SeaTac lawmakers are expected to approve Tuesday, Dec. 14 a contract to receive fire administration and other fire services from Kent.

SeaTac has formed an exploratory committee to study merging with the Kent Regional Fire Authority.
In the interim, the proposed interlocal agreement would bring efficiencies and improvements to SeaTac fire services, according to city officials.

SeaTac would contract with Kent for administration including a fire chief, emergency management, fire prevention, public education, fire investigations and firefighter training.

If approved, the agreement would begin Jan. 1 and is estimated to save SeaTac $113,000 a year.
Bob Meyer retired as SeaTac's fire chief and Brian Wiwel has been serving as acting chief and the city's emergency manager.

The city has an unfilled fire inspector position and no fire marshal. SeaTac currently contracts with the King County Sheriff's Office for fire investigations.

The proposed agreement appeared headed for approval at the Nov. 29 council meeting. However, Councilman Rick Forschler requested action be delayed until the Dec. 14 meeting.

Forschler requested the delay as a courtesy to the merger exploratory committee. Forschler said the committee should have more time to study the interlocal agreement. SeaTac real estate agent Robin Loudon was newly appointed to the committee on Nov. 29.

Councilwoman Pam Fernald said the proposed agreement felt "a little hinky," since SeaTac is also considering merging with Kent.

Councilman Tony Anderson countered that committee members were fully aware of the contents of the possible interlocal agreement. Anderson noted there have been four hearings on the subject.

Lawmakers also rescinded the city's controversial airport light-rail station area plan. The plan had come under fire after council members condemned a surface parking lot owned by James and Doris Cassan. City officials planned to build a parking garage on the land to serve a planned entertainment district near the light rail station. They later rescinded the action after an outcry from SeaTac business people and eminent domain opponents.

The council also received complaints that planned new streets through the area would actually hinder viable economic redevelopment.

Lawmakers voted unanimously Nov. 29 to kill the station area plan and incorporate its provisions into an existing city center plan.

But council members also agreed to incorporate into the city center plan, parking management practices that would discourage "hide-'n-ride" parking. Because the city center/airport light rail station does not have its own parking lot, some riders leave their vehicles on neighborhood streets and ride the light rail.
Interim City Manager Todd Cutts noted city officials 'haven't heard a lot of noise" from residents and businesses near the station about such parking problems.

But Mayor Terry Anderson said a lot of people are parking in neighboring SeaTac streets around the Tukwila light-rail station on South 154th Street. Residents in the area are "not happy campers" the mayor reported.

Council members also agreed to a policy of reducing traffic mitigation fees around the city center light rail station to encourage economic development.

Despite agreement that SeaTac should ban future surface parking lots in the city center area, lawmakers stopped short of completely closing the door on them.

Senior planner Mike Scarey introduced a provision that would have prohibited new city center surface lots, even as a temporary use.

But Forschler said he was worried that a developer building a parking garage could not receive revenue during construction by providing a temporary surface parking g lot.

"We might be penalizing people for doing what we want," Forschler noted.

Forschler suggested allowing interim surface lots through development agreements.

Roger McCracken from Master Park commented that codes for surface lots are so stringent that developing a short-term surface lot might not be economically viable.

The vote on Forschler's proposal was 5-2 with Councilwoman Pam Fernald, Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher, Mayor Terry Anderson, Councilman Tony Anderson and Forschler voting yes. Councilwoman Mia Gregerson and Councilman Ralph Shape vote no.

Lawmakers also voted unanimously to reject rezoning a parcel at 19740 Military Road S. from residential medium density to industrial use. The triangle shaped parcel is between Military Road South and Interstate 5.

Angle Lake and Military Road residents objected strongly to the proposed rezone near their homes.