Everyone seems to have their own opinion about a hybrid map used in the development of a proposed Fircrest Campus Excess Property Master Plan.
“It must be like the perfect map, we must have done alright,” Ed Valbert, a Department of Social and Health Services project manager said. “… Nobody’s happy with it and nobody’s totally unhappy with it.”
Approximately 60 residents attended an open house on Sept. 24 at Fircrest gymnasium to learn about the second part of a two-phase process to construct a plan for property on the campus that is not currently used by Fircrest School or by the Washington State Public Health Laboratory. Work on the master plan began in Fall 2007 when the Department of Social and Health Services or DSHS was directed by the state legislature to use public input to create a plan for the excess property.
The goal, according Valbert, is to develop a master plan that will garner the support of the city of Shoreline and can be delivered back to the Legislature.
The open house was to inform residents about the schedule for Phase II of the planning process that will go through summer 2009.
“All we are doing is creating a zoning map that is then adopted by the city of Shoreline and identifies what uses or what types of facilities can be built on that land,” Valbert said. “There are future discussions that need to take place.”
Valbert explained how a hybrid option was created by combining three possible plans together to include a variety of residential uses, office and nonprofit space as well as plans for green infrastructure such as trails and open space.
The master plan will only change the zoning of the excess property, Valbert told residents. He also said Fircrest would continue to operate as it now does. He discussed the future of a group of six buildings in the northwestern corner of the campus, commonly referred to as the Y Buildings.
“There’s been discussion and concern about these Y Buildings,” Valbert said. “The master plan supports the Y Buildings staying there until somebody in state government decides they shouldn’t be there or that nobody lives there anymore. The continued operation of the Y Buildings and whether they stay operating is divorced from the master plan.”
What the master plan does account for, according to Valbert, is a ten percent growth from 450,000 square feet to 500,000 square feet of building at Fircrest School and a potential for a maximum 862 residential units throughout the excess acreage.
The unused space could support a maximum of 35,000 square feet in retail space, 255,000 square feet of office space, 66,000 square feet of civic space and 37,000 square feet of nonprofit space.
If built out, the master plan would also account for 1.3 miles of public trail and 14.3 acres of public open space, according to Valbert.
Residents reacted strongly to the maximum growth plans.
“This area cannot sustain 900 new homes,” Marie Poster said. “This area is not set for that.”
Others, including Rep. Ruth Kagi, D-Lake Forest Park, suggested different uses of the excess property.
“There’s room to build supportive housing where residents can live with those who understand their needs,” she said. “I think there are ways to do that so it would be compatible use with Fircrest School.”
A maximum number of units and square footage needs to be part of the master plan in order to finish studies about the impacts of growth on traffic and emergency response, Valbert said. Establishing design standards, defining an approach to surface water management, and discussing the daylighting of Hamlin Creek will all be part of the continuation of Phase II, he added.
“My team cannot produce a master plan that will please everybody,” Valburt said. “We’ll continue to do our best.”
Residents will have the opportunity to learn about the environmental review of the plan during a second open house in late fall. A date has not been scheduled.
For more information about the Fircrest Campus Excess Property Master Plan visit www.cityofshoreline.com/cityhall/projects/fircrest/.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
