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King County “Mothballing” 39 Parks, More Than A Third Of Which Are In The Area

It’s déjà vu all over again. Closed parks and pools, on top of program and job cuts, have been proposed by the King County executive to balance next year’s operating budget. But that was then, when Ron Sims was county executive and the 2003 budget was on the table.

Seven years later, Kurt Triplett, Sims’ former chief of staff, is interim county executive. And the second verse is same as the first. (Actually the third verse when last year’s cuts in the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices and the court system are included.)

Triplett recently proposed “mothballing” 39 parks in unincorporated urban areas in King County – more than a third of them in the Highline area. But even if all parks on his hit list were to be closed, which some Highline officials and volunteers consider unlikely, five parks and maybe a sixth would remain open.

Those parks are in the “south” part of the North Highline unincorporated area, which residents there decided on Tuesday will be become part of the city of Burien. That transition is expected to occur early next year.

More than a third of the parks proposed to be "mothballed" by King County are in the Highline area.

North Highline parks that will be annexed by Burien are:

Arbor Lake Park, So. 124th Street and 4th Ave So.
Hazel Valley Park, SW 126th Street and 2nd Ave SW
Hilltop Park, So. 128th Street and 26th Ave So.
Puget Sound Park, 126th Street SW and 1st Ave So.
Salmon Creek Park, SW 118th Street and 8th Ave SW

Southern Heights Park, So. 120th Street and 14th Avenue So., also in the annexation area, has been leased and maintained by the county but is owned by Water District 20. There is no immediate indication about the district’s plan for this park.

Triplett said mothballing the parks would reduce general fund expenses by $4.6 million. The county faces a $56.4 million shortfall in projected tax revenues and the executive and council are looking for ways to balance the budget to maintain 2009 service levels.

King County Councilman Dow Constantine of West Seattle, whose district includes North Highline and most of Burien, reacted swiftly with a statement opposing Triplett’s plan. Constantine, who finished second in the August 18 primary election contest for county executive – and will face former KIRO-TV anchor Susan Hutchison in November – currently serves as council chairman.

“I am opposed to Executive Triplett’s proposal to cut all funding for King County parks in the urban unincorporated areas,” Constantine said. “Parks are important to the health and quality of life of everyone in the communities in which King County provides basic services – especially to our young people. To eliminate these parks with the stroke of a pen when economic times get tough would be short-sighted.”

He said “all other possible cuts” – including reductions in administrative staff – and “innovative budget solutions” need to be explored “before we consider the elimination of direct services to King County residents. I have laid out a set of ideas to serve as a starting point for substantive discussions by the King County Council to create a balanced 2010 budget without raising taxes or cutting funding for urban unincorporated parks”

Hutchison could not be reached for comment.

Triplett’s proposal addresses only parks with maintenance financed through the general fund. They total approximately 610 acres and have a total assessed value of $57 million. It would not affect King County’s regional parks and trails, which are funded through the County Parks levy.

“Taxpayers have paid for these parks, and I am open to any proposal from the cities or others to transfer ownership for free,” said Triplett. “As part of the effort to encourage annexations, the state has given these cities tax options the county does not have.”

Closed parks would have fences installed around perfectly-good playground equipment.

The 39 targeted parks will remain open for use but will not be maintained. In December, if this plan goes into effect, crews will fence playground equipment, lock and secure restrooms, post signs and lock gates in the closed parks.

Triplett said his priority is to shield public health and criminal justice services as much as possible but that all county departments will see budget cuts in 2010.

The other parks in the general Highline area on Triplett’s mothball list are:

Duwamish (River) Park – Site 1
Evergreen Athletic Field (and Evergreen Pool), 606 SW 116 Street
Hamm Creek Natural Area
Lakewood Park, 11050 10th Ave SW
North Shorewood Park, SW 102nd Street and 24th Ave SW
Sunset Playfield, So. 136th Street and 18th Ave So.
White Center Heights Park, SW 102nd Street and 7th Ave SW
White Center Pond Natural Area, SW 102nd Street and 12th Ave SW

Posted by admin on Saturday, August 22, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Filed under Politics · Tagged with Annexation, Burien, closings, closures, king county, News, north highline, Parks, White Center

ADVISORY:Up To 4 Inches Today; School Closures

While it hasn’t started snowing yet (as of 7am), The National Weather Service has a Winter Weather Advisory for today (Wednesday Dec. 17th), and says we should expect up to four inches of snow over the next 24 hours.

Also, most schools in the White Center area are closed, including all Highline Schools (Evergreen you’re off the hook but JFK opens at 10:30am) in anticipation of this major snow event:

SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: CLOSED
No Out-of-District Transport. Uncertain weather forecast and concern for staff and student safety.
HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT: CLOSED
Administrative Offices Open.
JOHN F. KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL: 10:30am START
WESTSIDE SCHOOL: CLOSED
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI SCHOOL: 2 HOURS LATE
HAMLIN-ROBINSON SCHOOL: CLOSED
TUKWILA SCHOOL DISTRICT: 2 HOURS LATE
No. A.M. ECEAP No. A.M. Preschool
FEDERAL WAY SCHOOL DISTRICT: 2 HOURS LATE
Emergency Snow Routes, WATCH FOR UPDATES, No AM Kindergarten, Preschool, or Shuttles. No AM/PM HDST, ECEAP, ELO, or Puget Sound Skills, No Activity Buses, No Elementary Breakfast Programs, No Out-of-District Transportation.

And now, your daily fix of a Winter Weather Advisory:

… Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 10 am PST Thursday…

The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the Seattle… Tacoma… Bremerton and Hood Canal areas… and the southwest interior… lower Chehalis valley and the central coast… which is in effect until 10 am PST Thursday. The Winter Storm Watch is no longer in effect.

Lower snow accumulations are expected over the southern part of western Washington today and tonight. This is due mainly to the central Puget Sound region being shadowed by the Olympics and southwest winds bringing above freezing air inland up the lower Chehalis valley from the central coast.

Over the central Puget Sound region… including Seattle… Tacoma… Bremerton and the Hood Canal area… up to 2 inches of snow is expected today. Another 1 to 3 inches may fall tonight as a convergence zone forms over the area. A total accumulation of 2 to 5 inches is expected through tonight… with the greatest amounts over the East Part.

Over the southwest interior… 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected today with an additional 1 to 3 inches tonight. The greatest amounts will be closer to the Cascades and east of the I-5
corridor.

Over the lower Chehalis valley and the central coast… up to 2 inches of snow is expected today with another trace to 2 inches expected tonight. Total accumulations will be locally up to 4 inches. The greatest amounts will be further inland away from the ocean. Warmer air will produce mainly rain along the coast… with rain spreading further inland this afternoon as southwest winds send the warmer air up the Chehalis valley. The rain or rain and snow mixed will change back to snow tonight as the air mass cools off.

Over the Admiralty Inlet area… including Whidbey Island and Port Townsend… 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected today with up to 2 inches additional accumulation tonight. The lower amounts here are due to a combination of shadowing from the Olympics and the presence of slightly warmer air moving east through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. However… cooler air will move over area tonight as northeast outflow from the Fraser valley begins to develop. Total accumulations of 1 to 5 inches is expected.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

Monitor weather forecasts and Road conditions carefully. Stay indoors if at all possible. Travel is likely to be adversely impacted through Thursday.