7/16/18 - Public Hearing on Warehouse Development - Monday, July 16, 2018 - 9 am

   Location:  Public Services Building (Annex), South Entrance, Public Meeting Room 2401 South 35th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409

    In a nutshell, the city of Puyallup does not approve of the proposed MASSIVE development of warehouses at the bottom of Shaw road, and wants Pierce County to do an impact study. They don't want to.

Hi Puyallup Citizens Concerned About this Proposal:

      On Monday July 16 at 9 AM in Tacoma at the address below, the public will have the opportunity to provide public comment on this project. Public Services Building (Annex), South Entrance, Public Meeting Room 2401 South 35th Street, Tacoma, WA 98409.

      Also at this hearing, the Hearing Examiner will consider the City of Puyallup's appeal of Pierce County's determination that this massive warehouse proposal will not cause significant impacts.

      The City, on behalf of the citizens of Puyallup, is arguing that this 7 large warehouse complex will lead to significant traffic impacts and will negatively effect the environment.

      As most of you will attest, Shaw Road is already a heavily used congested roadway and adding nearly 1,800 large trucks and 7,000 total vehicles per day that will access the warehouses from a new Shaw Road Overpass offramp would make traffic worse.

      The City is arguing the County should require an Environmental Impact Statement, allow for public input on the project, and apply proper mitigation in accordance with the State's Environmental Policy Act (SEPA). The County did not have a single public hearing on it's determination that this proposal would not cause significant impacts. This proposal is not consistent with the City's land use plan for this future annexation area, which was adopted in 2009 with the involvement of the land owners.  The City's plan includes a mix of development types as well as about 40 acres of open space/Ag (agricultural)  land where warehouses are proposed.

     When the Shaw Road Overpass was built it was intended to support the City's land use plan not a huge warehouse complex. The Shaw Road Overpass cost $26 Million of which the City paid $8.4 million, which includes your tax dollars and we are still paying this debt. It's noteworthy that this proposal would not be viable without the access provided by the Shaw Road Overpass built with your money.

     I continue to advocate for a fair and balanced development plan for this area that includes some protected Ag land/open space. The City and Council members have reached out to the County Executive, developer, and land owner in attempt to negotiate a more reasonable development plan.

     The City also provided numerous comments to the County on this proposal (see City link below for some of the comments). The County, however, has expressed no interest in addressing the City's concerns and has abandoned its long-standing and well documented commitment to protect some of this land as Ag land.

     Very disappointing.

     Sincerely, John Palmer

p.s. - I will also note that there is one warehouse that is in the City limits adjacent to Shaw Road that is in the process of being built that is a separate project (Viking/former Schnitzer), which was allowed as a result of a controversial re-zone several years ago. The Michelson/Knutson project includes the other 7 warehouses as shown below. http://www.cityofpuyallup.org/1115/Puyallup-Valley-Warehouse-Development

Message from Mayor John Palmer regarding a Pierce County Council meeting next Monday

  
=== EMAILS Received ===========================
 

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07/20/16 - Proposed Warehouse (see Emails Received below)
       

Summary:  

Of particular interest to those who live in the City of Puyallup is the proposed development of a 187-acre site for warehouses. The site is located just east of the Shaw Road extension bridge. The applicant's preliminary site plan shows over 3 million square feet of industrial (warehouse distribution and freight movement) space in seven separate warehouses.

  
      - At this time, the Board is not addressing this issue on behalf of the HOA

       - FYI.  Steps you can take if you decide to:

       a.  Review the letter from the City of Puyallup (Notice from City of Puyallup).  Send your comments and questions to Marcia Lucero at mlucero@co.pierce.wa.us or call 253-798-2789.  

       b.  Below is an email received from a CRHOA resident.  Associated documents:

                    (i)  Letter of Concern by CRHOA Resident (redacted)

                   (ii)  Reply by Pierce County to CRHOA Resident (redacted)

                  (iii)  Traffic Impact Assessment

                  (iv)  Revised TIA Knutson Industrial

       c.  Visit Pierce Co web site for this issue:  http://www.co.pierce.wa.us/index.aspx?nid=4751     

       d.  To receive email notifications of the status, go to https://palsonline.co.pierce.wa.us/palsonline/#/dashboard, 

            -  Select "Login" in the top menu to set up an account.

            -  After account is set up, Login and then click on "Permit Search" in top menu.

            -  In Application/Permit # box, enter 840137.

            -  On Application/Permit Info web page,   click on "I want to...",  then "Add to eNotification",  then click on "Status".

       e.  Plan to attend a City of Puyallup PUBLIC HEARING  (date, time, location to be determined). 

=== EMAILS Received ===========================

 -  7/20/16 - Email received from a CR resident

I have contacted our city council on the Shaw road widening and on the Van Leitrop project. I am in the process of outlining an email to Pierce county transportation engineering. I see no one has mentioned the fact that these warehouse's will I'm sure be using the railroad spur that crosses Shaw. This will have a devastating effect on our ability to come and go. As will these warehouse's using 134th with the main line passing through there. Has anybody considered these roadblocks?

 -  7/19/16 - Email received from a CR resident

This week, in response to the City of Puyallup’s notice of the proposed warehouse mega-complex development coming to our area (Knutson Farms, Inc land), I expressed my concerns to Pierce County regarding how this development will significantly impact our local traffic on Shaw Road, already an overcrowded arterial. In a reply to my email, Pierce County’s Development Engineer confirmed today that Pierce County has NO PLANS to expand traffic capacity on the roads adjacent to the proposed warehouse complex (187-acre mega-complex site). See attached reply.

Also enclosed is Pierce County’s comments to a Traffic Impact Assessment on the roads around the proposed mega-complex. In this report, Pierce County states that this development will add over 6,700 additional DAILY trips to 134th Avenue East (which, by proximity, will spill onto Pioneer Road and toward the Shaw Rd / Pioneer Intersection).

Please inform CR Homeowners that a PUBLIC HEARING will be held by the City of Puyallup on this issue (date, time, location to be determined) and urge attendance at this meeting since this development is forecasted to have a major impact on our surrounding roads and traffic flow.

Please refer to attached documentation & report.
   

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07/16/16 - Proposed Warehouse Development - Letter mailed from The City of Puyallup - See letter for dates & comments mailing address and email address
       -  12/14/14  Original    -  06/21/16  Revised    -  07/14/16  Mailed to residents
       -  07/18/16  Comment deadline  or  anytime prior to project permit

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