SEATTLE — The leaders of Seattle and King County have agreed to a land swap that would transfer City Hall Park, which has in recent years been home to large homeless encampments and seen acts of violence, to county control.
Under the proposed agreement, between Mayor Jenny Durkan and County Executive Dow Constantine, the county would take control of the half-acre park and the city would receive 13 parcels of land, totaling about 1.4 acres, mostly small parcels next to existing city parks.
The agreement still requires the approval of both the Seattle City Council and the Metropolitan King County Council.
Tensions around City Hall Park began to flare again this summer. A fatal stabbing in June spurred an effort by County Councilmember Reagan Dunn to condemn the park as a public safety hazard. Later, County Councilmember Jeanne Kohl-Welles proposed legislation to turn the park over to the county.