Visual Art
Jul 16, 2009 at 4:00 am
Lake Burien, Posters, Hooch, Google Earth, and How to Make Art of Land
No other way into Lake Burien.
gregory rehmke
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800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
800 Maynard Ave S, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98134
The art here searches for the natural patterns, the ones untouched by the formal social structures we have been enslaved by. "It's about finding your own ways to the water" reminds me that it is about returning to the sea... the formless ocean we all evolved from.
Per King County, the presence of fish is unknown. If there were fish, or if fish could be stocked for anglers, then the Department of Fish & Wildlife might acquire and develop public access and a public boat launch, perhaps restricted to electric motors.
Evidently the city of Burien does not want to touch property lakefront property purchase with a ten-foot pole, perhaps understandably given the cost. The public might also buy responsibility for fixing potential future problems, such as declining water quality. However, the city manager and parks director could do a much better job explaining their reasoning and capital priorities. Is gaining access to Lake Burien not supported by municipal policy direction?
The closest public right of way to view the lake appeared to be at the corner of SW 156th St & 12th Ave SW – this is not a legal access to the lake shoreline. There is a small, undeveloped (fenced?) parcel at the intersection that may be suitable for eventual public shoreline access, given a willing seller & buyer, or eminent domain condemnation.
According to King County records (parcel 1923049054, http://www5.kingcounty.gov/parcelviewer/… ), the lake’s outfall appears as an open drainage channel crossing the Ruth Dykeman Children Center, west side of 10th Ave SW approximately SW 153rd. If this open channel were a riparian corridor connected to a public right of way, then I believe that western water law allows public access provided you stay in the channel. I’m not a lawyer – consult someone competent in riparian law in Washington. However, legal is not necessarily practical – access is very difficult if the stream course is piped, or if someone toting a shotgun disputes your crossing.
The city prohibited public access to the water as a condition of approving a special rezoning of the Ruth Dykeman Children’s Center. Why?
At the minimum, it is in the public interest to ensure the outfall channel & structure is maintained (either by private or public entities), to keep the lake level from rising and damaging private improvements.
King County quarter-section maps showing private property & public rights of way:
http://your.kingcounty.gov/assessor/emap…
http://your.kingcounty.gov/assessor/emap…
City of Burien stormwater map index (see page 957)
http://wa-burien.civicplus.com/DocumentV…
The Burien component grew out of an understanding that many layers of transition are happening in that little burg, B/IAS being one story, but not the whole story. And in the spirit of extending Sieverts' thinking about the "in-between", Burien seemed like meaningful place to land outside of Seattle. What happened there went well beyond any expectations - completely due to the generosity of many people on many levels. What was also exceptional was the lack of an agenda or intent to develop an end product. Information was shared and re-formulated. Seeds were sown. Lake Burien being one of them.
As to the way seeds are sown - as I worked on the walk and the maps drawn up by various groups to ground the walk, the lake just stood out on the initial aerial. I started asking about it. Many responses later caused it was labeled "desire" on the maps. The consequence of that seed are now chronicled. Other ideas came out of the walk around as well. Awareness blossomed. And more will come.
Thanks to everyone who worked on this.
Carolyn Law