By Alia Sinclair
At Tuesday Night’s (Oct 11, 2022) SeaTac City Council meeting, public comments were heard and a vote was held on the proposal to engage in negotiations regarding the adjustment of the property line between Riverton Heights Neighborhood Park and the adjoining property owned by the Islamic Center of Seattle (ICS).
Public Comments
Representatives from the Valley View Library wanted the public to be aware of their many programs to be taken advantage of including family story time, study zones, and various online programs.
Comments were also heard by members of the public concerned about the proposed land swap between the city of SeaTac and the Islamic Center of Seattle, citing issues with traffic congestion and concerns for the safety of pedestrians and local residents who desire to enjoy Riverton Heights Park which adjoins the Mosque owned by the Islamic Center of Seattle
Councilmembers clarified that the proposal being put to the council that evening was merely to approve or deny the authorization for the City Manager to engage in negotiations about the proposed land swap, not to approve the project itself.
Recology Surcharge to Be Lifted
The City Manager reported that a previously applied surcharge to the residents of SeaTac that was voluntarily entered in to by the City Council in an attempt to off-set additional costs accrued by Recology due to their revoked ability to dispose of solid waste overseas would be lifted from their waste bills beginning Nov. 1, 2022.
Land Swap Proposal
Community Programs & Services Director Lawrence (Larry) Ellis gave a presentation on the desired outcome of the Islamic Center of Seattle to engage in a land swap with the City of SeaTac that would result in a piece of Riverton Heights Park being converted to a parking lot containing 104 parking stalls in addition to a pedestrian walkway leading from the parking lot to the Mosque.
Ellis’ presentation included the perceived benefits of the proposal, including less congested streets, a parking agreement with ICS that would ensure the city’s use of the parking lot during special events, and a safer walkway for both the members of the mosque and other pedestrians.
The presentation went on to explain that if the proposed approval was granted to allow the City Manger to enter into negotiations with ICS, additional steps would need to be taken before the project could commence. These steps would include:
- Surveying to prepare line adjustment
- Appraisal to ensure equal size and value of both pieces of land involved in the swap
- Documents transferring ownership of agreed upon property to both parties
- Parking agreement to be prepared
- Approval from City Council
The proposal was put to a vote and passed unanimously.
Local events
The closing comments of Councilmembers included a reminder of several upcoming local events:
- Friday, Oct. 14: The Great Pumpkin Night, SeaTac Community Center
- Saturday, Oct. 15: Green SeaTac Day, North SeaTac Park
- Sunday, Oct. 16: Green SeaTac Day, Angle Lake Park
- Wednesday, Oct. 27: Reception for Photography Exhibit, SeaTac Community Center
Alia Sinclair is a writer residing in SeaTac. She is passionate about the arts and connecting people through the written word. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of her passion project Patchwork Mosaic, a magazine for creatives.
The SeaTac Council did NOT approve the land swap … they gave their approval for the City Manager to enter into negotiations regarding a proposed land swap. This is very different than approving the proposal.