THE ISSUE |
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Cheasty Greenspace is a 43 acre preserved forest rich in biodiversity located on the east side of Beacon Hill southeast of downtown Seattle. The Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation proposed building a mountain bike park in the Cheasty Greenspace. This pilot project sets a dangerous precedent for all Seattle undeveloped greenspaces and natural areas.
DONATE To Protect Cheasty Greenspace
Please DONATE as generously as possible through GROW, our fiscal sponsor. Be sure to enter CHEASTY in the Designation line on the form. Donations are tax deductible.
CURRENT STATUS
Friends of Cheasty is pleased to announce the successful overturn of the Seattle Department of Parks & Recreation’s Determination of Non-Significance (“DNS”) in its environmental review for a mountain bicycle and pedestrian trail system in the Cheasty Greenspace. The Seattle Hearing Examiner concluded that the Parks Department failed to identify adequate information to support its determination that the proposed mountain bike park would result in no significant impacts on wetlands and wildlife habitat on the site. The Hearing Examiner also concluded that the Parks Department failed to accurately describe the scope and size of the mountain bike and pedestrian trails.
Through testimony and evidence before the Hearing Examiner, FOC met the extremely high burden of appealing a DNS. The Hearing Examiner was required to accord the Parks Department’s DNS substantial weight, and could not support FOC’s appeal unless FOC demonstrated that the DNS was clearly erroneous. Friends of Cheasty met this extremely high burden of proof, and the Hearing Examiner was “left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.”
FOC Attorney, Ryan Vancil, stated ‘the ruling is notable because it is extremely rare for a citizen’s group to prevail in an appeal of this kind because the burden of proof is so high. It is only possible where an official has egregiously failed to fulfill his or her duty for environmental review.’ The Hearing Examiner reversed the Parks Department’s decision, and the Department must now perform an adequate analysis of the mountain bike park impacts on wetlands and wildlife habitat.
‘We applaud this ruling by the Hearing Examiner’, said FOC spokesperson Sarah Welch. ‘We have worked tirelessly to support science-based forest restoration of natural areas and to convince the City to comply with the environmental laws and policies of the State of Washington and City of Seattle when considering such a project.’
While the mountain bike park ultimately may still move forward in some form, Friends of Cheasty will continue its vigilant watch on the Parks Department to see that the wildlife habitat and wetlands of Cheasty Greenspace are protected.
Please read the full FOC press release and the full text of the Findings and Decision of the Seattle Hearing Examiner in the case.
Through testimony and evidence before the Hearing Examiner, FOC met the extremely high burden of appealing a DNS. The Hearing Examiner was required to accord the Parks Department’s DNS substantial weight, and could not support FOC’s appeal unless FOC demonstrated that the DNS was clearly erroneous. Friends of Cheasty met this extremely high burden of proof, and the Hearing Examiner was “left with a definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.”
FOC Attorney, Ryan Vancil, stated ‘the ruling is notable because it is extremely rare for a citizen’s group to prevail in an appeal of this kind because the burden of proof is so high. It is only possible where an official has egregiously failed to fulfill his or her duty for environmental review.’ The Hearing Examiner reversed the Parks Department’s decision, and the Department must now perform an adequate analysis of the mountain bike park impacts on wetlands and wildlife habitat.
‘We applaud this ruling by the Hearing Examiner’, said FOC spokesperson Sarah Welch. ‘We have worked tirelessly to support science-based forest restoration of natural areas and to convince the City to comply with the environmental laws and policies of the State of Washington and City of Seattle when considering such a project.’
While the mountain bike park ultimately may still move forward in some form, Friends of Cheasty will continue its vigilant watch on the Parks Department to see that the wildlife habitat and wetlands of Cheasty Greenspace are protected.
Please read the full FOC press release and the full text of the Findings and Decision of the Seattle Hearing Examiner in the case.
OUR MISSION
SAVE CHEASTY GREENSPACE supports responsible forest restoration, providing the entire community walking paths to access this designated beautiful natural open space for generations.
We oppose the installation of a mountain bike park and all forms of bike trails in Cheasty Greenspace.
We advocate for protection and expansion of quality habitat, trees, wildlife and healthy native plant communities in all of the Cheasty Greenspace forest, and all Seattle Greenspaces and natural areas for the benefit of all people.
Read our complete position statement for details. In summary,
We request that…
1. The City of Seattle act NOW to cancel the Cheasty Greenspace Mountain Bike pilot project.
2. The Department of Parks and Recreation commence a new Public Involvement Process for the Cheasty Greenspace.
3. The Public Involvement Process should be followed regardless of capital expenditures; when plans call for a change in use or a change in park designation/classification; or when a project may be a vanguard to a city-wide change of Open Space policy.
4. The City of Seattle must act NOW to protect quality habitat from all trail development.
5. DPR follow its own best management practices - particularly during nesting season.
We believe that…
1. Forest restoration labor should not be traded for exclusive use of public land.
2. Passive use park lands should not be converted to active use park lands.
3. Urban forest policy should not be driven by bicycle use policy.
4. Active sports facilities do not belong in greenspaces and natural areas.
5. The Department of Parks and Recreation Bicycle Use Policy prohibiting mountain bikes on paths under 60 inches side must remain unchanged.
6. Reclamation of natural areas from homeless encampments is no excuse for activating passive open spaces with mountain bike parks.
7. The City of Seattle must create a separate entity to oversee and manage forests and natural areas.
We oppose the installation of a mountain bike park and all forms of bike trails in Cheasty Greenspace.
We advocate for protection and expansion of quality habitat, trees, wildlife and healthy native plant communities in all of the Cheasty Greenspace forest, and all Seattle Greenspaces and natural areas for the benefit of all people.
Read our complete position statement for details. In summary,
We request that…
1. The City of Seattle act NOW to cancel the Cheasty Greenspace Mountain Bike pilot project.
2. The Department of Parks and Recreation commence a new Public Involvement Process for the Cheasty Greenspace.
3. The Public Involvement Process should be followed regardless of capital expenditures; when plans call for a change in use or a change in park designation/classification; or when a project may be a vanguard to a city-wide change of Open Space policy.
4. The City of Seattle must act NOW to protect quality habitat from all trail development.
5. DPR follow its own best management practices - particularly during nesting season.
We believe that…
1. Forest restoration labor should not be traded for exclusive use of public land.
2. Passive use park lands should not be converted to active use park lands.
3. Urban forest policy should not be driven by bicycle use policy.
4. Active sports facilities do not belong in greenspaces and natural areas.
5. The Department of Parks and Recreation Bicycle Use Policy prohibiting mountain bikes on paths under 60 inches side must remain unchanged.
6. Reclamation of natural areas from homeless encampments is no excuse for activating passive open spaces with mountain bike parks.
7. The City of Seattle must create a separate entity to oversee and manage forests and natural areas.
What you can do:
Please DONATE as generously as possible through GROW, our fiscal sponsor. Enter CHEASTY in the Designation line on the form. Donations are tax deductible.
Please DONATE as generously as possible through GROW, our fiscal sponsor. Enter CHEASTY in the Designation line on the form. Donations are tax deductible.