1. Ask Tukwila to Retain Trees in New Housing Developments

2. A Loss for Barnes Creek Land

3. Two Encouraging Developments for Des Moines

4. Substitute House Bill 1303

5. Burien Combines the Arts and Parks Commissions

6. Volunteer Activities in Your City

Letter to Tukwila City Council Regarding Additional Housing Development

Send an email to Tukwila City Council requesting them to address the need for preserving tree canopy in Tukwila in conjunction with new development: citycouncil@tukwilawa.gov

The following letter was sent to the Tukwila City Council—which is preparing citizen feedback on new housing development, as well as Tukwila residents on the Defenders Tree consensus list.

Dear Tukwila City Council,

We are writing as the Defenders of Highline Forest to express our concerns regarding the proposed rezoning of residential areas from LDR/MDR to CR (Community Residential), which allows smaller lots and diverse housing types. While addressing the housing crisis is crucial, the potential negative environmental impacts of these changes require thorough consideration.

A University of Washington study has established the harmful health effects of living under the flight path. Removing trees will worsen air quality, increase noise pollution, and reduce life expectancy, especially for marginalized communities. This is a pressing issue of environmental justice and public health.

The benefits of a robust urban tree canopy are substantial. According to Louisville, Kentucky’s 2014 Urban Tree Canopy Factsheet, their trees provide $560 million in benefits, including stormwater interception, temperature moderation, energy savings, increased property values, improved air quality, and carbon sequestration. In our city, trees are critical for mitigating urban heat islands and addressing stormwater challenges vital for salmon and orca recovery efforts.

Observations from Seattle indicate that without clear protections, zoning changes can accelerate the loss of mature trees and degrade the environment. Last year alone, Seattle lost 2,000 significant trees that will take years to replace. We are particularly concerned because Tukwila’s tree retention policy allows developers to pay a fee instead of retaining trees. These fees go to a Tree Fund, but there is no assurance that funds from one neighborhood will remain there to replace the benefits lost from tree removal. This could lead to diminished neighborhood health and increased environmentally damaging activities in pockets across the city. We encourage you to look to Portland for a plan that successfully balances out these competing factors.

In conclusion, Tukwila's zoning changes must be accompanied by explicit environmental measures to protect its trees. We request that rezoning to increase housing density equally prioritizes the protection of the tree canopy, especially for those living under the flight path.

A mature tree canopy is essential for residents' health, well-being, and quality of life. Please incorporate considerations of the long-term impacts on our community and environment into zoning changes.

Thank you for your attention to this critical issue.

Sincerely,

The Defenders of Highline Forest

2025 Tukwila City Schedule for Middle Housing Code Adoption (upzoning to increase denser housing develop):

• March 27th Planning Commission Meeting:  Middle Housing discussion (upzoning discussion)

• April 27th Planning Commission Meeting:  Public Hearing on Draft Code Package (codes for increasing housing in Tukwila)

• June 9th City Council Middle Housing discussion (upzoning discussion)

• June 16th City Council Vote on Code Package

Please write to Des Moines City Council at citycouncil@desmoineswa.gov to ask them to develop policies to encourage developers to preserve old growth trees around the housing development, to maximize the pollution and heat protection benefits of existing trees.

There was strong citizen advocacy to preserve a 6-acre parcel of land adjacent to Barnes Creek in Des Moines.

Unfortunately, in a Des Moines City Council meeting on January 30, the council voted 4-3  against purchasing the land from the WA Department of Transportation (WSDOT), voting against safeguarding this space for future generations, and destroying more of Des Moines already severely compromised tree canopy. In 2023, that land parcel was rezoned for residential housing.

These trucks are operating around the Barnes Creek trail late into the night, disturbing local residents.

Mayor Tracy Buxton outlined the reasoning for the council’s decision on the Des Moines Community Facebook page, stating that WSDOT was asking $5.3 million for the land. She believed that this was an exorbitant price, and the city did not have the funds to purchase it. In addition, Mayor Buxton noted that Des Moines desperately needs new housing.

Defenders member Barbara McMichael, who attended the meeting, responded in a letter to Mayor Buxton, stating “Our diverse community, particularly in the part of Des Moines most impacted by industrial development, is precisely the kind of community that King County Conservation Futures is seeking to serve. South King County has been so constantly overlooked and disregarded, we need local leadership that promotes something better for our city, not a council that shrugs its collective shoulders and says this is the best we can do. Mayor Buxton–your insistence that the 30% tree canopy goal is not only adequate, but admirable, runs counter to the best professional guidance for our region.”

Presenting the professional guidance, Barbara stated that the environmental advocacy group Forterra has provided an urgent recommendation to Des Moines to work toward achieving 40% or more tree canopy for our city. Forterra published the Green Des Moines Partnership Urban Enhancement Plan in 2018, which made this recommendation on pages 10-11. At that time, Des Moines' tree canopy was measured at only 29%, and the city has lost ACRES of significant tree canopy since then.

Barbara also pointed out in her letter that the proposed housing will be right under the flight path, on land that was supposed to be set aside by the Port as a buffer for the effects of airplane pollution and noise. Residents who will reside in the new housing development will suffer the most adverse health consequences due to their location.

In more uplifting news, the city of Des Moines is starting to show a glimpse of environmental foresight, and in a city council meeting in early February, voted to proceed with two positive actions.

1) A Planning Commission

A planning commission is set to be created by the city. At the city council meeting, a presentation was given about the role of a planning commission and various ways it could be structured and function.

The city has been in dire need of a planning commission for some time. In other cities, planning commissions research all issues both pro and con for new land development, communicate to citizens to receive feedback, and make recommendations to city leadership for which direction to proceed.

The goal is to have the planning commission communicate clearly to the public well in advance about proposed development projects, and ask for citizen input. This communication has been sorely lacking in Des Moines. City leadership has a consistent pattern of making important decisions behind closed doors, operating with a lack of transparency, without any public awareness or involvement. The goal is to have sustainable, intentional development in Des Moines, looking at all land use cumulatively, rather than piecemeal, which has been the current process.

2) An Airport Committee

The council also voted to develop a citizen airport committee. This committee will research issues about proposed airport expansion and also communicate these issues to the council and Des Moines citizens.

Support SSHB 1303: Delivering Environmental Justice for SeaTac Airport Communities

Second Substitute House Bill 1303 is a crucial opportunity to address long-standing environmental injustices faced by communities near the airport.

SSHB 1303 directly tackles these disparities by requiring state agencies to integrate environmental justice principles into their policies and decisions. This means prioritizing the well-being of impacted communities when shaping projects and regulations. The bill goes further by mandating data-driven assessments to identify environmental inequities. It also ensures the voices of residents—those who know the challenges firsthand—are heard through meaningful community engagement. Together, these steps will hold agencies accountable for delivering tangible improvements to air quality, livability, and public health to residents of Washington.

House Bill 1303 is currently in the House Rules Committee for Review (HRules R) stage. It is now awaiting further action before potentially moving to the floor for a vote. Legislators must hear from those who care about fair treatment and sustainable solutions for our community.

You can find detailed information about Second Substitute House Bill 1303, including how to share your comments with your legislators and advocate for it, on the Washington State Legislature's official page.

Write to your representatives today and urge their support for SSHB1303 and its companion bill in the Senate SB5380.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/BillSummary/?BillNumber=1303&Year=2025&Initiative=false

Burien Votes to Combine the City Arts and Parks Commissions

Stephen Lamphear, Defenders member and former Burien City Council member, anticipated that combining the new merged commission will be useful in many ways, including recruiting commission members and encouraging attendance at meetings.  On Monday 3/3, the council voted on new members for the combo commission.

Volunteer Activities in YOUR City

Normandy Park

Friday April 4, 10am-1:00pm
Forest Restoration at Marine View Park

SeaTac

Saturday, April 5, 10am-12:00pm
Planting in North Seatac Park

Tukwila

Multiple Tukwila Park Restoration Opportunities, March 11-22.
Go here to sign up: https://tukwila.greencitypartnerships.org/event/map/

Support the Defenders 

As always, Defenders of Highline Forest welcome volunteers to help with the newsletter, fundraising, and advocacy campaigns. Want to lend a hand in 2025? We’d love to have you! Contact info@defendersofhighlineforest.org 

Content Contributors

Content for this edition of your Defenders of Highline Forest newsletter was provided by Christopher Fuentes, Clare Parfitt, Stephen Lamphear, and Barbara McMichael.