SAVE SEATTLE PARKS is a new grassroots coalition of Seattleites who believe that our parks and green spaces should be preserved for generations to come. We are asking candidates and elected officials to reaffirm a commitment made to the people of Seattle over two decades ago.
We need to protect a hard-won victory for people and parks:
The Protect Our Parks Initiative
In 1996, when a Seattle city park was threatened with development, citizens drafted and collected signatures for the Protect Our Parks Initiative #42. The Protect Our Parks Initiative was affirmed by the Seattle City Council by a 9-0 vote and was signed into law by Mayor Norm Rice.
The Initiative and Seattle City Ordinance clearly states: All lands and facilities held now or in the future by The City of Seattle for park and recreation purposes, whether designated as park, park boulevard, or open space, shall be preserved for such use; and no such land or facility shall be sold, transferred, or changed from park use to another usage, unless the City shall first hold a public hearing regarding the necessity of such a transaction and than enact an ordinance finding that the transaction is necessary because there is no reasonable and practical alternative and the City shall at the same time or before receive in exchange land or a facility of equivalent or better size, value, location, and usefulness in the vicinity, serving the same community and the same park purposes.
Today our parks are again being threatened by developers
The City of Seattle has recently begun studying options for alternate uses of park and recreation lands that would violate both the spirit and the letter of the landmark Protect Our Parks initiative. Once again, the people of Seattle need to send a clear message to City Hall that we want to protect our parks from development.
The Truth: Parklands are scarce while buildable land is still abundant
- Seattle devotes less land to parks (12.5%) than cities such as New York (21.7%), San Francisco (19.6%), Phoenix (15.2%) or even Las Vegas (19.4%) (Seattle Times)
- Seattle currently has the capacity to build 200,000 additional housing units without sacrificing a single acre of park land. (City of Seattle)
- As shopping continues to move online, many brick and mortar retail spaces will no longer be needed. We have the opportunity to repurpose and rezone these spaces for housing and save our parks for future generations.
Renewing the pledge to Protect Our Parks
SAVE SEATTLE PARKS is asking Mayor Jenny Durkan, Seattle City Councilmembers and all candidates for Seattle’s seven contested council seats to affirm their commitment to protect our parks for future generations by answering this question: Will you pledge to protect Seattle parks from development and uphold the requirements as stated in Initiative 42?
Take Action! Sign, Join, Volunteer, Stay Informed
CLICK HERE to Sign the Petition (Change.org)
Email us at saveseattleparks@gmail.com to join us, volunteer or receive email updates or Join us on Facebook
Save Seattle Parks
www.saveseattleparks.com
Save Seattle parks 