TagStART(508)

The Burien Airport Committee held a meeting on December 17, 2024, to discuss topics related to Sea-Tac Airport noise and expansion policy, including a wrap-up of public comments on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP), a possible multi-city response to the SAMP, and potential state-level mitigation legislation. The committee also considered expanding its membership from five to seven members and reviewed a StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable) committee update. Members of the public were invited to participate in person at Burien City Hall, via Zoom, or by submitting written comments in advance.

The Highline Forum meeting on November 20, 2024, hosted by the City of SeaTac, covered two main themes: childcare initiatives in the Highline area and an update on the Sustainable Airport Master Plan (SAMP) Environmental Assessment. Representatives from SeaTac, Highline Public Schools, the City of Burien, and Highline College participated in the childcare discussion, while Port of Seattle staff presented on the SAMP and StART programs. The document also includes the schedule of six bimonthly Highline Forum meetings planned for 2025, running from January through November.

In a November 2024 email exchange, Normandy Park Mayor Eric Zimmerman acknowledges frustration with the Sea-Tac Airport Master Plan (SAMP) process, explaining that the Port of Seattle Commission holds the real power over airport growth but that pro-growth cities like Seattle and Bellevue dominate that political landscape. He cautions against taking an activist stance toward the Port, warning that doing so could jeopardize the city's participation in the StART engagement process and cost Normandy Park hard-won mitigation benefits, such as an overnight runway use agreement that shifted late-night landings away from the third runway. The email was prompted by a journalist named Stuart Jenner, who reported writing a story about SAMP meetings held on November 13 and 14, 2024.