NEW DEADLINE: City extends comment time for Myers Parcels’ future; open-space advocates launch online petition

| Myers Way | West Seattle news

Two developments in the ongoing issue of whether the city should sell the undeveloped Myers Parcels in southeastern West Seattle or, as advocates have long urged, keep all or part of the 30+-acre site as open space:

First, as reported here three weeks ago, today was supposed to be the deadline for the latest round of comments on the land’s fate. But that’s changed. The deadline’s being extended until at least early April, Julie Moore from the city’s Finance and Administrative Services department confirmed to WSB:

We just determined … that we would reissue the notice in the interest of reaching a broader community. We expect to get it out in early March, and the comment period will be extended for 30 days past the date of mailing. … All comments received by the new deadline are certain to be represented in the preliminary recommendation report, but as with every property disposition process, we will continue to accept all comments up to the point a final decision is made by City Council. Also, all parties providing contact information will continue to receive updates through the evaluation process, including notices for future community meetings and/or public hearings, publication of reports and City Council actions.

Here’s how to comment: E-mail Daniel Bretzke at daniel.bretzke@seattle.gov or send postal-mail comments to him via City of Seattle FAS, P.O. Box 94689, Seattle 98124-4689.

Second: The Seattle Green Spaces Coalition has launched an online petition asking city leaders not to sell the land. You can sign it here.

LOOKING FOR MORE INFO? Each of the three parcels involved in the most recent city notice has its own page on the city website: 9501 Myers here, 9600 Myers here, 9701 Myers here.

Joe Szilagyi February 29, 2016 (2:01 pm)

We don’t need another big box, car-heavy store like Lowes. We already have a Lowes literally a ten minute drive east of this site, a Home Depot ten minutes northwest of it, and McLendon’s five minutes southwest of here. Enough.

If the city needs to recoup the previous expenses of purchasing this site: so what? Government isn’t supposed to run a profit. It’s supposed to deliver services. Stop this entire rushed process and restart the outreach and study for alternative uses of this site. It costs us virtually nothing to keep the site as-is for the time being.

Literally any usage of this site is better than a Lowes. A sale of open, free property of this size and scale should be done with the absolutely slowest deliberation and consideration, as we will not get an opportunity like this again to use it for the maximum community, social, and equity-based benefits for the City of Seattle. It could be used for senior or affordable housing, temporary staging of Camp Nicklesville style homeless micro housing, a park, a new school — any number of uses.

Why the hurry and urgency? There is no need for it. Every day and month the parcel sits idle the more it’s value will increase for either a future sale or other usage. Going to a Lowes right now restricts the usage of that site in perpetuity to nothing more than that.

Joe Szilagyi February 29, 2016 (2:02 pm)

Oh nice, the paragraph formatting is fixed! Or just because I copy/pasted this in from notepad with pre-made spaces?
- WSB February 29, 2016 (2:19 pm)
  
  It’s been fixed for a couple weeks (even the image-upload feature!). Most problems from the original punch list have been handled – still a few things to tweak, but of course nothing’s ever totally “done,” always a work in progress …
  - Joe Szilagyi February 29, 2016 (2:59 pm)
    
    Awesome!
    
    I should have tried it earlier.

Pat February 29, 2016 (5:09 pm)

Joe, maybe you should explore a bit of the history of these pieces of property a bit closer. I’m not sure what you mean by hurry and urgency because the largest single piece (that property on the west side of Myers Way) has been on the market for over 10 years. Secondly, I’m not sure what you mean by free because the City purchased this land in roughly 2003.

Now, you are right about not needing a big box, they are not needed. In fact, in 2005 or 6 a big box did put in an interest for the 9701 property but dropped all interest when they learned the environmental issues they would face. This brings up another issue, is this property suitable for any kind of housing? I have my doubts. That doesn’t mean I’m in full support of open space either. I do though think it is due time for something to happen with this property.

WSB February 29, 2016 (5:21 pm)

I don’t know about suitable but I did look up the zoning and it’s C2-65.

http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/documents/web_informational/dpds021568.pdf

That means primarily intended for commercial, warehousing, etc. BUT housing could be a “conditional use,” per the zoning rules.

dsa February 29, 2016 (6:02 pm)

They should be saved for future generations even if we don’t have an immediate use. If sold, the property is gone forever, and the future will never be able to use it for public use.

DDelRio February 29, 2016 (7:10 pm)

I think affordable housing on some of it, and green space for the rest.

Kay K February 29, 2016 (10:07 pm)

Is this the property mentioned on the radio today?

WSB February 29, 2016 (10:13 pm)

We’ve been reporting on the Myers Parcels open-space proposal for a year and a half (and years ago, back when it was one of the proposed jail sites). The petition page in our story here, if you click through, mentions a recent public-radio story, so maybe that was it. – TR

george February 29, 2016 (11:15 pm)

No housing. Just leave it alone.

chemist March 1, 2016 (1:02 am)

I’m kind of surprised this wasn’t studied as an alternate site for the SoDo arena, at least as part of the EIS.

Craig March 1, 2016 (6:43 am)

We know there is a ever increasing shortage of affordable housing and an escalating homeless crisis in Seattle. We’ve recently heard that our city needs more dog parks and Cola is actively looking for space. We know that a large portion of our population that would like to have access to a mountain biking facility. We know the value in expanding Seattle’s urban canopy in the face of urban sprawl. The City’s ownership of the Myers property is an opportunity to shape the area in a way that enhances local livability and potentially solves some our collective challenges.

Tahara Chapman March 1, 2016 (8:22 am)

Leave this space alone! Yes, Urban farming and parks put in this place. Save the wetland and forested area!!!!

John March 1, 2016 (8:28 am)

Well said Craig.

Until you get to, “We know the value in expanding Seattle’s urban canopy in the face of urban sprawl.”

That is a fundamental contradiction.

Expanding Seattle’s urban canopy reduces Seattle’s housing , thus increasing homelessness and exporting the housing to the burb’s with the result of increasing urban sprawl and increasing stresses to our planet.

As recent events illustrate, more than ever before, Housing First should be our number one goal.

Craig March 1, 2016 (2:02 pm)

Maybe you’re right John, or maybe a portion of the area might become affordable housing and a portion might remain a dedicated green space or? Something to think about. My point is that we now have a host of possibilities but if the City sells the property then we’ll get what we get… K mart, row houses, Super 8?…

Mary Fleck March 1, 2016 (9:02 am)

Let’s cherish what we have! Beautiful wetlands, forest, meadow, streams and views. We are spending millions to clean-up the Duwamish. This land can help with natural water filtration. It is part of the Hamm Creek watershed. Kids in South Park have asthma. Let’s improve this tree canopy!

John March 1, 2016 (9:19 am)

@Mary Fleck,

What about the homeless kids with or without asthma?

The same land developed would also be a water return system like Highpoint, achieving the same or better results as a vacant blackberry and mono-culture tree-scape, all without the homeless being deprived of housing.

Contrary to the claims of the public radio piece, the recently redeveloped adjacent low and mixed income housing is not wall to wall with no yards, open space or gathering areas. To the contrary it is thoughtful, welcoming and beautiful.

The Myers Way sites should also be sensitively developed with views and streams preserved, even enhanced.

bolo March 1, 2016 (12:29 pm)

“…vacant blackberry and mono-culture tree-scape…”
Not true, John. I have identified several varieties of maple, as well as alder, among others I was not able to identify. I have also seen several birds of prey in that area, including bald eagle. Maybe you didn’t look hard enough before forming your opinion?