Location of the new facility 

The new facility will be located at 35101 West Valley Highway S. in Algona, just north of the current facility it will replace. Key characteristics of the site include:

• Size: Site is 18.9 acres. Ten acres are buildable land and 9 acres are unbuildable primarily due to steep slopes.
• Critical Areas: Steep slopes, streams, and wetlands.
• Zoning: City of Algona C-3 Heavy Commercial and Open Space/Critical Areas.
• Current Use: Partially vacant; developed portion is leased by King County to a landscape supplier.
• Surrounding Uses: Residential to the west, landscape construction contractor and other commercial uses to the north, West Valley Highway S and SR-167 to the east, and the current Algona Transfer Station to the south.

Services planned at the new facility

The new facility will offer services similar to those currently offered at King County’s other newly built facilities and to provide for future needs. Planned services include:

• Recyclables: Cardboard, glass bottles and jars, cans, paper, plastic containers, scrap metal, major appliances, yard waste, clean (untreated) wood, bicycles and bicycle parts, and textiles.
• Hazardous waste disposal – Common items used in homes and small businesses such as oil-based paint, fluorescent lights, pesticides, batteries, household cleaners, propane tanks, etc.
• Garbage: From households and commercial garbage collection companies.

Sustainable design features 

King County’s other recently built recycling and garbage transfer facilities were designed to include many features that improve energy efficiency, save water, and use recycled content building materials.

Some of the sustainable green features being considered for this new station include:

• Environmentally-friendly, locally manufactured, and recycled content building materials.
• Rainwater harvesting: Collecting and storing rainwater for use in washing down station floors and equipment, and for flushing toilets.
• Natural daylighting: Translucent windows to allow natural daylight to light work areas as much as possible, which reduces energy needs.
• Water conservation: Low-flow fixtures, rainwater harvesting, native vegetation and drought resistant plants.  
• Renewable energy production: Solar panels to help the facility produce as much energy as it uses and reduce operations costs.

Public art

In 1973, King County adopted legislation creating the 1% for Art Program. The program allocates 1% of funds from County capital construction projects for public art. Public art associated with King County construction projects is managed by 4Culture, the county's cultural services agency. 4Culture collaborates with artists and County stakeholders to bring art into the everyday lives of residents and visitors. More information about the agency can be found at www.4culture.org. 

Community benefits

The new South County Recycling and Transfer Station will include a number of community benefits such as:

• New recycling and household hazardous waste disposal services
• An enclosed garbage transfer building that minimizes noise, dust and odors
• Larger unloading areas and more efficient traffic flow to reduce customer wait times
• Re-alignment and repaving along a portion of West Valley Highway S. to improve traffic and installation of new sidewalks to improve pedestrian safety
• Enhancements and restoration of Algona Creek
• Better stormwater management
• Public art
• Improved site landscaping 

Thank you for your input!

Your comments are important and will help King County understand what customers and residents value and want to see in the new South County Recycling and Transfer Station.

If you have questions about the project, or would like a project team member to meet with you or a group you represent, please contact Project Manager Doug Chin at (206) 477-5217 or Doug.Chin@kingcounty.gov.

Visit the project website at kingcounty.gov/south-county for more information.