About 80 Burien citizens attended the January 23, 2008, Highline School District public hearing about the sale of a piece of HSD land. Numerous citizens spoke about their concerns for the environment, our wetlands, creeks, educational programs, Seahurst Park and our children.

There appears to be some contradiction between what Westmark says it is doing to work with its neighbors compared to what it has actually done, based on public testimony.

Westmark claims in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that since it is vested in 1990 King County regulations, they are not required to mitigate any impacts its Emerald Pointe multifamily development might cause to Seahurst Park or the surrounding open spaces.

However, the public through HSD does have a responsibility to be concerned about the environment, our parks, our creeks, the creatures that live on that land, our educational programs, our children and our neighbors - even if Westmark claims it does not have to.

That land is part of the public commons and should be used to enhance life for all in the City of Burien. Currently, major parts of the proposed Westmark project appear to be minimally concerned about all who may be affected by it.

It is not clear as to when the school district will vote on this sale of land -before or after the EIS is estimated to be completed in May. Also, it is not clear whether the HSD will do its own EIS on its own land and follow its policies or whether it will claim that it only has to follow the 1990 vesting that Westmark claims to have.

Citizens who have concerns for Seahurst Park, the environment or educational programs for students (Marine Tech-OSC program) should contact the school district with those concerns. What the citizens allow to be done with that strip of land speaks volumes to what we, the citizens, value in Burien.

Catherine Aldridge

Burien