City approves GSA vacation agreement

By Tara Nelson

The city is moving forward on a preliminary agreement with the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to vacate a section of residential neighborhood in East Blaine to make way for a new border facility at the Peace Arch port of entry.

In a regular meeting of the Blaine City Council, members voted 6-0 to approve a preliminary agreement with GSA to vacate several blocks along B Street up to Second Street and along First Street to Peace Arch Park, as well as the alley between B and C streets.

If approved in a later meeting, the agreement would bind the GSA to complete a number of mitigations such as improvements to sidewalks, street trees and road resurfacing to bring Second Street up to standards. The agreement would also require the GSA to provide pedestrian and bicycle access to the park, to Second Street as well as the I-5 area for residents and visitors during the construction.

According to Ron Weber, a GSA site acquisition contracting officer from the GSA’s Auburn office, the agency is still on schedule to complete the project by the 2010 winter Olympics.