In a news release sent out on Oct. 3, the King County Wastewater Treatment Division announced plans to reduce the number of bioswales (similar to rain gardens) and impacted streets in the Westwood and Sunrise Heights neighborhoods of West Seattle, as part of the Barton CSO wastewater control project.

In addition, they plan to reduce the number and size of curb bulbs to maintain more on-street parking, "preservation of property access and tree canopy," and rebates/financial incentives for residents who volunteer to install raingardens and cisterns on their property.

The changes are due in part to community push back against the project, with concerns ranging from loss of parking to safety concerns of standing water in the bioswales during heavy rain.

The purpose of the project is to reduce combined sewer overflows into Puget Sound during periods of heavy rainfall.

An open house on the changes is set for Saturday, Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to noon at Westside School, 7740 34th Ave S.W.

Here is the press release from King County:

Neighbors’ input, technical review guides Barton CSO project design updates

Project revisions, RainWise partnership to be discussed at Oct. 13 open house

Neighbors are invited to an open house on Saturday, Oct. 13 to learn about design updates to King County’s Barton Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control project in West Seattle.

The open house is set for 10 a.m. to noon at the Westside School, 7740 34th Ave. S.W., Seattle.

Combined sewer overflows occur during heavy rain when stormwater fills sewers to capacity in older parts of the city. To comply with state water quality requirements, King County will control CSOs from the Barton Pump Station through a system of bioretention swales and Green Stormwater Infrastructure in West Seattle’s Sunrise Heights and Westwood neighborhoods.

Project staff will share a number of design updates that reflect new technical information and community member feedback, including:

• A reduction in the number of bioswales and impacted streets.
• Fewer and smaller curb bulbs to preserve parking.
• Preservation of property access and tree canopy.
• Rebates and financial incentives for residents to voluntarily install raingardens and cisterns through Seattle’s RainWise program.

Additional information is available at the Barton CSO Control Program website:http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/wtd/Construction/Seattle/BartonCS…, or by contacting Kristine Cramer at 206-263-3184 or kristine.cramer@kingcounty.gov.