Airport group makes important recommendation to Burien City Council
At their June 17 meeting the BAC voted 5-0 to make the following recommendation to their City Council.
Port package program revamp (resolution)
The City of Burien believes that, as currently structured, the Port of Seattle’s “Port Package” replacement program is a failure. Hundreds of homeowners, many whose properties may not have been not properly equipped in the first place, have been waiting for years for relief. Adequate funding has not materialized and is unlikely to materialize in the foreseeable future. The Port’s own pilot study of 30 homes within the current 65 DNL noise boundary has not identified a single property that would be eligible for repair and replacement under current criteria.
Aircraft operations at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are projected in the Port’s Sustainable Airport Master Plan to increase by about 30 percent by 2034. This monumental growth means that homes already affected by poor noise installation will be subjected to thrown more flights annually.
The City of Burien recommends that the Port of Seattle abandon its current replacement program and, in consultation with its Stakeholder Advisory Round Table — commonly known as the StART Committee — develop a viable program that will attend to every homeowner in need of Port package repairs. This new program should include a reliable revenue stream that will provide adequate funding to accomplish this goal.
Our take
This is a good first step. But it is only a step. It is a recommendation on a resolution that will still need approval from their City Council. And a resolution carries no force with the Port of Seattle. However, it matters because no other city council has shown a willingness to hold the Port to account for anything in recent years. And despite claims to the contrary, whenever there has been agreement on reasonable, specific, and actionable goals, the Port always responds positively.
Which is why we call out the fact that, although completely reasonable, it lacks the last two pieces: specificity and actionability. Note the last sentence:
“This new program should include a reliable revenue stream that will provide adequate funding to accomplish this goal.”
The Port would be the first to agree and will certainly offer to take members of every city council back to DC very soon to lobby for federal funding to make that happen. Some day.
That may sound unkind. But it has always been our inability to put all three items on the table: reasonable, specific, and actionable, that allow the Port to avoid doing things it always could do. After decades of empty promises like the SIRRPP, Land Stewardship Plan and on and on – residents deserve nothing less than clear, unambiguous language from everyone – especially when there are obvious models for success.
To be effective any such program must insist on firm commitments from the Port of Seattle: At least $3,000,000 a year, regardless of state or federal reimbursements. Begin construction now. First come, first served. In short: the SFO program in place since 2018, but with more money and administrative upgrades to get more homes to yes, not more excuses to say no. Simple.
We look forward to Burien taking that next step. And both Des Moines and SeaTac following their lead. All three cities must respond with one voice to a clear direction.