Olympia wants your thoughts on turning Capital Mall area into mixed-use urban center
The city of Olympia is creating a vision for redeveloping the commercial area around the Capital Mall on Olympia’s west side, making the triangular area between Black Lake Boulevard, Cooper Point Road and Harrison Avenue more accessible and a lot more dense, with housing included.
But before that vision can start to materialize, the city is seeking input on the environmental impact of such a project.
The city’s Community Planning and Development Department wants input on the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement for the project. It considers land use and how it’s affected by housing, employment, services and transportation facilities. The public comment period is open for three weeks, until noon Nov. 14. It can be accessed on the Engage Olympia website.
Redeveloping the area is a 20-year plan, but the city hopes to help it grow over time into a “more people-oriented urban neighborhood,” according to the Engage Olympia website.
Comments on the scope as well as alternatives, probable significant impacts, proposed mitigation measures and more are welcome. The EIS also will consider plans already in place such as the Olympia Comprehensive Plan. Issues such as the human experience of place, noise and air quality, light, equity and more will be touched on in the subarea plan, rather than the EIS.
People can comment by email at triangle@ci.olympia.wa.us, access the form on the Engage Olympia website, or mail comments to David Ginther, Senior Planner for Community Planning and Development, at PO Box 1967, Olympia, WA, 98507.
This story was originally published October 25, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
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