Tumwater sends letter to Port asking that possible land deal limit warehouse size
After multiple conversations with Port of Olympia staff, including at a question-filled work session last week, Tumwater City Council has sent a letter to the port, asking the commission to include a number of specifications in a potential deal for property at the port-owned New Market Industrial Campus.
Chief among those items: limiting the size of a possible distribution warehouse to no more than 200,000 square feet.
Two hundred acres of vacant land at the campus, which is between Interstate 5 and Olympia Regional Airport, has been the focus of a proposed option agreement between the port and a Southern California developer known as Panattoni. The option agreement would allow Panattoni to explore developing the site before committing to a lease with the port.
The land deal has caught the attention of the community and Tumwater council members, who have raised a host of concerns, including potential impacts of development on the immediate area. Part of the site is now an urban forest.
Although the council has asked that the agreement between the port and Panattoni limit the size of warehouse, zoning in the area does allow for a warehouse of up to 1 million square feet.
The letter was addressed to port Commissioner Joe Downing, president of the commission, and signed by Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet.
In addition to limiting warehouse size, it also asks that the agreement preserve trees and create recreational fields, as well as create public bike and pedestrian trails. The letter also asks that the port spend more time on its proposal.
“The city of Tumwater has heard from the public that the port commission should delay taking action on the pre-lease agreement so public comments can be considered more thoughtfully and the Tumwater School District can be consulted,” the letter reads. “We encourage the port commission to implement additional public process around how this development could best fit into the community either before this agreement is approved or as part of implementation.”
Other parts of the letter
On warehouse size: “Limit the size of warehouse distribution uses in the lease area to buildings 200,000 square feet, similar in size to other developments in Tumwater. Large distribution warehouse uses consume large parcels of land, typically generate a lot of semi-truck traffic, offer lower job density, and generate less tax revenue per acre than other higher value uses.”
On preserving trees: “Preserve major groves of trees where commercial development occurs in treed areas. The port and Panattoni could commit to this type of campus-like quality development in treed areas, preserving trees to the extent feasible. Where trees have to be removed, consider mitigating the loss of carbon storage using the heavily treed port-owned land along Armstrong Street.”
On recreational space: “Dedicate Lot 44, the land generally between the middle school and the Tumwater School District bus barn, for recreational fields and remove this area from the lease agreement.”
On public amenities: “Provide recreational opportunities for commercial users and the public by incorporating into the lease agreement a commitment to construct one or more public bike/pedestrian trails through the lease area.”
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
