Tumwater City Council peppers port staff with questions, concerns about land deal
Port of Olympia staff brought its option-to-lease proposal to Tumwater City Council last week and got an earful from council members, who raised concerns about a potential development on 200 acres in the New Market Industrial Campus.
Council members raised the ideas of a possible moratorium or a rezone of the land.
The port is set to vote July 13 on whether to approve an option agreement for 200 acres of port-owned land on the campus near Tumwater between Olympia Regional Airport and Interstate 5.
The agreement would allow a commercial developer called Panattoni to explore development of the site before committing to a lease.
Port Executive Director Sam Gibboney and business development director Allyn Roe made the presentation to the council during a work session. Gibboney emphasized both during the meeting and after it that there is no specific project tied to the option agreement.
But a search of Panattoni online indicates at least one element of its business is developing large warehouses.
Mayor Pete Kmet pointed out that in this area of Tumwater there are no restrictions on size of warehouse, which could be as large as 1 million square feet.
Councilman Tom Oliva said a project of that size would be an “abject failure.”
Other council members expressed concerns about potential impacts to the environment and nearby Bush Middle School, the apparent rush to develop the site, the around-the-corner July 13 date and the fact that the port is pursuing this during a time when local governments can only meet online because of the pandemic.
“People feel unheard,” Councilwoman Joan Cathey said.
Gibboney said that wasn’t fair.
“Port staff is working as we have always worked, and we do our staff-level work and bring it to the commission,” she said. “It’s a little disappointing that there’s this framework that we’re not supposed to be doing this during the pandemic.”
Councilman Michael Althauser asked whether a signed option agreement would prevent the city from pursuing a moratorium or rezone.
City Administrator John Doan said it would not.
“If we’re allowed to do (the rezone), then we should do that,” said Councilman Charlie Schneider, who seemed to grow more irritated with the port’s proposal as the work session progressed. “I believe as a council we should put our foot down.”
Gibboney on Thursday expressed disappointment in the idea of a rezone, saying the port is trying to provide some assurances to the developer.
“We want the city to stand by their adopted zoning code,” she said, and not “move the goal posts and change the rules.”
Mayor Kmet acknowledged that altering the city’s comprehensive plan to reflect new zoning is a long process. But he did ask whether the port might include the council’s concerns in the port’s option agreement.
“For the agreement to show the port is listening and willing to make some adjustments,” he said.
