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The City of Seattle
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An ordinance relating to the Seattle Parks and Recreation; authorizing the Superintendent to identify, negotiate, and acquire real property and property rights in the Delridge neighborhood of West Seattle for the permanent preservation and expansion of the Delridge Native Forest; authorizing blanket authority for future acquisition of real property in the Delridge Native Forest including property that may have connection with Sound Transit’s West Seattle Link Extension, which is expected to require park greenspace conversions; authorizing execution of purchase and sale agreements, escrow instruments, and related documents as funding is appropriated; and ratifying and confirming certain prior acts.
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Recitals:
The City of Seattle has a long-standing policy commitment to preserving forested open space for ecological integrity, climate resilience, environmental justice, and public benefit.
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) has been granted blanket authority to purchase greenspace properties in certain priority areas in Ordinance 125664.
The Delridge Native Forest is an emerging, ecologically significant forested green space in West Seattle that supports tree canopy, wildlife habitat, stormwater attenuation, and protection of the Longfellow Creek watershed.
The Seattle Department of Transportation is administering a reforestation project on City-owned parcels in the Delridge neighborhood, in partnership with SPR, the Green Seattle Partnership, the Delridge Neighborhood Development Association, and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
Privately owned inholdings adjacent to this reforestation area are subject to active development pressure, and if developed they would permanently fragment restored forest lands and eliminate future conservation opportunities.
King County has approved funding through the Conservation Futures Levy program for acquisition of priority properties within the Delridge Native Forest.
Sound Transit is planning the West Seattle Link Extension, which may require acquisition, temporary use, or permanent conversion of existing parkland in the broader area.
The City’s interests in both maintaining green space and promoting public transit are best served by acquiring property.
Granting standing authority to the Superintendent is necessary and desirable to preserve the Delridge Native Forest and facilitate the transportation benefits to Seattle residents through the Sound Transit West Seattle Link Extension. Therefore,
Be it ordained by The City of Seattle as follows:
Section 1. Purpose. The purposes of this ordinance are: (a) the permanent preservation and expansion of the Delridge Native Forest; and (b) establishing a framework that allows the City to facilitate transit development for Seattle residents by securing replacement or mitigation park greenspace consistent with City policy, including Ordinance 118477 in advance of Sound Transit identifying replacement City park greenspace property for the West Seattle Link Extension (Transit Project) that are subject to Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966.
Section 2. Authorization to identify and acquire property. The Superintendent of Parks and Recreation (Superintendent) is authorized to identify, evaluate, negotiate, and acquire real property not otherwise owned by the City, through one or more transactions, located in a geographic area described as being south of SW Myrtle Street, west of the 19th Ave SW Stairs, north of Sylvan Way SW at its intersection with Delridge Way SW, and east of Delridge Way SW, in the Delridge neighborhood of West Seattle (approximately four acres) for park and recreation purposes, including for forest preservation, conservation, or future replacement of parkland purposes (Properties).
Section 3. Authorization to pay fair market value subject to appropriation. The Superintendent is authorized to pay fair market value as determined by appraisal and negotiation as purchase price for the Properties, such funding being subject to appropriation.
Section 4. Programmatic advance acquisition authority. The Superintendent is authorized to acquire additional parcels within the Delridge Native Forest geographic area as defined in Section 2.
Section 5. Jurisdiction and management. Properties acquired pursuant to this ordinance shall be placed under the jurisdiction of Seattle Parks and Recreation and managed for conservation and forest preservation purposes.
Section 6. Replacement property. The City Council may by future ordinance determine that Properties acquired pursuant to this ordinance are “replacement property,” as the term is used in Ordinance 118477, for current City park greenspace property required for Sound Transit’s West Seattle Link Extension if Sound Transit so requests and provides the acquisition funds for the Properties either at the time of the conveyance or by later agreement.
Section 7. Ratification. Any act consistent with the authority of this ordinance taken prior to its effective date is ratified and confirmed.
This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070.
Passed by the City Council and signed in open session in authentication of its passage on .
President of the City Council
on .
Katie B. Wilson, Mayor
Scheereen Dedman, City Clerk