HomeMy WebLinkAboutTIS 2021-03-08 Item 2B - Discussion - Public Comment on King County Airport Master PlanFrequently Asked Questions about the Master Plan Update
King County
International Airport
Boeing Fleld
Below we have provided answers to the most frequently asked during our Master Plan Update outreach.
For a complete list of questions, comments and feedback during the community engagement process
please see the Master Plan Update section of our website.
How is the Airport Master Plan aligning with the King County Strategic Climate Plan?
o KCIA is one of the few airport's in the country that has prepared a comprehensive
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory.
o KCIA supports the King County Strategic Climate Action Plan (KCSCAP) by managing
GHG emissions that it can control, conducting climate preparedness, and promoting
climate and community resiliency.
How will projects identified in the Master Plan affect General Aviation (GA) parking at the
airport?
o The airport is extremely land constrained and some of these projects will impact the
GA community. The airport currently has identified lot 13 as a possible area to
relocate some tenants.
o If adjacent property comes available for purchase and the airport chooses to
purchase the property, the airport will have to decide at that time how to best utilize
the combined property.
o Currently the airport has a waiting list in all segments of aviation.
Why is the airport relocating the runway threshold 300 feet to the north?
o The FAA will no longer support an existing Threshold Crossing Height (TCH) waiver of
Runway 14R for landings of large aircraft. The proposed 300 -foot relocation of the
end of the runway to the north is the only viable option.
o As a part of this project, the airport will be removing 500 feet of special use pavement
which will decrease the total runway length by 580 feet.
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Why is the airport forecasting an increase in flights and how will that affect noise in the
surrounding area?
o The airport operations forecast in the Master Plan Update is the formal prediction
from the FAA to help determine the forecasted demand for the airport to ensure the
infrastructure at the airport can meet that demand.
o KCIA does not have the authority to affect the number or types of aircraft operations
at the airport or authority of the airspace around the airport; that is controlled by the
FAA through the Aircraft Control Tower.
o The airport provided a voluntary multi-year sound insulation program for single-
family homes located in parts of the Georgetown, Beacon Hill and Tukwila/Allentown
neighborhoods.
■ This FAA -funded project provided $40 million for the sound insulation of just
under 600 homes in these neighborhoods.
o The updated existing and future noise contours generated for this Master Plan
Update are significantly smaller than the previous contours and would likely result in
a much smaller Noise Mitigation Boundary if the study were updated today.
o This current reduction in the KCIA-related noise footprint is the result of both fewer
aircraft operations being conducted at the airport and changes in the fleet mix of
those operations due to the retirement of many older/noisier aircraft, along with the
continued advancement of quieter engine technology.
Will projects identified in the master plan bring more jobs to the local community,
specifically low-income and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) community
members?
o Yes, from our latest Economic Impact Assessment it is anticipated that the direct,
indirect and induced economic impact of the airport's next six-year Capital
Improvement Program will be an estimated $718 billion for the local economy and
more than 2,000 jobs. Many of these are careers with our tenants, construction jobs
and service industry jobs in the local community.
o While KCIA cannot require applicants to county jobs be from certain demographic or
geographic groups, we do plan on promoting potential jobs and contracts at the
airport.
o KCIA also hires interns at all levels from high school, community college,
undergraduate and graduate school and makes a special effort to publicize these
opportunities within the local community. Our goal is to encourage young people to
consider aviation careers.
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o KCIA also partners with the Museum of Flight and their youth programing such as
Women Fly, Michael P. Anderson Program and Career Days to support and encourage
underrepresented students towards careers in aviation.
What is the plan for increasing the landscape buffer between the airport property and the
surrounding communities?
o King County is currently coordinating with the City of Seattle about moving a segment
of airport fencing to improve the existing pedestrian connection between
Georgetown and South Park neighborhoods of Seattle. This project could also include
a combination of artwork and a landscape buffer along a segment of the airport's
perimeter fencing.
o KCIA is researching the best type of foliage to increase the greenery around the
airport that does not attract wildlife or grow too tall and absorbs the most carbon.
How will King County fund projects that have been proposed in the Master Plan? Will local
tax dollars be used?
o No local tax dollars are used to operate or enhance the airport.
o KCIA will fund projects proposed in the Master Plan through multiple sources
including airport revenues, grants and the issuance of bonds. However, many of the
projects are dependent on getting federal grant funding and may not move forward if
no grant funds are available.
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March XX, 2021
John Parrott, Director, King County International Airport
7277 Perimeter Rd. S.
Seattle, WA 98108-3844
jparrott@kingcounty.gov
via e-mail
Dear Director Parrott,
City of Tukwila
City Council
We appreciate your recent presentation to the Tukwila City Council regarding the King County
International Airport Master Plan. We recognize the important role the King County Airport has in
serving our region, and we thank you for the opportunity to engage on this effort.
Neighborhood livability is one of our community's greatest values — it emerges as a key concern
during any budgeting or planning effort on which we embark. We know from talking with our
residents that quality of life impacts such as noise and air pollution are of utmost concern, and we are
committed to advocating for our residents on these issues wherever we can, particularly because
South King County communities experience disproportionate health disparities.
As King County International Airport moves ahead with the Master Plan implementation process, we
urge ongoing community discussion and involvement, particularly with our Tukwila neighborhoods in
Allentown-Duwamish and Tukwila Hill. We understand that there will be future environmental
analyses on specific projects and look forward to working through those in partnership with you.
We'd like to offer our assistance as you work through your forthcoming Airport Communications
Plan.
Sincerely,
Mayor/Council President
6zoo Southcenter Boulevard • Tukwila, Washington • 98188 - Tel: 206-433-1800 • www.tukwilawa.gov
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