06:03 PM PDT on Thursday, October 28, 2004

By CATHY KIYOMURA / KING 5 News

SEATTLE - A plan to sell lush, green forested land has neighbors seeing red in West Seattle.

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Seven acres of forested land, just south of South Seattle Community College, may be sold by the city for new houses.

Seven acres of forested land, just south of South Seattle Community College, may be sold by the city for new houses. Some neighbors are fighting the project.

“It seems like this is the last undeveloped area in Seattle and they are going to tear it down,” said nearby resident Jennifer Arussman.

The parcel was purchased by the city in the 1950's for a long forgotten highway across West Seattle called Sound Way “to build a bridge from West Seattle to Vashon Island,” said Mary Pearson of the City of Seattle. “The city had done some property acquisition and the project was abandoned.”

Last year there was a study on what to do with it. The proposal boils down to this: sell seven acres that's zoned for single family housing. Another 14 acres of forested slope would be transferred to Seattle Parks for continued use as a greenbelt.

“The open space would complete a component a link of the greenbelt that in that sector of the city,” said Pearson.

Some neighbors are upset saying the city failed to meet with them before the idea showed up in the mayor's new budget.

“I hear there is not much we can do about it,” said James Rowe. “Neighbors have been fighting it since the 70's.”

The city says it held a dozens meetings about the land. Neighbors can still weigh in before final approval of the budget expected by Thanksgiving.

Planners say the proposal promotes affordable housing, but also preserves open space.

West Seattle neighbors say the city's goals still don't add up.