The Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee voted to authorize King County Metro to complete remaining property acquisitions for the RapidRide I Line, approving an amended ordinance that removed 15 of 25 properties originally included and left 10 parcels subject to acquisition up to and including condemnation. The committee approved the ordinance as amended by a 5-0 roll call vote. The project has a total capital budget of $174,000,000 and Metro says roughly $126,000,000 of that is state and federal grant funding, including a Federal Transit Administration Small Starts grant that requires timely completion.

The RapidRide I Line is a planned 17-mile north–south bus rapid transit route connecting Renton, Kent and Auburn with 82 stations and greater speed-and-reliability improvements than earlier RapidRide routes. Council staff told the committee that Metro identified acquisition needs on portions of about 110 properties along the route and, by July, had completed acquisitions on 85 of them; 25 remained when the county received the ordinance. The ordinance transmitted to the committee would have allowed Metro to acquire fee simple interests, permanent easements, and temporary construction easements on the identified parcels and explicitly authorized Metro to proceed to condemnation without additional council review unless the council repealed that authority.

Why it matters: Metro says it must begin construction this fall to meet the 2027 opening date tied to the federal grant and that the remaining properties are distributed along the whole route, making it impractical to build around unacquired parcels. Property owners and neighborhood representatives told the committee they received notice and had opportunities to meet with Metro, while several owners urged Metro and the council to continue negotiations and avoid condemnation where possible.

Property owners who testified included Eric Marsh of Seuss Creek Investments, who said the proposed bus stop design would create maintenance and safety problems at his site and asked the council not to grant condemnation authority so Metro could instead revise the plan and upgrade the existing stop at its current location. An Auburn property manager, identified as Wah Sun, said the proposed stop would block visibility to a business parking lot and could cause operational harm and safety concerns, and said a previously suggested alternative site had been rejected. Council staff and Metro described Metro’s standard acquisition process: formal offer letters, in‑person outreach and translation as needed, a Real Estate Acquisition Management Plan required by FTA, and an “impasse” letter if negotiations stall; Metro said it continues to attempt negotiations even after beginning condemnation steps.

The committee considered two amendments. Amendment 2, offered by Chair Deshaun Quinn and moved in committee, removed 15 of the 25 properties from the ordinance after Metro reported progress or promising negotiations on those parcels, leaving 10 properties identified as “at impasse.” Vice Chair Dombowski explained that amendment as an effort to narrow the ordinance to properties where Metro considered condemnation likely. The committee adopted Amendment 2 and then adopted the ordinance as amended. Clerk roll call recorded five ayes, no noes and no excused votes for the item; the ordinance will go to full council for final action following required notice and public hearing processes, with consideration scheduled for October 7.

Discussion vs. decision: committee members repeatedly emphasized that the ordinance does not propose taking any buildings or require relocations, that most of the acquisitions are narrow right-of-way strips, and that the council’s role is to authorize acquisition up to condemnation for the parcels listed. Members and staff stressed that Metro’s FTA Small Starts grant contains deadlines that drive the schedule; Metro told the committee that failure to meet grant timing could risk grant funds or future competitiveness for grants. Several council members urged continued outreach and a preference for negotiated solutions where possible.

Next steps: if the committee’s action stands, the clerk will send legal notice to affected property owners as required under state law and the item will be considered at full council after the notice period. Metro and council staff said they will continue negotiations on the parcels excluded by amendment and attempt to resolve outstanding issues for the ten remaining properties where Metro considers negotiations at impasse.