Local attorney Steve Edmiston spoke on behalf of Quiet Skies Puget Sound.[/caption] By Jack Mayne Quiet Skies Puget Sound leader Steve Edmiston told the Des Moines City Council Thursday night (May 25) the city and his group have worked out past differences and have come to an agreement to work together in light of huge increases in Sea-Tac Airport traffic with little concern for the safety of the people living below its flight paths. Mayor Matt Pina said a recent meeting with the Quiet Skies Coalition of Burien and Quiet Skies Puget Sound of Des Moines was “a necessary conversation that had to happen” and he called the session “very positive and very productive.” City Manager Michael Matthias said the Quiet Skies meeting was very positive and gave those attending a chance to speak very frankly. The Council was also told of the new Marina parking rates to come soon. More flights, no protection Edmiston spoke on behalf of Quiet Skies Puget Sound and said the mission of the group is “protecting our quality of life in response to two threats.” The organization says the threats are aircraft noise from new flight paths and procedures and “harm to human health and the environment from aircraft emissions.” He said the local group is the 29th of 35 national chapters and the fastest growing group with over 800 Facebook members. Its members have testified on an emissions bill in the Washington Legislature, and it also organized public comment to the commissioners of the Port of Seattle and a local Des Moines “mega meeting.” Edmiston said the Quiet Skies Puget Sound group will repeat a forum in Burien on June 6. He showed a slide that said, “Fight the Flight 101, how bad is it?” and noted there are more planes, lower flights, louder planes, flights in different from usual flight paths and later at night and earlier in the morning. The Port has told its commissioners that “260 more planes fly over your house every day,” and that “the difference between 2013 and 2016 was 94,984 operations. That’s 260 more aircraft going over homes per day. Edmiston said a Port of Seattle report says it will “triple air cargo volume to 750,000 metric tons in the next five years.” The number of international flights will double during the five-year period and the Port adds it “will meet the region’s air transportation needs at Sea-Tac Airport for the next 25 years and encourage the cost effective expansion of domestic and international passengers and cargo service.” There is nothing in the Port’s “Century Agenda” about noise or human health, nor is there any “strategy, objective, metric, or priority action for ‘partnering with surrounding communities’” and “nothing about sustaining the human species.” Marina parking fees The Council was also briefed on new parking rates scheduled to go into effect on June 12, 10 days after the summer opening of the Farmer’s Market. Previous to the actual collection of parking charges, the gates will be up and operating to acclimate people to their use, said Matthias. Rates can be changed at any time depending on specifics. The rates are $1 an hour up to the all day rate of $5.00. Des Moines residents can buy an annual fee of $30 for a discounted price of $15 for the remainder of 2017. Frequent uses can pay a $90 annual fee, or $45 for the remainder of this year. Disabled parking is free on the marina floor and Farmer’s Market patrons on Saturday and Wednesday will be given two hour complimentary coupons with purchases and patrons of Anthony’s restaurant will get free parking with validation. Matthias said the city is working with event organizers to provide reduced parking or rental rates and he said the city will review the rates and change them if situations warrant. He also noted that moorage patrons pay for parking in their leases. The parking fee paid patron will get an electronic card that can be used for whatever car the person decides to use. The fee is not attached to a car, but to a person. The city will start selling cards at the Marina office on May 30, said Marina Manager Joe Dusenbury.]]>
Council told more planes but no people protection; Marina parking fees coming
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The one thing our city had going for it was the fact that EVERYONE, regardless of income status could enjoy public property. You have not thrown that away. Take a lesson from places like Leavenworth, Kirkland, West Seattle. No fees to park. Encouraging walking, driving, etc. No overbearing police force. The first signs people see are “welcome to…” not CLICK IT OR TICKET AND RED LIGHT CAMERA”. I have lived here many years and am really saddened by the decisions made of late.
The one thing our city had going for it was the fact that EVERYONE, regardless of income status could enjoy public property. You have not thrown that away. Take a lesson from places like Leavenworth, Kirkland, West Seattle. No fees to park. Encouraging walking, driving, etc. No overbearing police force. The first signs people see are “welcome to…” not CLICK IT OR TICKET AND RED LIGHT CAMERA”. I have lived here many years and am really saddened by the decisions made of late.
So watch that marina area residents and retailers feel the brunt of this. People will still come but I suspect the Red Robin and streets just to the back of the marina to have congested parking. All this does is shift patrons away from enjoying our publicly funded parks and make it more difficult for marina area residents to park by their own home. No more ‘free’ concerts or movies in the park. Those couple of bucks also decrease what might be spent elsewhere to support our neighborhood retailers around the marina and instead inflate a government coffer to a place that was already funded by taxes.
So watch that marina area residents and retailers feel the brunt of this. People will still come but I suspect the Red Robin and streets just to the back of the marina to have congested parking. All this does is shift patrons away from enjoying our publicly funded parks and make it more difficult for marina area residents to park by their own home. No more ‘free’ concerts or movies in the park. Those couple of bucks also decrease what might be spent elsewhere to support our neighborhood retailers around the marina and instead inflate a government coffer to a place that was already funded by taxes.