Res 08-528
RESOLUTION NO. 08 -5J-Cj
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY, WASHINGTON,
EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR 272nd STREET AS
A POTENTIAL LIGHT -RAIL TRANSIT SOUTHERLY
TERMINUS POINT FOR AN "ST2" PACKAGE - AND
URGING SOUND TRANSIT TO BRING LIGHT-RAIL
TRANSIT AT LEAST TO THAT POINT.
WHEREAS, the City of Federal Way has gone on record in underscoring Light-
Rail Transit (LRT) as the cornerstone of the high-capacity transit modes operated by
Sound Transit - and the one that will most dramatically impact the City given its place as
King County's third-largest city, its location on a major traffic corridor, its distance from
Sounder Commuter Rail lines to the east, and its focus on creating a vibrant, growing,
livable, walkable, and transit-oriented community in the spirit of the Growth
Management Act (GMA); and
WHEREAS, the City of Federal Way strongly believes that the best way to utilize
the people-moving effectiveness and reliability of Light Rail is to connect it with all
major population and employment centers in the Central Puget Sound region, specifically
Everett to Lakewood on the north and south and Seattle to at least Redmond on the east;
and including Federal Way; and
WHEREAS, the City of Federal Way has urged Sound Transit to do everything
possible in its proposed "ST2" package to live up to its own vision of connecting these
centers; and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit is to be commended for undertaking an extensive
public outreach effort regarding ST2, and for sitting down with key leaders in the region
to look at the size, duration of years, and components of its package; and
RES # () S" -S~~ , Page 1
WHEREAS, a Sound Transit light-rail package that in one version extended south
only to 200th Street has been re-examined to look first at the Highline Community
College as a southerly terminus point, and now more recently to a IS-year package that
extends to 272nd Street as a potential southerly terminus point; and
WHEREAS, the City of Federal Way sees 272nd Street as a marked improvement
over other previously-considered southerly terminus points - specifically because it abuts
the Federal Way city limits to add convenience to potential LRT riders, and, importantly,
provides a clear transit 'nexus' with established park-and-ride stations at Star Lake and
Redondo and a potential LRT "in-line station" at 1-5 and 272nd Street; and
WHEREAS, it makes a great deal of sense to marry up LRT with this high-use
transit interchange, particularly given the fact that Federal Way is located centrally
between major job centers and has the highest number of regular transit riders in South
King County; and
WHEREAS, in its own polling, Sound Transit saw that the highest percentage of
its respondents (60 percent) stated that their No.1 priority is the location of LRT and
where it is connected; and
WHEREAS Sound Transit plans to combine in its proposed ballot-measure
package a 272nd Street southerly terminus point for LRT with: 1) preliminary engineering
and design and strategic right-of-way acquisition funds for LRT all the way to Tacoma;
and 2) a potential "mid-point" check-in with voters to see if a .05% sales tax should be
extended to construct LRT through to Tacoma.
RES # 00' Sd-~ , Page 2
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL
WAY, RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The City of Federal Way City Council supports Sound Transit's vision
of constructing high-capacity mass transit connecting urban centers between Everett-
Lakewood, and Seattle-Redmond, including light rail in Federal Way.
Section 2. The City of Federal Way City Council expresses its appreciation to
Sound Transit for examining 272nd Street as a potential southerly terminus point for
Light-Rail Transit in a Phase 2 package.
Section 3. The City of Federal Way City Council urges Sound Transit to work to
ensure that a 272nd Street terminus for LRT is combined with 1) preliminary engineering
and design and strategic right-of-way acquisition funds for LRT all the way to Tacoma;
and 2) a potential "mid-point" check-in with voters to see if a .05% sales tax should be
extended to construct LRT through to Tacoma.
Section 4. The City of Federal Way City Council urges the Sound Transit Board
to adjust the duration of its package to the 15 years necessary to ensure a terminus point
of at least 272nd Street, and continues to urge Sound Transit to go at least that far south in
implementing its LRT vision and connecting the urban centers that make LRT the most
reliable, most cost-effective, and most environmentally friendly ofthe high-capacity
transit modes operated by Sound Transit.
Section 5. Severability. If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this
resolution should be held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent
jurisdiction, such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or
constitutionality of any other section, sentence, clause or phrase ofthis resolution.
RES # 08 - 5;;~ , Page 3
Section 5. Corrections. The City Clerk and the codifiers of this resolution are
authorized to make necessary corrections to this resolution including, but not limited to,
the correction of scrivener/clerical errors, references, resolution numbering,
section/subsection numbers and any references thereto.
Section 6. Ratification. Any act consistent with the authority and prior to the
effective date of this resolution is hereby ratified and affirmed.
Section 7. Effective Date. This resolution shall be effective immediately upon
passage by the Federal Way City Council.
RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FEDERAL WAY,
WASHINGTON this 1'S) day of ~/"
,2008.
CITY OF FEDERAL WAY
ATTEST:
ATHAWAY,CMC
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
1~t1. ~
CITY ATTORNEY, PATRICIA A. RICHARDSON
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
RESOLUTION NO.:
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K:\Resolution\2008\ST2 to 272nd
RES# 08 ~SJ5 ,P~e4