Two weeks after Kate Martin demolished part of the skatepark in front of her Greenwood home, Martin says she’s settled a suit filed against her by the city and is looking to bring skaters back to her block.
From my story:
In October, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) sent Martin a letter ordering her to demolish the portion of the park that sits on the city-owned planting strip. Although 80 percent of Martin’s skatepark is on her property, an 18-foot-long, 2-foot-high half-moon-shaped concrete wall—which Martin refers to as a “clamshell”—covers most of the parking strip in front of her house. The city wants the clamshell gone, but removing it, Martin says, would compromise the safety of the skatepark.
Photo by Kelly O
After demolishing the clamshell, Martin has settled the city’s $100,000 suit for just $275. Now Martin says she will apply for a street use permit and enter into an indemnity agreement with the city, which would allow her to rebuild her front yard skatepark.
I’ve got an email into Martin about the status of her permit application.
Photos of the demolition after the jump.
Photos by Alexander P. Brown
The moral of the story:
Do it right the first time and you won’t have to pull it out, you stupid fucking cow.
so our smart city government planning department sues her for thousands of dollars.
then they settle for $275.
then they will let her have a do over this time with an indemnity agreement but she has to REBUILD the thing.
Wow, that’ll teach us citizens to flout the power of big mean government.
Excuse me but the city government is being a total asshole to this woman and to the skaters.
Meanwhile, the War Against Skaters ranks right up there with the War on Drugs and the War in Iraq as being one of the dumbest things …. ever.
@2 I don’t see any indication that the government will go along with her on that permit and indemnity.
I put skate parks and shooting ranges in the same category: noisy, sometimes hazardous, things that no-one wants to live next to. Don’t put that shit in a residential area.
” the War Against Skaters ranks right up there with the War on Drugs and the War in Iraq”
What’s next, you’re gonna compare skaters to Rosa Parks? Get real.
Another case of Stupid White People trying to find ways to ‘get oppressed’ because, like, you know, like, being rich and white and unoppressed is sooooo boring.
@6 – yes. yes I will.
By the way, Rosa was one of a number of pre-chosent protesters willing to take action to break the unjust denial of their civil rights. It just happened to be her that became the symbol.
Will she have her fucking kid stop tagging all over the city now?
He’s one of the worst offenders in town
@7…so you were born a skater, kinda like people are born black’?
You’re up their with vegans who compare geese to Rosa Parks.
Skating is a religion.
holy crap I would blow that shit up if my neighbor put it in and I like skateboarders
skateboarder at heart until i fucking die….and I will fight any of you who dare talk shit. These are the kinds of activities that keep kids busy and away from causing real trouble with their practically infinite quantity of energy.
@5
Totally the same, except for the relative scales of the noise, hazards, ability to kill bystanders, and environmental contamination the second leaves in its wake.
Might as well put cars, buses, construction equipment, kegs, lawnmowers, leaf blowers, stereos, and panhandlers in that category too.
Wait a minute… So the City ordered this woman to demolish part of her skatepark, then sued her for doing it? I’m confused.
@14: Trouble with reading comprehension there, Brandon?