By Marianne Lincoln, February 23, 2021 Three separate challenges to the recently adopted planning amendments called Centers and Corridors have been submitted to the Washington State Growth Management Hearings Board. The challenges caused the Pierce County Council to delay the effective dates at today’s County Council meeting (2-23-2021). The implementation of the plans was delayed…
Category: Government
Goverment, all levels
Washington State Legislature 2021 Session
By Marianne Lincoln, 2-17-2021 The Washington State Legislature is currently in its long session, which typically ends in the third week of April. Bills that are being considered this year can be found here. If you have a concern about a state issues or a bill being considered, you can find the list of contacts…
Watch for your new 2021 tax assessment
PIERCE COUNTY — 2021 sees moderate increases in property taxes While real estate values continue to surge in Pierce County, statutory limits on property tax rates are holding tax increases to modest levels this year. “For the past three years, tax bills fluctuated due to the McCleary court decision on school funding,” Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan…
Tetatzin named new Pierce County Planning and Public Works director
Jennifer Tetatzin, a retired United States Navy commander, has been named Pierce County’s Planning and Public Works Director, pending confirmation by the Pierce County Council. Tetatzin most recently served as a Senior Principal Advisor in the Washington, D.C. area for Concurrent Technologies Corporation, a non-profit, professional services company. As a senior consultant for the Department…
Inconvenient water
Editorial: Marianne Lincoln Is water an inconvenience? Apparently, if you are an official developing Pierce County, it is. First, I must say, this is nothing new. Developments in Pierce County have been moving water out of the way for a very long time. Here is a litany of examples: 1853 a dam was constructed at…
New County Council swearing in January 4
The new Pierce County Councilmembers will be sworn in on January 4, 2020 at 10 a.m. in the Council Chambers. The public can watch on Pierce County TV, over a Zoom link, or listen by calling in on a phone. Meeting will be live streamed and remote attendance is provided via zoom weblinkhttps://piercecountywa.zoom.us/j/97661787423or by calling…
Impact fee increases in 2021
In the unincorporated urban portions of Pierce County, we are well aware of the need for infrastructure. To help with the impacts of all the new construction, the county charges impact fees. The builders hate them, but the new property taxes on a home don’t kick in for over a year and their cars on…
Overnight lane closures on I-5 and SR 167 in Tacoma start Jan. 4 for bridge construction
WSDOT — Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation are kicking off 2021 in a big way – and travelers should prepare now to alter travel or allow extra travel time. Throughout the month of January, Guy F. Atkinson Construction will install the final 30 bridge girders on the last three spans…
Pierce County sewer rates to increase Jan. 1, 2021
PIERCE COUNTY — Customers in Pierce County’s sewer service area will see a 3.75 percent increase in their sewer rates starting Jan. 1, 2021. The Pierce County Council passed Ordinance No. 2019-77 which set the sewer rate as part of the 2020-21 biennial budget. There was also a rate increase in 2020. Single-family residential customers…
Current Unemployment November 2020
Here is the state of our State in unemployment for the end of November 2020 from the Employment Security Department. Here is a link to further data.
Topsoil in your yard – is it safe?
If you are fairly new to Pierce County, you may not be aware that the beautiful place on the waterfront called Point Ruston hides a dirty old secret. The site was formerly the ASARCO Smelter. It took raw materials and turned out new shiny copper materials. The sludge from the refinery was poured into Puget…
Pierce County wants environmental control – SEPA, septics, wells, and here come the sewers for development
By Marianne Lincoln Why in the world would Pierce County want to take over the control of the Health Department in the middle of a pandemic? First, ask yourself, what was the most major change to the county land use code signed this year? (A: Centers and Corridors) When did the County Executive sign it?…
