A Note on the FAA Radar Site
Discovery Park is the city’s largest and most beloved green space, with more than 600 acres of forests, meadows, beaches, and open space. At the very center of the park, atop one of its highest and most scenic hills, stands a 100-foot-tall Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar dome. The facility sits within the Fort Lawton Historic District, one of the park’s most iconic areas, surrounded by wide-open spaces and sweeping views.
This post, written by Friends of Discovery Park President Philip Vogelzang, reflects Friends of Discovery Park’s advocacy regarding the FAA radar dome and surrounding fenced area as it stood in 2018. We’ve included the original text below as a record of this advocacy effort and the concerns raised by Friends of Discovery Park.
Shrink the FAA Footprint
Discovery Park is the City’s largest and most beloved green space with over 600 acres of forests, meadows, and beaches. In the very center of the park at the top of its highest and most scenic hill is a 100 foot tall FAA radar dome which dominates the landscape in all directions and lies within the Fort Lawton Historic District. This District is one of the most iconic places in the Park with wide open spaces and unparalleled views.
Surrounding the radar dome is an imposing security fence that defines the current 2.25-acre site (see attached property lines figure). Of that total, the radar dome and it’s maintenance building sit on a square-shaped 1/2 acre of land, with its own dedicated perimeter fence. This footprint size and configuration is virtually identical to the other 46 identical sites scattered around the country (see Minneapolis FAA example).
Surrounding this base footprint is another fenced off 1.87 acres that are not being used. We believe that this additional fence line unnecessarily restricts the public from accessing the top of the hill and its beautiful views for no good reason. Simply by looking at other sites like Minneapolis, we know that 2.25 acres are not needed for the safe and secure operation of the radar dome. By simply removing the larger external fence, and leaving the smaller 1/2 acre footprint fence in place, security to the tower would be maintained and the public would be able to access this important top of the hill location.
Please note that this proposed change would not require any transfer of land or purchases by the City. Ownership of the land would remain with the FAA. They would simply remove the external fence and allow public access to the unneeded and unused 1.87 acres, with the radar dome itself remaining safely and securely fenced. This land is owned by the public, and if it is not being used, the public should be allowed to use it. We feel it’s highest and best use would be for park use and public access. The Friends of Discovery Park has reached out to both the FAA and Senator Patty Murrays office to further discuss this simple and inexpensive change. We have also discussed this issue with the Seattle Park Department.
– Philip Vogelzang, President, Friends of Discovery Park
Advocating for Public Access
Friends of Discovery Park’s position was that removing the larger external fence – while retaining the smaller fence immediately surrounding the radar equipment – could preserve the security of the FAA facility while restoring public access to the surrounding open space.
Importantly, the proposal did not call for a transfer of ownership or purchase of the land by the City. The land would remain under FAA ownership; the request was simply to remove fencing around the unused portion and allow the public to access the approximately 1.87 acres surrounding the secured radar facility.
At the time, Friends of Discovery Park reached out to the FAA, Senator Patty Murray’s office, and Seattle Parks and Recreation to discuss the possibility. The effort reflected a broader principle at the heart of our advocacy: when public land within Discovery Park is not needed for its designated purpose, public access and the park’s open-space character should be carefully considered.
Today, Friends of Discovery Park continues to advocate for the protection, restoration, and thoughtful stewardship of Discovery Park’s open spaces. Visit the Our Work page to learn more about our work to protect the park for future generations.
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