8. PUBLIC FACILITIES

Public facilities in the neighborhood include the King County Transfer Station, City water tower and Ben Franklin Elementary School. North of the King County Transfer Station site is the old Houghton Landfill and now Taylor Fields sports fields. The King County Solid Waste Division continually monitors the groundwater and methane gas at the Houghton landfill to ensure it complies with Seattle-King County Department of Public Health requirements. Any permanent use for the landfill will need soil remediation. There are many homes in the neighborhood still on septic systems because of lack of sanitary sewer infrastructure. As new development occurs the sewer mains and connections should be extended to meet current standards.

Policy BT 25:

Establish guiding principles for the redevelopment of the King County Transfer Station facility if it is closed:

•    Public-serving open space uses should be the primary focus of any redevelopment.

•    Open space should include active (e.g., sports field) and passive (walking trails, dog park) uses, along with other recreational uses (e.g., aquatic center), and should establish ecological/wildlife and pedestrian connections through the former transfer station from the Park and Ride to Bridle Trails State Park.

•    Non-open space/park uses may be considered, but should be compatible with the open space character of the site.

•    Any soil contamination should be remediated prior to reuse.

Policy BT 26:

The City’s water tower is an important public facility and open space amenity for the neighborhood. Maintain and enhance the public pedestrian and bicycle pathway along the west side of the property.

Policy BT 27:

Noise impacts adjacent to the Interstate 405 should be minimized with new development with the use of sound walls, berms or other mitigation measures.

King County Transfer Station