East Duwamish Greenbelt: Brick Pits

CONSERVATION FUTURES TAX LEVY (CFT) APPLICATION FOR 2021 FUNDS

Project Name: East Duwamish Greenbelt: Brick Pits Project Location: City of Seattle- East Duwamish Greenbelt Applicant’s Agency or Organization Name: Seattle Parks and Recreation Proposed Project Acreage: 21 Acres CFT Funding Request: $1,000,000

Total Project Acreage: KC PL Funding Request: (Estimate total acreage at project completion for multi-year projects) (King County projects only: dollar amount of KC Parks Levy requested) Seeking a match waiver? ☒ Yes ☐ No Total Funding Request: $1,000,000 (If yes, applicant must submit “Supplemental Form #1.) (Sum of CFT + KCPL requests above) Type of Acquisition(s): ☒ Fee Title ☐ Easement ☐ Fee or easement TBD ☐ Other: King County Council District in which project is located1: 2 WRIA/watershed in which project is located2: 8

APPLICANT CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Name: Chip Nevins Phone: 206-233-3879 Title: Strategic Advisor Email: [email protected] Address: 300 Elliott Avenue West; Seattle, WA Date: March 4, 2020 98119

SECTION 1. PROJECT SUMMARY Please summarize your project in the space below.

Goal: The goal of this project is to acquire a large vacant property in the East Duwamish Greenbelt. The targeted property comprises approximately 21 acres along Beacon Hill, stretching between South Columbian Way and South Dakota Street. The City is requesting $1,000,000 in CFT proceeds to go towards purchase of the property. If negotiations are successful, it is likely that we will need additional funding in the future.

Background: The area was once known as the Brick Pit, for two brick manufacturers that once made their wares with clay from the north and south pits. The bricks were used to rebuild Pioneer square after the 1889 fire that destroyed most of Seattle. Viewed from the freeway the property looks like part of the East Duwamish, but it has been in private hands for decades. The property is the largest undeveloped, privately owned and residentially zoned lot left in the city and developers are seeking to build up to 124 single- family housing units on it. However, retention of the tree canopy is vitally important for the health of the community by combating the air and noise pollution that is plaguing Beacon Hill.

1 King County Council District information here: https://www.kingcounty.gov/council/councilmembers/find_district.aspx 2 Find WRIA (“watershed resource inventory area”) here: https://www5.kingcounty.gov/kcgisreports/wrialookup.aspx

Application – Page 1

SECTION 2. OPEN SPACE RESOURCES • Before answering Sections 2 & 3, please review “Application Evaluation Criteria.” • Please mark an “X” in the checkbox for each criterion that applies to your project. • For each criterion you marked, briefly describe in the space below how the project would meet that criterion. If relevant, consider the landscape setting and/or planned restoration actions. ☒ A. Wildlife habitat or rare plant reserve ☒ F. Urban passive-use natural area/greenbelt ☐ B. Salmon habitat and aquatic resources ☒ G. Park, open space, or natural corridor addition ☒ C. Scenic resources ☒ H. Passive recreation opportunity in area with unmet needs ☒ D. Community separator ☒ I. Project that seeks to redress historic disparities in access ☐ E. Historic/cultural resources to open space in opportunity areas

A. The purchase of the target property will connect Parks ownership and enhance a critical wildlife corridor in one of Seattle’s largest greenbelts. Neighbors have seen red foxes, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, and other wildlife in this heavily forested portion of the designated greenbelt.

C. The target property is a large part of the scenic forested hillside above I-5, which is visible from Downtown, West Seattle, and the freeway itself.

D. The property is a part of the wooded buffer between I-5 and the residential neighborhood at the top of the hill.

F. Current City holdings in the East Duwamish Greenbelt total around 90 acres. The East Duwamish provides a wildlife corridor stretching along the east side of I-5 almost all the way from I-90 on the north to Boeing field on the south. The target property fills a major gap in public ownership and will help preserve an important urban wildlife corridor.

G. See F. above

H. Southeast Seattle, location of the target property, is a designated Neighborhood Revitalization Area. The City’s strategies to achieve revitalization include the provision of recreation and environmental amenities.

I. Beacon Hill has long suffered from a variety of social and environmental issues. The Beacon Hill population is close to 80% people of color with 44% immigrants and refugees; only 36% speaking English well. One out of five residents are people with low income.

Public health studies document that exposure to air pollution, noise pollution, and highways is higher along Beacon Hill than the city average and that the distribution of environmental benefits such as access to open space and access to healthy and culturally appropriate food is lower. The result of this over- exposure to environmental harms and a lack of access to environmental goods is that the Beacon Hill community experiences significantly worse health outcomes than the rest of the city.

Application – Page 2

Application – Page 3

SECTION 3. ADDITIONAL FACTORS • Please mark an “X” in the checkbox for each criterion that applies to your project. • For each criterion you marked, briefly describe in the space below how the project would meet that criterion. If relevant, consider the landscape setting and/or planned restoration actions. ☐ A. Educational/interpretive opportunity ☒ B. Impact to open space resources ☒ C. Feasibility: ownership complexity/willing seller(s)/community support ☒ D. Describe any public or private partnerships that will enhance this project ☒ E. Is the property identified in an adopted park, open space, comprehensive, or community plan? ☐ F. Transferable Development Rights (TDR) participation

B. The property is zoned SF 5000. A developer currently has an option to buy the property and has plans to build 124 homes. If the property is developed with 124 homes, this neighborhood will lose over 15 acres of tree canopy and the possibility of creating a connected wildlife corridor between Parks-owned properties in this portion of the greenbelt. A study by the University of Washington’s Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences shows that Beacon Hill and other South Seattle neighborhoods suffer among the highest levels of environmental health risks in the state. Trees help mitigate the noise and air pollution that Beacon Hill is experiencing. For several years, El Centro De La Raza has been organizing the community around the air and noise environmental and health justice issue.

C. The City acquired other greenbelt property from the owner in the 1990s. Although the City has been aware of this property for decades, its acquisition has not been a prioritized because of the high expectation of value and low risk of development. With a red-hot home market and more sophisticated developers, the development threat for this property is real.

The property was put on the market for $3.8 million in 2018 and was under contract with a developer. The property is not currently on the market, but there has been little activity from the developer. The ultimate cost of the property, which is expected to be between our CFT request of $1,000,000 and the asking price of $3.8 million, will need to be determined by an appraisal and development analysis.

This application resulted from the 2017 Beacon Hill Air & Noise Pollution Health Impacts Community Action Plan (CAP) item. El Centro De La Raza and EPA partnered on the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving grant to educate and empower community. They engaged 467 community members who participated in 24 meetings in Cantonese, English, Mandarin, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog and Vietnamese who co-created the CAP.

D. Seattle Parks will work with El Centro and Beacon Hill Council to develop a community Steering Committee for the property. Likely partners will include El Centro’s Project partners Got Green, International Community Health Services, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Puget Sound Sage, Quieter Skies Task Force of SE Seattle Beacon Hill. In addition, Beacon Hill Council which adopted the CAP, is interested in engaging its previous local open space and environmental conservation partners such as Beacon Arts to save Garden House orchard, Cheasty Conservation Group and Friends of Lewis Park, recipient of the 2019 Parks Foundation Denny Awardee for Outstanding Volunteer Stewardship.

E. As part of the East Duwamish Greenbelt, the property is included in Seattle’s Green Spaces Policy and in Seattle’s Parks and Recreation 2017 Parks and Open Space Plan.

Application – Page 4

SECTION 4. PARCEL DETAILS A. Please provide information about the parcels that are current funding targets, as shown in red on your maps. • No need to list information on the future potential funding targets that are shown in yellow on your maps. • You can find this information on the “Assessor’s Report/Property Details” accessed through King County iMap (https://gismaps.kingcounty.gov/iMap/). Add more rows if needed. Parcel Property Number Assessor’s Assessor’s Estimated Cost Interest (do not use “Appraised “Appraised to Purchase Sought (fee, hyphen, e.g., Land Improvements Desired Property easement, or 1234567890) Acreage Zoning3 Value”4 Value” Interest TBD) 5679501650 26240 SF5000 $ 82,000 0 TBD fee 5679500925 20820 SF5000 $ 46,000 0 TBD fee 5679501590 82764 SF5000 $ 115,000 0 TBD fee 5680000275 27600 SF5000 $ 438,000 0 TBD fee 5679500985 29960 SF5000 $ 61,000 0 TBD fee 5679501530 78843 SF5000 $ 115,000 0 TBD fee 5680000335 28800 SF5000 $ 622,000 0 TBD fee 5679501465 46173 SF5000 $ 115,000 0 TBD fee 5680000395 28800 SF5000 $ 749,000 0 TBD fee 5679501510 18190 SF5000 $ 64,000 0 TBD fee 5679501140 29600 SF5000 $ 61,000 0 TBD fee 5679501435 26880 SF5000 $ 83,000 0 TBD fee 5679501420 20480 SF5000 $ 237,000 0 TBD fee 5679501170 6640 SF5000 $ 21,000 0 TBD fee 5679501125 26880 SF5000 $ 55,000 0 TBD fee 5679501450 26880 SF5000 $ 83,000 0 TBD fee 5679501405 26880 SF5000 $ 426,000 0 TBD fee 5679501215 22620 SF5000 $ 51,000 0 TBD fee 5679501185 53578 SF5000 $ 340,000 0 TBD fee 5679501375 53578 SF5000 $ 108,000 0 TBD fee 5679501345 30720 SF5000 $ 174,000 0 TBD fee

B. How did you estimate the cost to purchase parcels? (e.g., appraisal, estimate from assessor’s values, etc.). Assessed value.

C. Describe project readiness, urgency, and potential to phase funding over multiple years. The property was put up for sale in 2018 for $3.8 million. A developer entered into a contract to purchase the property but has not closed on the property yet. The City has reached out to the developer with the intent of starting discussions. The project will likely cost more than $1.0M and could be funded over multiple years.

D. Are any parcels enrolled in the Current Use Taxation program, a voluntary conservation program? 5 No

3 Please explain the zoning designation if it is hard to understand (usually most important for urban zoning designations) 4 Parcels enrolled in Current Use Taxation for “Forestry” may not have a valid “appraised land value” or acreage. 5 Visit www.kingcounty.gov/incentives, and use the “Interactive Map” to check enrollment for your target parcel(s).

Application – Page 5

SECTION 5. PROPERTY USE, STEWARDSHIP, AND MAINTENANCE A. What is the intended future use of the property (e.g., passive recreation, habitat restoration, timber management, agricultural production)? Will this land be available for public use? The intended future use of the property is passive recreation and habitat restoration.

B. How will the property be stewarded and maintained, and using what funding? Does the property lend itself to volunteer stewardship opportunities or community participation? The property will be stewarded and maintained by the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation. There are opportunities for volunteer stewardship through the Green Seattle partnership.

C. What are the biggest challenges you anticipate in managing this site? Homeless encampments and the potential for landslide activity.

D. Will you be purchasing and demolishing any structures on the target parcel(s)? Explain why this is necessary. No. The property is vacant.

E. Do you intend to hold out any part of the site for non-CFT-eligible activities, such as intensive recreation or retaining a structure on a fee purchase? (Funds used for that purchase can’t count as CFT match.) No.

Application – Page 6

SECTION 6. PROJECT BUDGET

FUNDING REQUEST REQUESTED AMOUNT CFT Funding Request $ 1,000,000 KC Parks Levy (PL) Request (county projects only) $ TOTAL FUNDING REQUEST $ 1,000,000

TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS Use this table to estimate the total cost to purchase the parcels that are the current funding targets ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS ESTIMATED DOLLAR AMOUNT OR RANGE Total property interest value $ 3,000,000+ Title and appraisal work $ Closing, fees, taxes $ Relocation costs $ Hazardous waste/environmental reports $ Directly related staff, administration and legal costs $ TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS $ 3,000,000+

MATCH What type of match will you be providing? ☐ Cash match ☐ Land match6 ☒ Match waiver requested (must submit Supplemental Form #1)

If you are providing cash match, please complete this table. Cash Match – Secured (list sources) Date Funding Secured Dollar Amount Seattle Park District Funding

Cash Match – Still Sought (list sources) Date Funding Anticipated Dollar Amount

If you are providing land match, please complete this table (add rows if necessary). Land Match Parcel # Value Already acquired? Details (funding source, timing, etc.) ☐ Yes ☐No

OTHER FUNDING Do you have any funding that will contribute to the purchase, which you have not already listed above?

6 Land match is described on Page ii of “Instructions and Conditions.” Typically this is donated land, or the cash value of recent open space purchases. Land match should be directly linked to the property under application and meet CFT conditions.

Application – Page 7

SECTION 7. BOND FUNDING POTENTIAL • These factors may make projects more competitive for bond funds (some projects may be a better fit for annual funds). • Please mark the checkboxes for the criteria that apply to the current target parcels. • For each criterion you marked, briefly describe in the space below how the project would meet that criterion. ☐ A. Acquisition can occur in late 2020 or early 2021 ☐ B. Transaction is highly likely to be successful ☐ C. Match is secured, or will be secured by late 2020 or early 2021 ☒ D. Property purchased in fee will not be leased or surplused/sold for private benefit

D. The property will be purchased in fee and will not be leased or surplused/sold for private benefit. City of Seattle Ordinance 118477 states: "All lands and facilities held now or in the future by The City of Seattle for park and recreation purposes, whether designated as park, park boulevard, or open space, shall be preserved for such use; and no such land or facility shall be sold, transferred, or changed from park use to another usage, unless the City shall first hold a public hearing regarding the necessity of such a transaction and then enact an ordinance finding that the transaction is necessary because there is no reasonable and practical alternative and the City shall at the same time or before receive in exchange land or a facility of equivalent or better size, value, location and usefulness in the vicinity, serving the same community and the same park purposes."

Application – Page 8

SUPPLEMENTAL FORM #1: MATCH WAIVER/ OPPORTUNITY AREA DETERMINATION

1. On the data report, did you automatically qualify as an opportunity area under Method 1, meeting all three criteria? ☐ Yes ☒ No

2. Please discuss why you believe your project location qualifies as an “opportunity area” and should be granted a match waiver.

OPEN SPACE ACCESS. • Criteria. This property did not meet all the match waiver criteria, because of its proximity to public property in the East Duwamish greenbelt. In Seattle Parks 2017 Parks and Open Space Plan (www.seattle.gov/parks/about-us/policies-and-plans/2017-parks- and-open-space-plan), the gap map shows the “brick pit” property to more than ¼ mile from any other accessible other space, because the nearby greenbelt properties are steeply sloped and inaccessible. This part of Beacon Hill is cut off from other open space properties by the heavily travelled South Columbian Way.

INCOME/ECONOMIC INFORMATION. • 25% of Households at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (64th percentile). • 49% of the students utilize of free & reduced-price school meals (61st percentile).

HEALTH. • Hospitalization rates for asthma, diabetes, and heart disease are in the 82nd percentile. • Life expectancy is 79.9 years (28th percentile).

SOCIAL/DEMOGRAPHIC. • ~ 80% people of color • 44% immigrants and refugees • 36% of the Beacon Hill population speak English well.

Supplemental Form #1 – Page 1

• Much of Beacon Hill is impacted by noise and environmental/safety concerns. Interstate-5 was completed between Seattle and Tacoma in 1967, cutting along the west slope of the hill. Interstate 5 and airplanes on approach to Sea Tac International Airport produce very high levels of noise and air pollution and reduce the benefits of adjacent open spaces. Expanding the greenspace along Interstate 5 is the best opportunity to mitigate the noise and air pollution impacting the neighborhood.

Air & Noise Pollution

Beacon Hill is surrounded by air and noise pollution from land emissions (I-5 to the west at 250,000 vehicles a day, I-90 to the north at 125,000 cars a day, major roadways Rainier and MLK to the east) and air emissions from SeaTac International Air Port, King County International Airport and Boeing Field. Seattle ranks number 7 in the nation for worst traffic congestion. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle- news/transportation/seattle-area-traffic- congestion-is-among-the-worst-in-the- country-study-shows/

Three community scientists’ projects have established that airplanes fly overhead every 90 seconds on the average at 70 to 90 decibels. The noise levels are well above the World Health Organization standard of 55 decibels during the day and 45 decibels at night. Beacon Hill is underneath a fixed flight path with 70% of inbound planes to SeaTac flying overhead.

Health Impacts Established air pollution health impacts include asthma attacks, reduced lung capacity, eyes/nose/throat/lungs irritation, heart disease, and cancer. Established Noise Pollution health impacts include heart disease, sleep disturbance, stress, general annoyance and, lower math and reading test scores for schools without noise insulation.

Published in 2013 by Just Health Action and DRCC/TAG, the Cumulative Health Impacts Analysis (CHIA) examines a range of disproportionate health exposures and impacts affecting people in the Duwamish Valley. In the report, a total of 15 indicators were input into a formula to calculate cumulative health impact scores for ten representative zip codes in Seattle. The highest cumulative impact score was the Beacon Hill/Georgetown/South Park neighborhood zip code 98108. With the support of this data, the Duwamish Valley (including Beacon Hill) can firmly be characterized as an area with disproportionate health impacts and environmental injustices where more actions, projects, and investment is needed to address health inequities.

The Washington Health Disparities Map, which became available in 2019 indicated Beacon Hill vulnerabilities even though the map does not include aircraft operations and its emissions. Beacon Hill rated 9 of 10 for Environmental Exposure with ratings of 10 for sub-categories Diesel pollution and disproportionate impact, Noxious diesel emissions, PM2.5 particle concentration and Toxic releases. It also rated 10 of 10 for Environmental Effects and 7 of 10 range for Socioeconomic Factors (Ethnicity, Income, Education, Employment Housing, Transportation Access).

Supplemental Form #1 – Page 2

https://www.doh.wa.gov/DataandStatisticalReports/WashingtonTrackingNetworkWTN/InformationbyLo cation/WashingtonEnvironmentalHealthDisparitiesMap

Increasing Air & Noise Pollution Regional growth is increasing our vehicular traffic markedly. SeaTac International Airport has announced that its expanding operations to accommodate the doubling of international flights, the tripling of air cargo and increase from 47 to 66 million passengers in 2034. This increase would be untenable. Based on the anticipated increase, the City of Seattle has funded the University of Washington to conduct a quantitative air (2.5 pm and ultrafine particles) and noise study.

Beacon Hill is not eligible for mitigation because it is not a “fenceline” community that is located next to an airport, when in fact, it is a vertical fenceline community because the flight path is fixed.

Open Space/Urban Forest Tool for Climate Resiliency Beacon Hill has advocated for a higher level of tree canopy to address the air and noise pollution challenges and climate change heat islands effect. The densification of North Beacon Hill urban village along with the removal of trees for housing development has made the preservation of the subject property even more important to Beacon Hill. The canopy in 2016 already shows heat islands in the south area. The UW partners are currently seeking grants to study the canopy’s effectiveness in mitigating air and noise pollution/climate effects.

Supplemental Form #1 – Page 3

3. Describe in detail your engagement and collaboration with community-based organizations and/or members of the community regarding this project. If you have not done so, please describe your planned community engagement.

Seattle will work with El Centro and Beacon Hill Council to develop as community Steering Committee for the parcel. Likely partners will include El Centro’s Project partners Got Green, International Community Health Services, Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Puget Sound Sage, Quieter Skies Task Force of SE Seattle Beacon Hill. In addition, Beacon Hill Council which adopted the CAP, is interested in engaging its previous local open space and environmental conservation partners such as Beacon Arts to save Garden House orchard, Cheasty Conservation Group and Friends of Lewis Park, recipient of the 2019 Parks Foundation Denny Awardee for Outstanding Volunteer Stewardship.

4. If you are not granted a match waiver, do you want to be considered for a CFT award for 50% of your original CFT request amount, which would require dollar-for-dollar match? ☐ Yes ☒ No • If you answered “yes,” please discuss how you intend to raise the matching funds

Supplemental Form #1 – Page 4 East Duwamish: Brick Pits

A voice and a hub for the Latino community as we advocate on behalf of our people and work to achieve social justice.

Programs & Services March 3rd, 2020 With over 12,559 volunteer hours, El Centro de la Raza serves 14,542 King County Land Conservation individuals and 9,442 families through Grant Funders the following programs and services: c/o Chip Nevins, Acquisition Planner Basic Healthcare Enrollment City of Seattle Parks & Recreation Department Bebes! Infant Mortality Prevention Bilingual Legal Clinics Business Opportunity Center re: Support Letter for Seattle KCLC Equity Grant Application for Beacon Hill Brick Café con El Centro de la Raza Pit César Chávez Demonstration Garden Centilia Cultural Center Citizenship Classes To Whom It May Concerned: College Readiness Comadres Monthly Workshops Mil gracias for the opportunity for Seattle Parks to apply for the 2020 King County Commercial and Tenant Space Community Meeting Space Land Conservation Equity Grant. Through our 42 programs and services El Centro de Community Organizing la Raza works to empower low income and marginalized individuals in King County Community Service to achieve self sufficiency and become involved in the community. We are located in Crisis Advocacy Cultural / Political / Social Events the Seattle Beacon Hill neighborhood and in Federal Way. Economic Development ECR Transitional Housing I write to strongly advocate for the land conservation funding of Seattle Parks El Patio Apartments Emergency Safety Planning & Sensitive Department application for the Beacon Hill Brick Pit Parcel. At El Centro, we have Location Project been working on environmental justice and health justice for our beloved Beacon Hill Employment Assistance ESL Classes community for several years now. We are majority minority population close to 80% Federal Way Open Doors Program at the last census, 44% immigrants and refugees with only 36% speaking English well, Financial Empowerment & Asset Building and one out of five are low income. Our community is part of the vulnerable southeast Food Bank Foreclosure Counseling Seattle communities. Growing and Learning Together Homeless Assistance Beacon Hill Tree Canopy Needs Hope for Youth Cultural Enrichment Hirabayashi Place We are surrounded by air and noise pollution from both land and air emissions. Historical and Educational Presentations Specifically, land emissions come from I-5 to the west at 250,000 vehicles a day, I-90 HUD Housing Counseling to the north at 125,000 cars a day, and major roadways Rainier and MLK to the east. Immigration / Social Justice / Human / Civil Rights Advocacy Seattle ranks number 7 in the nation for worst traffic congestion. Air and noise José Martí Child Development Center pollution emissions come from SeaTac International Air Port, King County Labor Standards Outreach & Education International Airport and Boeing Field. Local, State, National & International Coalition Building Luis Alfonso Velásquez Flores After We are alarmed that Sea-Tac is planning in its Sustainable Airport Master Plan School Program (SAMP) to accommodate the doubling of international flights, tripling of air cargo and ORCA Lift Reduced Fare Enrollment Parent-Child Home Program go from 47 to 66 million passengers by 2034. On average, aircrafts fly over Beacon Plaza Roberto Maestas Hill every 90 seconds; as we are underneath the flight path, our community Plaza Roberto Maestas After School Program experiences 70% of inbound flights. We are not eligible for mitigation as we are not a Public Benefits Enrollment fence line community located near any airport. However, we contend that we are a Santos Rodriguez Memorial Park “vertical fence line” community given the flight paths are fixed. Trees are critical to Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Senior Nutrition & Wellness the filtration of air and noise pollution in Beacon Hill. Smoking Cessation & Marijuana Prevention Summer Learning Tax Preparation Site Unidos in Finance Veterans’ Services Volunteerism & Community Service Site Community Action Agency • United Way Agency • Affiliate of UnidosUS Youth Case Management 2524 16th Ave South – Seattle, WA 98144 • (206) 957-4621 tel • (206) 329-0786 fax Youth Employment www.elcentrodelaraza.org • 501c(3) Nonprofit Tax ID: 91-0899927 Youth and Family Job Readiness Training

Adverse Health Impacts The health injustice impacts include established air pollution impacts such as; asthma attacks, reduced lung capacity, eyes/nose/throat/lungs irritation, heart disease, and cancer. Established noise pollution health impacts include; heart disease, sleep disturbance, stress, general annoyance and, lower math and reading test scores for schools without noise insulation. The 2013 Duwamish Cumulative Health Impact Analysis was conducted on zip code 98108 which had 22,374 residents with ~ 5,000 residents living at Superfund site South Park and Georgetown and ~17,000 residents living at middle Beacon Hill . The study indicated that 98108 has the highest cumulative impact score of all Seattle areas in the study. The 98108 area received the highest score of 106 out of 120 v lowest score of 13 at Magnolia 98199. It ranked poorly for most environmental health factors. life expectancy in 98108 is 13 years shorter than Magnolia. https://www.duwamishcleanup.org/chia

Beacon Hill Community Advocacy for Trees In 2017, 467 Beacon Hill community members met in 24 meetings in six languages to develop the Beacon Hill Air & Noise Pollution Health Impacts Community Action Plan (CAP) eight-point plan. The Plan calls for “Planting Trees” to add to our inadequate canopy.

Our community’s effort to plant trees will be severely subverted if Brick Pit, a 20+ acres of trees will be taken down for development. The land parcel is part of the Duwamish Greenbelt. When trees are taken down, they can never be replaced. The consequences will be devastating to the Beacon Hill community in terms of accelerating air and noise pollution health and mental health impacts, and climate change formation of heat islands, loss habitat for birds and animals and loss of urban forest.

We strongly advocate for the equity funding of Seattle grant application with Brick Pit. The application is in line with the Land Conservation goals and the County’s climate goals. As a poor community, we do not have funds for a match. We look to the opportunity fund for our community resiliency and climate resiliency. In effect, the grant will provide Seattle and our Beacon Hill community with the seed money necessary to allow us to engage the owner in dialogue towards the preservation of Brick Pit. Please contact me should you have any questions. I can be reached at [email protected] or at 206 957-4613.

We look forward to a positive response. Si se puede. Yes, together, we can.

Respetuosamente,

Estela Ortega, Executive Director

El Centro de la Raza has been a voice and a hub for Seattle and King County’s Latino community as we advocate on behalf of our people and work to achieve social justice. Through our comprehensive programs and services, we empower members of the Latino community as fully participating members of society. We also work to raise awareness with the general public, and government, business and civic leaders about the needs of the Chicano/Latino community

Community Action Agency • United Way Agency • Affiliate of UnidosUS 2524 16th Ave South – Seattle, WA 98144 • (206) 957-4621 tel • (206) 329-0786 fax www.elcentrodelaraza.org • 501c(3) Nonprofit Tax ID: 91-0899927