TagFCSP(5)

The Burien City Council held a regular meeting on September 22, 2025, which included a presentation by the Port of Seattle on its Flight Corridor Safety Program (FCSP), a program relevant to communities affected by Sea-Tac Airport operations. The presentation was led by Port of Seattle Assistant Director for Airport Operations Mark Leutwiler and Community Engagement Manager Marco Milanese, alongside Burien's Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Director Casey Stanley. This agenda item, spanning pages 5–17 of the meeting packet, represents one of several City of Burien engagements with the Port of Seattle regarding airport-related impacts on the surrounding community.

This draft document, updated October 2019, summarizes an obstruction removal study conducted near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, identifying 174 trees that penetrate or are predicted to penetrate FAA-required airspace surfaces. The trees are distributed across multiple property owners, with WSDOT holding the largest share (102), followed by Highline School District (26), private owners (19), SeaTac (21), and the Port (6). The study, which involved LIDAR scanning, FAA-approved analysis, and field verification, classifies the obstructions as topped, existing, or potential future penetrations, with conifers making up the vast majority of affected trees.

This October 2019 draft Implementation Plan, prepared by Anchor QEA for the Port of Seattle, outlines a program to identify and remove trees and other obstructions from the flight corridors around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The plan covers properties owned by the Port, public agencies (including WSDOT and the cities of SeaTac and Des Moines), and private landowners in Burien and SeaTac, detailing removal schedules, revegetation strategies, and best management practices. Its primary goal is to improve aviation safety by ensuring that vegetation and structures do not encroach on protected airspace around the airport.