In an act of desperation, the SeaTac City Council and staff have declared war on property and business owners around the SeaTac Airport Light Rail Station, by imposing a development moratorium on a 30-acre area around the new Sound Transit Airport station.

The City's goal is to prevent property owners from developing anything while the City forces through an entertainment district at a cost of over $100 million to SeaTac taxpayers.

The viability of this "entertainment district" has not been proven nor does it have the Citizen's endorsement. The financing scheme calls for increased taxes, car tab fees, and a host of other modifications within the zoning code.

This adds insult to injury because the City has already initiated condemnation procedures against Park n Fly despite Park n Fly having a valid development agreement with the City to build a mixed-use project with a hotel, retail, and parking.

This "development moratorium" resolution was presented by outgoing Councilman Chris Wythe. It was not on the agenda, and appeared to have been written hours after the City received an application for development in the station area, on the day of the Council meeting.

Other council members seemed to be aware of the seven-page resolution beforehand and it begs the question of whether this was pre-negotiated, in violation of the Open Public Meetings Act.

It was not presented in any other committee meetings; I was at all of them.

It should be noted that Councilman Wythe (with staff help) was also the driver behind the tree retention fiasco, which attempted to impose tree growing/cutting restrictions on all private property.

As a result of the election, Rick Forschler will replace Wythe in January.

To anti-property rights Councilman Wythe, I say good riddance. Don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Earl Gipson
SeaTac