Logistics center meets opposition

Many south Thurston County residents voice concern about cargo station proposal

By Rolf Boone | The Olympian • Published February 21, 2008

During a public meeting about a proposed logistics center for south Thurston County, residents said they didn't want such an operation and questioned the need for it.

The three-hour public meeting Wednesday at the Worthington Center at Saint Martin's University in Lacey was the second organized by the ports of Tacoma and Olympia to gather feedback about a proposal to build a South Sound Logistics Center.

A third meeting could be held in May or June, Port of Tacoma Executive Director Tim Farrell told an audience of about 200.

The ports have focused on potentially developing a 745-acre parcel near Maytown for the center, but they also are considering two other sites in Thurston County and one in Lewis County.

The Port of Tacoma bought the Maytown site in 2006 for $22 million. It foresees using it to transfer cargo from trucks to trains to speed deliveries of goods by taking trucks off of Interstate 5. The Tacoma port is studying the project with the Port of Olympia.

About 50 people shared their thoughts about the logistics center Wednesday. Beforehand, Port of Olympia Commissioner Bill McGregor said a decision has not been made on a site for the center, and Farrell said the Port of Tacoma has purchased only the Maytown site.

First to speak was Sharron Coontz of the Friends of Rocky Prairie, a grass-roots organization that opposes the center.

An estimate done by a consultant for the Port of Tacoma says the logistics center would create 1,900 jobs for south Thurston County, but she thinks that is overblown.

Tim Milnes of Tenino, who lives near one of the alternative development sites known as Offut Lake, told the commissioners, "We don't want you here."

Robert Bregent of Lacey, who retired from Union Pacific and has experience loading and unloading containers onto trains, told the audience the center probably would operate 24 hours a day, be lit like a baseball field at night, smell bad and create lots of noise.

Jill Nelson, whose family owns property near the Offut Lake site, said no one had contacted her about their property being considered for a logistics center.

"I can't believe things like this happen in the United States," she said.

Herb Conrad of Tenino asked for a show of hands to see how many were against the logistics center. Nearly everyone in the room raised their hands.

Not everyone was against the project, though.

South Lewis County Chamber of Commerce economic-development coordinator Christine Webb invited the ports to bring a logistics center to Winlock.

"South Lewis County is tired of being ignored," she said. "We welcome you to come and visit us."