Author: Marianne Lincoln

A year ago, I testified against lowering a setback from a waterway in Summit from 80 feet to 20 feet. This Lakewood proposal is for a variance to 15 feet from Clover Creek. I am not impressed.

This was written to the City of Lakewood February 22, 2024, but it holds for most of Pierce County.

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I rise in opposition to a 15 foot setback request for warehouse for B&D foods along Clover Creek in Lakewood.

I live in the vicinity of Clover Creek in Unincorporated Pierce County, but I am on the Chambers Clover Watershed Council, Clover Creek Council, and Clover Creek Restoration Action Alliance.

Far too much has been done to damage the creek. Further actions to lessen setbacks and lower standards are hurtful.

Every Tom, Dick, and Harry business that comes along with an idea should not be approved simply because they have an idea. We need to stand by the standards we set because they were put there for a reason. That reason is to protect the future of a very vital resource, our ground water!

Please stop being abusive with our groundwater protection standards.

In addition, I am now involved in Family Promise of Pierce County. We are trying to rehouse and assist homeless families in the Parkland Spanaway Area. I drive through the American Lake Gardens area regularly and see all the low income housing lost from Lakewood’s inventory. Where are these people now? I think I know, and I blame all those warehouses you allowed to destroy the area. Please, start using some better judgement. for the sake of ALL our resources. Money is NOT the only thing that makes the world turn. Please stand by good sense and reason.

Protect the standards set for the Creek and water, for now and forever.