White Center Now: The blog about White Center

By Tracy Record
White Center Now editor

The biggest news from Thursday night’s North Highline Unincorporated Area Council meeting was also the shortest item on the agenda. That’s how the night began:

16TH SW RECHANNELIZATION PROJECT: Months after a hint that something was in the works for 16th SW, the proposal has been unveiled. Broch Bender from King County led off the meeting simply to say that 16th SW is being proposed for rechannelization between 100th and 107th, and a postcard is going out soon to residents and businesses within half a mile of the project zone. This stretch has seen more than 20 pedestrians hit – at least two killed – in the past decade.

As shown on the flyer, they’re asking you for opinions on two options – with or without bike lanes. In both options, general traffic lanes will be reduced from two each way to one each way, and parking will be added on at least one side of the road. Here they are in cross-section view.

You can tell King County what you think via this survey. The project website has even more details – including, at the bottom, the project budget (about $1 million) and a construction timeline – 2024.

Also at the NHUAC meeting:

ENVIRONMENT: Nicole Sanders had three environmental/sustainability topics to discuss – rebates proposed for electric-vehicle charging installed in affordable housing, for starters. She said some have contended it’s not needed but within a few years, EV pricing is expected to match gas, among other reasons. There’s no funding currently set aside for these possible rebates but that could change.

Second, greenhouse-gas mitigation – whether this should be required. State legislation might pre-empt local action, so they’re advising county council not to pursue any specific local legislation right now.

Third, research on whether “new fossil-fuel facilities” have enough financial coverage – insurance, etc. to cover possible impacts including pollution and disaster. Three types of facilities can be built in unincorporated King County.

Sanders reviewed where these types of facilities can go and what requirements there are. She showed where there’s industrial land in North Highline that could allow these types of facilities, but also said the likelihood of any getting proposed/built seems low. Then she showed the risks and possible reasons for financial-coverage needs. Here’s the timeline for possible legislation – look for a public-comment period to start at the end of March.

If you have a question:

No, this isn’t coming forth in anticipation of any of these types of proposals – but they just want to be ready, the county reps said, in case one does emerge someday.

NORTH HIGHLINE SUBAREA PLAN: Jacqueline Reid returned to NHUAC with an update. They’re currently going through all the public comments received last fall, with a revised draft policy due at the end of March. These are some of the topics that have come up:

Planned upzoning is in the yellowed areas on this unofficial map:

Reid showed where residential zoning currently allows 6 dwellings per acre and would be upzoned to 12 per acre

Height limits would stay the same – 35 feet. This upzoning could add eventually more than 1,000 units. There’s also a proposal to increase some areas even further – up to 18 or 24 units per acre:

R-24 would have a 60-foot height limit. Questions were asked about some neighborhoods that are now zoned R-6 suddenly leaping to R-24 – “is there a discussion about stepping” to cover the transition? “This seems like a huge upzone … with no transition.” Concerns also were raised about a lack of services and infrastructure in some of the areas proposed for upzoning. One attendee was concerned that North Highline is targeted for more than its share of growth; Reid said that was not the case.

Ultimately, it was pointed out that the state sets the numbers that local areas are expected to absorb, and that means their comprehensive plans have to show how they will do that. Not planning for growth is not an option. Funding could be withheld, for one.

FIREWORKS BAN: Local Services director John Taylor was there to talk about the new fireworks law. It kicks in this year. Public displays are still allowed with permits.

They’re considering alternative non-police methods of enforcement for the second year and beyond (the first year is warnings only). That would include having people report fireworks violators, with citations to be sent to them via Code Enforcement, rather than sending an enforcer out.

Questions included, how could you cite someone by mail if they’re illegally shooting off fireworks someplace besides their home? Discussion included plans for education to make sure everyone knows fireworks are now illegal.

EX-TARADISE CAFE: NHUAC’s Liz Giba said there are concerns work is being done there without permits. Taylor said he’d look into it. A state Liquor and Cannabis Board rep said the new owner has received conditional liquor-license approval and apparently hopes to open within a few months. (We reported on the new owner two months ago.)

UNINCORPORATED AREA TOWN HALL: This year it’s going to focus on the Community Needs List, Taylor said – reviewing what they’ve heard and prioritizing it, so that the needs can be used in priorities for the next budget biennium.

CRIME UPDATES; From Deputy Bill Kennamer – gun crimes have more than doubled, and deputies are disappointed that when they do arrest people, “they’re out of jail very quickly.” He mentioned this week’s proposal that even fewer suspects be allowed to be booked. The County Executive’s Office has provided funding for 33 hours of overtime each week – almost a full deputy, as he put it – to crack down on crime in the core.

Asked if crime is getting more violent, Deputy Kennamer said absolutely, and ticked through various incidents including a brazen robbery in which someone was pistol-whipped.

OTHER UPDATES/ANNOUNCEMENTS: The LCB rep said an unidentified convenience store in White Center was caught selling alcohol to minors four times and lost its license; it’s since ben sold to a new owner who’ll been making a fresh start.

Darlene Sellers from King County Parks said teens have a new job launch program coming – they voted to have cosmetology and salon professionals present, next Thursday. (We’ll have a separate announcement on that tomorrow.)

NEXT NHUAC MEETING: 7 pm March 3, online.

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