On October 4, 2024, Pierce County Planning staff made an inspection of Wasmund Road near Spanaway and Audubon Creeks. They were investigating a complaint about digging and excavation without a permit. They found that installation of two culverts in the road and extensive gravel added to the road and on JBLM property. The Tacoma Rescue […]
When the planning for the Environmental Conference began it seemed risky to think people would give up a sunny Saturday morning to talk about zoning. Those who showed up learned how to change legislation, and they learned how much it costs to sue county government when the county planning department fumbles a permit decision like […]
In April 2022, the Department of Natural Resources and the Clallam County Hearing Examiner issued a permit and a lease for a 50-acre oyster farm that is within Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge near Port Angeles. “The close proximity of Brant habitat are believed to be the reason for an increase in abundance of Brant observed […]
Since 1970, the C-Street storm drain flowed directly into Clover Creek. Now 50 years later, despite an increase in traffic and population the storm drain is still in the planning stage with no completion date in site. Can this be changed?____________________________________________________________ Priority for County’s Polluted Water in Street Drains Must Change by Kirk Kirkland “For […]
A proposed mining expansion in the City of DuPont has generated some concern with its environmental impacts. The mine expansion will drain the local groundwater that feeds into a creek along the popular Sequalitchew Trail. And Edmond Marsh, a popular birding area, will lose its water supply. The city’s Critical Area Ordinance and Growth Management […]
By Kirk Kirkland The fate of Gig Harbor’s Burley Lagoon hangs in the balance while community members await the decision of the Pierce County Hearing Examiner. The community is requesting the Examiner to deny a permit for a 25-acre industrial geoduck operation. If approved, it would likely become the largest geoduck site in the region, […]
What is the needed balance between open space and suburban homes that is necessary to make Spanaway more livable. These and other questions about livability will be discussed at Environmental Conference held on September 28 _______________________________________________________________ You’re Invited to Environmental Coalition’s Conference! Save this date: Saturday, September 28th, the Environmental Coalition will host our Fall […]
Save the date: Saturday, September 28th, the Environmental Coalition will host a Fall Conference about the future of growth management n Pierce County. This is the 30th anniversary of the first County Comp Plan. From 9am to Noon, we’ll discuss changes in Pierce County’s Planning Department that will provide residents with a significant voice on […]
by Kirk Kirkland How would you like to make the suburban sprawl around you into a real livable community? The Environmental Coalition of Pierce County invites you to share your ideas at their Environmental Conference this September. With a Democratic majority on the Pierce County Council, we are living at an opportune time to make […]
Expansion of DuPont gravel mine calls for dewatering the aquifer and long-term destruction of Edmond Marsh — a favorite bird habitat. Protecting and restoring the wetlands was a part of the original lawsuit and agreement with mine owners until the city produced this recent Draft Environmental Impact Statement. _____________________________________________________________________ Edmond Marsh has been the focus […]
How to turn suburban sprawl into a Community by Kirk Kirkland How would you like to make the suburban sprawl around you into a real livable community? The Environmental Coalition of Pierce County invites you to share your ideas at their Environmental Conference in September. With a Democratic majority on the Pierce County Council, […]
Hearing Examiner’s Decision on Spanaway Marsh is Flawed by Kirk Kirkland The Pierce County Hearing Examiner’s decision last week granted Tacoma Rescue Mission a permit to build a tiny homes village and parking spaces for recreation vehicles. It will cut down over 700 trees in an old growth forest near Spanaway Marsh and Audubon Springs, […]
By Kirk Kirkland Raising the groundwater high enough to return the summer flow of Clover Creek was the focus of three meetings with members of the County Council in May and June. Few people are available who would drive from Olympia to Tacoma and sit through a 2-hour County Council meeting to only speak for […]
Tiny Home Village Conflict over Wetland Determination by Claudia Riiff Finseth Recently, the Tacoma News Tribune carried some interesting articles related to the Hearing Examiner meetings that had just wrapped up on the proposed use of the Spanaway Marsh for a high-density development. The plan is for a tiny home village for people experiencing chronic […]
Recent Hearing examiner decision called for cutting forests of Oregon white oak and destroying habitat of Western Gray Squirrel, an endanger species. Spanaway Group Files for Reconsideration of Tiny Home Village The Spanaway Concerned Citizens group (SCC) decided to file for reconsideration in their quest to stop the permits for a village of 280 homes […]
Environmental justice and Tiny Home Village When the first yellow sign with public notice went up in the forested area surrounding Audubon Springs, the neighbors had no way of knowing that their appeal of the Tiny home Village with some 280 homes would cost over $100,000. Unfortunately this was only a down payment on […]
Recently passed amendments to review water systems in the county have made it possible to re-think how the county can change the crisis of expanded growth and increased problems with drought, flooding, and water shortages into proposals that could turn these problems into opportunities to recharge aquifers, increase groundwater and get creeks flowing, while at […]
The long-awaited appeal of the Industrial Geoduck Farm in Burley Lagoon ended on May 29. Taylor Shellfish Company proposed a 28-acre aquaculture project — the largest in Pierce County. Taylor Shellfish faces an uphill battle for the county’s Conditional Use Permit that has been challenged by Friends of Burley Lagoon and a coalition of environmental […]
By Kirk Kirkland In a recent story in the Washington Post, Donald Trump offered a glimpse of his view of climate change and his desire to set the world on fire. In a meeting with oil and gas executives at Mar-a-Lago, he told the executives that they should contribute to his campaign, that his policies […]
