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INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING FROM THE TNT
Was Pierce County homeless village 'cooked'? Questions dogged $62M project for start
It passed but can it last? Hurdles remain for the Pierce County homeless village project
It passed but can it last? Hurdles remain for the Pierce County homeless village project
BY SHEA JOHNSON 8/23/23
It passed but can it last? Hurdles remain for the Pierce County homeless village project
It passed but can it last? Hurdles remain for the Pierce County homeless village project
It passed but can it last? Hurdles remain for the Pierce County homeless village project
BY SHEA JOHNSON 8/23/23
How behind the scene politics helped win approval for Pierce County homeless village
In rare move, Pierce County Council overrides executive veto on homeless village zoning
In rare move, Pierce County Council overrides executive veto on homeless village zoning
BY SHEA JOHNSON 8/23/23
In rare move, Pierce County Council overrides executive veto on homeless village zoning
In rare move, Pierce County Council overrides executive veto on homeless village zoning
In rare move, Pierce County Council overrides executive veto on homeless village zoning
BY BECCA MOST 8/23/23
HELP FIGHT. DONATE TODAY!
WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN WIN!!
OUR GREATEST NEED IS FINANCIAL SUPPORT SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO RETAIN OUR ATTORNEY FOR THE LEGAL BATTLE TO STOP THE VILLAGE.
IF YOU CARE ABOUT STOPPING THE VILLAGE, DONATE TODAY!
WE BELIEVE THIS TERRIBLE MISUSE OF POWER AND LAND CAN AND WILL BE STOPPED. WITH YOUR HELP, SCC'S ATTORNEY WILL HELP ARGUE THE CASE BEFORE THE GROWTH BOARD AND HEARING EXAMINER.
100% OF THE $ IS FOR LEGAL FEES
!WE HAVE HIRED AN EXCELLENT LAND-USE ATTORNEY!! WE ESTIMATE WE NEED TO RAISE BETWEEN $30-60K FOR LEGAL FEES. TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS! . HELP BY DONATING AND SPREADING THE WORD BY SHARING OUR WEBSITE & FACEBOOK!
IF YOU PREFER, DONATIONS CAN BE MAILED TO:
Spanaway Concerned Citizens
P.O. Box 562
Spanaway, WA 98387
Please make checks to Spanaway Concerned Citizens.
Thank you for your support!!
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Location of the County/TRM's Homeless "Village" ?
THE LATEST VILLAGE PLAN & ENTRANCE
6/13/23 Edition
Zoom in to see the details. Does this look like "low-density" to you?
Action Items!
COUNTY EXECUTIVE & COUNCIL EMAILS
Thank the Council for overturning the Executive's veto.
Continue to express your concerns over the Village that is still planned for Spanaway's watershed.
PIERCE COUNTY COUNCIL
dave.morell@piercecountywa.gov
marty.campbell@piercecountywa.gov
jani.hitchen@piercecountywa.gov
robyn.denson@piercecountywa.gov
paul.herrera@piercecountywa.gov
PIERCE COUNTY EXECUTIVE
bruce.dammeier@piercecountywa.gov
Summary of the Problem
THE BACKGROUND:
THE BACKGROUND:
THE BACKGROUND:
The Residential Resource Zone (RR Zone) designation protects our most environmentally sensitive areas and accordingly has the lowest density of all zones, allowing only 1-3 Dwelling Units per acre (see info below).
THE ACTION:
THE BACKGROUND:
THE BACKGROUND:
On March 21st, 2023, the Pierce County Council amended the code to allow “Shared Housing” in the RR Zones of Parkland/Spanaway/Midland ONLY. The RR Zone in other communities still prohibit "shared housing".
THE REASON:
THE BACKGROUND:
THE PROBLEM:
To “allow” the Pierce County Village for the chronically Homeless to be built in an environmentally sensitive and critical watershed area.
THE PROBLEM:
THE SOLUTION:
THE PROBLEM:
Allowing “shared housing” villages in the RR Zone, defeats the zone's purpose which is to protect critical environmental area.
THE SOLUTION:
THE SOLUTION:
THE SOLUTION:
Appeal the County Council's decision and help protect our the natural character of our community.
Important Past Council Actions!
WHY DOES ONE PROJECT NEED SO MANY COUNCIL ACTIONS AND CODE CHANGES?
1. Significant Update to our "Residential Use Development Regulations" (Ordinance 2022-49)
On October 4, 2022, the Council updated the Residential Use Code which included allowing "Shared Housing" and language for counting "Sleeping Units" as .25 of a house. This was a significant Code change with anemic Public Notice. There are only 3 comments, none of which address "Shared Housing".
2. Council's Questions to the Executive regarding the Pierce County Village (Resolution 2022-174)
On December 6, 2022, after discovering the Village was not allowed on the chosen site because it was in the RR Zone, the council asked significant questions to be answered by the Executive.
3. Executive's RESPONSE to Resolution 2022-174
The 218 page response can be found using the link below. Top left side of the page - click "Response to Council Resolution"
4. ALLOWED "SHARED HOUSING" in our Residential Resource Zones/Critical Areas (Ordinance 2023-5s)
This changed current zoning-density laws to allow "shared-housing villages" in our RR Zones. RR Zones were created to protect environmentally sensitive zones and critical watershed areas. The Council passed this ordinance on March 21st, 2023.
5. RELEASING THE FUNDS for the Homeless Village (Resolution 2022-163)
The Council released $22 million dollars to fund the Homeless Village in a critical wetland area. The Council approved this resolution on March 21st, 2023.
6. CHANGED Effective Date of "Shared Housing" Ordinance 2023-5s to 12/1/23 (Ordinance 2023-14)
Because Futurewise appealed the "Sharing Housing" Ordinance, the council voted on May 23rd, 2023 to change the ordinance's effective date to 12/1/23 in an effort to protect county funds should the appeal be upheld.
7. REPEALED the "Shared Housing" Ordinance 2023-5s (Ordinance 2023-24)
On July 25th, 2023, the council voted unanimously to REPEAL "shared housing" in the RR Zone. However, they added a last-minute amendment so that the repeal is not effective until 12/15/23.
(Vetoed by Executive on August 9th | Council voted to Override veto on August 22.)
The NOA Pierce County sent out to a few homeowners. We feel you should all know.
Pierce County Village Information
Pierce County Village Proposal
- Located on the 27 buildable acres of 87 acres in the critical, environmentally sensitive, and Federally protected Chambers/Clover Creek Watershed & Wetland. Over 300 buildings including 285 houses, many large support buildings, large parking areas, gardens & farm.
- "Chronically homeless" housing.
- 50 for Spanaway's homeless. 200+ being moved from other cities and communities.
- "Low-barrier community" (Not Clean & Sober Housing. Rehab optional. Drug use permitted.)
- Against the Residential Resource (RR) Zone Code until the County "Amended" the Code on 3/21/23 to allow these type of Villages in our sensitive RR Zones while claiming this is still just 1-3 houses per acre.
Pierce County VillageProject Update Page
Letter from Tom Seigel Bethel School District Superintendent
DEAR BETHEL COMMUNITY MEMBERS
From: THOMAS SEIGEL <tseigel@bethelsd.org>
Date: Tue, Apr 18, 2023 at 11:18 AM
Subject: Lack of progress in providing County Resources to Support the Bethel area
Dear Bethel Community Member,
The following is an email I sent to the County Council this morning. I am forwarding a copy to you because you have a stake in the quality of life here for yourselves, our families and our students. Nothing has changed and there is no perceived urgency to provide a fair share of county resources to this neglected part of Pierce County. On top of that, recent zoning changes will result in as many as 40,000 additional residents coming here in the near future. The priority of the County needs to shift to backfill the shortfall of services and resources here and then begin expansion to accommodate the rapid growth that is coming. The following County Council membership information is provided for your convenience.
DEAR PIERCE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Dear Pierce County Council Members,
About a year ago I shared with you a briefing on the lack of resources, especially County resources, in the Bethel School District area. Since we are rapidly approaching the end of another school year I wanted to provide you with a simple synopsis of the progress toward attainment of the key issues of County support to this area. The following table provides that summary. As you can see not much has changed.
There has been no movement to reestablish Pierce Transit routes to this area. The lack of public transportation is a tremendous hindrance to the poor in trying to access services. The needed services do not exist here. The current 3 miles of bus service is inadequate to allow access to vital services elsewhere.
There has been no new funding for sidewalks. Our request via "Safe Routes to School Program" was not approved.
Phase 1 modernization of Sprinker Recreation Center is in progress, but that will not compensate for the fact that there are only three parks for 124,000 residents. There should be many more.
Pierce County Village has been approved but it will take years to build and, while it is targeting the highly visible homeless population on the streets, it does nothing for the bigger problem of homeless families. We have 730 McKinney Vento qualified students and of that number 70+ are truly homeless. (E.g. We have a family of five living in a Passat, with four school age children and one 10 month baby).
Blue Zones may have some impact, but the infrastructure other communities have to support such an effort is lacking here (limited sidewalks, no trails, no swimming pool, no senior center, etc.).
In summary, this is the area of the County with the highest inequity; it has experienced generational governmental neglect, amounting to what may be considered effects similar to "redlining", and there is still no perceived urgency for action. Yet, rezoning will be directing as many as 40,000 more residents to this area in the near term, but County resources are already inadequately resourced for the current population.
I call for action. Serious action, now.
Yours, Tom Seigel
Tom Seigel
Superintendent
(253) 800-2011
PIERCE COUNTY ZONING INFORMATION
D. Urban Residential.
1. Purpose. To provide for single-family and two-family dwelling units in a residential environment.
2. Description. There are five Urban Residential zone classifications: Moderate-High Density Residential, High Density Single-Family, Moderate Density Single-Family, Single-Family, and Residential Resource.
a. Moderate-High Density Residential. The Moderate-High Density Residential (MHR) zone classification includes areas that are composed of moderate- and high-density, single-, two-, and multi-family housing and compatible civic uses.
b. High Density Single-Family. The High Density Single-Family (HSF) zone classification includes areas where sewers are available and there are minimal environmental constraints. This classification is strictly comprised of moderate- to high-density, attached and detached single-family development and civic uses.
c. Moderate Density Single-Family. The Moderate Density Single-Family (MSF) zone classification covers geographic areas located within urban growth areas but that fall outside of an Employment Center, Urban Center, or Urban District. The primary use of the classification is low- and moderate-density, single- and two-family residential activities and compatible civic uses in areas with a mixed residential pattern.
d. Single-Family. The Single-Family (SF) classification covers geographic areas located within urban growth areas but that fall outside of an Employment Center, Urban Center, or Urban District. The primary use of the classification is low- and moderate-density, single-family residential activities and compatible civic uses in areas with a predominantly detached single-family development pattern.
e. Residential Resource. The Residential Resource (RR) zone classification is intended to accommodate and allow for low-density, single-family residential uses in a manner that is compatible with areas of unique open space character and/or environmental sensitivity.
County Code 18A.10.080
IMPORTANT VOICES
"No amount of buffering will abate the damage this will cause due to the location in a wetland area." - Penny Cooper Howard is a Friends of Spanaway Lake board member and Chairman of Spanaway Lake Management Advisory Board
"This great project needs another site to be successful. I have asked citizens to seek other sites to recommend to the County Exec. The new site must not be on wetlands, must be served by the sewer system and be much closer to public transportation and the management team.
Sewer service is a must to prevent pollution of the wetlands and Spanaway Lake. Septic systems do not remove nitrogen, phosphorus, or drugs. Over the long-term, rain will move the pollutants through the ground into the lake." - Al Schmauder is President, Clover Creek Watershed Council