Dear Editor-

I live in the Lowman Beach Park neighborhood and I consider Lincoln Park to be my backyard. I was a part time attendee at the Murray Citizen’s Advisory Group meetings concerning Combined Sewer Overflows. I learned many things that the public should be aware of. Unfortunately, despite the development of controversy and contention between two separate areas of West Seattle, there is way too little space dedicated in newspapers to the full development of all the issues. Read on for a short hand version of the controversy:

1) Water (and sewage) flow downhill unless you spend quite a lot of money to deter gravity.

2) The Barton and Murray Basins are geographical areas designated on King County maps that naturally funnel water (and sewage) into certain locations on the western, or downhill, edges of those basins.

3) Lowman Beach Park is the natural location where untreated storm water (and sewage) from the Murray Basin stops unless you want it to go straight into Puget Sound.

4) The Fauntleroy Ferry terminal is the natural location where untreated storm water (and sewage) from the Barton Basin stops unless you want it to go straight into Puget Sound.

5) There are physical limitations to the amount of water (and sewage) that can be pumped at any one time.

6) These physical limitations are exceeded when there are either storms with rain coming down like “cats and dogs,” or when there is lesser rainfall for a protracted period of time that saturates the ground to a point where it can absorb no more.

7) These physical limitations result in untreated storm water (and sewage) going straight into Puget Sound.

8) Washington State EPA is not happy when this happens, nor should any of us be happy to have such crud polluting the waters that we all love.

9) No one wants a sewage storage facility in their neighborhood, aka NIMBY.

10) The Murray (Lowman Beach Park) group suggested the Barton (Fauntleroy) group handle their own storage issues thereby lessening the need in the Murray Basin.

11) The Barton (Fauntleroy) group thinks they’ve got the lion’s share of community burden anyway, due to the location of the Fauntleroy Ferry Terminal and the impact it has on parking and driving in the area.

12) A Seattle Municipal Ordinance was discovered that prohibits diverting Seattle Parks to other governmental uses without providing a new park of similar size and use as a substitute and gives citizens the right to challenge in City Council decision that would do so. This would apply to both Lowman and Lincoln Parks.

13) Nobody likes the use of eminent domain to take private property, but King County is recommending this approach.

What to do? The need is clear and obvious. The answer is to find an area that is at the bottom of a basin that is big enough to handle the temporary storage requirements during peak rainfall and the pumps required to get the stuff down to the West Point Treatment Facility. This area should not be in any park. The most obvious location is the area immediately East of Lowman Beach Park.

There are approximately 6 private properties and a large area that is presently unused Othello SW.

Yes, I am endorsing eminent domain.

The concept has received a black eye recently because properties were involuntarily purchased for the infamous monorail, then sold to third parties for a profit after the monorail was defeated. Many individuals were burned and the public was incensed. However, eminent domain is designed to meet the needs of the many by purchasing private land of a few for a fair market value.

The location east of Lowman Beach Park allows the use of gravity to ensure storm water (and sewage) get where they need to go in the most economical manner. It would save both Lincoln and Lowman Beach Parks.

The area could be made into an attractive facility that would compliment Lowman Beach Park rather than degrade it. This decision preserves our resources and does the least harm to the least number of people.

Sharon E. Best
West Seattle