MEMORANDUM

Date: January 9, 2020

To: Board of Park Commissioners
From: Max Jacobs, Property & Acquisition Services Manager, Seattle Parks and Recreation
Subject: Briefing: Proposal to Relocate Stone Cottage to Alki Beach

Requested Board Action

This memorandum and the briefing before the Board on Jan. 9, 2020 provides information about
this proposal and seeks guidance from the Board on public outreach. Seattle Parks and
Recreation (SPR) will conduct additional due diligence and community outreach and return to
the Board for a recommendation.

Project or Policy Description and Background

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society approached SPR last fall with the concept of relocating
a privately owned cottage, approximately 800 square feet in size, to SPR property at Alki Beach
Park, adjacent to the Alki Bathhouse (to the southwest). The Historical Society is interested in
preserving the cottage in part because of its connection to the area: like other small beach
cottages, it was built in roughly 1930 and clad with stones taken from the nearby shore. A
developer purchased the property underlying the cottage’s existing location at 1123 Harbor
Avenue SW, so the cottage must be moved. The Historical Society proposes to facilitate and pay
for moving the cottage from the site and placing it at an interim storage site (as necessary) and
then installing it at a permanent new location.

The Historical Society’s proposed concept involves constructing a concrete foundation at Alki
Beach Park, adjacent to the Alki Bathhouse, and installing the cottage there, as shown in the
attached proposal document. At this early conceptual stage, the Historical Society has
suggested the building could serve as a visitors’ center or something similar, but the Society is
open to suggestions as to how the building could best be used. As noted below, SPR would
recommend conducting public outreach to gauge the community’s thoughts on this concept and
to develop a range of potential uses. Also open for further analysis is what other potential
locations could be appropriate for this structure. In this briefing, SPR staff will outline the main
issues raised by this proposal.

Public Involvement Process

There have not yet been public meetings or other community outreach on this proposal. SPR
staff welcomes the Board’s input on what types of community engagement should be
conducted in order to appropriately vet the proposal.

Issues for Discussion

The following issues are relevant to the stone cottage proposal:

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 ISSUES SUMMARY

Issue Key Questions

1-42
Shoreline Permitting, Land Use
Siting
Design Standards, Engineering
and Safety
Programming and Uses;
Adjacent Facility Uses and
Needs
Required Building Upgrades and
Accessibility
Alki Beach Park Lawn Usage
Community Outreach
Equity and Public Benefit
Water Views/Sightlines
What park and recreation purposes would or could be served by the
stone cottage?
SPR staff researching.
Alternate SPR or private property sites could be considered, including
other Alki or West Seattle beach locations.
Due diligence required to ensure SPR infrastructure is protected.
To be determined, based on community needs and interests.
Interaction with adjacent Bathhouse to be evaluated. SSHS initially
proposes visitors’ center/information booth.
To be researched; assume full employee, volunteer and user
accessibility. Types of required utility connections to be determined.
Community preferences and needs to be determined during outreach
or other processes.
Seeking Board guidance on initial outreach.
Review and determine how project would advance City’s Race and
Social Justice goals.
Review existing structures on beach; understand significance of adding
a structure.

I-42: Under Initiative 42, Seattle’s park land is to be used only for park and recreation purposes.
So a threshold determination involves establishing for this building a use, program or service
that does serve these purposes.

Shoreline Permitting: SPR staff will complete its analysis of the permitting requirements related
to this proposed development. Initial review suggests no clear restriction that would prevent
this project.

Siting: The Historical Society’s opening proposal involves placing the stone cottage on the beach
adjacent to the existing Alki Bathhouse. An alternatives analysis should be conducted, including
looking at potentially appropriate alternate locations nearby. Non-City-owned property could
present an opportunity. Also, other SPR property, for example across from Don Armeni Park
(close to the original cottage site), or across from Salty’s Restaurant, might be good alternatives.

Design Standards, Engineering and Safety: To ensure user safety and long-term viability, any
new structure on SPR property must be consistent with SPR’s design standards. SPR staff will
evaluate this issue and assess the external and interior condition of the building in conjunction
with the other issues listed here.

Programming and Uses; Adjacent Facility Uses and Needs: As noted in relation to I-42, above,
community input will help SPR evaluate what types of uses/programming would be desirable in
a new building at Alki Beach (or other nearby locations).

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Required Building Upgrades and Accessibility: The Historical Society proposes to bear all costs
associated with relocating the cottage. The initial proposal envisions creating a simple structure
with somewhat minimal upgrades; not yet known is what types of accessibility, utility and other
upgrades may be required in order to make this a usable, public facility. Once the building is
used by volunteers, employees and/or members of the public, certain building features will be
required.

Alki Beach Park and Lawn Usage: Community engagement would explore how the existing
ground at that site is being used and how placing this structure there would impact the overall
beach park. Part of the analysis will look at uses of the existing Bathhouse, adjacent to the
proposed site, as part of understanding what changes or additions may be needed at this
location.

Community Outreach: SPR has several recommendations regarding the scope of community
outreach appropriate for this concept. In addition, the Board’s guidance is welcome.

Equity and Public Benefit: As with every proposed project, SPR staff will analyze how this
project could advance the City’s Race and Social Justice goals. This will include understanding
what types of public benefits could be provided by the services or programs in this new space.

Water Views/Sightlines: While the stone cottage structure is rather small, SPR recognizes the
importance of recreational water access, including views of the water. Part of SPR’s review, and
the community engagement conversations that will unfold, will focus on how placing a new
structure on the beach affects views of the Puget Sound. This analysis also will take into account
existing structures along Alki Beach.

Environmental Sustainability
Many details of this proposal are not yet known, including any engineering that may be required
to install the stone cottage on a new foundation on the beach and bring it up to required
operational levels. SPR does not anticipate major environmental concerns, but notes this is a
criterion to keep in mind.

Budget
The Historical Society proposes to bear all the capital costs to relocate and upgrade the cottage.
In addition, the Historical Society has offered to create an endowment to pay for ongoing
operations and maintenance of the building. SPR does not yet know what the ongoing
operating expenses would be; this item will be further developed as part of the due diligence to
be performed after this briefing.

Schedule
A project schedule has not yet been developed. While the current property owner is seeking to
move the cottage off its property immediately, fortunately the Historical Society has secured an
interim storage site for the cottage. So the immediate survival of the stone cottage is not tied to
SPR’s decision on whether to place the structure in the park.

Attachments
Southwest Seattle Historical Society proposal