Council OKs Magnuson Park project

Seattle will get more than a dozen new sports fields and perhaps thousands more hours of playtime with City Council approval yesterday of the master plan for Sand Point Magnuson Park.

Just how quickly those fields will be developed will likely be the next round of debate.

The long-awaited plan the council approved also includes restoring 65 acres of wetland at the park, beginning in the first phase of development.

Lighted sports fields at the former Naval Air Station have been one of the most contentious issues before the council for years. Hundreds of people have attended public hearings. Council members are regularly deluged with e-mail.

"I've taken so many votes on Magnuson Park in my 10 years on the council that I literally cannot remember how many," Council President Jan Drago said. "After each vote. I've heard from what seemed like thousands of residents stating their various concerns. This is truly an issue of deep concern in our city."

The initial plan proposed by the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department and endorsed by Mayor Greg Nickels called for 15 fields, with 11 artificial turf fields that would be lighted until 11 every night.

Council members crafted a compromise.

Nine of the fields will be artificial turf. Of those, seven will have lights that must be turned off at 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. No lights will be used on Sundays. Four fields will have natural grass.

In response to complaints that the city is sadly lacking in athletic fields, the council also told the parks department to develop a plan to add fields in other neighborhoods and renovate some of the city's most neglected sports fields.

"I can live with this. I would like to be a little more involved with the parks department on a more collegial and less adversarial basis," said Gail Chiarello, who lobbied for a less intense use of the park.

But Diana Kincaid, with Friends of Magnuson Park, isn't ready to give up yet.

"Seven lit fields is too much, " she said. "We will stay active."

Peter Lukevich, with Friends of Athletic Fields also vowed to stay involved.

"I am so pleased that we are at this point," said Lukevich.

"There are less fields than we wanted, but the council did a good job recognizing that there is a lot of unmet demand, and recognizing that they have to look at the need to city wide," Lukevich said.

The wetlands and athletic fields plan is expected to cost about $60 million to finish. About $12 million is available from the Pro Parks Levy that was approved by voters four years ago.

The council outlined a phase approach, starting with the four grass fields and restoring the wetlands in the first phase. There might be enough money for as many as four artificial fields in the second phase.

But Lukevich intends to propose a mix of public and private financing to the city council and parks department. He said under the plan, enough money could be raised to finish complete most of the complex by 2008.

The plan includes enlisting the help of the Washington National Guard in some grading and construction.

Gail Chiarello has filed a complaint against Lukevich with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission asking them to investigate a possible conflict of interest.

Lukevich is one of the most outspoken supporters of the lighted fields proposal.

He has served on the Pro Parks Levy Oversight Committee and the Pro Parks Levy Citizen Advisory group.

He has a $5,000 consulting contract with the city Parks Department to negotiate with the National Guard about the project. In a proposal to the department, Lukevich also recommended himself as interim director of the sports field complex while it is being developed.

Yesterday, Lukevich said he has nothing to gain personally from the project.

"I categorically deny any conflict of interest," he said. "I'm just part of a group of advocates who are sincerely interested in more athletic opportunities in the city."

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