TagPort Of Seattle(2400)

The Highline Forum, a community advisory group connecting the Port of Seattle with nearby cities including Burien, SeaTac, and Des Moines, held meetings in early 2012 to discuss Sea-Tac Airport-related issues including noise abatement procedures, the Port's Century Agenda economic development goals, and a cleanup update for the Lora Lake contamination site. The May 23, 2012 agenda featured a dedicated session on noise abatement procedures presented by Port of Seattle Noise Programs representative Stan Shepherd, alongside discussions on refining the Forum's structure and Highline Public Schools' Capital Facilities Plan. Draft minutes from the March 28, 2012 meeting document community leaders raising concerns about job quality, regional transportation infrastructure, and tourism development in the Southwest King County area surrounding the airport.

Highline School District No. 401 used multiple funding sources — including voter-approved bonds from 2002 and 2006, State Construction Assistance Funds, Port of Seattle/FAA funds, and State Department of Commerce funds — to build 13 new replacement elementary schools and one new replacement high school. The Port of Seattle and FAA funding connection reflects the district's location near Sea-Tac Airport, where aircraft noise mitigation has historically supported school construction projects. The new elementary schools feature 66,500 square feet, 26 classrooms, earthquake reinforcement, air-conditioning, and other modern amenities suited to the noise-impacted communities they serve.

This document outlines flight procedures for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) designed to reduce noise impacts on surrounding communities, covering both North Flow and South Flow operations. Key rules include restrictions on eastbound turns during nighttime hours (10 p.m.–6 a.m.), minimum altitude and distance requirements before turning, and designated corridors for arrivals and departures over Puget Sound and Elliott Bay. Compliance data from March 2012 shows that 89 out of 2,431 daytime South Flow eastbound arrivals turned south of the 520 Bridge early, violating the preferred procedure, with Alaska Airlines (ASA) and Southwest Airlines (SWA) accounting for the largest shares of non-compliant flights.

The City of Des Moines, Washington repealed its local Sound Code (DMMC 14.08.180–14.08.440) in response to reduced aircraft noise projections from the Port of Seattle's Part 150 Study, improved State building codes, and concerns from the development community that the code was unnecessarily burdensome. The repeal does not affect homeowners' eligibility for Port of Seattle sound insulation remediation funding. The city indicated it would continue to support residents through consumer information resources on sound protection options.

In April 2012, the Port of Seattle Commission proposed new lease policies for small, disadvantaged businesses operating concessions at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The motion sought to raise the participation goal for Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBEs) to 30 percent and allow existing ACDBE operators to negotiate lease extensions of up to eight years when their current leases expired. The proposal was opened for at least 30 days of public comment before a final Commission vote.

The Highline Forum, a regional body representing cities surrounding Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, met in November 2011 to discuss aircraft noise concerns, including missed approaches and over-flight patterns affecting communities like Normandy Park and Federal Way. The meeting featured an FAA briefing on the Four Post Plan governing air traffic flow, as well as an update on the Greener Skies Initiative, which aims to use advanced navigation technology to reduce noise and emissions during aircraft approaches. A follow-up meeting was scheduled for March 2012 to continue discussions on refining the Forum's role and addressing ongoing community and port issues.

A 2012 presentation to the Highline Forum provides an update on the Lora Lake Apartments cleanup site near Sea-Tac Airport, where dioxin contamination is being addressed through a combination of excavation and capping. The Port of Seattle submitted a draft Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study to the Washington State Department of Ecology, which was reviewing the document and planning to issue it for public comment before selecting a final cleanup action. The site was not found to be contributing significant amounts of dioxin to the nearby Miller Creek.

At a March 1, 2012 Des Moines, WA City Council study session, staff presented a policy discussion on whether to update the city's Sound Transmission Control (Sound Code) requirements, which govern noise-reducing construction standards for buildings near Sea-Tac Airport. The existing code, last revised in 1996, was criticized by developers and homeowners as overly burdensome, while the Port of Seattle's official 'Part 150' noise contour study won't be finalized until 2016. The Council was asked to consider options ranging from immediate regulatory relief—such as reducing sound zones, limiting requirements to windows only, or making compliance voluntary—to waiting until the 2016 study is complete before making any changes.

In February 2012, the Port of Seattle Commission considered Resolution No. 3659 to authorize the sale of a portion of the Woodinville Subdivision rail corridor — also known as the Eastside Rail Corridor — to the City of Kirkland for $5 million. The property, located within the cities of Kirkland and Bellevue, was declared surplus to Port needs and intended for trail and transportation uses. This sale was part of a broader series of transactions in which the Port transferred segments of the corridor to various regional partners, including the City of Redmond, Sound Transit, and Puget Sound Energy.