|
Overview
Status of the property Recap: 2008 Redevelopment Plan and related lawsuit In the wake of the court decision, the City is looking to how it will remain involved in the federal process. Regardless of its status as an LRA, the City still retains planning and land use regulatory authority over the site. The City will take no final action on any plan until there has been compliance with SEPA. Further, BRAC regulations require the U.S. Army to conduct environmental review under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and to make a property disposal decision. What is happening now Therefore, in August 2012, the City applied for and received a grant from the Department of Defense’s Office of Economic Adjustment to review and update the market study, financial models, and the other assumptions and data that informed the 2008 redevelopment plan. At this time, the City is NOT reexamining the elements of the plan developed with the community in 2008. Any future proposal for use of the Fort Lawton Army Base property would need to be based on more current analyses, models and assumptions. With the OEA grant, the City will hire a consultant to gather quantitative data to help determine the most appropriate next step/future courses of action, if any, to recommend to the Army and HUD. The gathering and analysis of data is expected to begin in the last months of 2012, and wrap up in early 2013. Once the analysis is complete, the City will provide an update to the community. This is likely to occur in early to mid-2013. January 2012 Update As of Sept. 16, 2011, the Army has vacated the Fort Lawton Army Reserve Base, leaving it in caretaker status until a decision is made on transfer of the property. Under “caretaker” status, the Army still owns and maintains the facility (graffiti removal, grounds upkeep, etc.). In addition they are responsible for securing the property. They have secured the buildings against entry and will secure the gates, but will keep the road open (used as access to the neighborhood and by Metro). All inquiries regarding the Fort Lawton property be directed to Scott McKean at (206) 883-7640. Any decision about the sale of land at Fort Lawton remains in the Army’s hands, as Congress intended. City officials will continue to consult with Army officials about the future of this important area. September 2010 Update The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has notified the City that HUD has determined that the City's Proposed Redevelopment Plan and Homeless Assistance Application for the U.S. Army Reserve Center Fort Lawton Complex complies with the requirements of the Base Closure Community Redevelopment and Homeless Assistance Act. See letter June 2010 Updates Status of Redevelopment Plan Lawsuit Status of Redevelopment Plan Review August 2009 Updates Security Concerns at Fort Lawton Statement from the Army: The original grounds maintenance contractor went out of business in mid-contract which ended regular maintenance until a new contract could be awarded. Additionally, due to the change of Army Reserve Command ownership, the new grounds maintenance contract took longer than expected, however, a new one was awarded in mid-July. Clean up and routine maintenance will begin again in August. See latest Army release on continued use of Fort Lawton. City Appealing Redevelopment Plan Lawsuit Decision Status of Redevelopment Plan Review Final Redevelopment Plan Submittal Documents On Sept. 22, 2008, the Seattle City Council voted 8-0 in favor of Resolution 31086, approving the Fort Lawton Redevelopment Plan. On Oct. 13, 2008, the entire package was submitted to the Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as required through the BRAC process. At this time, we have no indication of the timeline for review of the plan, but will continue to update this page as information arises. Below are the final documents submitted to DOD and HUD. Due to the size of the documents, some have been broken into multiple pdfs for easier downloading. A hard copy of the entire package also is available for public review at both the Central Library and the Magnolia Library.
Draft Redevelopment Plan Submittal Documents Below are the three documents, in DRAFT form, required for the Local Reuse Authority's final redevelopment plan submittal as part of the BRAC process. Note: In preparation for submission as part of the official Resolution for full City Council vote on the entire Draft Redevelopment Plan, staff reviewed the documents for spelling, grammar and general inaccuracies or inconsistencies. The revised versions, dated Sept. 5, 2008, are listed below, as well as previous versions. Minor "clean-ups" that did not affect the meaning or intent of the plan were not highlighted. The few substantive changes are listed in an accompanying pdf.
Background The Army named the City of Seattle the Local Reuse Authority (LRA), responsible for the redevelopment of Fort Lawton. The City is facilitating public involvement to create a plan that adheres to federal guidelines while ensuring Fort Lawton becomes a livable and diverse mixed-income community, balancing all of the priorities while appropriately fitting into the surrounding neighborhood. The redevelopment plan will balance several priorities, including open space, heron habitat, market-rate homes and housing for formerly homeless individuals and families.
page last updated: Aug. 13, 2009 |
|
|