Could wetlands be in the way of proposed 39-home project in NE Olympia? Officials to find out

Yahoo

23-03-2025

Tacoma-based housing developer Pacific Lifestyle Homes has plans to build 39 market-rate homes on a 7-acre property in northeast Olympia known as Springwood Gardens.
But nearby residents are speaking out against the proposed neighborhood expansion with concerns about increased traffic, as well as wetland and natural habitat loss.
Jackson Ewing, associate planner with the City of Olympia, led a meeting March 19 to share information about the project with the community. The property is located at 1609 Springwood Ave. NE, east of Bethel Street.
Ewing said the area is zoned as residential and can accommodate four to eight dwelling units per acre. The plan proposes a density of 5.2 units per acre. The allowed uses are single family homes, townhomes, and up to a fourplex. The height limit in the area is 35 feet for structures.
Only single-family homes are being proposed by the developer.
Two north-south roads reach nearly to Springwood from the south, Marion and Central streets, with access to the site from Marion. Matt Weber, civil engineer with firm AHBL, said the city has requested that both Marion and Central streets be extended up to Springwood. The city's transportation plan identifies Marion Street as being a future extended neighborhood collector, or street that sees mainly traffic generated by those who live in that neighborhood.
The property was formerly labeled farmland and has an existing house and multiple outbuildings on it. Ewing said they'll be demolished as part of the project.
He said the city is aware of a wetland that's to the southwest of the site. He said there's an existing wetland buffer that extends into the corner of the proposed project area.
There's a proposed storm pond for the neighborhood, and there's a number of planned roadway improvements, including widening the roads and adding new curbs, sidewalks, street trees, and vegetation.
Weber said there's a 70-inch diameter Redwood tree on the property as well as a number of other smaller trees the developer plans to preserve.
Weber said staff have been working with the Olympia School District on safe walking routes for students. The property is east of Reeves Middle School, and Weber said the district already has some designated safe walking routes in the area.
Tiffany King, senior engineering plans examiner, helped Weber field questions from residents concerned about the project.
Shauna and Kyle Good live near the Springwood property. Shauna Good said traffic is already pretty heavy down Marion Street, and she wondered if any traffic calming measures would be put in.
King said traffic calming measures haven't been considered yet, but they might once the project reaches the Public Works department.
Debbie Arnold said she's lived in the neighborhood for 35 years. She said years ago she tried to purchase the Springwood land, but the city told her there were too many wetlands on it to be developmed. She wondered what changed their minds.
Weber said city staff will likely be conducting site visits over the next few weeks, and any more information about potential wetlands in the area would be appreciated.
Arnold echoed comments about Marion Street's current traffic situation. She said she once watched a little girl get hit by a vehicle and knocked into a nearby culvert.
'I have put cones out here in the middle of the road. I have put a sign up. I have contacted the City of Olympia saying how concerned I am,' she said. 'There are children everywhere.'
Arnold said if approved, 330 more vehicles would travel through the connected road on a daily basis. Weber said the hope is having more connected streets will alleviate traffic concerns.
A number of residents raised concerns about wildlife, plants and trees located on the property that would disappear with development. Ellis Creek extends from Ellis Cove to a small lake known as Setchfield Lake on the east side of the Springwood property.
Weber said he understands concerns about the natural environment in the area, but if the project meets city code and ordinances, they can't say no.
King said the city has an obligation to approve projects that meet code and to deny the ones that don't. She said the applicant team in this situation had an investment-backed expectation when they bought the property, and so the city isn't allowed by law to say they can't build if they meet code.
'Environmental protection is very important to Olympia,' she said. 'A lot of people have said that, and the way that we get there is through our codes and ordinances, such as the critical area ordinance.'
She said the best way for residents to voice their concerns regarding more homes in their neighborhood would be through the city's Comprehensive Plan updating effort. She said that's where the city's growth strategy is developed.
'This project, however, is vested in the comprehensive plan of today and the zoning code of today,' King said. 'And the hearing examiner will have a public hearing on this project. But he says regularly, it's not a popularity contest. It's really a fact-finding mission to determine if it does or doesn't meet code.'
Ewing said the developer has already participated in a pre-submission conference and an intake meeting.
Following receiving comments from the community, city staff will review the application for compliance with city codes related to zoning, stormwater, traffic, fire building codes, urban forestry and critical areas such as wetlands and streams. He said an environmental review determination is required for this project and is in process.
Later, there will be a public hearing through the city's Hearing Examiner. The developer would have to acquire permits to build houses and streets.
An official public comment period will end April 7, but Ewing said the city will continue taking written comments up until a potential hearing is scheduled with the Hearing Examiner. You can submit comments to Ewing at [e-mail]. He said there will be an email notice sent to anyone that contacts him and becomes a party of record for this project.
Weber said the preliminary plat process should be completed in 2025 and then the developer would break ground in 2026. Home construction would begin in late 2026 and continue into 2027.