TagEnvironmental Impact Statement(325)

This March 1978 Final Environmental Impact Statement, prepared jointly by King County and the Port of Seattle, evaluates the proposed construction of a Boeing Company Corporate Headquarters Facility on the western boundary of Sea-Tac International Airport. The project required zoning reclassification, community plan amendments, and various permits for a site located east of 12th Avenue South between South 166th Place and South 173rd Street. The document was prepared under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and related county regulations.

This 1978 background report, prepared for the Washington State House of Representatives, examines the potential impact of allowing Concorde supersonic jet flights at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac). It finds that even one Concorde flight per day would expose an additional 1,000 residents to severe aircraft noise and could increase the Port of Seattle's property acquisition costs by $10–15 million. The report also explores the legal boundaries of airport noise regulations following a landmark court case that affirmed airport proprietors may set their own noise rules, provided those rules are reasonable, non-arbitrary, and non-discriminatory.

The Highline Communities Plan (HCP) is a King County land use and zoning proposal covering the area between Puget Sound and Interstate 5, from the City of Seattle south to South 252nd Street, including Des Moines and Normandy Park. Prepared by the King County Department of Planning and Community Development and issued in draft form in April 1977, the plan was intended to guide land use policy, area zoning, capital improvements, and housing programs for the Highline Communities Planning Area. Upon adoption, it became the official county policy framework for this coastal suburban region located adjacent to what is now Sea-Tac Airport.

The Highline Communities EIS Draft, prepared by King County Department of Planning and Community Development in 1977, proposes the adoption of a Community Plan and Area Zoning for the Highline area southwest of Seattle. The plan is intended to guide land use, capital improvements, housing, and utilities policy for communities including Burien, White Center, Des Moines, and Normandy Park. Upon adoption, it would become an element of the King County Comprehensive Plan, with expected benefits including pollution control, improved transportation, and economic stability for the region.

A January 30, 1974 letter submitted to David M. Des Voigne of the Port of Seattle presents a petition signed by more than 80 property owners requesting that South 216th Street be established as the southern boundary of an interim land acquisition project near Sea-Tac Airport, bounded by 24th Ave. S. to the east and proposed Highway 509 to the west. The petitioners sought to remove the most severely noise-impacted residences from the expanded clear zone. The letter also cites FAA policy under the Airport and Airway Development Act of 1970, which encourages land acquisition to accommodate both current and long-term airport development needs.