By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Mayor Katie Wilson vowed less than two weeks ago to “accelerate the expansion” of shelter capacity to get homeless people off the streets.
We just found a permit filing for a West Seattle site that might contribute space for almost 100 – a site identified more than a decade ago as a potential “transitional encampment” site.
This is state-owned property known as the “WSDOT Glassyard” site in southeast West Seattle, officially 7201 2nd SW [map], and it has a “site plan” on the drawing board for a combination RV safe lot and tiny-house village – up to 72 RVs and. 20 tiny houses. This area has been the site of unsanctioned encampments before, and is adjacent to the original location of the first encampment to draw widespread attention 18 years ago, the original “Nickelsville.”
The filing is very preliminary; it summarizes the proposal as:
WSDOT Glassyard RV Safe Lot
Establish a religious controlled emergency transitional encampment, per the land use code. Site will consist of (20) tiny homes and parking spaces for up to (72) RV’s on existing impervious surface. Construct decks and install buildings accessory to emergency transitional encampment, per plan.
What “religious controlled” means is not explained on the site plan, which bears the name of the secular Low Income Housing Institute, the nonprofit that operates other tiny-house villages, including the first and only one in West Seattle, Camp Second Chance on Myers Way. The site plan also has these notes:
1. All Offices, tiny houses, laundry buildings, check in offices, and family rooms are under 120 square feet in size and are considered wooden tents.
2. Site will be for resident and staff use only. No part of the site will be open to the public at any point during operation.
3. Finish height of the deck will not exceed 18″ at any point.
4. Storage will consist of an 8′ x 20′ metal storage container. Structure will be anchored to the ground.
5. The existing site surface is compact gravel. Land disturbance activities will be under 5000 SF. There will be no added impervious surfaces. There will be no clearing or grading activities.
6. The hygiene trailer, laundry room, and kitchen tent will be connected directly to new water and sewer
branch lines from 2nd Ave SW.
The site plan also carries fire-safety notes including the stipulation that RVs will be “drained of gas and oil before connecting.”
Checking WSB archives, we’re reminded that one of Mayor Wilson’s predecessors, Ed Murray, identified this site in 2015 as a potential “transitional encampment” site. In 2016, a proposal to put a small RV safe lot on a nearby parcel was shelved. Unsanctioned RV camping in the area was the subject of multiple sweeps just a few years ago. Also in the site’s history: City consideration for a new misdemeanor jail, a plan also shelved, after intense community pushback in the late ’00s.
We’ll follow up on this tomorrow with the city, state, and LIHI, to find out more, including a timeline, approvals needed, and whether any community briefings are planned. The site’s status as state-owned property would fit with the focus on public lands mentioned in the mayor’s executive order issued earlier this month.