Protect Greenspace Adjacent to Barnes Creek Trail

Standing up for North SeaTac Park & all health-protecting forest within 10 miles of SeaTac Airport

Special Bulletin January 2025
Write us at info@defendersofhighlineforest.org

Protect Greenspace Adjacent to Barnes Creek Trail

This Thursday, January 30th (during the study session held at 6 PM at Des Moines City Hall), the Des Moines City Council is going to be asked by City Manager Caffrey to decline Wash DOT's offer allowing the City of Des Moines to purchase the "vacant" land immediately adjacent to the Barnes Creek Trail Extension.

The land at risk is located to the west of the Barnes Creek Trail Extension between S 216th and S 221st Streets.

The yellow border on the map above roughly delineates the parcel at risk. Developing this lightly forested and blackberry covered land would result in fewer trees and more hardscape located directly next to the Barnes Creek trailhead on S 216th. This would reduce wildlife habitat; diminish the pleasures of the trail experience; negatively impact nearby homeowners; and it would be yet another blow to Des Moines' already severely compromised tree canopy.

As such, we need resounding pushback from Des Moines residents and South King County tree advocates.

Please provide PUBLIC COMMENT at the City Council Meeting on January 30!

There are three ways to provide Public Comment at this Thursday, 1/30, Study Session at 6:00 PM.

In person: Show up a few minutes before the meeting and sign the sheet. Public Comment is usually conducted at the beginning of the meeting. City Council Chambers
21630 11th Avenue S, Suite C.
Des Moines, Washington
By e-mail: All e-mails sent to citycouncil@desmoineswa.gov are considered public comment. They are instantly available to all members of the City Council and the City Clerk who includes them into the record of public comments at the next meeting.
By US Mail: Attn: City Clerk Office, 21630 11th Avenue S., Des Moines WA 98198 no later than 4:00 p.m. day of the meeting. Please provide us with your first and last name and the city in which you live.

City Council meetings can be viewed live on the City's website, Comcast Channel 21/321 or on the City’s YouTube channel.

Review the agenda HERE.

Please send an URGENT EMAIL to city council before Thursday 1/30 at 12 pm.

MESSAGE (in your own words please):

Des Moines City Council should NOT exercise its first right of refusal for the parcel adjacent to the trailhead/parking lot of Barnes Creek Trail at S 216th but instead should ACCEPT the Wash-DOT parcel and ask for the courtesy of a time extension in order to line up funding.

Also: Council should make no land use decisions of this nature without first reinstating a Planning Commission.

Send the message to: citycouncil@desmoineswa.gov and to kcaffrey@desmoineswa.gov