TagPort Of Seattle(2604)

A First Class Mail envelope sent from the Port of Seattle (P.O. Box 1209, Seattle, WA 98111) to Ms. Virginia Dana at 2648 S. 142nd Street, Seattle, Washington 98168, postmarked April 1980. The back of the envelope contains handwritten notes referencing federal funds, arguments about noise or airport-related matters, and mentions of purchasing or acquiring something through the Port of Seattle. The document appears to relate to community correspondence concerning Sea-Tac Airport noise policy or related compensation discussions.

A March 1980 internal memo from Bob Wells of the Planning department transmits Noise Monitoring System reports for January and February 1980 to Marion MacKenzie, noting that the station map quality is poor while a clearer version is being prepared. The accompanying report for Sea-Tac International Airport shows monthly and long-term average Day-Night Sound Level (LDN) readings across nine remote monitoring stations, with January 1980 values ranging from 73 to 84 dBA. Operational notes indicate that 58% of January air traffic flew north to south, heavy snowfall forced a brief airport closure on the 8th–9th, and two minor clock failures in the monitoring system were corrected without any loss of noise data.

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.

In late 1979, community discussions around Sea-Tac International Airport's north clear zone focused on repurposing approximately 240 acres of noise-impacted land into a multi-use recreational park, featuring soccer fields, tennis courts, nature trails, a golf course, and a motorcycle training area. The Highline Recreation Council unanimously endorsed the North Sea-Tac Park Plan (Sunset Plan), while a separate initiative proposed converting the closed Sunset Junior High School into a regional government records and archives center. Both plans reflect broader efforts to find productive uses for land rendered uninhabitable by airport noise, with funding and community engagement identified as key challenges.

A November 1979 FAA letter to the Port of Seattle expresses support for a 'Modified Passive 2' conceptual plan for the proposed North Sea-Tac Park, while urging that any final park plan carefully weigh adverse impacts on adjacent residential neighborhoods and airport operations. The letter emphasizes that residents in the immediate study area should have meaningful input into the final park plan, and calls for close collaboration among the Port, King County, consultants, and citizens to minimize conflicts between park uses and the unique challenges posed by proximity to a major airport.

A September 1979 letter from Port of Seattle Management Intern James D. Branch to Virginia Dana, a member of the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) at Sea-Tac International Airport, requesting her participation in a confidential attitude survey about the committee. Branch explains that he has been studying PAC's history, reviewing past minutes, and interviewing Port staff, and is now seeking input directly from current committee members via a 13-question evaluation sheet. Responses received before the October meeting would be compiled into a formal report of findings from all PAC members.

A 1979 letter from Sea-Tac International Airport Manager Oris Dunham, Jr. to the Zone Three Committee accompanies a newsletter addressing community questions about airport operations and noise impact. The document explains key programs including the Interim Land Acquisition Program (approved 1974) to purchase properties within FAA-established flight path zones, and the federally funded Airport Development Assistance Program (ADAP), which draws from airline ticket taxes to fund noise remedy efforts. It also references the Sunset Recreational Plan, a coordinated initiative between the Port of Seattle and King County to address land use in the airport's north clear zone.