NPI OUT!
Who is NPI?
NPI (National Products Inc.) located in the South Park neighborhood on 1205 S Orr St. is an industrial plastics company Products are primarily sold under the name "Ram Mounts". NPI/Ram mounts is expanding in the heart of the South Park residential core, evicting tenants, demolishing affordable homes, and creating unsafe, nuisance conditions for the surrounding neighbors and community. A conditional use permit was granted by King County, based on having NO adverse impacts to the surrounding historic residential homes. After numerous nuisance and safety complaints from the community regarding fumes, smoke, noise, trucks and forklifts blocking/using the right of way, insufficient on-site parking and garbage issues, NPI was told they were operating close to residential homes to continue legally. Rather than locate to an industrially zoned area, NPI bought all 8 of the historic homes in the triangle block across the street. They are small, affordable rentals. NPI began evicting tenants, and demolishing homes for "parking they need" and a "sound buffer wall" to the neighbors. Of course the triangle homes and tenants ARE the very neighbors NPIs business activities were not supposed to impact. The South Park community is standing with neighbors and tenants in the "South Park Triangle" and opposes NPIs further expansion. The community demands NPIs heavy industrial activities be relocated to a suitably zoned area, that the unsafe nuisance activities stop, and that no "industrial buffer" is created. The health and safety of the community come first! NP has demolished 7 affordable historic homes in its first TWO expansions. Actions in the South Park triangle constitute a THIRD expansion. Another 3 homes have been demolished, and 5 triangle homes remain. NPI DEMOLITIONS NEED TO STOP NOW. Not another neighbor lost!
Community Meeting
It all started after learning of mass evictions planned for the residents of 8 houses in what is known as “the triangle” located next to NPI’s facility. in lue of the news the community decided to hold a meeting to discuss their concerns. Resistencia Coffee hosted the community along with King County’s Joe McDermott and King County planning. During which they admitted they had mislabeled the triangle parcels as "industrial" on the official land use map for decades.
Meeting notes
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rkezkdghAs25YdqP4TE9BlVizepOC8aX/view?usp=sharing
Zoning
This is NOT an Industrial area. This is the heart of South Parks historic residential community. NPI is expanding onto R-4, fully residential parcels.NPI is operating on regional business zoned parcels. The regional business zoning was intended to provide services and amenities to the community not to accommodate an industrial operation. The business zoned parcels were historically a family owned feed store and grocery. Later uses included a diner and entertainment venue. Any number of needed services could have gone on the regional business zoned parcels. Instead we have lost out on what community enriching services and jobs could have gone here, suffered NPI’s toxic air, evictions, demolitions, 24/7 noise, blocking of our streets, and workers in our community being exposed to unsafe conditions. We will no longer stand for it! South Park already sacrificed entire blocks of homes to industrial rezones in the past, in the goal to preserve its residential core.
Industrially rezoned areas are all around South Park, but not where NPI has chosen to expand. The community has already "compromised" enough with industrial polluters. Brownfields and toxic sites sit where corner stores, historic homes, and gardens used to be. The industrial areas are under-utilized now, many lots and buildings vacant and available.
NPI can relocate to an actual industrial area within minutes of it's current location.
Toxic Site
The toxic site was NOT disclosed by NPI in the SEPA Environmental Checklist for the National Products Phase 2 expansion project.
Below is a screenshot of the unremediated MTCA Toxic site hazard assessment. Shown in this map are toxic groundwater plumes spreading under S. Orr St behind the NPI facility. The toxic site was NOT disclosed by NPI in the SEPA Environmental Checklist for the National Products Phase 2 expansion project
Cleanup Site Information
Site Name: Spencer Industries Inc
Cleanup Site ID: 4796
Facility Site ID: 13132191
Cleanup Site Status: Cleanup Started
Cleanup Type: Independent Action
Site Rank: 2
Responsible Section: Northwest
Address: 8410 Dallas Ave S & 1205 S Orr St, Seattle WA, 98108
County: King
Cleanup site webpage
https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/gsp/Sitepage.aspx?csid=4796
Cleanup site Summary Report
The photos below are dirt patches where homes and families used to be. This is where NPI left septic systems exposed.
There are over 100 toxic sites in South Park
Learn more here https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/neighborhood/
Plans for a Park
The city has planned to build a park (South Park Plaza) next to NPI’s industrial facility which will be coming soon. The plaza includes a play area, picnic area, amphitheater, vendor area, and many other amenities. Children and neighbors will be using their new park. NPIs unsafe industrial activities, fumes, and traffic must be relocated to an actual industrial area, outside the residential core. South Park deserves a healthy, safe neighborhood as much as any other wealthier residential area. The NPI industrial expansion is a continuation of decades of Environmental Injustice. It has NO place here. The future vision for South Park is vibrant, and healthy.
Below is a screenshot of the plans for the South Park Plaza. To the left of the plaza you can very prominently see NPI’s toxic industrial facility.
