West Seattle jail-site fight: “Scoping” comments now online

| Highland Park | West Seattle jail sites | West Seattle news

Another update from the ongoing process of reviewing six potential sites for a regional municipal misdemeanor jail, including Highland Park Way/West Marginal Way (map) in West Seattle: The comments from the recent “scoping” hearings, including the one January 13th at South Seattle Community College on Puget Ridge (WSB coverage here), are now online (see them here). This is all part of the process toward assembling a “draft environmental impact statement,” which jail project spokesperson Katherine Schubert-Knapp says “is expected to be issued in the third quarter of 2009.” Some preliminary thoughts are posted here by Dan Mullins, newly elected chair of Highland Park Action Committee, which has been battling the idea of a jail in its backyard since the proposal first went public last spring. Final site choice isn’t expected till next year.

Scotty February 3, 2009 (3:59 pm)

Seems like there’s a great deal of unused space at Magnuson Park…the old Sand Point Naval Air Station…that could easily be converted to a jail, if we really need one so badly. Aren’t the huge percentage of inmates incarcerated for vicitmless drug “crimes” there because they’ve offended the moral sensibilities of the more conservative types who live in that area anyway?

Aaron Cooke February 3, 2009 (6:19 pm)

Y’know.

I was driving down I-35 today I saw a “No Jail In West Seattle” sign tacked to a pole. As I was currently out and about searching for the fabled Sangri-La of gainful employment, I had jobs on the brain.

The juxtaposition of the two led to a quick fantasy where-in I skulked over to the sign in the dark of the night and wrote “Jail = Jobs” all over it in big red letters.

And, it’s true. By delaying this project with tiresomely predictable Seattle-NIMBY’ism, we’re also keeping good folk from gainful employment.

Besides, where will high-minded Seattlelites store the unwashed and unemployed masses that will most-assuredly be turning to a life of crime and rioting in the streets come Summer?

Magnuson Park? I think not. There are no walls.

Aaron Cooke February 3, 2009 (6:20 pm)

Too bad I can’t spell Shangri-La. *sigh*

ZoomOut: Big Picture February 3, 2009 (7:47 pm)

No jail in West Seattle, OR in any city of Seattle residential area. But, heck yes to a new misdemeanant jail facility DOWNTOWN across from the courthouse and another misdemeanant facility to serve South King County.

There will indeed be jobs created in the construction of a new jail. It’s more a matter of where that new jail will be located.

Only the Initiative 100 rogues are saying ‘no new jail’ is needed anywhere and, they are basing that on the lamest of premises.

Just trying to keep the apples sorted from the onions for you all.

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