Video: Group studying 6 possible sites for new WA jail

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SEATTLE - Representatives from five area cities and unincorporated King County on Thursday announced a list of six sites under consideration for a new jail.  

Some aren't happy about the list, but King County's jail in downtown Seattle is running out of room and will stop accepting misdemeanor inmates in 2012.

Sites in the running include a location in north Seattle, another in south Seattle, an annex next to the existing King County Jail in downtown Seattle and another in unincorporated King County.

Two new ones previously not on the list are likely to get a lot of attention. They include one on 116th Avenue Northeast in Bellevue and another at NE 200th Street in Shoreline.

The Bellevue location is currently home to an office park, and occupants weren't aware the site was being considered.

"I think it's too close to downtown Bellevue," said Scott Reilly, of Wall's Training. "A lot of private businesses that would have to leave and I think it would be a blight in the neighborhood."

"I guess I would be shocked if we had one community that stood there with open arms and said please site the jail here," said Catherine Cornwall, senior policy analyst for the city of Seattle. "The concerns may vary a little bit from community to community, although really there are similar themes that come up."

KING

Many cities bring their misdemeanor prisoners to downtown Seattle to the King County Correctional Facility. But King County says the jail is filling up and running out of space.

The top two concerns are traffic and public safety.

The planning group will hold public forums during the first two weeks of December to hear from businesses and residents in the various communities. Then a round of environmental impact meetings is planned.

In the end they're hoping one of the six proposed sites will emerge the clear winner for a new 650-bed jail.

Here are the sites being studied:

-King County Jail Annex, southeast corner of the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Jefferson Street, Seattle

-Seattle north, 1600 W. Armory Way

-Seattle south, Highland Park Way SW and West Marginal Way SW

-Bellevue, 555 116th Ave. NE

-Shoreline, 2545 NE 200th Street

-Unincorporated King County, 13225 NE 126th Place