Neighborhood Planning Office Director's Records, 1991-1999

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Seattle (Wash.). Neighborhood Planning Office
Title
Neighborhood Planning Office Director's Records
Dates
1991-1999 (inclusive)
1995-1998 (bulk)
Quantity
5.2 cubic ft., ((13 boxes))
Collection Number
5760-01
Summary
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.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

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 NoteReturn to Top

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

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

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.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

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

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

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

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

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

Subject Files, 1991-1999Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
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, 1997-1999Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
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, 1994-1997Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
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, 1994-1998Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
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

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Lighting--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Neighborhood planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Parks--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Reservoirs--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Transportation--Washington (State)--Seattle

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Neighborhood Planning Office
  • Seattle (Wash.). Dept. of Neighborhoods

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government

Form or Genre Terms

  • Agendas
  • Correspondence
  • Memorandums

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Ruder, Karma (creator)