Beachfront street-end parklet to be expanded as part of pump-station project in south West Seattle

That’s what the beachfront SW 98th street end south of Brace Point [map] is supposed to look like after Seattle Public Utilities finishes a pump-station upgrade that’s expected to go into construction next year. SPU is circulating word to the neighborhood that the project is now at 90 percent design; it’s a popular spot for sea-life watchers, so it’s of wider interest. The SPU facility there is officially Pump Station 71, and it’s part of the system that pumps sewage and stormwater to treatment plants further north. Along with upgrades to the pump station’s functionality, SPU says:

As part of this effort, we’ll be making some improvements to the shoreline street end as well. Some of the improvements include:

• Removing the guardrail and extending the useable street end 20+ feet to the east.
• Replacing the current bench as well as creating a pad for wheelchair access.
• Installing beach logs and adding native plants and new trees to enhance the natural area in the street end.

Construction will last at least six months and “could start as early as spring 2023,” SPU says.

13 Replies to "Beachfront street-end parklet to be expanded as part of pump-station project in south West Seattle"

  • cjboffoli March 28, 2022 (12:24 pm)

    Oh yes. The little parklet right beside a certain rock star’s beach cottage (hence the aggressive Google Maps street view blurring).

    • andreea March 28, 2022 (1:20 pm)

      What exactly is the objective of your post? Is privacy not something that you’d wish to be extended to you in the same circumstance?  Please consider deleting this (under the wisdom of the old adage ‘is it true? is it kind? is it necessary?”).

      • Ron Swanson March 29, 2022 (9:55 am)

        It’s literally a public record.  I was curious if my first guess was correct, put their name in the recorders office search, and got confirmation in about 30 seconds.

  • Meeeee March 28, 2022 (3:53 pm)

    Anyone can request Google maps blur their home.It’s not a big deal.

    • Azimuth March 28, 2022 (5:31 pm)

      On Apple Maps they use the Minecraft filter

  • Vanessa March 28, 2022 (5:07 pm)

    I wasn’t aware you can own your own beach. I thought anything along the water within 3 feet of the tides (or something) was public. 

  • danny March 28, 2022 (6:14 pm)

    The “privately owned beach” printed in the photo is not correct. WA state designates the width of the street end as public beach access which extends to the water per statute.
    https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/coastalatlas/tools/PublicAccessReport.aspx?beach=WS19420

    • Spicy Eight Piece March 28, 2022 (6:52 pm)

      Thank you for the above Danny. That incorrect text on the map confused me as well. I think I will visit this park specifically to lounge on the beach and wade in the water after it’s complete. I can’t wait!

  • valvashon March 28, 2022 (7:38 pm)

    If you go to the King County Assessors page and look at the end of 98th Street there is approximately 5000′ square feet of beach and tidelands that is privately owned.  Not sure why anybody would buy that piece of probably mostly underwater land but there you have it.https://blue.kingcounty.com/Assessor/eRealProperty/Dashboard.aspx?ParcelNbr=2346800590

    • Mike Dey March 28, 2022 (8:13 pm)

      I clicked on the link provided and it doesn’t help me much. It would seem very unusual for someone to buy, much less the City to sell the beach rights in front of a street end.  Beach rights to lower mean water were sold by the state to property owners decades ago. But it seems unlikely they would or could sell rights to beach that didn’t belong to the property owner.  

    • danny March 29, 2022 (7:14 am)

      I stand corrected, and rather shocked by this. Thanks for the link. 

  • Jethro Marx March 28, 2022 (9:46 pm)

    It is confusing but it sounds like we have a new beach at the end of 98th called “Privately owned.” Party annually on September 8th?

  • Mean Tide March 29, 2022 (11:07 am)

    This is a sad fact of Seattle and Washington.  Hawaii is the way to go, allowing beach access to all.  I feel it is wrong that Seattle (and Washington)  beaches are privately owned and controlled. Even California has laws (frequently thwarted by the rich) requiring beach access,  Here only the native tribes are allowed.

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