Drafter
Clerk 12/15/2009
Title
AN ORDINANCE requesting the executive negotiate contracts for up to $26,500,000 in additional property interests in the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Eastside Rail Corridor that are generally consistent with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding Regarding Acquisition of the Woodinville Subdivision among the Port of Seattle, King County, Sound Transit, the city of Redmond, Puget Sound Energy and the Cascade Water Alliance.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe ("BNSF") East Side Rail corridor ("ERC") is a forty-seven-mile railroad line within King County that extends through the cities of Renton, Newcastle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville and unincorporated King County, in part along Lake Washington and adjacent to several public park facilities, into Snohomish county to the city of Snohomish.
B. Since 2003, when BNSF announced its intent to sell the corridor to either public or private entities, King County has been negotiating with BNSF to preserve this vital corridor in public ownership for transportation, recreational trail and other compatible uses.
C. On July 11, 2005, the metropolitan King County council unanimously approved Ordinance 15233, authorizing the ERC acquisition project for the preservation of transportation right-of-way in eastside King County cities.
D. On December 17, 2007, the metropolitan King County council approved Ordinance 15995, finding in part that King County desires to preserve this unique and valuable transportation corridor in public ownership in perpetuity, and authorizing the King County executive to negotiate and execute agreements with the Port of Seattle to accomplish that end.
E. In May 2008, the metropolitan King County council approved Ordinance 16084, authorizing the King County executive to execute real estate transactions with BNSF and the Port of Seattle for the corridor. An element of the...
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