From newsletter of Councilmember Jani Hitchen, Jan. 5, 2023: ***Pierce County Village Update*** Many of you have reached out to my office about the proposed Pierce County Village currently sited in Spanaway. There have been a lot of questions, many of which I had myself. I share a link to a resolution below that I think may…
Category: Ecology
Recap: Meeting on the Pierce County Tiny Home Village in Spanaway
[Editor note: hard to squeeze in a story with two days of back to back meetings. The County loaded the first two business days of the year for people in Spanaway. 6:30 p.m. in Midland the land use committee will hear about the incorporation study that Rep. Melanie Morgan started] Link to Pierce County TV…
The wolf is wearing a sheep’s coat of helping the homeless
By Marianne Lincoln [Editor Note: This is my testimony to the Planning Commission for 1-3-2023. RR (Rural Resource) Zone is has a maximum density of three housing units per acre with a extenuating circumstances. Normally, two per acre. So with nearly 400 on 27 acres they’re over limit, even though they say they count four…
Comments by County Reviewers of the Tiny Homes Project in Spanaway
[Editor: This is information from the project site at Planning and Land Services and these are comments by County employees who are moving the project along as part of their jobs. Those of you who may want to make public comments, may find some of their comments useful information from which to ask questions.] Reviewer…
9:30 a.m. January 3, Planning Commission meeting on Spanaway Tiny Home Village Zoning Change
Yes, maybe you got a post card about the meeting 1/3/23, at Sprinker at 7p.m., where the County will tell you what they did after the fact. But better yet, get to this Special Meeting of the Pierce County Planning Commission earlier in the same day at the Annex, 2401 S. 35th St. Tacoma, WA…
Tiny Home Village location proposed in Spanaway has controversial wetlands and zoning
First, please look at the link to the proposal in the Pierce County website. That way you will better understand what is happening. The proposed site has had a significant amount of planning, but little public input. It was unveiled on October 18, 2022 by the Pierce County Executive’s office, with a great deal of…
Be a Volunteer Steward of our environment
The Nisqually Land Trust is kicking off some Spring events to help local areas clean up their environment. Current CEO of the NLT grew up in our area, Jeanette Dorner. The Nisqually Land Trust is an independent, private, nongovernmental organization incorporated in 1989 and federally recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in 1990. Join us…
Stream activist lament
Opinion By Don Russell [Acronyms defined at the end of the article] Derek and Janet, I am now 92 years old and don’t have much time left. I have witnessed, photo documented, water quantity and water quality monitored, written numerous papers on the condition of the CCSS watershed, prescribed the actions necessary to restore the…
Orca protection Gov. Inslee? You need more state water protection laws and some enforcement teeth
Along with the arguments about Clover Creek’s demise, the creek people of Pierce County have been lamenting the lack of laws, enforcement, or possibly downright laziness in the State Department of Ecology. At present, Washington State really has no legs to stand on to protect those orcas. As small as their numbers are already, this…
Dire warnings on our watershed – dialogue
Several members of the Chambers Clover Watershed Council have been exchanging some very concerning emails recently. Based on their experience, credentials, and length of service in the stewardship capacity, these are worth your interest. (Cindy Beckett, Don Russell and Kurt Reidinger) Starting with a reply to Ms. Beckett’s email in the previous article, “Destruction of…
Destruction of this creek has always been illegal
A message from Cindy Beckett, EPA Watershed Manager, WSU Master Watershed Steward: I really do wish that everyone would finally understand this….. no elected “official” on the county or executive level, nor anyone on Pierce County staff, has any authority whatsoever over this creek system. I really mean this! Authority falls onto both the State…
Friends of Spanaway Lake Annual Meeting Feb. 24
The Friends of Spanaway Lake is holding their annual meeting on February 24, 2022, at 7 p.m. at Sprinker Recreation Center and virtually over Zoom. They have posted the event on Facebook if you are looking for the connection link. This past year, the property owners with front footage on the lake voted to create…
Pierce Prairie Post 