puget Soundkeepers also gave us permission to share the letter their attorney sent to the relevant parties regarding legal action resulting from Phase One of the Aurora Bridge painting project. The letter from their attorney is 19 pages long, you will need to click on the arrow at the bottom of page one to advance to the next page. You can view it on the Westlake News section of the website, along with details of the WSDOT Phase 2 Open House on Tuesday June 13th. When work begins on the project, Puget Soundkeepers and the Harbor Patrol said to contact them if things go awry.

Harbor Patrol – As well as asking that floating home owners call 911 in the event of an emergency, so that all calls are logged and routed through the central switchboard, the harbor patrol mentioned how handy it is when docks have their number posted on the end of their dock. Bill Albert recently got a sign made for his dock by FastSigns who have locations in the U District and downtown. The Harbor Patrol officers also seconded the suggestion of another FHA member, that floating homes invest in air horns so that they can wake residents up easily in the event of an emergency. If you need to call Harbor Patrol after you have called 911, or if you want to report a non emergency like obstructions to navigation in the water, you can reach Harbor Patrol on 206 684-4071. You will find other important contacts on our website here. Harbor Patrol didn’t have any more info than we do about the Lake Union Navigational Buoys – everything is waiting on the USACE to issue a permit; we are waiting to hear back from Jacalen Printz at USACE and Jim Holmes in the city planning dept.

DNR Leases – John Leness and the FHA Legislative Committee is working with the DNR who wish to replace the existing variety of DNR leases with a single template for all lake residents and businesses. One FHA Member asked at the meeting how many people have leases and when they expire. The FHA does not have this information, but if residents want to tell us drop an email to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org and we can compile a list.

Dick Wagner – Sad news from Westlake. Dick Wagner passed away last week, aged 84. For those who did not know Dick, he was on the Floating Homes Board starting in about 1972 and became President in 1976 and then again served on the Board after stepping down from the presidency in 1978. He lived in one of the oldest historic houseboats on Westlake at the Old Boathouse moorage. and started renting small boats from his dock in the early 1960s. He later moved the boats to the Center for Wooden Boats where he continued to run the center for many years. You can read his Seattle Times obituary here.

Making the Cut – Making the Cut is a group of organizations, institutions, and individuals working to commemorate the centennial of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and the lowering of Lake Washington. You can find more information about the organisation, the history of the ship canal, and the events and programs they have planned here – http://makingthecut100.org/

Ballard Locks Celebration – The USACE is celebrating the centennial of Chittenden Locks in Ballard this year. Lots of events have been organised, and you can see the details on their website starting May 5th and running through the end of July. You can read more here http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Locks100/

Finally, as I mentioned at the meeting, if you are not already a member of the FHA we would love you to join. You can read all about why that’s a good idea here and you can sign up online here. We are especially interested in getting docks to sign up as a group, and offer a 10% discount to encourage you. Please email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org if you would like to find out how to do that.

Mon, April 10, 2017

FHA Annual Meeting – April 19th
FHA Board Meeting Minutes
Lake Union Buoys
Aurora Bridge – Phase Two Open House
Robin’s Nest Project website
South Korean actress samples lif on the lake
Beer Tour coming to Gas Works Park

FHA Annual Meeting – Please join us at our next Annual General Meeting at 6 pm, Wednesday April 19th at the Lake Washington Rowing Club. You do not have to be a member to come along – but we might try and persuade you to join! We will be updating you on the new template for DNR leases, and the progress we have made with Seattle City Light regarding the new electrical code for floating homes. You will also hear from the Harbor Patrol, and Puget Soundkeepers will be there to talk about the Aurora Bridge Project and the upcoming ‘sweeps’. In addition, we will be saying goodbye to some board members and welcoming new ones. The first 150 FHA members will be eligible for a free FHA waterproof phone pocket (one only per household)!

Board Minutes – The minutes of the March FHA Board Meeting have been posted at seattlefloatinghomes.org/board-minutes/

Lake Union Buoys – Several people have asked what’s happening about the Lake Union Navigational Buoys. I have reached out to the US Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle City DCI, Kenmore and the DNR. So far I have only heard back from Kenmore, who said that permitting is still awaited from USACE. I posted the answer I got from John Gowey, Director of Operations of Kenmore Air Seaplanes on the Eastlake News section of the FHA website.You can read it here.

Aurora Bridge – Phase Two Open House
Those of you who live in the immediate vicinity of the Aurora Bridge will know that phase one of the painting project was not without its issues. WSDOT have been meeting with the parties concerned and are holding an Open House on Tuesday, June 13 from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Seattle Pacific University, Upper Gwinn Commons, 3310 6th Avenue W, Seattle. You can find more information about the meeting, and a link to the project website, on the Westlake/Northlake News section of the FHA Website.

Robin’s Nest Project Website
The developer started work on the project Monday April 3rd. He has told Portage Bay Place Neighbors and Friends (PBPN & F) that he is setting up a website (www.robinsnestseattle.com) to keep the neighborhood informed about construction information. The website should be up in a week or so.

South Korean Actress Samples Life on the Lake
The FHA Board’s very own Mike Dellario and Blair Robbins acted as hosts when a famous South Korean actress was in town recently. You can see highlights of her visit here seattlefloatinghomes.org/videos-from-the-web/

Beer Camp on Tour at Gas Works Park
This is an upcoming beer tasting festival at Gas Works Park on Friday, June 30 from 5:00 PM- 10:00 PM. Beer Camp on Tour features 120 local and regional craft brewers, 10 food trucks, and local bands. Expected attendance is 3,500. For more information about this and other upcoming ECC events, visit the Eastlake News section of the FHA website.

Wed, March 16, 2017

2236 Fairview Ave E – the Early Design Guidance Review meeting is tonight at 6:30, full details are on the FHA website Eastlake News section.

Portage Bay Park – The University District is on track for a new waterfront park by late next year. Portage Bay Park will build upon Sakuma Viewpoint, a University of Washington-owned public space, next to Agua Verde. The 90% design proposal was presented to the Seattle Design Commission (SDC) in early January, garnering unanimous approval from the Commission based upon the proposal. One major change, however, was made to the proposal since the autumn.You can read all about it here

FHA Annual Meeting Reminder – all are welcome at the FHA Annual Meeting: April 19. Lake Washington Rowing Club. 6 p.m.

Eastlake Community Council will be hosting a Seattle history talk on Wed., March 22, 7 p.m. and an Egg Hunt and Race on Sat., April 15 at Rogers Playfield, 2500 Eastlake Ave. Details are on the FHA website Eastlake News page.

Wed, March 8, 2017

Portage Bay Place Neighbors and Friends – After a two-year effort PBN&F has reached an agreement with the developer of the former Red Robin property. They are satisfied that their major concerns have been addressed and have dropped their appeal. You can read all the details on the FHA website’s Portage Bay News section.

FHA Board Meeting Minutes – The minutes of the January and February FHA Board Meetings have been posted to the FHA Website. They include developments regarding renewal of DNR leases and ongoing negotiations with Seattle City Light to rewrite the electrical code.

Eastlake Workshop – Spencer Williams of the Office of Planning and Community Development invites you to an upcoming Eastlake Workshop on Monday, March 13th from 6:00 pm-9:00 pm Where: Tops (K-8) School, 2500 Franklin Ave East, Seattle, WA 98102. The goals of this workshop are to support Eastlake’s community members to learn more and weigh in on changes proposed for the neighborhood as well as to help inform the Office of Planning and Community Development and City Council about your community’s vision for our Urban Village. For more infomration and RSVP details please visit the Eastlake News section of the FHA Website

Ride the Ducks Site – The FHA is aware that there has been activity at the Ride the Ducks on Fairview Ave this week, and is looking into what work is being done. If you would like to apprise yourself of the history of this situation you will find details of the agreement that was reached on the Eastlake Community Council website. We will pass on more information when we get it.

FHA Annual Meeting Reminder – all are welcome at the FHA Annual Meeting: April 19. Lake Washington Rowing Club. 6 p.m.

Friday, Feb 17, 2017

Floating Home Snow Photos – The snow thawed, the rain came and now the sun is shining. As a memento of the interesting weather we have had the last couple of weeks I have created a ‘Houseboats in the Snow’ gallery of photos submitted by FHA members which you can see here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/houseboats-in-the-snow/ Please send any other photos if you are willing to share.

Cabaret – In case you missed this article in the paper – the exciting news is that it looks like there will be a new entertainment venue for us to enjoy on the lake soon http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/new-life-new-home-for-ferry-hiyu/. With any luck we will be able to moor up nearby when we want to party!

Captain Mark Freeman died on January 16th. He owned the moorages at 2764/66 WLN (Westlake Cove) where he lived for many years and also was a part owner of the docks 2017/2019/2025 FVE now known as The Log foundation. “He was one of the good guy moorage owners. He was reluctant to sell the moorages to the home owners but did so – the Log Fn in 1984 and the Westlake moorages quite a few years later.” says Jann McFarland, Office Manager of the FHA and longtime resident of the Log Foundation. Captain Freeman was the owner of Fremont Tug and his son now runs that business. You can read the full obituary of the Captain’s very interesting life here.

Lake level is going up – the US Army Corps of Engineers began raising the lake yesterday from its winter level of 20 feet to its summer level of 22 feet. You can read all about it here.

Moorage required – Does anyone know of a marina/location that can/will offer temporary moorage/storage for a floating home beginning May through August/September. The home is licensed but the owner can’t move it into its final moorage on his dock until then. It’s 35′ X 35’…Please contact Ranaan Schnitzer at raanan.schnitzer@outlook.com with suggestions.

Long term rental sought – Alisha Robertson [mailto:alishamr@gmail.com] is moving to Seattle and looking for a long term floating home rental. Please can you contact her directly if you know of any.

Sun, Feb 5, 2017

Save the Date for the FHA Annual Meeting
The next Annual Meeting of the Floating Homes Association will take place on April 19th at the Lake Washington Rowing Club starting at 6 p.m. Please come and join us to meet your floating neighbors, and have your say about issues affecting floating home owners and dwellers.
PBPE & Friends
Click here for news from Portage Bay Place East / Red Robin Site Development
USS Turner Joy
Did you see the USS Turner Joy squeezing through Ballard Locks? If you missed it, you can see it here. The USS Turner Joy is now in Lake Union Dry Dock for an $800,000 refurbishment of the hull and will be open for tours when the work is finished in March.
Membership – Some of you will be receiving your FHA membership renewal notices – don’t forget you now have the easy option of renewing online here. If you didn’t join yet, now is the perfect time and you can use the same link.
Local News Sources
We have added a couple of local news sources (Lake Union Beat and Eastlake Community Council) to the homepage of the FHA website, If you know of others that should be featured please email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org
Tuesday, Feb. 7th @ 7 p.m – Eastlake Public Meeting with open mike to dream about and discuss neighborhood projects, needs, and priorities Tues., Feb. 7, 7 p.m. at TOPS-Seward School, 2500 Franklin Ave. E.. In this popular format, all comers can have some time at the “open mike” to discuss their preferred neighborhood needs/issues/questions, or react to others. Please speak out, or hear your neighbors out, on [your topic, or theirs, here]. Can’t come? Please send your questions and thoughts to ECC at info@eastlakeseattle.org.
Please send any questions, comments or suggestions to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org

Sun, Jan 15, 2017

Portage Bay Update – news of an appeal. To read more about the next steps the Portage Bay Place Neighbors and Friends (PBPN & F) are taking, click here

Find It, Fix It – did you know that there is an app you can use to report situations in your neighborhood that the city needs to address? You can find out more, and download the app, here

Lake Washington Elevations for December/January 2017 – We have loaded the data for December and January, plus a link to the US Army Corps of Engineers website here

MOHAI is hosting a ‘History Cafe’ event on Wednesday January 18th 6:30 – 7:30 pm to celebrate Boeing turning 100. Maybe they will mention that Roanoke Reef sits on the site where the first Boeing aircraft was built?

Lastly, we would like to compile a list of dining locations with moorage to be included on the website. If you have suggestions please send them to contact@floatinghomesseattle.org

Mon, Jan 9, 2017

Online Membership Sign Up – we are delighted to announce that you now have the option to support us electronically. Head on over to our store if you didn’t already join or renew your membership. You will find options for supporters, residents, and advertisers here – FHA Membership Store. Thank you in advance for your support.

Membership Rewards – if you are still on the fence about joining, check out all the benefits of membership at Why Join?

December Meeting Minutes – the minutes of December’s FHA Board Meeting have been posted to the website here

Lake Union Webcams & Weather – We have included the weather forecast on the home page of the website and created a new page in the Neighborhood News section featuring webcams in Seattle and Lake Union. You can see them here. If you have ideas for other resources we could include please email them to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org.

Eastlake Community Council has several meetings coming up regarding HALA upzones, homelessness, and the Burke Museum’s T-Rex amongst other things and Portage Bay Pl E News. Find out more here.

Portage bay Place E – for news about the land use decision in the project’s Master Use Permit (MUP) please click here

Sat, Dec 10, 2016

Holiday Boatique Update – Thank you to everyone who turned out to support the Holiday Boatique last weekend. Sales were brisk and it was lovely to visit with members and supporters, old and new. Now that we have the lovely new space available to us, thanks to the efforts of FHA Board Member Erik Johnson, we will be looking at opening the Floating Home Boatique more often. We will be adding new inventory now that some of the favorites are sold out, so watch out for news of when it will be available.

FHA Board Meeting Minutes – As part of our efforts to increase awareness of the work that your FHA Board is doing for you, we will be publishing a summary of the monthly meeting minutes online. You can view September and October’s minutes here

FHA Board Membership – A couple of our FHA Board members are reaching the end of their terms. If you are a floating home owner or resident who wants to make some fun new friends and help promote/preserve life afloat, email us at contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org

Service Providers – We would like to improve the relevance of the website by expanding the list of vendors and contractors who provide services to residents of floating homes. If you have had a good experience with a vendor or contractor please can you send their contact details to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org so that we can ask them if they would like to be featured.

FHA Private Facebook Group – In the spirit of embracing social media, and to give floating home owners and residents an opportunity to share information with each other privately we have set up a closed Facebook group for floating home owners and residents. This is in addition to the open, public FB page which you will find here. Membership of the private group is by invitation only, and only members of the group can post to it or see posts on it. We have about 163 members so far. If you would like to join click here https://www.facebook.com/groups/SeattleFloatingHomesAssociation/ and click on ‘Join Group’ to request membership.

Instagram Floating Home Photos – Did you know that FHA is on Instagram? You will find us at #seattlefloatinghomes – feel free to tag any of your own photos that offer insight into this unique way of life!

Email Addresses – Please can you ask the other residents on your dock if they received this email. If they did not please can you forward it to them? We would like to include all floating home residents and owners in our communication. To be included please either send contact details (name, dock, email address) to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org or go to https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/subscribe/ to subscribe to this mailing list.

Fri, Dec 02, 2016

A quick reminder that the Floating Homes Association looks forward to welcoming you to the annual Holiday Boatique this Sunday, December 4th, from 10 am – 5 pm. Get a jump start on holiday shopping with our new and classic merchandise!! Check out the 2017 calendar and note card sets featuring the beautiful floating homes that were on our recent Peaceful Portage Bay Home Tour! Full details and photographs of other products that will be on sale are here. Come see the recently reopened FHA Office, buy in support of FHA, and mingle with friends and neighbors in the spirit of the season. We hope to see you there Happy Holidays!

Fri, Oct 28 2016

Thanks to Susan Kopczynski Jostrom and her Social Committee for organizing tonight’s Docktoberfest – did we mention that its free?! Just another example of your FHA promoting goodwill in our community. Let us know if you have suggestions for other events you would like to see planned!

When: Friday, October 28th, 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.
Where: The Center for Wooden Boats, South Lake Union
What: Lite bites, great brew
Why: To meet your floating home neighbors
This event is free!
Featuring live music from Seattle’s finest old time famous and iconic Canote Brothers

Sun, Oct 02, 2016

Bob West
For those of you who may have not yet heard, Bob West (of Wandesforde Dock) died of cancer at the age of 74 on July 31, 2016. A gathering to celebrate his life is being organized by family and friends. Everyone who knew him is invited. Further information about his life and a guest book is available onlineh ere You are invited to join the friends and family of Bob West in an informal celebration of his life at the Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Avenue South, Seattle from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 10, 2016. Please RSVP to johntochs@comcast.net if you will be attending.

FHA Website Updates
Obituaries Page – As a way of honoring former FHA residents we have created an Obituary section on the History section of the FHA website which you can see here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/obituaries/ Please send all relevant information to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org
FHA Tour Page – Visit the page for a message from Bridgetender Barb Abelhauser. https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/tour/

Arrival of new Portage Bay floating homes delayed
Joan Rosenstock will be demolishing 2 floating homes to make room for 2 new ones that she’s built in Canada on concrete floats. The delivery of the two new floating homes to Portage Bay has been delayed until November. Anyone with questions should contact Joan who can be reached at 206-550-4323 or 1callahan@comcast.net.

Tennessee Valley FHA
If you have been following developments in the TVA floating homes story you will know that they recently made some progress but have a long way to go. Here is a message they sent our Office Manager Jann McFarland recently:

Dear Jann McFarland,
Thank you for your donation of 100.00 to the Tennessee Valley Floating Homes Alliance. We appreciate your support. The donations collected are being used for legal expenses we are incurring from hiring a public policy advocate. More information is detailed on the website http://tvfha.org/.
Please continue help us spread the word by asking friends and family to join the Tennessee Valley Floating Home Alliance, and ask them to consider donating as well. Our new website is up and running and donations can be made through a secure PayPal account. Please visit us at http://tvfha.org/.
Sincerely, Mike Wilks, Board President, TVFHA Board of Directors

LUDC Hosting City Wide Meeting October 3rd
Lake Union District Council (LUDC) will be hosting host a special citywide public meeting at which members, friends, and supporters of the 13 district councils will discuss how to respond to Mayor Ed Murray’s effort to diminish or eliminate the district councils as official City advisory bodies. The meeting will be Monday, Oct. 3, 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Agora Conference Center, 1551 Eastlake Avenue East. The building is between Eastlake Ave. and Fairview Ave. E., and between E. Garfield St. and E. Galer St. Metro bus access is by route 70. Car parking is available on-site or nearby on Fairview Avenue East. LUDC chair Suzie Burke will be there along with Eastlake City Council chair Chris Lehman. he Eastlake Community Council is constructing a web page with information and links about the district councils issue. It is available at http://eastlakeseattle.org/?page=districtcouncils or by clicking here.

UW Botanic Gardens – Meet Seattle’s Urban Beavers
When: Monday, Oct. 3, 2016, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: UW Botanic Gardens – Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st St, Seattle, WA 98105)
Cost: Free! (Your $5 at the door donation supports our education programs)
Please RSVP online, by phone (206-685-8033) or by email (u rbhort@uw.edu)
Ticket Link: www.uwbotanicgardenscatalog.org

ECC Annual Elections meeting — Tues., Oct. 4 7– 9:30 p.m. at Pocock Rowing Center. Watch and participate in debates among candidates for state office; and pro and con sides on state and local ballot measures. The agenda includes Roanoke Reef resident Dan Shih who is a candidate for district 43, and the candidates for Commissioner of Public Lands (DNR): Hilary Franz and Steve McLaughlin.

ECC forum on parking issues in Eastlake; and kickoff for the Eastlake parking survey — Tues., Oct. 18 7-9 p.m. at Pocock Rowing Center (please volunteer to help with the parking survey, to info@eastlakeseattle.org)

If you have information you would like to see included in e-alerts sent out to our members please email contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org

Fri, Sep 23, 2016

Public Notice For NWS-2008-1246-; WA ST DOT -Request For Comments‏

PROJECT NUMBER: NWS-2008-1246-, King County, WA ST Dept of Transportation PROJECT MANAGER: Rebecca McAndrew TELEPHONE: 2067646912 E-MAIL: Rebecca.E.McAndrew@usace.army.mil Click on this link PROJECT NUMBER: NWS-2008-1246 to see the Public Notice for a proposed project where a permit is being requested from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District. It is regarding the removal of the 520 bridge and the impact it will have on the surrounding environment.

To provide any project specific comments in writing or by e-mail, please visit the link below and follow the instructions outlined in the “How to Submit Comments” section. Http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Regulatory/PublicNotices.aspx

Fri, Sep 23, 2016

Seattle’s Urban Beavers

UW Botanic Gardens – Meet Seattle’s Urban Beavers
When: Monday, Oct. 3, 2016, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: UW Botanic Gardens – Center for Urban Horticulture (3501 NE 41st St, Seattle, WA 98105)
Description: Since their near eradication in the early 20th century, beavers have made a surprising comeback. Today, beavers have returned to many streams and waterways of Seattle, including Yesler Swamp in the Center for Urban Horticulture’s backyard. Come join us as we discuss beavers, tour their work, and potentially view some busy beavers in action. Ben Dittbrenner (UW School of Environmental and Forest Sciences), will provide a presentation on beaver life history and ecology. Samantha Everett, local beaver expert, will lead a tour through Yesler Swamp, stopping at active beaver areas with some potential beaver viewing at dusk.
Cost: Free! (Your $5 at the door donation supports our education programs)
Please RSVP online, by phone (206-685-8033) or by email (u rbhort@uw.edu)
Ticket Link: www.uwbotanicgardenscatalog.org
Campus Room: Douglas Classroom
Presenter: Ben Dittbrenner, Samantha Everett, local beaver experts
Website Link: www.uwbotanicgardenscatalog.org

Sun, Sep 18, 2016

FHA Tour Director Thanks

The 2016 Floating Homes Tour was a huge success – we would like to extend a heartfelt ‘Thank You!’ to all participating floating homeowners, volunteers, committee members and ticket buying supporters. Please visit our site here for more details, and the date of the next tour!

Tue, Sep 13, 2016

Docktoberfest – October 28th, 6:30 – 9:00 at the Center for Wooden Boats

More information available at
https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/eastlake-neighborhood-news/

Thu, Sep 01, 2016

Tour Info About Portage Bay

The Floating Home Association presents the 2016 Floating Home Tour on Sept. 11, from noon to 5 p.m. We need volunteers! In exchange for your service, you will receive a free ticket to the tour. Please sign up at here seattlefloatinghomes.org, or contact Erik at erikjohnson@windermere.com. Among other things, volunteers will be asked to make sure that visitors stay on the tour route, and may place signs and/or orange cones in front of docks or areas of docks that should not be accessed.

This year the tour takes place exclusively in Portage Bay. The FHA has not offered tours of homes in this neighborhood for fifteen years, and we ask for our neighbors’ understanding and support of this event (including the added brief density the afternoon will bring). To mitigate traffic and parking concerns, ticket holders are informed of limited parking at Queen City Yacht Club as well as Pocock Rowing Center, and are encouraged to please take mass transit. We will also place a ‘no tour parking’ cone at the head of Portage Bay Place East and Fuhrman Ave. East. This is being billed as a walking tour. If you have any specific concerns and/or would like to let the FHA Tour Committee know that you would like to have a “not on tour” sign placed at the head of your dock, please contact: Tour Director – Sue Jostrom suejostrom@mac.com 206-455-4494

Please remember this is the FHA’s one and only fund raiser, and supports the FHA for two years. And if you are fortunate enough to live on a floating home, please keep in mind the good and necessary work the FHA has done and continues to do on behalf of its members.

Thanks for your help, neighbors! Hope to see you on the 11th.

Margaret Chon
+1 206 755 3101

Sat, Aug 27, 2016

Portage Bay Pruning And Fairview Bridge Issues

Portage Bay Place East
between the Eastlake Ave E underpass and the end of the street
Tue. Aug. 30 and Wed. Aug. 31 7 AM – 3 PM
*Weather permitting
At the times and location listed above:

SDOT crews will prune overgrown vegetation and trees in the right-of-way. This work will improve access for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles responding to homes on Portage Bay Place E.
Nearly all parking on or adjacent to the street will be restricted.
- 72 hours before the work starts and parking restrictions begin, all areas of parking restrictions will be designated by “NO PARKING” signs on the street.
- Parking will be allowed outside of the work hours (e.g. Tues. evening/night.)
- Because this street is very narrow, private vehicles need to be removed to provide space for equipment and to eliminate any potential for damage to private vehicles during the work.
The street will be closed to all traffic.

If you prefer to prune your trees or vegetation yourself or to hire a contractor, please complete the pruning by Monday, Aug. 29.

For information on how to get a tree pruning permit or how to prune your trees, please visit: www.seattle.gov/transportation/treeplantapp.htm or call 206-684-TREE (8733).
In Seattle, vegetation management and private tree pruning in the right-of-way is the responsibility of the property owner. If you cannot trim vegetation and prune your trees by August 29, SDOT will complete this work once as a courtesy. Future, continued maintenance is the property owner’s responsibility.

We thank you for your cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience.
It is imperative to provide lifesaving emergency vehicles access to your property. The Seattle Fire Department inspected the area with SDOT to determine the need for this work.

Fairview bridge issues

The Seattle Department of Transportation plans to totally demolish the Fairview Avenue North bridge (actually two connected bridges) and build an entirely new one. For what SDOT plans to do, see the project web site. The Eastlake Community Council is concerned that the SDOT alternative is in conflict with recommendations it received from outside engineers that SDOT consulted with about how much of the bridge to demolish. You read all about the issue here http://www.eastlakeseattle.org/?page=fairviewbridge

Mon, Aug 15, 2016

Attempted Burglary & Memorial Service

Paul Kraabel Memorial
Paul Kraabel, former Seattle City Council member and Council President passed away on Friday. He was active in drafting and getting the floating home Equity Ordinance passed in the early 1980s. The ordinance was to protect floating home owners from moorage owners who were using the de facto monopoly to unreasonably raise moorage rates and threaten evictions. He later moved to the floating home community. A memorial service will be held 2 pm Sunday, August 21st at the Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway at Seattle Central College.

Portage Bay Attempted Burglary and Home Invasion
Near the University Bridge, around midnight on Friday, August 12, an older floating home owner happened to be awake when she heard a noise on her deck. She was having work done on her home and, thinking a tool fell over, she went outside and found a young man who said he was “looking for some friends… and for the office for the floating homes.” At first she thought he was just confused and told him where the Eastlake office is. He left quietly, but afterwards she realized her shed had been opened and tools laid on the deck, ready to be stolen.

A few minutes later, a person believed to be the same man went to an adjacent dock. There, he entered a floating home whose door was open due to the warm weather. He was more than 10 feet inside the home when confronted by the owner, who jumped up and yelled at him to leave, which he did.

SPD arrived within 10 minutes, searched the area, but found nothing and no one. Thankfully, neither incident resulted in more than a good scare. Unfortunately, the potential for a much worse outcome was very real and troubling.

Please remember:

Day or night, be mindful of doors and windows left open, especially during warm weather.
Crime can increase in areas where construction is going on, both because there are strangers around (who aren’t challenged because they’re assumed to be workmen or women) and there will be tools in the area (and may attract thieves).
Trust your gut! If you see something, say something. Call 911, and then call Harbor Patrol (206-684-4071)
If an unknown person knocks on your door – don’t open it. Talk through the door.
Consider installing motion-sensitive lighting.
Post your address in clearly visible reflective letters/numbers that can be seen from both land and water so first responders can find you.
Report all crimes to SPD, even ones you consider inconsequential. That will help when SPD is making decisions about future police resources.

More information can be found at:http://www.seattle.gov/police/prevention/information.htm

Thank you, and stay safe.
Bill Albert
FHA
Chairman, Safety and Security Committee

Sat, Aug 22, 2016

Pruning On Portage Bay

Where: The Entire Length of Portage Bay Place East
When: As early as Monday Aug. 29

As early as August 29th, SDOT crews will prune overgrown trees and other vegetation in the right-of-way of the entire length of Portage Bay Place East (from Furman Ave E just west of Eastlake Ave E to the dead end near E Allison St.)

This work will maintain access for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.

If you prefer to prune your trees or vegetation yourself or to hire a contractor, please complete the pruning before Monday, Aug. 29.

If you are pruning trees growing in the street right-of-way, a tree pruning permit is required. Tree pruning permits are free if no specialized equipment is used.
For information on how to get a tree pruning permit or how to prune your trees, please visit: www.seattle.gov/transportation/treeplantapp.htm or call 206-684-TREE (8733).

In Seattle, trees and other vegetation must provide 14 feet of clearance above the street. Vegetation management and private tree pruning within the public right-of-way is the responsibility of the property owner. If you cannot trim vegetation and prune your trees by August 29, SDOT will complete this work once as a courtesy. Future, continued maintenance is the property owner’s responsibility.

By mid-August we will provide the exact date of the pruning work.
On the day of the pruning, there will be no parking on or adjacent to Portage Bay Place. Because this street is very narrow, private vehicles need to be removed to provide space for equipment and to eliminate any potential for damage to private vehicles during the pruning work. We apologize for this inconvenience; it is part of the process of providing access to emergency vehicles to your property.
Thank you for your cooperation!

David Allen, Seattle Department of Transportation
David.Allen@seattle.gov (206) 733-9302
www.seattle.gov/transportation
For interpretation services, please call (206) 733-9990

Mon, Aug 1, 2016

Lake Union Float Plane Navigation Buoys

The revised plan has been published by US Army Corps of Engineers and the public comment period is open until August 9th. US ACE is having website issues, but you can send your comments to Darren Habel, Project Manager, Regulatory Branch, Seattle District Corps of Engineers atDarren.Habel@usace.army.mil. You can see the revised plan on the FHA website here. There are four pages so you will want to use the arrows in the bottom left corner to view them all.

Fri, Jul 29, 2016

Lake Union Float Plane Navigation Buoys
The US ACE will be posting this in their website this afternoon (http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Regulatory/Public-Notices/). There will be a public comments opportunity until August 9th. Hopefully they will include the link to that as well. This is what the revision says:

REVISION: This revises a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers/Washington State Department of Ecology
Joint Public Notice dated August 19, 2015.
The corrected information is as follows:
Based on comments received, the design for the proposed project has changed. The revised proposal is to install five navigational buoys to demarcate a seaplane take-off and landing zone. The previous design was to install eight buoys to form a “box” area for planes to take-off and land. The new design has the five buoys in a line, so the planes can take -off or land on either side of the buoys. Each buoy would be equipped with lights and signage and prior to take-offs and landings the pilot will activate the buoys to advise boaters that a seaplane is attempting to take off or land. Based on lake traffic, the pilot will determine where the plane will take-off or land. The buoys would be located in depths of up to 35 feet and connected by galvanized metal chain to a helical screw anchor. Installation would take place from a boat or barge, utilizing divers. No excavation or fill is proposed. In addition, the buoys will be placed seasonally, to avoid Muckleshoot Tribal fishermen. The buoys will be installed within 5 days of Memorial Day and removed within 5 days of Labor Day. In the event of a summer Tribal fishery, the buoys will be removed and re-installed once the fishery has concluded. All other information shown on Public Notice NWS-2014-1186 remains unchanged. You can see that here
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/fed-permit/pdf/201401186JPN.pdf

Lake Elevation – No news is good news!
We received this message from Bill Dowell of the US ACE:
What is boils down to is you haven’t heard from us because there is nothing to report, no news is good news. As of today, Lake Washington’s level is about half a foot higher than the same day last year. That 6 inches means a lot and really the differences have been, we’re getting some rain and the cooler temperatures. I can assure you we’re still keeping an eye on things — having monthly meetings, looking at forecasts and verifying operating procedures. Even though we initially had concerns, the weather has been cooperating. We understand and value the floating home community as a stakeholder and I will continue to communicate to you.

Questions, comments or suggestions to contact@seattlefloatinghomes.org

Mon, Jul 25, 2016

2016 SEATTLE FLOATING HOMES TOUR
Sunday, September 11, 12PM to 5PM
“Peaceful Portage Bay” – Featuring 13 unique floating homes hidden on the banks of Seattle’s Portage Bay

Tour Tickets are going on sale today at www.brownpapertickets.com.

This year there Blair Robbins has also arranged an exclusive Progressive Dinner Tour for September 8th. Tickets for this event are also being sold at www.brownpapertickets.com

Details of both events are available on our website https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/tour/ . If you want to volunteer at the event this is the sign up link https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/floating-homes-tour-2016-volunteer-sign-up/

FHA Newsletter Archive
I have added Bill Keasler’s archive of FHA newsletters to the website here. The newsletters provide a fascinating insight into more than 50 years history of Lake Union, as well as the floating homes – the development of gas works and the street end parks, the holiday cruises on the Virginia V, the start of sea plane rides to Vancouver, the problems with managing the quality and elevation of lake water, and the constant struggle of the houseboat owners to stay on docks. Did you know that FHA membership Dues were $12 a year in 77, the same buying power as $47.73 in 2016? Just goes to show that belonging to the FHA is still a bargain, and if you didn’t join up yet it’s time to head on over to https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/membership/!

Portage Bay News – Lois Loontjens has provided an update about the Red Robin development and a social opportunity which I have posted on the Neighborhood News section here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/portage-bay-neighborhood-news/. If you have news from your part of the lake do let me know so I can share!

Old Growth Cedar Logs
Joan Rosenstock will be demolishing 2 floating homes to make room for 2 new ones that she’s built in Canada on concrete floats. They will be brought to Portage Bay on September 29, and the old growth cedar logs will be available to whoever wants them from October 1 – 3. Joan can be reached at 206-550-4323 or 1callahan@comcast.net.

Mon, Jul 18, 2016

Floating Homes Tour Update
Planning for this year’s tour is going full steam ahead thanks to the efforts of Sue Jostrom who has signed up twelve floating homes in Portage Bay as well as the University Bridge House. A huge thank you to those of you who have volunteered your homes – the tour would not be possible without you! More details will be available later in the month and tickets will go on sale on July 25th here. Volunteers are required on the day to help the event run smoothly; if you are available we would love you to sign up here.

Portage Bay Place E News
The developer has prepared a new plan set and has responded to the City’s requests for correction and information. On July 8, Seattle City Light issued a correction notice: the proposed building does not meet minimum clearance requirements from the overhead secondary service line which serves the adjacent building; the service must be relocated at the project’s expense.
Once the developer has made all corrections, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) reviews the corrected plans, prepares a Master Use Decision document and publishes the decision. You can read more here

Chiara Carcano’s Photos
Chiara Carcano visited some of the docks at the time of the summer solstice to take photos for the 2016 Long Shot organised by the Photographic Center Northwest in June. Chiara very graciously allowed us to share her beautiful photographs. You can see them here

The Floating Homes Association website has been getting a bit of a makeover. The menus have been rearranged and we are in the process of updating the content. A search tool has been added to the home page to make finding information easier. If there are things you would like to see on the website please let us know.

News of Raccoon Activity from Alix Wandesforde-Smith
A neighbor was attacked on our dock (Wandesforde Dock) last night by raccoons. She is okay but we want to spread the word so folks can be on alert.The attack occurred at about 10:50 pm as she was walking back to her house with her dog. One came out from under the dock initially and then another came out shortly after the first. They started biting her and she tried to flee as quickly as possible. There may have been a third, but she isn’t sure as she was trying to get away from them as fast as possible. She carries bear spray but was unable to get to it before they started biting her.

They did not bite her dog, they only bit her and as a result she had 18 injections between lidocaine and rabies treatment, plus a few stitches. She had seen a large raccoon on her deck in the afternoon so please be alert during the day and at night. She estimates the raccoons were 20-30 pounds each, but the one she saw during the day was a bit larger.

She called the Fish and Wildlife office who indicated there was nothing they can do but recommend someone to trap and euthanize the raccoons. She adds that the person she spoke with was surprised to hear there were raccoons and wanted to verify they weren’t otters. That seems odd since we’ve had attacks in our neighborhood throughout the last year that have been reported. Can anyone who has set out traps recently let us know who you used and what the results were? You can send information to floatinghomesseattle@gmail.com

Email Addresses
Please can you ask the other residents on your dock if they received this email. If they did not please can you forward it to them? We would like to include all floating home residents and owners in our communication. To be included please either send contact details (name, dock, email address) to floatinghomesseattle@gmail.com or subscribe to this mailing list here.

Sun, Jul 03, 2016: You will find 4th July Planning Information from the Eastlake Community Council here, and a rather useful map of tomorrow’s parking opportunities courtesy of Curt Milton of Eastlake Social Club here. As with any great party there is always the cleanup of your back yard afterwards. For Seattle floating home residents, Lake Union is are back yard and, as stewards of the lake, everyone is invited to help out. Between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30, join other volunteers in cleaning up our streets and shores after the fireworks and crowds. Meet at Louisa street-end park to pick up empty bags and drop off full ones on Fairview Avenue E., a block south of Roanoke Street. A picnic lunch will be available at Lake Union Park following the cleanup. Signup (not required) here where you can also find info about cleanup efforts over water (some kayaks are available to borrow). Please pass this email on to your neighbors and remind them that they can subscribe to our mailing list here.

Fri, Jun 17, 2016:

Notice of Violations Survey

In response to an unusually large number of notices that the city issued to owners of floating homes late last year and widespread confusion about what work requires an exemption under the shoreline act or a permit we are monitoring Department of Construction and Inspections (DCI formerly DPD). If you have received a Notice of Violation (NoV) either last year or this, it would be helpful if you would fill out the form you using the link below. Please note that the FHA cannot provide legal advice to homeowners at this time.

https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/notice-of-violations-nov-survey/

FHA Private Facebook Group

In the spirit of embracing social media, and to give floating home owners and residents an opportunity to share information with each other privately we have set up a closed Facebook group for floating home owners and residents. This is in addition to the open, public FB page which you will find here. Membership of the private group is by invitation only, and only members can post to it or see posts on it. I will be sending an invite to everyone whose email address we have in our database. Floating home owners and residents who do not receive the invite can go tohttps://www.facebook.com/groups/SeattleFloatingHomesAssociation/ and click on ‘Join Group’ to request membership.

Updated FHA Committee Membership

If you are a floating home owner or resident you are eligible to join a committee! You can view details of the committees here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/committees/ Please email the chair of the committee you are interested in joining or email floatinghomesseattle@gmail.com to be put in touch.

Portage Bay Update

The latest update from the Portage Bay Place Neighbors and Friends (PBPN & F) has been posted to the Seattle FHA website. You can read it here https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/portage-bay-neighborhood-news/

Update the FHA Website Photos

We would love to update some of the images on the website. If you have relevant photos that you would be willing to share please send them to floatinghomesseattle@gmail.com

Email Addresses

Please can you ask the other residents on your dock if they received this email. If they did not please can you forward it to them? We would like to include all floating home residents and owners in our communication. To be included please either send contact details (name, dock, email address) to floatinghomesseattle@gmail.com or go to https://seattlefloatinghomes.org/subscribe/ to subscribe to this mailing list.

Mon, May 09, 2016: As a result of the partnership FHA has been building with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, we are able to bring you the latest information regarding lake levels. After a really good start, the lake is currently at elevation 21.8 feet, typical for early May and consistent with normal annual operations. However, because of recent dry conditions and forecasts, and significantly earlier than normal snowmelt, Corps water managers intend to complete refill by mid-May instead of the usual June 1 target date. Getting the lake to 22 feet is extremely important since every inch of water in the 2-foot operating band is needed for fish passage, lockages, and managing water quality throughout the season. Vessel owners should closely monitor lake elevations and adjust mooring lines as necessary. Look out for updates on the Seattle FHA website as we go through the summer.