TagZone 3 Committee(17)

In an August 17, 1979 letter to the King County Council, Irene Jones, chairperson of Zone 3 meetings, conveyed strong opposition from local residents to developing a recreational park in the North Sea-Tac area near the airport. Attendees at a public meeting cited safety concerns, high noise levels, and potential tax burdens as reasons against the park plan, arguing that the land should first be fully acquired by the POS before any development is considered. Residents emphasized that their top priority was relief through noise-acquisition, purchase assurance, and sound insulation programs for their existing properties.

A July 25, 1979 Port of Seattle internal memorandum from James Branch to all departments and staff compiles 23 questions raised by the public at a Zone Three Steering Committee meeting held on July 24, 1979. The questions cover a wide range of community concerns related to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including aircraft noise levels, flight path enforcement, land acquisition programs, runway expansion plans, clear zone definitions, and jet engine emissions affecting nearby neighborhoods. The memo also addresses topics such as FAR 36 noise standards, the Sunset Recreation Plan, the ADAP program, and how residents of the Highline and Zone 3 communities can better cooperate with the Port of Seattle to resolve ongoing airport-related issues.

This document contains handwritten sign-in sheets and contact lists from a Zone 3 Community Meeting held on Tuesday, July 24, 1979, at the ERAC Building (156th & Ambaum), focused on noise remedy programs and land use in the North Acres area near Sea-Tac Airport. Attendees included Port of Seattle officials such as Airport Manager Otis Dunham, Director of Public Information Dave Warmuth, Planner Joe Sims, and King County Community Planner Dave Baugh, along with numerous local residents. The sheets record names, addresses, and phone numbers of participants, reflecting community engagement with airport noise and land-use concerns in the Seattle/Des Moines area during the late 1970s.

These handwritten pages appear to be contact lists and meeting notes related to community organizing around Sea-Tac Airport noise issues, dating to around 1979. The lists include names, phone numbers, and addresses of residents in Seattle and Des Moines, Washington neighborhoods affected by airport noise. A notation references a Zone 3 Community Meeting held on July 24, 1979 at the ERAC Building (156th & Ambaum), focused on noise remedy programs and land use in the North Action Area, with Port of Seattle officials including the Airport Manager, Director of Public Information, and Planner in attendance.

In May 1979, Jeanne Zalud of Des Moines, WA applied to serve as a citizen representative on the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) for the Sea-Tac Communities Plan, citing her community involvement and knowledge of the S.T.C.P. The Zone 3 Steering Committee responded in July 1979, acknowledging her application but informing her that further action on PAC representation had been postponed until January 1980. The committee expressed its position that proper citizen representation on the PAC should come from residents of the affected communities, with north and south representatives drawn from noise remedy areas and east and west from land use areas.

A August 1978 news article reports that the Port of Seattle Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), formed in 1973 to oversee the Sea-Tac Communities Plan, voted to continue its quarterly meetings for another year rather than restructure or disband. The committee, which includes representatives from the airport, airlines, FAA, King County, local schools, businesses, and neighborhood groups, had been repeatedly disrupted by complaints from Zone 3 residents — those most directly affected by airport noise — who felt they lacked fair representation. Members debated alternatives such as community forums and more formal meeting procedures, but ultimately agreed that PAC remained the only venue bringing all stakeholders together to discuss airport-related issues.

A June 1972 noise study conducted by Washington State's Department of Social and Health Services measured aircraft noise levels at twelve locations near homes and schools in Zone Three around Sea-Tac Airport. All recorded noise levels exceeded 80 dBA, with a peak of 107 dBA, caused by jet aircraft including the 707, 727, 737, 747, and DC-8 during landing approaches and takeoffs. The study was requested by citizens representing 2,184 residences in the zone and aimed to assess the health impact of low-flying aircraft noise on the surrounding community.