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Summarized by Janus Wilkinson
Mormon church now a party to U District light-rail talks
Seattle WA Post-Intelligencer 18Mar00 D1
By George Foster: Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter
and
Link light rail nearing deadline on UW issues
Seattle WA Post-Intelligencer 16Mar00 D1
By George Foster: Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON -- The LDS Church has been dragged into
negotiations between the University of Washington and Sound Transit
over a rail station near the University's campus. Sound Transit
wants to put an underground entrance to its rail system near the LDS
student center near campus. The student center is a 40-year-old
Institute of Religion building used for worship, classes and
recreation by hundreds of LDS students.
The station would require the Church to move the student center
elsewhere, and while University officials have offered to help the
Church find another suitable site, Church spokesman Gordon Conger has
told them no thanks. "We're not going to sue anybody, but we will
defend with all the resources available" the Church's right to stay
there. Transit authorities have the governmental right of immanent
domain, which would allow them to take the property. But Conger cites
the First Amendment, which guarantees religious freedom, saying that
it would keep Sound Transit from taking the Church's property.
Researchers at the college also opposes the move, voicing concerns
that the agency's tunneling and train operations could damage
vibration-sensitive research.
A decision will be made by the agency on April 1, 2000.
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