HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-30 E-Hazelnut Newsletter
City of Tukwila E-Hazelnut Newsletter September 2017
Members of Tukwila Fire Department
deployed to assist with recent disaster
events
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Tukwila Elected Officials
Mayor:
Allan Ekberg
Four members of the Tukwila Fire Department were deployed
to Texas to help with rescue and recovery efforts in response
City Council:
to Hurricane Harvey. Captains Pat McCoy, Mark Morales and
Dennis Robertson (Council
Andy Nevens, and Firefighter Pat O'Brien went on the initial
President)
deployment. All four of these men have served in other
Joe Duffie
disasters around the country including Katrina, the Oso Mud
Verna Seal
Kathy Hougardy
Slide, and other hurricanes.
De'Sean Quinn
Kate Kruller
Captain Morales, Firefighter O'Brien and Captain Nevens
Thomas McLeod
(pictured) were all assigned to a "Swift Water Team" that is
assigned to be in the water, moving equipment, rescuing
stranded residents and searching buildings that are
dangerously flooded. All three have specialized training for
working in dangerous water conditions like this.
Captain Pat McCoy was deployed on a different mission in
Texas as part of a Disaster Medical Assistance Team. This
specialized medical team is commonly assigned to the larger
shelters, setting up a medical clinic to support medical needs
of the victims there.
On the way back to Tukwila from Texas, the team was called
again and turned around in Richland, WA to head to Robins Air
Force Base in Georgia for staging to assist with rescue and
recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Irma. In addition,
Firefighters Merle Brooks and Aaron Johnson were also
deployed to assist with swift water rescue in association with
the Irma response.
The City Administration, Fire Department and the families of
our responders have shown their support for our members who
are willing to go into dangerous conditions and serve others in
need. Tukwila's costs are reimbursed by the federal
government through FEMA.
Input needed on Tukwila tree regulations
The City of Tukwila is reviewing zoning code regulations that
govern trees in the community. This code review is to
implement Comprehensive Plan goals and policies on
landscaping and trees that were adopted in 2013 and 2014.
Among the new goals and policies are those that promote the
increase City-wide of tree canopy and tree retention. Possible
revisions to the zoning code may include: when and where
trees can be removed; required tree protection during
development; retention of trees in the forests in our parks;
and proper tree care.
If you have an interest in trees and our urbanforest -whether
you own a business or live or work in Tukwila - and wish to
have input on these issues, contact Carol Lumb in the
Department of Community Development at 206-431-3661,
or Carol.Lumb@TukwilaWA.gov.
Public input gathered on preferred BNSF
access route
The City of Tukwila has identified a potential new route for
trucks to access the BNSF Railway intermodal yard in
Allentown. The preferred route would have trucks travel on
48th Avenue South and across a new bridge over the
Duwamish River. Trucks currently access the yard in
Allentown via 42nd Avenue South and South 124th Street,
which runs in front of the Tukwila Community Center.
Residents of the Allentown and Duwamish neighborhoods, as
well as local businesses, were invited to attend an open house
in August to learn more about the preferred alternative,
including how the City used public input and broad screening
criteria to choose this route over several other potential
alternatives. Those who could not attend the in-person open
house had the opportunity to participate through an online
open house.
The next step is to present the preferred alternative route to
the City Council for approval. If the route is approved, the
City will seek State and federal funding for design,
construction and further environmental review.
The City has considered the potential for moving the access
route before. Recently, the City partnered with BNSF Railway
to study the feasibility of alternative routes in earnest by
engaging the community and evaluating potential routes given
current conditions and broad screening criteria.
The preferred route and other project information is available
to the public on the project website .