TagPort Of Seattle(2611)

At a May 2022 Highline Forum meeting, Federal Way resident Bernedine Lund criticized the Port of Seattle's StART program for reducing transparency in its annual reporting, noting that the 2021 report replaced detailed meeting summaries with a glossy, brochure-style format lacking substantive information. She further raised concerns that StART Steering Committee meetings, which began in 2021 and include outside parties like the FAA, have no published minutes or summaries, leaving the public no way to know what decisions were made. Lund argued this lack of openness is especially problematic given that the Port of Seattle is a publicly funded taxing district supported by local property taxes.

This document contains the agenda and draft minutes for the Burien Airport Committee's special meeting held on May 19, 2022, covering topics related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). Key agenda items included a presentation on Burien's Climate Action Plan, an update on the SEA Stakeholder Advisory Round Table (StART), and consideration of a draft letter requesting that the Port of Seattle ask the FAA for a longer review period for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP). The attached April 19, 2022 draft minutes document the prior meeting's proceedings, including unanimous approval of the March 15, 2022 meeting minutes.

The Burien Airport Committee held a meeting on May 17, 2022, to discuss several aviation-related topics, including a request to the Port of Seattle to seek a longer FAA review period for the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), updates on federal legislation, and a presentation on Burien's Climate Plan. The committee also reviewed draft minutes from its April 19, 2022 meeting, during which all members were present and routine business was conducted. Public participation was available remotely via Zoom, email, or text due to ongoing pandemic-related restrictions on in-person meetings.

The Port of Seattle partnered with non-profit Forterra from 2017 to 2022 to improve urban forests in the airport-adjacent communities of Burien, SeaTac, and Des Moines using $450,000 from the Airport Community Ecology (ACE) Fund. The program conducted tree canopy assessments across 738 acres, planted nearly 3,000 trees and plants, and engaged over 800 volunteers to restore parks and green spaces in neighborhoods most impacted by airport operations. Equity-focused mapping helped direct resources to low-income and minority communities with less tree cover, and the work ultimately leveraged an additional $260,000 in outside funding for school-area canopy improvements.

The Port of Seattle Commission held a virtual regular meeting on April 12, 2022, covering airport-related capital projects including a briefing on the C Concourse Expansion Project and authorization requests for construction contracts at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The agenda also included a Sound Transit briefing on the West Seattle and Ballard Link Extensions Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which touches on the Ballard/Interbay corridor near port facilities. Public comment was accepted by email or phone only, with no in-person attendance permitted under Governor Inslee's pandemic proclamations.

The Port of Seattle's Q1 2022 Financial Performance Report, covering January through March 2022, shows the organization still recovering from COVID-19 impacts, with airport passenger volumes rebounding but running about 7.6% below 2019 levels. Total operating revenues reached $166.6 million, exceeding budget by $21 million, driven largely by federal concessionaire relief grants and stronger-than-expected parking revenue. The report also highlights record cruise activity, rising grain volumes, and continued community investment programs including environmental grants for urban restoration projects.

The Highline Forum held a virtual meeting on March 23, 2022, hosted by the City of Des Moines, focusing on the 2021 StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) Annual Report and the selection of a new Community Co-Chair. The meeting, conducted via Microsoft Teams, included presentations by Port of Seattle representatives and BDS Planning Urban Design on airport noise mitigation efforts affecting Highline-area communities. The document also lists all six 2022 Highline Forum meeting dates, with hosts ranging from local cities such as Tukwila, Federal Way, and SeaTac to institutions like Highline College and the Highline School District.