1. Vision Statement

The following statement reflects how residents envision the Finn Hill Neighborhood and was written based on an extensive public outreach process held in February and March 2016:

Finn Hill is a predominantly residential, heavily treed and picturesque neighborhood overlooking Lake Washington. Rising to a height of 535 feet above sea level, with ravines and steep slopes on its flanks, Finn Hill is bounded by Lake Washington to the south and west, NE 145th Street to the north, and the Juanita Neighborhood to the east. Access to the neighborhood is limited to three main entry points: Juanita Drive provides access to the southern and western portions of the hill, and Simonds Road/NE 145th Street and NE 132nd/90th Streets provide the northern east/west access to Finn Hill.

Two mixed-use neighborhood commercial centers located on Juanita Drive, Finn Hill Neighborhood Center and Holmes Point Residential Market (Inglewood and Holmes Point), provide retail amenities and multifamily housing in the neighborhood.

Finn Hill residents feel very strongly about the unique setting of their neighborhood. Parks and natural areas are the stars of Finn Hill and are considered high-value resources that provide important wildlife and recreation connections. There is a deep affinity with, and a desire to care for, the natural environment, parks, open space, tree canopy, and Lake Washington. Residents take pride in their history of participating in fundraising campaigns, work parties, and planning activities focused on protecting the neighborhood’s woodlands, streams and parks. Preserving or improving natural open space connectivity wherever possible is a major goal for Finn Hill residents, and received overwhelming support through the public outreach process. Finn Hill is encompassed by many steep slopes that residents recognize must be protected or developed carefully to prevent landslides and erosion.

In keeping with the desire to preserve natural areas, Finn Hill residents seek to keep density low in single-family residential areas. Although Finn Hill residents understand the need to accommodate newcomers to the neighborhood, they are especially concerned about the consequences from additional density such as undesirable changes to the character of established neighborhoods, loss of tree canopy, and increased traffic congestion.

Multifamily development should be located adjacent to neighborhood commercial zones in order to avoid conflicts with low-density areas and concentrate residential densities in areas that will support public transit. The improvement or redevelopment of existing commercial centers, rather than expanding commercial areas, makes more sense in the context of Finn Hill. The Finn Hill Neighborhood Center (Inglewood commercial area) in particular has strong potential for redevelopment and residents expressed a desire to see the amenities here updated and diversified. The Inglewood shopping center could support the inclusion of more multifamily or diverse housing in and adjacent to the center, particularly if doing so would justify additional transit services for the neighborhood.

Transportation around and through Finn Hill is currently car-centric. The existing trails and bike networks are much enjoyed and need further improvement. There is also a need for better connectivity up and down hills and towards key facilities such as schools, parks, and shopping centers. Forming a safe network of sidewalks and trails where walking is facilitated and comfortable is a major goal for Finn Hill. There are also concerns about traffic congestion during commute hours on key roads in Finn Hill, particularly Juanita Drive, which is the main north-south thoroughfare through the neighborhood. Finn Hill residents support exploring alternative public transit solutions to reduce the need for residents to use their personal cars, especially during heavy commute periods.

Overall, residents want to preserve the existing character of the neighborhood while planning for the future.