Information from King County
King County will be hosting two community meetings for Westwood Village Sunrise Heights neighbors to discuss the Barton Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) project. This project is designed to control CSOs at the Barton Pump Station near the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock.

1st meeting
Wednesday, March 28, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Presentation starts at 6:45
Westside School
7740 34th Ave S.W.

2nd meeting
Saturday, March 31, 10 a.m. to noon
Presentation starts at 10:15
High Point Community Center
6920 34th Ave S.W.

The project team invites you to learn about:
- Streets selected for detailed evaluation
- Process used for street selection
- Next steps
- Opportunities for public input

Meetings include a short presentation on bioswale (rain garden) design and street selection, and sessions to discuss streets in detail and receive neighborhood feedback.

For more information, special accommodations, or questions, contact: Kristine Cramer at 206-263-3184 or kristine.kramer@kingcounty.gov.

The County's website for the project is found here.

Background from the Herald
The above opportunities this week provide citizens with a chance to learn more and ask questions about King County's plans to install rain gardens in the Westwood and Sunrise Heights neighborhoods of West Seattle. The goal is to help reduce sewer overflows into Puget Sound.

A group of neighbors have spoken out against the project, noting similarities they have found with the West Seattle project and a partially-botched 2011 rain garden project in Ballard.

Westwood resident Sabrina Urquhart said in an email, "Many neighbors are upset and concerned. We know the problem of sewer overflows must be fixed--but don't support the proposed project because it will create life safety hazards in the public right of way, negatively impact quality of life and reduce housing values. We believe this project should be stopped."

She goes on to write:

"The rain gardens project in Ballard was a disaster (http://ballardraingardengue.wordpress.com/) and King County found the same soils in West Seattle. The project is another costly experiment that risks taxpayers' safety and money.

"Many citizens in West Seattle are concerned that the project is unsafe, unfair and untested as described in the attached letter (a link is provided at the top of the story) several residents sent to King County Executive, Dow Constantine, the chief decision-maker on this project.

"This project will continue to be replicated in neighborhoods throughout Seattle--so all residents need to know what's going on--before it comes to their streets."

In an interview with the Herald, King County Barton CSO project manager Mary Wohleb expressed her belief that the longer time frame and greater funds applied to research and design for the West Seattle project will result in positive outcomes very different from the Ballard experience.

To read more, please check out the following Herald articles:
West Seattle rain garden project evokes neighborhood worry after Ballard troubles

West Seattle neighborhoods get the rundown on rain garden project to reduce Sound pollution

Also included at the top of the story is a downloadable version of a letter sent from a group of residents to King County Executive Dow Constantine asking him to halt the project.