TagSea-Tac Communities Plan(215)

In April 1979, the Citizens Advisory Committee recommended that the Port of Seattle pursue early acquisition of a property owned by Tom Fest (parcel Z-685) under hardship status. The Committee determined that a quick purchase would benefit both parties, urging the Port to promptly establish a fair price and the owner to sell the property as a single parcel rather than subdividing it into three lots. The recommendation also specified that the owner should not be required to pay sewer hook-up costs before the sale unless the Port agreed to them.

This March 1979 newsletter from the Westside Hilltop Area Survival Committee (WHSC) updates Hilltop Community residents on two key hearings: one opposing the Port of Seattle's proposed corporate aviation facility north of South 176th Street, and another challenging a requested rezone of 30 acres of westside greenbelt land near Sea-Tac Airport. The committee reaffirms its position that no airport development should proceed without proper community safeguards, and addresses rumors about residents' legal liability for the committee's activities. The newsletter also notes that the State Legislature approved legislation allowing the Port of Seattle to extend the airport impact zone to include the Hilltop area.

In this January 25, 1979 letter, Washington State Representative John Jovanovich (31st District) writes to Ms. Jean Pihlman explaining that the Sea-Tac Comprehensive Plan (STCP), adopted by the Port of Seattle and King County, primarily addresses the airport and its noise-impacted areas. He urges that citizen representatives on the Policy Advisory Committee — the body responsible for monitoring the plan — should come directly from the noise-impacted communities, so that their needs are properly understood by decision-makers.

This 1979 article from the Port of Seattle's Tradelines newsletter describes the Sea-Tac/Communities Plan, a pioneering cooperative effort between the Port of Seattle, King County, and the FAA to address aircraft noise impacts on neighborhoods surrounding Sea-Tac International Airport. Rather than focusing solely on reducing noise at its source, the plan targeted the affected communities directly through measures such as home acquisitions in severely impacted areas, 'purchase guarantees' for moderately impacted zones, and residential insulation cost-sharing programs. Adopted in 1976, the plan is presented as an innovative model for airport-community compatibility planning, though the article acknowledges it represents only a partial solution to the broader challenges airports and their neighboring communities face.

A 1978 internal memo from Ed Parks to Policy Advisory Committee Members announces a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 6, 1978, at 2:00 p.m. in the Airport Conference Room at Sea-Tac International Airport. The meeting, organized as a joint effort of the Port of Seattle and King County, covers four agenda items: an update on Policy Advisory Committee Reorganization, Sea-Tac Westside Developments, the King County Capital Improvement Program for 1979, and Noise Remedy Programs.

This document outlines the structure and responsibilities of the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) established in 1978 to oversee implementation of the Sea-Tac Airport Communities Plan. The 12-member committee—drawn from King County, the Port of Seattle, local businesses, government, schools, airlines, and community representatives—was charged with long-term monitoring, addressing special issues, and making recommendations to the King County Executive, Council, and Port of Seattle Commission. The PAC met quarterly at the Sea-Tac Conference Room, with members serving three-year terms and staff support provided jointly by the Port and County.

A 1978 memo from Don Shay notifies the Policy Advisory Committee of a meeting on July 27, 1978, at Sea-Tac International Airport to review recommendations from the Reorganization Task Force. The Task Force proposed restructuring the committee to focus on long-term monitoring of Sea-Tac Plan implementation, handling special issues, and making recommendations to King County and Port of Seattle leadership. The recommended committee composition included representatives from King County, the Port of Seattle, local businesses, the Highline School District, local governments, Sea-Tac Airlines, and four citizen representatives selected by the Highline Community Council.

In a July 27, 1978 letter to the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) chairman at Sea-Tac International Airport, the Highline Community Council president Dorothy Harper objected to a proposed reorganization that would reduce the Council's representative to a non-voting status. The Council argued that retaining a voting seat was essential to effectively represent Highline-area residents in matters related to the Port of Seattle and the Sea-Tac Communities Plan. The letter also emphasized the importance of maintaining a balanced membership on the PAC that equally reflects government, business, and residents' viewpoints.

This March 1978 Final Environmental Impact Statement, prepared jointly by King County and the Port of Seattle, evaluates the proposed construction of a Boeing Company Corporate Headquarters Facility on the western boundary of Sea-Tac International Airport. The project required zoning reclassification, community plan amendments, and various permits for a site located east of 12th Avenue South between South 166th Place and South 173rd Street. The document was prepared under the Washington State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and related county regulations.