Seattle names 4 sites for new jail

Even the possibility of a jail is enough to worry some.

"Most people generally don't want prisons or jails in their neighborhoods," said Jesus Rodriguez, a manager for a White Center community group headquartered near one of the proposed jail sites.

Seattle, like most King County cities, must find someplace to house misdemeanor offenders, because as of Dec. 31, 2012, King County will no longer accept misdemeanor inmates in its corrections centers. Instead, it will focus on housing felons.

"The job of finding a location for a jail is never easy," said City Councilwoman Jan Drago, who served on selection committees that chose sites for the Regional Justice Center in Kent and the Federal Detention Center in Tacoma.

"This is not something we want to do," she said.

But Seattle officials have little choice.

Derek Birnie, executive director of the Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association, said Tuesday that he didn't know much about the potential jail at the Highland Park Way location, "but I imagine you'll find the standard anxiety about a jail coming into the community."

Elizabeth Campbell, president of the Magnolia Neighborhood Planning Council, also was among those unaware of the jail plans and had a lot of questions about the Armory Way site.

"The last thing Interbay was considered for was a waste transfer station; we're dealing with housing issues, and now this," Campbell said. "I know this is one of those difficult land-use decisions, but how will this mix with the day-to-day people who live there?"

BJ Cummings, coordinator of the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition, said of the city-owned Myers Way site that it seemed likely that wetlands there would be destroyed if a jail were built.

The coalition fought the city when it illegally filled wetlands on the northern portion of the site to build a firefighter training facility, despite warnings from environmentalists.

"This is the remaining wetlands that the city did not destroy. It's all that's left," she said.

But Catherine Cornwall, lead analyst on the jail project, said that while there may be some wetlands on the 12-acre site, the city believes it can fit the jail on it without disturbing them.

"The site is only one of four that we intend to continue to study, and we want to hear people's concerns," she said.

While a few cities in King County, such as Renton and Auburn, already have jails, most are in the same position as Seattle and have to cut back on the number of misdemeanor inmates they send to county facilities.

Cities in South King County formed a group and already are seeking a site for a single jail to meet their needs.

In north and east King County, cities have done the same, but Seattle has not decided whether to join a consortium of cities or build its own jail.

A report from a consultant hired by Seattle to weigh its two options is expected at the end of June. But Ceis said community forums to explain why the city needs a jail and talk about the four locations likely will be held before that report is released.

A study released in 2006 estimated that Seattle would need about 440 jail beds, whether it has its own jail or uses one built for the region. In any case, the city needs to find potential sites.

Planners began with a list of 35 possible places for a jail in Seattle, sites that were at least 7 acres. That's because city officials are leaning toward building a jail modeled for the Regional Justice Center, a low-rise facility where corrections officers can keep inmates under direct supervision.

That type of facility needs space that a high-rise jail does not. High-rise jails, such as the downtown jail, require more staffing, and city officials worry that they are less safe for inmates and corrections officers because supervision is more dependent on video monitors.

City officials are anticipating strong community reaction and hired a public relations firm to gather comments and organize a series of forums.

Larry Smith, president of the Haller Lake Community Club, said he first heard about the Aurora site about a week and a half ago from the firm representing the city.

"Any 450-bed prison in any neighborhood is too close -- it's unreasonable to site it in a residential area. Haller Lake doesn't want it; who would?" Smith said.

But at some point, a jail will need to be built, whether it's in Seattle or not, officials said.

"The bottom line is that this is something we need to do," Drago said.