Minutes Exhibit E
Port Commission Regular Meeting
of September 24, 2019
DES MOINES MEMORIAL DRIVE PRESERVATION ASSOC.
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WWI LIVING ROAD OF REMEMBRANCE
LivingRoadofRemembrance.org  PO. Box 66482, Burien WA 98166

September 22, 2019

I apologize for not presenting these comments in person. | have a medical appointment that is
hard to change. It is with pleasure that I offer this report regarding Des Moines Memorial Drive
Preservation Committee.
This WWI era project was intended to be a living tribute to the fallen. For most of the last century
it was just that. Then urbanization encroached and it fell on hard times. As part of your ordinance
establishing the Green Cities grant process for non-profits in Burien, Des Moines and Sea Tac, you set
aside special attention for the Drive by hiring Forterra to work with us. They have been wonderful to
work with. They have attended our meetings, listened, and toured the Drive. The "plan" as recently
offered includes:
.        An interactive GIS map that shows each property, commercial and residential, that front the Drive

so that people will be able to go online and view their property and/or check to see where elms

are.

.        They will create a color coded list of properties that are most suitable to planting elms plus denote
those that are not environmentally hospitable that could be designated for some artwork. The first
100 in each category will be color coded. We will be working with the three cities to develop
criteria for this.
.        A spring target for offering 25 free elms to property owners along the Drive to plan an elm on
their property. These are Frontier Elms, a disease resistant slightly smaller elm suitable for
residential property.
.        a brochure that can be used as a handout

.        assisting in the development ofapower point presentation to the city councils

.        Improve our presence on social media

.        And connected us with Sarah Yarwood-Lovett of the Nature Conservancy who has written an
article on the Drive for their magazine
.        Join our Veteran's Day open house to begin presenting this plan to the public
None of this precludes the cities from planting elms along the right of way when they have a street
improvement project along the Drive.
Andy Gregory, from the Portof Seattle staff, has also attended our meetings. He has assured us of the
continued interest of the POS. We are working with Andy to develop a project a future spring project that
will clear some weeds and do general cleanup. It is our hope that location can be just north of the SR 518
overpass adjacent to the Miller Creek Trail. At that location Burien planted a dozen elm trees. A Boy
Scout, Andrew Jenner, crafted a beautiful historical sign he placed there as part of an Eagle Scout Project.
Having the weeds cleared there to make it hospitable for a spring planting of poppies would simply be
beautiful. This is a project plan in progress.
As you can see we have been very busy. Forterra and Andy have been great to work with. Together we
will return the Drive to a fitting memorial to honor those who gave their lives for our freedom. Thank
you so much or your continued support.

Respectfully,

Rose Clark