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Sea-Tac/Communities Plan: Pioneer in Airport-Citizen Cooperation

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This 1979 article from the Port of Seattle's Tradelines newsletter describes the Sea-Tac/Communities Plan, a pioneering cooperative effort between the Port of Seattle, King County, and the FAA to address aircraft noise impacts on neighborhoods surrounding Sea-Tac International Airport. Rather than focusing solely on reducing noise at its source, the plan targeted the affected communities directly through measures such as home acquisitions in severely impacted areas, 'purchase guarantees' for moderately impacted zones, and residential insulation cost-sharing programs. Adopted in 1976, the plan is presented as an innovative model for airport-community compatibility planning, though the article acknowledges it represents only a partial solution to the broader challenges airports and their neighboring communities face.

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Tradelines newsletter of the Port of Seattle, January 1979, reprinting an article by Joe Sims (assistant director of Planning, Port of Seattle) originally published in the Practicing Planner, December 1978, Vol. 8 No. 4. Describes the Sea-Tac/Communities Plan formulated to address aircraft noise exposure in neighborhoods surrounding Sea-Tac International Airport, King County’s ‘Burien’ or ‘Highline’ area. Covers the NEF (Noise Exposure Forecast) methodology, 40-acre grid mapping system, 1973 base year with forecasts for 1978, 1983, and 1993, the Interim Land Acquisition Program (over $20 million), ‘purchase guarantee’ program for sustained-impact areas, residential insulation cost-sharing, FAA Planning Grant Program (PGP), $642,000 study launched early 1973, and 1976 adoption by Port of Seattle and King County. Discusses public involvement, community participation, land-use policy, and airport-community compatibility planning.

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