Lake Washington soccer group allowed to build more fields

The Lake Washington Youth Soccer Association will be allowed to build seven to nine soccer fields on the southern portion of Sixty Acres Park under a 30-year agreement approved Monday by the Metropolitan King County Council.

The council adopted several amendments intended to address the long-debated concerns of neighbors and non-soccer users of the Redmond park:

• Fields will not be lighted.

• Camping will not be allowed at Sixty Acres South, but camping will be allowed at Sixty Acres North for an Ultimate Frisbee tournament.

• The county will lease property near Carnation where Seattle Area Soaring Society members can fly radio-controlled model airplanes, an activity that has taken place for years at Sixty Acres Park.

• The soccer association and the soaring society will attempt to negotiate an agreement under which plane operators could hold four organized events a year at the park and informal "fly-ins" on Wednesday nights.

• King County retains the right to resolve disputes among users.

Much of the compromise language was written by Councilmember Kathy Lambert, R-Redmond, whose district includes the park. She said in a written statement that she hopes "with cooperation and teamwork, we can all enjoy the wonderful area of Sixty Acres."

Jane Hague, chairwoman of the council Utilities and Parks Committee, in a statement called the park "one of our regional crown jewels" and praised "the avenues we developed for dispute resolution."

Keith Ervin: 206-464-2105 or kervin@seattletimes.com