The following is a Letter to the Editor, written by a Reader. It does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media nor its staff:

City Councilmembers,

I want to alert you to environment degradation happening now above Seahurst Park.

Developers of the Emerald Point apartment project signed an agreement after a lengthy lawsuit brought by the Burien community group, Friends of Seahurst Park. The agreement is very specific on what they can and cannot do and the extensive mitigation required if they go ahead with this environmentally damaging project above the city’s largest park.

I am concerned that now the scrutiny is off them they are going ahead and doing what they want without regard to the agreement.

My understanding is they agreed not to construct buildings west of Building 7 at Sound Vista condos. The past week, they have bulldozed past that point almost to trails extensively used by the public above Seahurst Park.

Since they have begun knocking down trees and clearing land at the start of the rainy season, I doubt they will begin construction until spring. That means they will leave all that loose dirt to wash down the hill into the park during winter. I am skeptical about the measures they will use to contain the dirt.

I urge councilmembers to review the reason Burien citizens banded together in Friends of Seahurst Park to fight this development—the potential tremendous environmental damage on the fragile hill and its potential damage to Seahurst Park.

The lawsuit has been settled. Lawyers for the corporation defeated Burien citizens in court. They won the right to build the development. I just want to make sure they are following the stringent rules they agreed to.

I understand, as public servants, councilmembers are concerned about adequate affordable housing in Burien. Since this development is near the north Ambaum corridor, you may think the Emerald Point project will offer such housing. However, since Emerald Point will be one of the very, very few multi-family facilities in Burien to offer sweeping views of Puget Sound, I doubt the rental rates will be “affordable.”
Thank you for your consideration.

– Eric Mathison
Burien resident

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