The King County Council voted earlier this month to approve the sale of 1.58 acres of the Auburn Park and Ride to the City of Auburn to enhance the Auburn Municipal Airport.

The council was unanimous in its approval of the sale during the council meeting on March 1. The land will be used to enhance the runway clearance zone at the Auburn Municipal Airport, according to the county.

“I am pleased we have been able to take property that has been unused for 14 years and to provide it with a new purpose,” King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer said.

The move to sell the land to Auburn was a joint effort between von Reichbauer and Auburn Mayor Nancy Backus, according to the county.

The city used funds from a Federal Aviation Administration grant to purchase the land, according to the county.

In 2008, the county declared a portion of the Auburn Park and Ride as surplus property, and in 2012, Orion Industries purchased a section of the surplus land. The land abuts the southern end of the Auburn Municipal Airport near D Street Northeast and 15th Street Northeast.

In 2021, the city of Auburn approached the county about purchasing the rest of the property for use as runway clearance at the airport.

“It was a pleasure working with Mayor Backus. She deserves great credit for her vision for the airport and her ability to secure the financial support needed to make it happen,” von Reichbauer said.