Thurston County neighborhood divided on tree removal, sidewalk repairs
A sidewalk repair plan for Lacey’s Jubilee retirement community will become a reality this year — but residents remain divided on whether the project’s removal of 185 trees is the right call.
The 55-and-older neighborhood, located in the Hawks Prairie area, caters to those seeking an active-adult lifestyle.
Vicky Martin and Julie Groenle paused while walking through the neighborhood Thursday to remark on a steep sidewalk lift on Camano Loop Northeast. The pavement juts upwards by at least 2 inches, creating a small ridge of concrete.
The women explained that for older residents, especially those using canes or walkers, the rise in the sidewalks brings danger.
“I fell the first day that I was here,” said Martin, who’s lived in Jubilee for four years. “And then two times after. I’ve since learned how to run to the grass and fall on something soft.”
The two women aren’t alone in their fears. Lacey began receiving complaints from Jubilee residents about sidewalk tripping hazards in 2022, according to city spokesperson Donna Feliciano, and the city spent much of 2024 performing temporary repairs.
The sidewalk damage comes from tree roots growing underneath the pavement. After years of concerns and temporary solutions, the city determined a large-scale tree removal was needed.
According to Lacey planning documents, the strip of concrete the two women paused at will be repaired, along with dozens of other uneven patches. Contractors will remove existing stumps, root systems and trees before installing root barriers and replanting saplings.
City documents show a plan to replant 171 of the 185 removed trees.
But some residents are concerned the mass uprooting will negatively impact the neighborhood’s urban forest. They’re questioning why the city needs to remove nearly 200 mature trees to repair small portions of pavement.
Jubilee resident Margaret Green presented a petition at this week’s Lacey City Council meeting that asked the city to explore a “more sustainable” alternative for repairing the sidewalk, like root pruning.
“Tree removal destroys our urban forest resource and all its many benefits and values. Lacey is losing tree canopy at an alarming rate,” Green said. “Leaving a legacy of destruction is not the correct choice forward for the future.”
The petition has gained 263 signatures of Jubilee residents.
Green stood with a small group on Sentinel Drive Northeast on Thursday, blocks from where the two women noticed the concrete ledge in the pavement. Green wore an orange construction vest and sun hat, carrying a clip board covered in a printed version of the project planning document.
The group was composed of Jubilee’s tree committee, which seeks to protect the neighborhood arbor. The committee previously affixed orange sashes to the trees planned to be removed.
On Thursday, they walked between the timbers and removed the ribbons — one member said the Jubilee Homeowners’ Association asked them to remove the bands.
Project history
It seemed uncertain if the sidewalk repair project would materialize a year ago. Lacey initially approved the project to start in 2025, but tabled it after learning of resident concerns over tree removal.
A series of meetings occurred between the city and the Jubilee HOA, along with within the Jubilee community itself.
Feliciano noted the Jubilee HOA requested the city work directly with their board on the project.
The HOA informed the city that the previously voiced resident concerns over tree removal did not represent the majority of the community’s opinions. An HOA survey indicated 90% of residents supported the full removal initiative.
In a comment to The Olympian, Jubilee board representative Jeanette Brennan said the survey, Town Hall comments, and public comments at board meetings all indicated community support for the project.
“We felt that doing anything less would not have been in Jubilee’s interests,” Brennan wrote. “We have to put the sidewalk safety of our residents first, as well as to limit future liability to the greatest possible degree.”
On June 11, the Jubilee board formally endorsed the project. A contractor is scheduled to be awarded the project in the coming months, but tensions remain within the neighborhood.
Once a contractor is hired, the city will host an informational meeting with Jubilee residents to explain what comes next.