Will Seath

Member since September 15, 2022

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Will Seath2 years ago The colors and simplicity of the “Flower Flag” really stand out and would make for a beautiful flag that represents the city well.It would be interesting to see the symbol, however, replaced with the Black-Eyed Susan from that particular option. It’s more like an actual Black-Eyed Susan in form. I appreciate the attempt to symbolize the five wards in both the “Flower” and “Five Rings” options, but I don’t think that representing five rather arbitrary political divisions of the city whose borders change (and whose numbers are theoretically flexible) is the most compelling choice. The “Black-Eyed Susan” flag, itself, has far too dark a palette and looks, frankly, sinister. The “Five Rings” flag symbol suffers from corporate-logo abstraction and a palette that looks too primary.I don’t care for the asymmetrical composition of the “Oak” option (especially on a hoisted flag), nor either the palette or the execution of the “Rails” option (those particular shades of green and blue clash).The palette and field of the ”Flower” option with the Black-Eyed Susan motif would be highly distinctive and memorable.

Will Seath2 years ago I'm sorry to merge this topic with the concurrent discussion on Hello Hyattsville concerning the five-point intersection, but since these topics are directly related because both involve Hamilton St. specifically and traffic calming generally, I'd like to refer readers to my comments on Alternate #3 of the Driskell Park Intersection discussion.The attached sketch I reference in that comment is posted here with my proposed modifications in red.This scheme would further promote traffic safety on Hamilton St. by creating a new "T" intersection of 40th Ave. and Hamilton St. before entering the proposed roundabout. The current five-point intersection would become a four-point roundabout. Traffic moving south on 40th Ave. would first have to turn right onto a short stretch of Hamilton St. before entering the roundabout. They would no longer have the option of turning left onto Gallatin St. or going straight through the intersection into Driskell Park, reducing the potential for collisions with traffic from Hamilton St., Gallatin St., and the Driskell Park driveway.

Will Seath4 years ago I'd like to recommend that the Redistricting Committee Consider the following adjustments to the Growth Conscious Map, which is overall an improvement on the Minimal Adjustments Map (where ward boundaries are less intuitive and less coordinated with clear neighborhood boundaries):It is good that the Growth Conscious Map keeps the residents of Suffrage Point and its immediately surrounding existing neighbors in the same ward. However, the committee should work towards preserving these blocks in Ward 2 as best as possible for the following reasons: Preserving the current residences in and around Suffrage Point within Ward 2 and moving the currently uninhabited lower lot of Suffrage Point from Ward 1 into Ward 2 ensures that the councilmembers elected to Ward 2 - where the Suffrage Point development has been one of the most important election issues for several election cycles - continue to remain accountable to those residents who elected them in large part on the basis of their positions on the development. To change our representatives while the project is still underway does a disservice to the constituents on these blocks. The existing homes on the 4000-4100 block of Hamilton and Gallatin (including the Top of the Park apartments) and the 4100 block of Farragut are already in Ward 2. Other blocks to the north of Queensbury are being moved from Ward 1 into Ward 2 to account for this population change. It is less disruptive to move one currently uninhabited block from Ward 1 into Ward 2 than it is to move multiple blocks of hundreds of residents from Ward 2 into Ward 1 and from Ward 1 into Ward 2 to achieve a similar goal. Keeping these residents in their respective wards, as best as the changes in the numbers of residents allow, incorporates the best goals of the Minimal Adjustments Map into the Growth Conscious Map. This map continues the clarity of the Growth Conscious Map, using 42nd Ave. as a clear boundary between Ward 1 (to the east) and Ward 2 (to the west) over almost its entire run through the city. Breaking Ward 1 and Ward 2 at Hamilton St. disrupts this clarity.

Will Seath2 years ago As a resident of the 4000 block of Hamilton St. who will be directly affected by these proposed traffic calming measures and as an Architect and Urban Designer, I offer the following:The addition of sidewalks to 41st Ave. is long overdue and most welcome.The inclusion of crosswalks and a stop sign at the corner of 42nd Ave. and Hamilton St. would be helpful. Many children walk to school along this route and must cross where drivers turn onto Hamilton without slowing down.Permanent curb extensions with planting areas - like those Sean referenced in an earlier comment - are far more aesthetically appealing than the plastic posts proposed here. Permanent curb extensions may block bike lanes, but there is already a permanent (and well-landscaped) curb extension on this stretch of Hamilton St. where it meets the five-point intersection. It would be nice to have continuity of features along this street. Most bikers on Hamilton St. use the full roadbed because the bike lane lacks striping (and because traffic on these blocks is minimal and one-way, so it is generally safe to do so). I doubt that permanent curb extensions would be an inconvenience to bikers, and the opportunity to beautify the street would be worth the additional cost.I oppose the proposed addition of speed humps along Hamilton St. This is a major route for emergency vehicles between the Municipal Building and the state-owned portion of Hamilton St. The addition of three speed humps would slow response times. The Urban Planning profession is increasingly advising against the installation of speed bumps as a street calming measure for many reasons: expense of installation and maintenance, aforementioned impact on emergency services, tendency to merely divert traffic to streets without them, etc. I don't observe excessive speed to be a particular problem on my block - especially now that there is parking on both sides of the street. A modest "road diet" trading sidewalk width for roadbed would be nice, but expensive and not especially necessary. I would rather see striping of a bike lane to at least imply a narrower automobile-only lane and encourage reasonable speeds.

Will Seath4 years ago I appreciate that the Growth Conscious Map generally uses major thoroughfares through the city - roads that tend to divide the city into distinct neighborhoods - as the boundaries for wards whenever possible. My experience canvassing in my own ward is a reminder of how jagged and confusing the current ward boundaries can be, and how outlying blocks within a ward (such as the Ward 2 blocks west of Queens Chapel) tend to isolate residents from campaign activity and participation. The Growth Conscious Map does much to correct this.There is, however, room for one major and necessary improvement in this plan, and I respectfully request that the Committee make an amendment to the map's boundaries.After several election cycles in which the development of the Suffrage Point site has been one of the foremost concerns of its immediate neighbors - both for those who support and oppose the development - the redistricting proposals on the table would both split the site and its immediate neighboring blocks into separate wards. The Growth Conscious Map puts neighbors on the north side of Hamilton St. - directly across from the development - in Ward 2, while all residents south of Hamilton St. (including within Suffrage Point) are moved into Ward 1. This would have the effect of diluting the voices and concerns of both neighbors and new residents while the project is still in development.I suggest that the upper and lower lots of Suffrage Point and its immediately surrounding blocks remain within a single Ward, whether that is Ward 1 or Ward 2.

Will Seath

All input submitted by this participant

Flower Flag, with modifications

Hamilton St./Roundabout

Ward 1/2 Boundary Adjustments to the Growth Conscious Map

Traffic Calming Improvements on Hamilton St.

Growth Conscious Plan with modifications