TagKing County Council(30)

Washington's Supreme Court unanimously upheld King County's approval of Boeing's plan to build corporate headquarters on a 30-acre site near Seattle-Tacoma Airport, rejecting challenges from a local citizens' group. The court ruled the approval was a legislative action rather than a quasi-judicial rezone, meaning the appearance-of-fairness doctrine did not apply, even though two County Council members had accepted campaign contributions from Boeing employees. The ruling also addressed a separate Snohomish County case, allowing environmental-impact statements for two large residential developments to be submitted piecemeal.

In a March 2020 letter to the FAA Administrator, King County Councilmember Dave Upthegrove urges the FAA to conduct a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) covering both short- and long-term projects for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport's expansion, rather than splitting the review into separate studies. Upthegrove argues that a piecemeal approach risks undermining the integrity of the environmental analysis, particularly given the airport's significant noise and air pollution impacts on surrounding communities. He calls for the comprehensive EIS to include mitigation strategies addressing all projects outlined in the Port of Seattle's Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP).

The Port of Seattle Commission adopted its final 2019 budget via Resolution No. 3751 on November 27, 2018, approving a tax levy of $74,160,000 to fund bond repayments, capital improvements, and general port operations. The resolution directed the King County Council to collect this levy from property owners within the Port District, based on an assessed property value of approximately $602 billion. The budget reflects the Port's commitments to economic development, environmental sustainability, workforce training, and transparent fiscal stewardship.

The Port of Seattle Commission considered adoption of Resolution No. 3751 at its November 27, 2018 meeting, formally approving the Port's final operating and capital budget for the year 2019. The resolution authorized the tax levy on assessed property within the Port of Seattle District and directed King County to collect the specified sums. The budget process, which began in April 2018, included multiple public briefings, a public hearing, and required submission of the final statutory budget to the King County Council and Assessor's Office by December 3, 2018.