Spanaway Concerned Citizens to receive their Day in Tacoma Appeals Court

Spanaway Concerned Citizens to receive their Day in Tacoma Appeals Court

Spanaway Concerned Citizens received notice of their hearing at Division II of the Washington State Court of Appeals. The court scheduled oral arguments for Thursday, April 30, at 10:30 a.m.

Spanaway Concerned Citizens appealed the Conditional Use Permit granted by Pierce County’s Hearing Examiner. He allowed a controversial project intended to house nearly 300 chronically homeless individuals near Spanaway Marsh. The Village is surrounded by wildlife habitat in several streams and wetlands.  The area is a designated a Biodiversity Management Area.

 This project, called the Good Neighbor Village, was funded by $22 million in government grants and donations. The project is owned by the Tacoma Rescue Mission   The village is permitted to build 250 cottage homes for chronically homeless individuals

Residents will be required to work and pay rent as a condition of living in the village and roughly 35 volunteers and employees will live there with them on the 86-acre site , according to Tacoma Rescue Mission.

The Spanaway community protested the project’s density in a sensitive “Residential Resource” zone. They raised more than $140,000 for legal fees to challenge the county’s decision.

Environmental lawyers argued the case during a lengthy public hearing. The Hearing Examiner faced criticism from the community for his rudeness and treatment of expert witness and intimidation of neighbor when they gave testimony.

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Contractors cleared trees within wetland buffers before receiving final permits. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issued an HPA Violation Notice for unpermitted culvert work. No fine was given And WDFW agent did not give a Stop Work Order when asked by the neighbors..

Spanaway Citizens appealed the “Clearing and Grading” permit to stop construction. The administrative body denied the appeal months after the land was already cleared. The public hearing only allowed attorneys and witness to speak. The public was not allowed to make comments.

The state Appeals Court hearing will take place in downtown Tacoma at 909 A Street. Spokesmen for the citizens group encouraged the public to arrive early for security screening.

Leaders requested that all attendees show respect for the judicial process. They reminded supporters to silence phones and refrain from emotional outbursts during the 30-minute argument.

The Court of Appeals typically takes several months to issue a written ruling. This decision will determine if the Hearing Examiner erred in approving the village on protected wetlands.

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Spanaway Marsh and Audubon Springs was designated as a Biodiversity Management Area due to its diversity of wildlife and because it was the habitat for four listed Endangered Species in the state of Washington.  Among those species was a Western Greg Squirrel.