SEATTLE -- Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announced Thursday the city is planning to buy a portion of two properties in the Cedar Park neighborhood in order to restore waterfront access to the public.
The NE 130th Street beach off of Rivera Place on Lake Washington has been used by the public for decades, but through a technicality, it was never owned by the city.
Neighbors say the beach has been a place the community has treasured for years. But recently, Keith Holmquist and his neighbor put up a fence to block people from using the beach after a court ruled that, through a technicality, the property belonged to them.
"People are taking it very personal – as it's an attack upon them. It's not an attack upon them. The law is law, and the courts held up the law," said Holmquist.
Here's the issue: The beach was essentially gifted to the city more than 80 years ago for the community to use, but the deed was never officially transferred, meaning the city never owned the property.
"Everybody's intent was for this to be a community beach – that was never in question. And in my mind, intent should play a part in it," said Dave Pope, who lives up the hill from the beach.
In response to the ruling, Pope started a community effort to "Save the Beach."
"It's really kind of shocking that they could have wrestled this beach from the public without paying a dime," said Pope.
Pope worked with neighbors to gather signatures and support and presented them to the city – and their effort worked. The mayor declared Thursday he would work to purchase the property the beach is on and again make it public.
"We're all just very hopeful," said Pope.
For now the fence will remain, but neighbors are optimistic the city will help save the beach.
According to Holmquist, he has not received an official offer from the city to buy the property. If Holmquist and his neighbor refuse the offer, Mayor Ed Murray has authorized the use of eminent domain to acquire the property.
