ZENITH PROPERTIES PROJECT - PRIOR INFORMATION
Updated July 25, 2025
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the Zenith Property, also known as the Masonic Home or Landmark on the Sound, will be released and posted on the City’s website on July 31.
The City ordered the EIS in response to the property owner’s application to demolish the structures on the property. This intensive process has spanned more than three years.
City staff will present the EIS findings to the City Council at its regular meeting, August 7 at 6 p.m. at City Hall. This will be an informational presentation only.
The City Council does not vote on the EIS or the demolition permit. As with other permits, such as building permits, City staff take action on applications, based on City policy and regulations set by the Council.
State law requires a period of seven days between the release of the EIS and a decision on the permit application. Since City staff has been working closely with the EIS consultants throughout the three-year period, the City will be ready to take action on the permit as soon as the waiting period is completed. The window to appeal the findings of the EIS and the permit decision begins on the decision date (anticipated August 8) and closes 10 days later (August 18).
A community meeting where residents can ask questions is scheduled for August 21, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Beach Park auditorium.
For more information, please read today’s City Manager’s Weekly Report, here.
Zenith Properties Building Demolition Application
Updated March 25, 2024
On March 8, 2024, the public comment period for the Draft EIS for the Zenith Properties Building Demolition Application closed. The City and consultant team are in the process of reviewing the comments received for consideration in the preparation of a Final EIS.
An extended comment period of 60-days provided agencies, tribes, and the public an opportunity to review and comment on the alternatives, probable significant adverse impacts, mitigation measures, and licenses or other approvals that may be required.
Options to provide comment included a virtual public meeting that was held on January 31, 2024 at 6 p.m. and in writing sent via e-mail, U.S. mail or on-line via the comment portal provided on this project webpage.
HARD COPIES of the Draft EIS were also available to view at City Hall and the Des Moines and Woodmont Public Libraries.
Updated February 2, 2024
Public comment period on the Draft Environment Impact Statement (Draft EIS) is open until 4:30 p.m. on March 8, 2024
The public comment period is closed.
As of January 9, the Draft EIS for the Zenith Properties Building Demolition Application is available for public comment. Agencies, tribes, and the public are invited and encouraged to review and comment on the alternatives, probable significant adverse impacts, mitigation measures, and licenses or other approvals that may be required. This public comment period will end on March 8, at 4:30 p.m.
The public comment period is closed.
VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING: A virtual public meeting was held on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 6 p.m. to receive verbal comments on the Draft EIS from the public and interested parties.
The meeting began at 6 p.m. with a brief presentation about the draft EIS, followed by public comments. A court reporter attended to transcribe comments. All comments were recorded and become part of the public record. The meeting ended when the last comment was made.
Meeting Presentation
Meeting Video
Meeting Transcript
How to access the Draft EIS
ONLINE:
Draft EIS
Appendices Part1 A-D
Appendices Part2 E-K (updated version 01-23-2024)
HARD COPIES of the Draft EIS are available to view at the following locations:
City Hall*
21630 11th Ave S, Suite D
Des Moines, WA 98198
Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
* Copies can be purchased for the cost of printing.
Des Moines Public Library
21620 11th Avenue S
Des Moines, WA 98198
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, and Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Woodmont Public Library
26809 Pacific Highway S
Des Moines, WA 98198
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Thursday, and Friday, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday (closed Sunday).
Updated November 9, 2023:
The City and consultant team are in the middle of the SEPA process and getting ready to issue a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) related to the Zenith Properties permit application. Public notice will be provided when the Draft EIS is issued and there will be an opportunity for public comment and engagement at that time.
The Des Moines City Council has been previously advised by the City Attorney that they will have a quasi-judicial role to review future permit applications submitted by the property owner related to the Zenith property. As such, the City Council must refrain from engaging in ex parte communications or any other actions that may implicate the duty of government decision makers to conduct hearings in a way that is fair and unbiased in both appearance and fact. As a result, individual Councilmembers cannot respond to related emails.
Updated September 26, 2022
Overview
Zenith Properties has applied for a demolition permit to remove all structures of the former Masonic Home/Landmark on the Sound property located at 23660 Marine View Drive South in Des Moines.
Pursuant to chapter 16.05 DMMC and the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), the City of Des Moines determined that Zenith Properties LLC’s proposed action requires an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to assess the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action, analyze alternatives, and propose possible mitigation measures.
Learn more about the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and public commenting here.
Application Objectives
Zenith has indicated that they have five objectives for their proposed action:
* Demolish the existing structures on the property
* Remove on-site unsafe conditions/potential hazards due to existing structural conditions
* Prevent further trespassing within the existing structures
* Prevent further vandalism to the existing structures
* Prevent further graffiti to the existing structures
Alternatives
Demolition Alternative
This Alternative assumes demolition of all existing structures and vacant buildings on site, including the main building (approximately 129,680 SF), infirmary wing and addition (approximately 18,982 SF), a residential structure (approximately 10,000 SF) at the southeast corner of the site, two maintenance buildings (each approximately 2,500 SF), the onsite water tower, an outdoor kitchen, patio and outhouse, and the fountain and associated landscape elements. Additional work would include removing existing building foundations and utilities, including water, sewer, and gas.
Historic Preservation and Potential Future Adaptive Reuse Alternative
This Alternative assumes that Zenith preserves and structurally stabilizes the existing structures on site and in a condition that may allow for potential future adaptive reuse. The components of the structural stabilization include foundations, structural, roofing, and exterior envelope, as well as a reasonable evaluation of the viability of applying preservation strategies to the structures, including a cost-benefit analysis that incorporates reasonably available historic preservation program and tax incentives. However, no specific potential future uses are proposed as part of the Alternative.
No Action Alternative
As required by SEPA, the EIS will evaluate a No Action Alternative. The No Action Alternative serves as the baseline condition for comparison with the other Alternatives and describes impacts if the proposed action does not proceed. There would be a continuation of existing site conditions, including retention of the existing structures as vacant and unutilized.
Elements for Analysis
SEPA requires that an EIS focus only on areas of probable significant impact. The City has preliminarily identified one element of the environment for analysis in the EIS:
* Historic and Cultural Resources (including above ground and below ground historic and cultural resources)
The scoping process may identify additional elements and/or revise the alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS. Additional opportunities for public comment will be available once the draft EIS is prepared and issued.
Public Involvement
There are opportunities for public comment at the scoping and draft EIS stages in the development of the EIS. The City accepts comments in writing or verbally at a public meeting during the specified comment period.
Scoping is the first step in the EIS process and includes a public comment period to gather input about the main topics and considerations that should be examined in the EIS. The purpose of scoping is to determine the range, or “scope,” of issues to study in the EIS. The City is notifying the public of the intent to prepare an EIS so that agencies, tribes, communities, organizations, and members of the public have an opportunity to comment on the scope of the impacts and alternatives to be analyzed.
The City completed the scoping phase of the EIS process from May 3, 2022 through June 2, 2022. Due to an error in noticing the project has been re-noticed and a second scoping period was provided from July 27, 2022 through August 25, 2022. All scoping comments received during these comment periods will be documented in the public record.
Schedule
The next step in the EIS process will be the production of a Draft EIS. Following the review of the scoping comments the City, with consultant assistance, will develop a draft EIS document for public review at a future date. More opportunities for public comment will be available during the Draft EIS comment period. No decision will be made on the application until the completion of the EIS process.
July 27 - August 25, 2022 Scoping Documents and Information:
City of Des Moines has Re-noticed the SEPA Determination of Significance and Scoping Comment Period for the Zenith Properties’ Demolition Application
On July 27, 2022, the City of Des Moines Re-Noticed the SEPA Determination of Significance for Zenith Properties LLC’s application for a demolition permit (LUA2019-0032) for its property at 23660 Marine View Drive S. The 30-day public comment period on scoping for the Environmental Impact Statement began on July 27, 2022 and ended on August 25, 2022 at 4:30 p.m.
Virtual Public Scoping Meeting: A virtual Public EIS Scoping Meeting was held August 15, 2022 at 6 p.m. The meeting included a short presentation about the proposal, the SEPA process and how to provide comment. Public comments were received after the presentation. Links to the presentation and meeting video are provided below. The meeting transcript will be posted as soon as it is available.
* Registered Attendees
* Meeting Plan
* Scoping Meeting Presentation - 08/15/2022
Meeting Recording
On May 3, 2022, the City of Des Moines issued a SEPA Determination of Significance regarding Zenith Properties LLC’s application for a demolition permit (LUA2019-0032) for its property at 23660 Marine View Drive S.
The City accepted comments on the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement from May 3 to June 2, 2022.
The City hosted a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, May 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. PST. A recording of the meeting is included below.
Registered Attendees
Meeting Plan
Scoping Meeting Presentation
Meeting Recording