“What would you do?” asks Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus on the City of Auburn’s blog, More Than You Imagined.
“King County Solid Waste has stated that south King County is in need of a new solid waste transfer station,” she wrote. “Three possible sites are still on the list — two in Auburn, and one in Algona next to the current site. What are your thoughts about a new station being located in Auburn? Let me know what you think!”
No North Auburn Garbage Site hopes to generate more than 100 responses to the question posed by Mayor Backus. To us, building a transfer station at 28721 West Valley Highway in North Auburn is far more than a “Not In My Back Yard” issue. There are many reasons why it’s simply wrong for that part of the valley.
If you’d like some talking points to use in your email to Mayor Backus, these are the reasons we oppose a transfer station in North Auburn:
The Neighborhood: A residential community is located right next to the proposed site. Some of the homes are just across the street — just a basketball toss away. Residents are justifiably concerned about noise, odor, traffic and water issues . . . not to mention the likely decline in property values. A transfer station here would likely destroy this established neighborhood.
Local Businesses: Many small businesses are located within a five-minute walk of the site. They would be hurt by the traffic disruption that dozens of additional trucks per day would create on West Valley Highway, as well as the noise and potential odor. Property owners would likely suffer from increased vacancy rates as tenants move elsewhere — reducing the business community’s vitality.
Agriculture: A substantial amount of agriculture takes place within a half-mile radius. We are concerned about the transfer station’s impact on nearby farms, flower businesses, horses and llamas, nurseries and landscaping businesses.
Traffic: West Valley Highway is already severely tied up at certain times of day, and the roadway is showing serious signs of wear. The addition of dozens of commercial trucks and a steady stream of self-haul vehicles will worsen the congestion and further deteriorate the roadway. It has the potential to back up traffic onto S. 277th Street during rush hour, and will likely increase the trash-truck traffic through nearby neighborhoods.
Historical Importance: The area is rich in history. Japanese-Americans farmed this land before it was seized when they were interned during World War II. Ito Brothers Strawberry Farm on West Valley Highway, founded in 1908, was one of the first to introduce strawberries as a crop in the area.
Equity: With Bow Lake already the largest transfer station in the system, building another a few miles away would make South King County the “dumping ground” for the majority of the county’s waste.
Please send your comments to Mayor Backus this week!
No North Auburn Garbage Site 