CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR); authorizing the acquisition of real property commonly known as 3638 34th Avenue South; authorizing acceptance of a recording of the deed for open space, park, and recreation purposes; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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WHEREAS, Ordinance 122749 authorized the 2008 Parks and Green Spaces Levy and identified the North Rainier Hub Urban Village as a target for acquisition funding due to its identification in the Parks and Recreation 2006 Development Plan and Gap Analysis as being deficient in open space relative to the City’s comprehensive plan goals; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 123709 authorized the purchase of the property commonly known as 3640 35th Avenue South for open space, park, and recreation purposes; and
WHEREAS, said property, being 6,650 square feet in size, did not meet Seattle Parks and Recreation’s (SPR) 10,000-square-foot minimum size requirement for filling a park, recreation, and open space service gap; and
WHEREAS, in August 2014, voters approved Proposition 1, creating a metropolitan park district contiguous with the borders of the city of Seattle, known as the Seattle Park District, as permitted under Chapter 35.61 RCW; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 124868 authorized the purchase of the property commonly known as 3650 34th Avenue South, being 25,920 square feet in size, for open space, park, and recreation purposes; and
WHEREAS, public park development planning between SPR and the community revealed a desire on the part of park users to increase the utility of the park site and create a gateway entrance at the corner of 34th Avenue South and South Charlestown Street through the purchase of an additional parcel; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 125537 authorized the purchase of the property commonly known as 3656 34th Avenue South, being 6,617 square feet in size, for open space, park and recreation purposes; and
WHEREAS, said land assemblage resulted in a land-banked park site 39,187 square feet in size (0.90 acres); and
WHEREAS, the 2017 Park Plan used race, equity and health, poverty and income, and population density mapping, among other criteria, to help identify priority areas for the Long-Term Acquisition Strategy; and
WHEREAS, the 2017 Park Plan identified the North Rainier Hub Urban Village as having among the highest occurrence levels in the city of obesity, diabetes, and lack of physical activity, based on socio-economic data correlated with health data; and
WHEREAS, SPR’s public park development planning process, with the adjoining community comprised of residents of dense multifamily housing built for large families and seniors, revealed a desire on the part of the future park users to increase the utility of the park site and create a gateway entrance at the corner of 34th Avenue South and South Charlestown Street through the purchase of an additional parcel; and
WHEREAS, the 2017 Park Plan identifies a neighborhood park as being between 0.25 and 9 acres in size; and
WHEREAS, at 39,187 square feet, the existing park site exceeds the 10,000-square-foot minimum size to meet walking distance criteria to fill a service gap; however, it is too small to provide features and programming to address the existing equity and health disparities compared to other areas of the city; and
WHEREAS, there exists an opportunity, with a willing seller, to execute the final acquisition of an adjoining 12,960-square-foot parcel at 3638 34th Avenue South, which could enhance connectivity both to the senior residents to the north and the immediate surrounding neighbors, and create an urban park that will provide this growing multi-generational neighborhood with breathing space, open space, and active space; and
WHEREAS, this acquisition would complete almost ten years of property assemblage and result in a park site of significant size at 1.20 acres (52,147 square feet) that would be difficult to replicate in this competitive real estate market; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF SEATTLE AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Superintendent of Parks and Recreation (“Superintendent”), or the Superintendent’s designee, is authorized, on behalf of The City of Seattle, to acquire the following described real property, situated in the City of Seattle, County of King, State of Washington, and commonly known as the property at 3638 34th Avenue South (“Property”), together with all rights, privileges, and other property pertaining thereto, for open space, park, and recreation purposes:
The land referred to hereinbelow is situated in the County of King, State of Washington, and is described as follows:
LOTS 3 AND 4 AND LOTS 17 AND 18 IN BLOCK 44, C.D. HILLMAN’S PLAT OF RAINIER BOULEVARD GARDEN ADDITION TO THE CITY OF SEATTLE, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN VOLUME 12 OF PLATS, PAGE 65, IN KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON.
Section 2. The Superintendent, or the Superintendent’s designee, is authorized to execute and perform on behalf of The City of Seattle a Real Estate Purchase and Sale Agreement (“Agreement”) with the seller substantially in the form of Attachment 1 to this ordinance, by which the City will acquire the Property in exchange for a purchase price not to exceed $2,000,000, as supported by an appraisal, negotiation, and other promises set forth in the Agreement; and to accept a deed for the Property consistent with the terms of the Agreement by executing a Deed Acceptance Certificate substantially in the form of Attachment 2 to this ordinance.
Section 3. The Property shall be placed under the jurisdiction of Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Section 4. Any act consistent with the authority of this ordinance taken prior to its effective date is ratified and confirmed.
Section 5. This ordinance shall take effect and be in force 30 days after its approval by the Mayor, but if not approved and returned by the Mayor within 10 days after presentation, it shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Section 1.04.020.
Passed by the City Council the ________ day of _________________________, 2021, and signed by me in open session in authentication of its passage this _____ day of _________________________, 2021.
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President ____________ of the City Council
Approved / returned unsigned / vetoed this ________ day of _________________, 2021.
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Jenny A. Durkan, Mayor
Filed by me this ________ day of _________________________, 2021.
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Monica Martinez Simmons, City Clerk
(Seal)
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Agreement for Purchase and Sale of Real Property
Attachment 2 - Deed Acceptance Certificate