United Puyallup gets closer

Northern community would join city under popular petition plan

EIJIRO KAWADA; The News Tribune
Published: September 27th, 2006 01:00 AM

A petition drive to annex land north of Puyallup is nearing its goal, and residents will get a chance today to speak up on how their land will be governed once they become part of Puyallup.

The city Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on a proposed land-use zoning map for the area. It will determine what North Puyallup residents can and can’t do on their properties.

It’s the first major overhaul of the land-use map for the area since it was drawn in 1994. The area has about 1,500 residents.

Residents say they are close to collecting enough signatures from property owners representing more than 60 percent of the area’s assessed valuation.

“It looks promising,” said Mari Lou Holland, who’s been leading the effort. “I’m encouraged by the support we’ve received from the residents.”

She said the group hopes to turn in the signatures to the city next month.

The proposal to annex the land covered by North Puyallup Fire District No. 11 failed at the polls last November. About 60 percent of voters denied the proposition, surprising leaders.

Some holdouts didn’t like the prospect of building inspections and other regulations. Others said they just didn’t trust City Hall.

Puyallup has provided fire and ambulance service to North Puyallup under contract since 2003, when District No. 11 no longer could maintain volunteers and fire equipment.

After the election defeat, Holland and others began the petition drive, fearing they could lose emergency services.

Puyallup Fire Chief Merle Frank said covering North Puyallup hasn’t been a burden for the city.

“Every call impacts you, but that’s what we are here for,” he said.

The city gets 5,600 to 5,800 emergency calls annually, but only about 200 to 250 originate in North Puyallup, Frank said.

The zoning map revision is part of the city’s annual comprehensive plan update. The planning commission is expected to vote Oct. 3 and send its recommendation to the City Council.

Tom Utterback, Puyallup’s planning director, said the zoning updates include changing the low-density residential designation near Highway 512 to residential and light-manufacturing zoning.

After the City Council accepts the annexation petition, the proposal will then go to the Pierce County Boundary Review Board, which will finalize the boundaries, said City Manager Jim Bacon.

He said he expects that proposal to come back to the City Council sometime next year, and, if all goes as expected, the annexation will take effect by January 2008.

If annexed, North Puyallup residents will pay less property tax for the same city services – about $100 less annually for a house assessed at $200,000.

Holland said her group, with a core of four residents, contacted all of about 500 households in North Puyallup by mail or by doorbelling.

“It’s a lot of work,” Holland said. “A lot of people don’t even know this is going on.”

Eijiro Kawada: 253-597-8633

eijiro.kawada@thenewstribune.com

What: Public hearing on a proposed land-use zoning map for north Puyallup

Who: Puyallup Planning Commission

When: 7 p.m. today

Where: Puyallup City Council Chambers, 107 N. Meridian St.