TagNSTP(86)

This 1987 document outlines the Phased Development Program for North Sea-Tac Park, a proposed regional park planned jointly by King County and the Port of Seattle. It includes a master plan map showing intended facilities such as sports fields, activity areas, trails, an arboretum, and conservation reserves. Detailed capital cost estimates in 1986 dollars are provided for each development phase, with Phase I totaling approximately $2.9 million and Phase II covering additional amenities such as baseball fields, tennis courts, and parking areas.

This is the agenda for the Port of Seattle Commission Regular Meeting held on May 24, 1983, covering a range of business items related to Sea-Tac International Airport and port terminals. Airport-related items include a contract award for a Satellite Transit System Electrical System Upgrade, lease negotiations with the Greater Highline Community Parks Board for facilities at the North Sea-Tac Park, and lease agreements with several companies operating at Sea-Tac. A Staff Review Session on Terminal 91 Redevelopment, including public comment and Commission discussion, was also scheduled.

In this May 1983 letter, the FAA's Acting Manager of Airports Division responds to the Port of Seattle's request for federal concurrence on a proposed interim change to the density guideline at the Sunset facility in North Sea-Tac Park, doubling the allowed occupancy from 60 to 120 people. The FAA does not object to the Port Commission approving the change, but strongly recommends that public input be gathered from affected community residents before any final decision is made. The agency also expresses a preference that broader density guideline changes be addressed through the ongoing Noise Remedy Program Update, which includes a comprehensive community involvement process.

A April 1982 letter from Triangle Associates notifies interviewees that a planned April 13 presentation of a community assessment for the Port of Seattle has been cancelled due to the report's length, complexity, and printing delays. The full report was expected to be mailed within a week, with an executive summary enclosed as a preview. The study, initiated by the Port's Public Information Director Lynn Taylor, was intended to inform future public outreach planning based on Triangle Associates' findings and recommendations.

A February 9, 1982 letter from Port of Seattle Director of Aviation Oris D. Dunham to Bill Bowlin addresses density guidelines for the North Sea-Tac Park, located under flight paths at Sea-Tac International Airport. The letter clarifies that the gymnasium and meeting areas of the former Sunset Junior High School complex are subject to a recommended 60-person limit to reduce noise impacts on gatherings beneath the flight paths. However, the Port and FAA indicated they would consider granting special permission for the Greater Highline Community Parks Board to exceed that limit for one-time fundraising events benefiting long-term park development.

In a June 1981 letter to the FAA's Northwest Regional Director, Zone 3 citizen group representative Virginia E. Dana expresses qualified support for the FAA's recommended people-per-acre density guidelines for recreational use of North Sea-Tac Park, while raising concerns about safety and population exposure under flight paths. The letter highlights that the proposed recreational density of 40 people per acre across 53 acres could allow up to 2,120 people in an area from which only roughly 1,000 residents were displaced through the airport's land buyout program. Dana urges continued attention to airport safety criteria and environmental protection for communities living adjacent to Sea-Tac Airport.

In April 1981, the Port of Seattle testified at a public hearing opposing proposed residential (S-R) zoning for areas north of Sea-Tac International Airport, arguing the land falls within the highest aircraft noise impact zone and cannot legally or practically be developed for housing. The Port contended that rezoning these parcels to light manufacturing (M-L) was consistent with the Sea-Tac/Communities Plan and supported by a court ruling finding that residential zoning in such noise-impacted areas is arbitrary and unrealistic. The testimony also challenged the County's authority to impose certain zoning conditions on Port-owned property on the airport's west side.

This 1980 recreation master plan for North Sea-Tac Park was prepared by Jongejan/Gerrard/McNeal, Inc. as a joint planning effort between the Port of Seattle and King County. The plan identifies community recreational needs, assesses natural and manmade site constraints including airport noise impacts, and proposes development guidelines for the park adjacent to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. It was described at the time as a pioneering example of airport-adjacent land use planning at the national level.

In December 1979, the King County Council passed Motion No. 4668, concurring with the Zoning and Subdivision Examiner's recommendation to approve a land reclassification petitioned by the Port of Seattle (File No. 224-78-R), related to development of a Boeing facility near Sea-Tac Airport. As conditions of approval, the Port of Seattle was required to provide 5 acres for a neighborhood park along 12th Avenue South and to enter into a memorandum of understanding with King County freezing development on a 55-acre Westside Greenbelt buffer zone for ten years. The motion also mandated a separate public hearing in affected communities during the site plan approval process, reflecting efforts to balance airport-related development with residential stability concerns.