SeaTac City Council approves ordinance for eminent domain for Airport Station project

At its Tuesday, July 23, 2024 meeting, the SeaTac City Council unanimously passed an ordinance giving staff the authority to exercise eminent domain over affected parcels for the Airport Station Pedestrian Area Improvements Project.

The ordinance will affect 31 property owners adjacent to the Airport Station Pedestrian Area Improvements Project on 32nd Avenue South.

The purpose of this project is to seek increased safety for pedestrians, bicyclists, and cars in the area surrounding the Airport Link Light Rail Station.

Eminent domain is the power possessed by government agencies to acquire the private property of an owner without their consent. Government agencies are allowed to enact eminent domain if it is reasonably shown that the needed property will have a public use and is necessary for a public project.

The proposed improvements will focus on 32nd Avenue South between South 170th Street and South 180th Street, South 180th Street east of 32nd Avenue South, and South 176th Street between International Boulevard and 32nd Avenue South:

The project improvements include:

• New and upgraded sidewalks
• Stand-alone bicycle lanes
• Undergrounding of overhead utilities
• New landscaping
• Decorative street lighting
• Urban design elements

Construction on the project cannot begin before the City has acquired additional property rights from several privately held parcels adjacent to the project.

City staff will negotiate directly with property owners to reach a settlement for financial compensation. Under this new ordinance, if a property owner is unwilling to negotiate or reach an agreement with staff, the City has the right to exercise eminent domain.

In their comments, Councilmembers Jake Simpson and Peter Kwon made assurances that the City has never had to exercise eminent domain and that the ordinance is merely an administrative procedure to keep the project running on schedule and within budget.

Affected property owners have been notified via certified mail. Notices have also been published in The Seattle Times.