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The manager likely would be charged with executing an action plan, marketing the property working with property owners, city administrator John Doan said.
Doan said a funding proposal for the position is part of the city’s mid-biennial budget amendment process later this month. The request is for $150,000 in one-time funds to hire a staff member or consultant for the project, but the funds also would be used for marketing, Doan said.
Mayor Pete Kmet praised the idea, saying the city needs an advocate working full time in search of local and federal funding for the project and connecting with future developers.
“Somebody’s gotta keep people’s feet to the fire and make sure this stuff is happening,” Kmet said.
Community-development staff would still be in charge of the more technical issues, such as future comprehensive plan and zoning code changes, Doan said.
The proposal for the manager position came as part of a preliminary action plan released to the council Tuesday. It’s the next step after a six-month consultant study of the 175-acre site discovered that redevelopment was possible, but that there were significant financial roadblocks.
Doan and city planning manager Tim Smith outlined the plan during the work session, with priorities including the need for a traffic study of the brewery site and neighborhood, zoning issues and discussions on whether the city could lift or modify the contract to allow alcohol production on the site.
Councilman Neil McClanahan called the plan “a step in the right in direction” and called on the city to “once and for all take a stand … be the city that says, ‘We need to do something with this property.’”
Councilman Tom Oliva praised the plan but wanted to see more language about approaching specific entities that could be developers. He listed Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the University of Washington and the state as possible players.
Doan asked council members to choose their top five priorities and have them to him by the end of the week. He expects the brewery action plan to be adopted within a month.
Nate Hulings: 360-754-5476 nhulings@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/outsideoly
