TagHighline Forum(233)
https://www.portseattle.org/page/highline-forum
The Highline Forum provides Southwest King County municipalities, educational governing bodies, and the Port of Seattle with the opportunity to share information, interact with outside speakers and other governmental organizations, and work in partnership on initiatives that benefit the residents of Southwest King County.
One elected representative and one senior administrator from the following jurisdictions or institutions make up the membership of the Highline Forum:
- City of Burien — Councilmember Alex Andrade and City Manager Adolfo Bailon
- City of Des Moines — Mayor Yoshiko Grace Matsui and City Manager Katherine Caffrey
- City of Federal Way — Mayor Jim Ferrell and Councilmember Lydia Assefa-Dawson
- City of Normandy Park — Councilmember Jack Lamanna and City Manager Amy Arrington
- City of SeaTac — Councilmember Joe Vinson and City Manager Jonathan Young
- City of Tukwila — Councilmember Armen Papyan and Policy Analyst Laurel Humphrey
- Highline College — Vice President for Institutional Advancement Josh Gerstman and External Relations Shakira Ericksen
- Highline School District — School Board Member Angelica Alvarez and Superintendent Dr. Ivan Duran
- Port of Seattle — Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed and Aviation Managing Director Wendy Reiter
An elected representative from the Port of Seattle (Commissioner Hamdi Mohamed) and a jurisdiction or institution co-chair (shared by Tukwila Council President Armen Papyan and SeaTac Councilmember Joe Vinson) moderate the meetings.
Learn more about the Highline Forum and what’s ahead this year.
Sign up to receive Highline Forum updates by email, including meeting agendas and summ
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2020-11-18Highline Forum agenda: Transportation updates, StART & South King County Fund updates
The Highline Forum held a virtual meeting on November 18, 2020, hosted by the City of Burien, focusing on transportation updates including Sound Transit, the SR 509 highway project, the South King County Fund, and the StART (Sea-Tac Airport Round Table) program. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, the meeting was conducted via Microsoft Teams, with public comments accepted by email or virtual attendance. The document also lists six scheduled 2021 Highline Forum meetings, all running from 2:30–4:30 pm on bimonthly Wednesdays throughout the year. -
2020-09-23Rising to recovery
A September 2020 presentation by Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins outlines the severe financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Port's operations, including a 75% drop in airport passengers, a 17% decline in seaport cargo activity, and a complete 100% halt in cruise traffic compared to July 2019. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was projected to handle only around 20 million passengers in 2020, down sharply from a record 51.8 million in 2019. The presentation also provides historical context by comparing the 2020 downturn to previous industry shocks such as the 9/11 attacks and the Great Recession, both of which the airport ultimately recovered from. -
2020-09-23Highline Forum 9/23/20 Meeting Comments
A community member submitted comments to the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, criticizing the PSRC Regional Aviation Baseline Study for failing to address social equity, environmental justice, carbon emissions, and impacts on non-aviation transportation. The commenter also challenged the Port's Environmental Excellence Awards, arguing that recognizing minor reductions like eliminating plastic straws is insignificant compared to the much larger carbon emissions produced by jet fuel during flights. The comments call on regional government agencies to align their aviation planning and recognition programs with meaningful climate and environmental justice goals. -
2020-09-23Highline Forum Agenda: PSRC Aviation Baseline Study, StART & Noise Program Updates
The Highline Forum held its September 23, 2020 meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams, hosted by the Port of Seattle, covering key topics including the PSRC Aviation Baseline Study, temporary noise monitor updates, and a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) program update. Due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, members of the public could submit comments by email or join the MS Teams session by registering in advance. The meeting was part of a series of 2020 forums addressing aviation noise policy and community impact around Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. -
2020-09-23South King County Fund – Highline Forum presentation, September 23, 2020
The Port of Seattle's South King County Fund 2020 presentation, delivered at the Highline Forum on September 23, 2020, outlines a grant program distributing $1.5 million to communities near Sea-Tac Airport, including $250,000 each for Economic Development and Environmental Grants, plus $1 million in Economic Recovery Grants. The program was developed through extensive community outreach, including presentations to six cities, feedback sessions at the Highline Forum and StART, and interviews with dozens of leaders from under-represented communities conducted by the Port's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. -
2020-09-22Highline Forum Public Comment by Bernedine Lund on Aircraft Emissions and Sea-Tac Airport
At a September 2020 Highline Forum meeting, Federal Way resident Bernedine Lund argued that Sea-Tac Airport and the FAA are misleading the public about aircraft emissions by only measuring fuel use during takeoff and landing, while ignoring the far larger greenhouse gas output of full flights. She called on the Port and FAA to be transparent about the total global climate impact of aircraft using Sea-Tac. Her comments emphasized that environmental responsibility must extend beyond airport-specific operations to include the aircraft themselves. -
2020-09-20Regional Aviation Baseline Study
The Regional Aviation Baseline Study, produced by the Puget Sound Regional Council, examines the current state and future challenges of aviation in the Puget Sound region, covering scenario development, airport analysis, and public engagement. The study highlights near-term disruptions to air travel, noting that passenger volume at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport dropped to just 27% of normal levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, with daily travelers falling to 17,200 and aircraft operations declining from 1,160 to 840 takeoffs and landings per day. The findings provide a foundation for regional planning decisions related to airport capacity, operations, and policy. -
2020-07-22Highline Forum: Making Highline the constant in uncertain times
Highline College held a community forum on July 22, 2020, addressing COVID-19 impacts, anti-racism efforts, and budget planning under the theme 'Making Highline the Constant in Uncertain Times.' The college serves approximately 16,000 students across programs including English learning, transfer education, career and technical education, and six Bachelor of Applied Science degree programs. Note: this document does not contain content directly related to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy. -
2020-07-22Highline Forum agenda: Ultra-fine particle studies, StART & noise program updates
The Highline Forum held its July 22, 2020 meeting virtually via Microsoft Teams, hosted by the City of Federal Way, focusing on ultra-fine particle studies, noise program updates, and StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) developments near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Key presentations included University of Washington air quality research (MOV-UP study), a temporary noise monitors update from the Port of Seattle, and a South King County Fund update. The meeting was conducted remotely due to the Governor's Stay-at-Home Order, with public comments accepted via email or MS Teams. -
2020-07-01Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion South King County Fund
This July 2020 presentation from the Port of Seattle's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion outlines the South King County Fund, an initiative aimed at supporting economic recovery and community equity in the South King County region. It provides an overview of the office's role within the Port's broader strategic priorities, which span aviation, maritime, and economic development operations. The document reflects the Port's commitment to weaving equity and community investment into all lines of business.