HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-06-2021 Sount TransitCouncil Preferred Alt
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and Authorization to Submit a
letter to Sound Transit regarding
Operations and Maintenance
Facility South
Public Works Department
4/6/2021
1
Policy Question
Should City Council approve a letter to the
Sound Transit Board regarding the location of
the proposed Operations and Maintenance
Facility South?
Draft Letter
April 6, 2021
Sound Transit Board
401 S Jackson Street
Seattle, Washington 98104
Re: Operations and Maintenance Facility — South Draft Environmental Impact
Statement
Dear Sound Transit Board Members,
The City of Federal Way's Mayor and Councilmembers have reviewed the findings of
the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) of the potential sites for the
Operations and Maintenance Facility South (OMF-South), conducted a Council Study
Session with Sound Transit staff, have heard from our community, and have reviewed
technical comments prepared by City staff. Our review has affirmed our belief that
the Midway Landfill needs to be identified as the preferred alternative and ultimately
be the site selected for this facility and the two Federal Way sites should be removed
from further review.
Draft Letter
We recognize that Sound Transit is building new transit infrastructure to support
sustainable growth in our region. In doing so, Sound Transit should not make a
decision that will have a lasting negative impact. Environmental review by way of
NEPA and SEPA was implemented at the Federal and State levels to evaluate the
impacts of government decisions in order to prevent them from causing unnecessary
impacts to communities like those that the OMF-South will have in Federal Way. The
336t" Street site will remove a church, a school, and a daycare that serve our
community as well as residences and other businesses. The 344t" Site will remove
multiple churches, 20 residences, and a dozen small businesses, including the Garage
Town community that the DEIS presents as a single business but is in fact made up of
over 60 unique owners. The Midway Landfill will displace significantly fewer
businesses and employees, no residents, and no civic institutions.
The DEIS presents a clear preferred alternative when the impacts are considered and
it is the Midway Landfill. In accordance with NEPA and SEPA, cost is not an
_ Environmental Impact, however the prepared DEIS clearly shows that Sound Transit
has elected to include costs within the decision matrix. In considering the overall
impacts and a robust environmental review process, cost cannot be a factor in your
decision, the impacts to the Federal Way sites are significant and will be far too
detrimental to our community.
Draft Letter
The DEIS overtly assumes that the City of Federal Way will approve vacating public
roads, that City staff will modify our Development Standards to permit this
development that would not be approved of other public or private developers, or
that adequate mitigation to these items could be found. We strongly object to Sound
Transit's finding of regulatory certainty on behalf of the Federal Way sites by
unilaterally assuming City approval. Additionally, Sound Transit does not have
adequate authority to commit the City of Federal Way to a future legislative act in
vacation of opened and utilized public right-of-way.
The City and Sound Transit have a shared interest in the success of the light rail
system and have enjoyed a successful partnership on the Federal Way Link Extension
to date. We have seen and heard from Sound Transit a willingness to look to the
future and make the decisions that are in the best interest for the future of this
region. In this spirit, we ask that the Sound Transit Board remove the two Federal
Way locations and select the Midway Landfill as the preferred alternative and site of
_ the new OMF-South.
City staff will provide additional technical comments under separate cover.
Sincerely,
Options Considered
1. Approve the proposed letter.
2. Approve the proposed letter with
modifications.
3. Do not approve letter and provide
to staff.
direction
Mayor's Recommendation
Option 1: Approve the proposed letter.
Questions?
