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[edit] Purchase of BNSF Railroad Corridor

Sims's press conference stated that the rail corridor would be purchased and reserved for 'multi-purpose' use, of which the primary would be a trail. Keeping the rails is still an option on the table as the 'other use'. To accuse Sims of trying to shut down the dinner train is questionable at best. Especially considering BNSF has been looking to sell the property since 2003[1], 2 years before Sims's announcement.

Actions speak louder than words. In a briefing of the county council his staff made it clear that Sims is not interested in the first 4 miles of the track and that the idea of "multi-use" would not be cost effective. His intention is clearly a trail only option. Not only is it fair to accuse Sims of trying to shut down the train it is 100% accurate. His staff stated "it is important to keep in mind that the Dinner Train is a private for-profit business, and King County cannot use public money to subsidize the private business operations of current users." While this in fact is not true, King County does that daily (The Subway Shop in Marymoor Park, and the hosting of concerts and circus's there is a prime example), it does show what his true plan is. Lastly one must look no further than the fact this is 100% identical to the process he used to convert the two other rail corridors to trails.

Is the first 4 miles of track available for purchase? The first 3 miles will continue to be used to service the Boeing plant and it is unlikely that BNSF would sell that portion and then have to lease access to the rail from the county when they already own the rail. The presence of 'for profit' companies on public lands does not mean that the county is subsidizing for profit companies. Are the companies leasing the property at a loss for the county? The dinner train is a profitable business, but keeping the rails only for them would be done at a loss for the county. The Dinner Train needs to find more uses for the rails besides just their business. Connecting Sounder to Bellevue would be an option, as would expanding Spirit of Washington's business beyond just a dinner train. Make the use profitable and the rails can stay.--Bobblehead 05:01, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

The first 4 miles is availabe if it is to remain active as a rail corridor. The problem is that BNSF can't sell it to King County unless there is a commitment to keep it for rail use. There is a movement to provide commuter rail, using colorado rail car DMU's, from Renton to Woodinville (with eventual extension to Snohomish and Monroe) but it can not be done if the section north of Paccar to Coulon park is not available. There is no subsidy for the S.O.W. operations, or any private use. This would be nothing more than a "toll road" with rails. This brings us full circle to the agenda to eliminate the rail use and make it trail alone just as was done on all the other corridors the county purchased. A viable trolley program from Issaquah to Redmond was killed this same way when Sims ordered the tracks ripped up near Marymoor thus making it "impossible" for the trolley option as there wasn't a connection anymore. The difference this time is that the 405 corridor is perfect for commuter rail but with it's success it would kill Sound Transits agenda for light rail on the Eastside. The irony to this is that making the use profitable isn't the problem, that can be done within 11 months if given the go ahead. Making it profitable kills the trail and Sims is not going to allow that to happen.

Just to avoid sidetracking this discussion beyond the topic of the article. If you have a source that contradicts the 'fact sheet' I sourced feel free to source it. All news articles and press releases I've been able to find (including those from SOW) indicate that a decision has not been made and that the county just hasn't committed to a trail-rail use. --Bobblehead 20:32, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Ban on use of Public Lands

Do you have a source that shows the King County Council banning the use of public lands for homeless encampments? Ordinance 15170, passed on May 10, 2005 allows the issuance of temporary use permits until January 1, 2015 as long as the homeless encampments meet certain conditions. King County Code 21A.32.145 supports this analysis. --Bobblehead 06:36, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

By a 8-3 vote a Motion by the council passed to prevent the use of public land pending a report from the executive that had to be delivered and acted upon within a year. Council Member Edmonds, who was the champion for the group, was voted out of office that fall. Coupled with Council Member Pelz leaving office left them with only one supporting vote. During that year, with all the documented problems, SHARE's agenda becoming more publicly known, and no support at the council level, executive staff decided to pull support for a "Dignity Village" style encampment and allowed the issue to die.

Thanks for the info. Found the motion and will source the press release. --Bobblehead 16:19, 22 May 2006 (UTC)