The city of SeaTac will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 25, for a discussion of land use around the two planned local Light Rail stations.

Representatives of Sound Transit will be on hand to answer questions as well.

Preliminary land use options for the two station areas will be presented for public review and comment. Opinions about desired public amenities and local services will be sought.

The meeting in the Council Chambers at SeaTac City Hall, 4800 S. 188th St., will begain at 6 p.m. with an open house.

At 7 p.m. there will be a presentation on the station area development process and preliminary land use alternatives, followed by public comment, questions and discussion.

Sound Transit plans to build two light rail stations in the SeaTac area:

The SeaTac/Airport Station, located just west of International Boulevard at South 176th Street, with pedestrian bridges connecting to the airport and to the city.

The Tukwila International Boulevard Station, located just north of SR-518 at South 154th Street.

Both stations are scheduled to be in operation by December 2009.

“These two light rail stations represent a real opportunity to bring about new development in the cities of SeaTac and Tukwila,” said SeaTac Planning Director Steve Butler.

“The experience of other cities has shown that light rail stations are a real catalyst for creating high quality, mixed use development, which is exactly what the City of SeaTac wants to see in its Urban Center.

Construction has already begun on the 14-mile light rail line, which will include 4.4 miles of elevated tracks and seven miles at grade (ground level).

When completed, rail stations along the line will include existing stops in the downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel, and new rail stations in Beacon Hill, Rainier Valley, Tukwila (at South 154th Street), and the SeaTac International Airport (at South 176th Street).

In anticipation of light rail passengers, the area around each of the stations is expected to attract a variety of new commercial development, including hotels, condominiums and apartments, retail shops and local service businesses, which will benefit SeaTac residents.

Other uses could include coffee shops, dry cleaners, video rentals, and other small-scale retailers.

For more information about the public meeting, call the SeaTac Department of Planning and Community Development at 206-973-4830.