WaSMAR5760_01 Guide to the Seattle Neighborhood Planning Office Director's Records 1991-1999 Seattle Neighborhood Planning Office Director's Records Finding aid prepared by Scott Cline Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Seattle Municipal Archives ©2002
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
Finding aid encoded by Shannon B. Lynch 2004 Finding aid written in English. 2010 Added 3.6 cubic feet Seattle Municipal Archives
PO Box 94728 600 Fourth Avenue, Floor 3 Seattle, WA 98124-4728 Phone: 206/233-7807 Email: archives@seattle.gov http://www.seattle.gov/cityarchives
5760-01 Seattle (Wash.). Neighborhood Planning Office Neighborhood Planning Office Director's Records 1991-1999 1995-1998 5.2 cubic ft. (13 boxes) Director's Records (created by Director Karma Ruder) for the Neighborhood Planning Office, 1994-1999; included are materials relating to the planning process, the NPO's work with other City agencies, and issues faced by the neighborhoods. Collection materials are in English. Historical Note

The Neighborhood Planning Office (NPO) was created in 1994 to implement the goals of the Comprehensive Plan for neighborhood planning. The office began work in January 1995 with a goal of creating 30 neighborhood plans in four years. The program was extended for a fifth year and the NPO closed June 30, 1999, after which its functions were folded into the Department of Neighborhoods (DON). Throughout the planning process the NPO worked with the Office of Management and Planning (OMP) and DON. Each neighborhood was assigned a staff member to oversee the planning process, and consultants were hired to facilitate communication between community members. Areas of priority were urban centers, manufacturing and industrial centers, urban villages, and distressed areas.

The planning process was broken into three steps: pre-application, Phase I, and Phase II. Work on the pre-application for funding included creating an Organizing Committee, setting neighborhood boundaries, developing planning guidelines, and developing neighborhood profiles and maps.

Phase I included outreach to community members, organizations, and businesses to organize and discuss the state of the neighborhood, writing a community vision statement listing the values and goals of the neighborhood, and creating a Planning Committee to lead Phase II. The results of Phase I were reviewed by the community in a validation step to ensure that the community as a whole was represented in what would become the basis of the scope of work for Phase II.

Phase II consisted of planning and developing projects and putting the plan through the validation process. The final plans, subject to environmental review to ensure compliance with the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), were submitted to the City Council for review, approval, and adoption. Once approved, projects were prioritized for funding.

Biographical Note

Karma Ruder, former director of the Neighborhood Planning Office, holds bachelor's degrees in human relations and philosophy and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Kansas. Ms. Ruder was named a Distinguished Citizen by former Mayor Paul Schell in 1999. She now works as the Director of Community Collaboration at the Center for Ethical Leadership.

Source: http://www.ethicalleadership.org

Files created by Director Karma Ruder, including subject files, reports to the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods, public involvement files, and files documenting the work the NPO did with interdepartmental groups and other city departments, such as City Light, the Department of Construction and Land Use, Seattle Engineering Department, the Department of Neighborhoods, the Office of Economic Development, the Office of Management and Planning, and the Department of Parks and Recreation. Subjects include: transportation issues such as urban trails and bicycling; parks and open space; interaction with the City Council; inter-departmental agreements;, neighborhoods; lighting and water reservoirs in communities; an agreement that the new baseball stadium would give money to neighborhoods; the Neighborhood Planning Data Viewer Geographical Information Systems project; a partnership with the non-profit Sustainable Seattle group and the neighborhoods planning process.

Arranged in four series: Subject Files, Reports, Public Involvement Files, and Work With Other Departments.

Records are open to the public.

[Item and date], Neighborhood Planning Office Director's Records, Record Series 5760-01. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Seattle (Wash.). Neighborhood Planning Office Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Neighborhoods Ruder, Karma Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government Neighborhood planning--Washington (State)--Seattle Parks--Washington (State)--Seattle Transportation--Washington (State)--Seattle Reservoirs--Washington (State)--Seattle Lighting--Washington (State)--Seattle Government and Politics Seattle City Planning Agendas Correspondence Memorandums

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Subject Files 1991-1999 1/1 Amendments Meeting 1996 1/2 American Public Works Association - Mayor's Briefing 1995 1/3 Aurora Avenue Merchants Association 1995 1/4 Ave Report, University District 1995 1/5 Ballard Rail Spur. Burke-Gilman Trail Extension 1995-1996 1/6 Bicycling / Urban Trails 1997-1998 1/7 Bond / Levy Measures. Transportation. Families and education. Parks and Open Spaces 1997 1/8 1998 Budget 1995-1998 1/9 1998 New Budget Process 1998 1/10 1999 - 2000 Budget 1998-1999 1/11 City Council. General 1995-1998 1/12 City Council. Conlin, Richard. Correspondence 1998 1/13 City Council. Donaldson, Sue. Correspondence 1998 1/14 City Council. Drago, Jan. Correspondence 1996-1998 1/15 City Council. Podlodowski, Tina. Correspondence 1996-1997 1/16 City Council. Community Kiosk Task Force 1998 1/17 City Council. Neighborhoods, Growth Plan And Civic Engagement Committee 1996-1998 1/18 City of Chicago Industrial Corridor Objectives - 2/1 Code Changes Re Housing Affordability 1997 2/2 Community Partnership - 2/3 Community Policing 1995 2/4 Comprehensive Plan 1995-1996 2/5 Comprehensive Plan - Cultural Resources Element 1995-1996 2/6 Conferences - Papers 1998 2/7 Consultants 1995 2/8 Consultants - RFQs 1995-1996 2/9 Consultant - Gail Zucker 1995-1996 2/10 Database Proposal / Timeline 1998 2/11 Data viewer: General 1997 2/12 Department of Construction and Land Use. Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 1995-1998 2/13 Designation Packages. Drafts 1996 2/14 Distressed Communities 1994-1995 2/15 Engineering. Seattle Engineering Department / Neighborhood Planning Office / Department of Neighborhoods training session 1995 2/16 Enterprise Communities. Memoranda of Agreement with Office of Economic Development 1995-1997 2/17 Enterprise Communities. Memoranda of Agreement with Office of Economic Development 1995-1997 2/18 Ethnic Diversity In Southeast Seattle - Draft 1996 2/19 Events Calendar 1995-1996 2/20 Flyers and Invitations 1999 3/1 Friends of Athletic Fields 1997 3/2 Funding Sources 1997 3/3 Geographical Information Systems. Neighborhood Planning Data Viewer 1996-1998 3/4 Geographical Information Systems. Neighborhood Planning Data Viewer 1996-1998 3/5 GIS Land Use Layer Database 1995 3/6 GIS Information 1997 3/7 Good News Good Deeds 1995 3/9 Green Fleets Workshop 1995 3/10 Guidelines. Neighborhood design. Planning approval process 1995-1997 3/11 Historic Preservation. Planning 1995-1997 3/12 History of Neighborhood Planning - 3/13 Housing 1995-1998 3/14 Human Development. Strategic Plan 1995-1996 3/15 Human Services. Central Area. Capitol Hill 1996-1998 3/16 Implementation - Neighborhood Plans 1998-1999 4/1 Interviews Re Neighborhood Planning Experience 1994 4/2 Kiosks - Pike / Pine (Includes Photographs) 1994-2001 4/3 Library 1995 4/4 Longfellow Creek 1995 4/5 Mayor's Correspondence 1995-1996 4/6 Mayor's Small Business Task Force Surveys 1995 4/7 Mayor's Walking Tour 1995 4/8 Memos of Karma Ruder re neighborhood Planning and Neighborhood Service Centers 1993-1995 4/9 Millennium Project 1998 4/10 Neighborhood Appreciation Party and Karma Ruder (Includes Photographs) 1999 4/11 Neighborhood-Based Environmental Stewardship 1995 4/12 Neighborhood Business Council - OED 1995 4/13 Neighborhood Matching Fund 1995 4/14 Neighborhood Planning Notebook 1995 4/15 Neighborhood Planning Policy Docket 1999 4/16 Neighborhood Planning Program Evaluation 1995 4/17 Neighborhood Service Centers Agreement 1995 4/18 Non-Profit Packet - 4/19 Notices of Public Hearings 1998-1999 5/1 Office of Economic Development - Neighborhood Business District Project 1997 5/2 Organizational Chart - NPO 1996 5/3 Parks. Open Space 1994-1998 5/4 Phase II Scopes of Work 1996 5/5 Phase II Scopes of Work 1997 5/6 Pilots 1995 5/7 Planning And Outreach. Jack Brautigam. Bicycle issues 1998 5/8 Planning Group Chairs 1999 5/9 Planning Guidelines 1995-1997 5/10 Planning Guidelines - Program Elements 1996 5/11 Planning History and Examples 1994 5/12 Pre-Application. Beginning Neighborhood Planning Process 1995 6/1 Presentation Notes. Director Explaining the Program 1995-1996 6/2 Press Release re NPO 1995 6/3 Profiles. Neighborhoods, Base For Their Planning 1995-1996 6/4 Project Management 1996 6/5 Project Timeline 1997 6/5 Project Manager Questions 1995 6/7 Quick Wins. University District. North District. Georgetown. Central Area 1996 6/8 Real Estate 1996 6/9 Retail Study. Drafts. Dearborn-Hiawatha Redevelopment 1996 6/10 Retreat 1996-1999 6/11 Retreat Follow-up 1997 6/12 Rezoning 1997 6/13 Scope of Work Checklist 1995 6/14 Scope of Work. Drafts. Fremont 1995-1996 6/15 SEATRANS - Anticipated Needs 1996 6/16 SEATRANS - Decision making / Funding 1996 6/17 SEATRANS Project Information 1997 6/18 Seattle Design Commission 1995 6/19 Seattle Marine Business Coalition 1995 6/20 Seattle Planning Commission 1995-1998 6/21 Seattle Public Schools 1995 6/22 SED Cutbacks - 6/23 Seidelhuber Iron Works 1995 6/24 Shoreline Street end Program 1995 6/25 Sidewalk Policy 1999 6/26 Small Business Task Force 1995-1996 6/27 South Downtown. Duwamish Manufacturing And Industrial Center. International District. Pioneer Square 1998 7/1 Stadium (Baseball). Operator and Public Facilities District Funds For Neighborhoods. International District. Pioneer Square. Duwamish 1996-1997 7/2 Staff Assignments 1996-1997 7/3 Staff Meeting Notes 1995-1997 7/4 State Environmental Policy Act. User's Guide for Neighborhood Planning 1996 7/5 Stewardship 1997-1998 7/6 Strategic Framework for City Performance 1995-1996 7/7 Street Lighting 1997 7/8 Street Utility Fund 1995 7/9 Summary of RESHB 1025 1991 7/10 Sustainable Seattle 1994-1997 7/11 Sustainable Seattle 1994-1997 7/12 Templates - 7/13 Town Hall Briefing Papers 1996 7/14 Town Hall Information 1995-1996 7/15 Training. By Office and consultants for staff and neighborhood planners 1995-1998 7/16 Transportation Plan 1995-1998 7/17 Tree Planting 1995-1999 8/1 University of Washington School of Business 1996 8/2 Urban Village 1997-1998 8/3 Validation Event, With Karma Ruder (Includes Photographs) 1999 8/4 Volunteer Insurance 1996-1997 8/5 Roger Wagoner Speeches re Seattle Planning 1997 8/6 Washington DC Trip & Paper 1998 8/7 Water Reservoirs. Plan to Cover Open Reservoirs 1995-1996 8/8 Women and Minority Business Enterprise 1996-1998 8/9 Women and Minority Business Enterprise Report 19997-1998 8/10 Work Plan Information - 8/11 Zoning 1997-1998 Reports 1997-1999 8/12 Neighborhood Plans Status Reports 1997-1998 8/13 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/14 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/15 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/16 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/17 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/18 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/19 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/20 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/21 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1998 8/22 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1999 8/23 Weekly Reports to DON Director 1999 9/1 Summary Report 1996 Public Involvement Files 1994-1997 9/2 DHHS Community - Based Services By Zip Code 1996-1997 9/3 Gallery of Plans Neighborhood Plan and Materials 1995 9/4 Neighborhood Planning Pre-App Meeting 1995 9/5 Neighborhood Planning Product Discussion Summary Community Profiles 1995 9/6 Neighborhood Planning Projects - Surveys 1994 9/7 Neighborhood Projects, Workshop Briefing 1995 9/8 North District Roundtable 1995 9/9 North End Emergency Fund 1995 9/10 Planning For Neighborhood Planning 1994-1995 9/11 Surveys In Invitation To Neighborhood Planning Workshops 1994-1995 9/12 Topic 1, Not Another Plan, Notes - 9/13 Validation Process 1996 9/14 Validation Process 1996 10/1 Validation Process 1996 10/2 Validation. Review to Ensure True Neighborhood Representation in Phase I and II 1995 10/3 Workshops - Neighborhood Planning 1994 10/4 Workshops - Neighborhood Planning 1994 10/5 Workshops - Neighborhood Planning 1994 10/6 Workshops - Neighborhood Planning 1994-1995 10/7 Workshops - Neighborhood Planning 1994-1995 10/8 Workshops - Neighborhood Planning 1994-1995 10/9 Workshops - Follow-up Discussions 1995 10/10 Workshops - Neighborhood Planning 1994 Work With Other Departments 1994-1998 11/1 City Light. Memorandum of Agreement 1997-1998 11/2 Departmental Agreements 1996-1997 11/3 DON Interdepartmental Team Follow-Up 1997 11/4 Follow-Up To Mayor's Memo, Inter-Agency Meetings 1997 11/5 Interagency MOAs 1997 11/6 Inter-Departmental Enforcement Alliance. Good News / Good Deeds 1995-1996 11/7 Interdepartmental Teams 1995-1997 11/8 Interdepartmental Teams 1995-1996 11/9 Interdepartmental Teams 1995-1996 11/10 Interdepartmental Teams 1996 11/11 Neighborhood Planning Workshops 1994-1995 12/1 Interdepartmental Teams - North Team 1995 12/2 Interdepartmental Teams - North Team 1996 12/3 Interdepartmental Teams - North Team 1997 12/4 Interdepartmental Teams - South Team 1997 12/5 Neighborhood Planning Work Group 1994 12/6 Neighborhood Planning Work Group 1995 12/7 Neighborhood Planning Work Group 1995-1996 12/8 Neighborhood Planning Work Group 1996 13/1 Neighborhood Planning Work Group 1997 13/2 Neighborhood Planning Review and Response Team 1997-1998 13/3 Neighborhood Planning Review and Response Team 1997-1998 13/4 Neighborhood Planning Review and Response Team 1998 13/5 Neighborhood Planning Review and Response Team 1997-1998 13/6 Office of Management and Planning - Work With 1995-1997 13/7 Parks. Memoranda of Agreement with Department of Parks and Recreation 1995-1998 13/8 Parks Comprehensive Plan 1995 13/8 Grants 1996 13/9 Parks and Recreation: Program / Funding 1997