Orton Junction Runs into Opposition at Planning Commission Public Hearing

Pierce County’s planning staff recommended denial Wednesday of the Urban Growth Area amendment that Sumner needs before plans for the Orton Junction can move forward.

At stake, besides the residential and commercial development, is the fate of Sumner's long-sought YMCA.

Resident comments at Wednesday’s public hearing continued late into the evening, with many stating that the cost of a YMCA is too high, considering the trade-off in lost agricultural land.

Katie Kindle, who grew up in Orting, told the Planning Commission the area holds some of the region's most fertile soil.

“Why would we want to pave over it? More houses? More strip malls?” she said. “We want to attract people to our community, yet all the development will prove is that people will consume, consume, consume.”

The June 15 Planning Commission hearing received public comments regarding Sumner’s application to re-designate 182 acres behind Winco, where the development would take place, from county agricultural to mixed-use commercial/residential land within the city limits.

Planning Commission members are expected to make their decision on June 22 and forward their recommendation, which is advisory only, to the seven-member Pierce County Council for final approval or denial.

County planning staff recommended denial on two grounds, according to senior planner Dan Cardwell, who prepared the staff analysis.

Cardwell said that Sumner has not demonstrated a need for additional commercial lands and, secondly, it has not adopted reasonable measures to accommodate more employment within the city.

City officials argue that Orton Junction, with its proximity to the freeway interchange, is a growing business area in the Sumner and Bonney Lake region, as evidenced by the car dealerships and Winco.

Paul Rogerson, Sumner’s community development director, said that the city submitted “substantial” additional information over the past week to address and satisfy the county’s concerns.

Sumner planning manager Ryan Windish added that the proposed Urban Growth Area amendment strikes a good balance between development and open space.

Bob Ecklund, president and chief executive officer of Pierce and Kitsap Counties YMCA, said his organization already has raised $5.8 million in contributions, along with the $1.5 million gift of land. The YMCA could break ground in the second quarter of 2012, he said, and open in spring 2013 if the county approves the land use.

Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow said the proposal began as a grassroots effort among 50 people who wanted a community center.

“They wanted a gathering place, particularly for young people,” Enslow said. “We looked around, and identified the YMCA model. We looked at what property would fit in Sumner and there was no property. So we worked very hard on this proposal.

“It’s about a year and half of Sumner’s time and input. We did an environment impact statement and over 20 public meetings went into that process.”

Councilwoman Cindi Hochstatter said she and several friends began working nearly four years ago toward creating an “all-ages” community center.

“We came to the conclusion that there wasn’t any place in the core of town that was big enough,” she said.

Project opponent Stacy Emerson questioned what good a YMCA is if there is no food to feed people -- referring to the proposed reduction in farmland.

Included in the proposal are plans to remove 284 acres from the city’s Urban Growth Area in an area along East Hill. Replacing East Hill with Orton Junction in the Urban Growth Area better serves the community, according to city officials, by clustering areas of commercial, residential and recreational use so that other areas can remain rural and open for farming, forestry and open space.

East Hill has remained more rural in character, with large-lot residential development and no commercial improvement.  Many residents there have said they do not want to be annexed into a city.

If ratified by the county, the East Hill area would retain rural zoning and not be annexed into any city or be served by city sewers, thus minimizing long-term residential growth there.

According to county planning staff analysis, the implications of the switch might be too high, said Cardwell.

“The proposal significantly affects the rate of growth, development and conversion of land as envisioned in the Pierce County Comprehensive Plan.”

Editor's Note: Some dates were corrected in this story after publication.