Spanaway Lake proposed homeless village clears major hurdle
Feb 18, 2025, 11:00 AM
Area near Spanaway Lake where proposed homless village will be located. (Photo: Spanaway Concerned Citizens)
(Photo: Spanaway Concerned Citizens)
The Tacoma Rescue Mission (TRM) proposal for a homeless village near Spanaway Lake has successfully cleared another obstacle.
The Tacoma News Tribune (TNT) reports that a Pierce County land examiner has denied an appeal to stop the project. Residents filed the appeal on October 30, challenging the development because unpermitted activities allegedly violated federal wetland protections.
Paul Lubbesmeyer, a nearby resident, claimed that TRM had re-graveled a road passing through a wetland and worked on a fish culvert without the necessary permits. Lubbesmeyer said the county was informed of these violations and issued permits two days later. He said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was also notified.
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Tacoma Rescue Mission resolved permit issues for homeless village
Duke Paulson, the executive director of Tacoma Rescue Mission, told TNT that it wasn’t aware of the permit requirements and has since resolved the issue.
A group opposing the project, Spanaway Concerned Citizens (SCC), argued that the county violated its codes by issuing permits without proper inspections. However, the hearing examiner’s decision on February 7 concluded that the group had not proven the county’s actions were erroneous. The examiner noted that county code enforcement does not require reversing approved permits in case of violations.
The group also contended that a federally protected eagle’s nest on the property necessitated approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. However, the hearing examiner pointed out that this concern was not raised during the initial land-use hearing, making the original decision final.
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There was opposition from the beginning
Neighbors worried about the project’s impact on nearby wetlands have opposed it.
SCC has consistently protested the project and hired environmental lawyers to argue against it in a lengthy land-use hearing in the spring of 2024. Pierce County hearing examiner Alex Sidles approved the project despite their efforts in June 2024.
In November, TRM and Pierce County officials celebrated the project’s groundbreaking.
The project aims to provide permanent housing for some 300 chronically homeless, elderly individuals. SCC protested the event and filed an appeal in Thurston County Court on September 16.
Pre-trial hearings are ongoing, with the next hearing scheduled for March 28.
