[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6347690,"mediaKeyId","2244582-eeda2356f4a464ac6332b2898370e5fe","parentId",2244582,"title","Fife planners, residents spar over Firwood rezoning alternatives as developers propose industrial and mixed-use plans","audioSeconds",3237,"startMs",247000,"endMs",3484000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2244582-eeda2356f4a464ac6332b2898370e5fe&start=247&end=3484","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2244582-eeda2356f4a464ac6332b2898370e5fe/thumbnail_247000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6347690/Fife/Pierce-County/Washington/Fife-planners-residents-spar-over-Firwood-rezoning-alternatives-as-developers-propose-industrial-and-mixed-use-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6347690-9d1715c8f5c008a9b107278d2a144f3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223826&Signature=KRmF5P5tZB4WPFeOXbqIOPu204-~F8NPllJWFZAzUMZDh2XQnJA90e0Roo3p7zP~QSQcqyye6FEz6UmiaiwYI83TOtj1yetCrdZ4QJnVzrcyCQfnJ5e1FqTSzAkm~foFmFn1dz9E-IGX7kcVT2Y4hxAQBJQDyz2Bc3XsfbSSKyX5lL23nACZGWIVN59Du7sswbOQkAK~uXDQVbDoDvT8FZ1SRQlectrDVBgQe4p2fMSRs~q3KHOGKTXiAmNEuqP1C5F3mIX5aYriaKO4ZKo07XF5lMRKAjDqd-glgpxCJcO5Pkxm~VINjala8pL86VDkfW4e~XpWoy3Xd4ecsrC54Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Fife City, WA","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","FIFE, Wash. — City planning staff on Feb. 3 updated the Fife Planning Commission on proposed zoning changes across the city, focusing on the Firwood neighborhood where two outside proposals for rezoning arrived in November.

The update, led by Director Chris Larson of the Community Development Department, described staff’s preferred approach and summarized two alternatives submitted by developers: a roughly 11.7-acre industrial rezone offered by the Pape Group and a larger Vector Development Company proposal that would convert about 54 acres from industrial to medium-density residential. Larson said both alternatives arrived in mid-November and were reviewed by the City Council in November.

Why it matters: The city is conducting a periodic update of its comprehensive plan and zoning map to meet regional growth-management targets and new state housing laws. How the commission recommends rezoning Firwood could affect utility extensions, traffic, housing capacity and whether existing residents are able to remain in the neighborhood.

Staff synopsis and process

Director Chris Larson told commissioners the periodic update process has included outreach since 2022—surveys, neighborhood meetings and focus groups—and that the planning commission will make a recommendation April 7 before the City Council’s adoption process in April–June. Larson emphasized that the March 3 meeting will be the formal public hearing and that staff mailed notices to more than 2,000 property owners and residents identified as affected by proposed changes.

Developer proposals and key points

Quinn Clawson, director of real estate development for the Pape Group, described his company’s proposal as two parts: an east-side area where Pape plans a heavy-equipment dealership under a conditional-use framework, and a contiguous western stretch they are seeking to rezone to industrial. Clawson said proposed access would come primarily from an improved internal connector (40th/40 Fifth) and that the industrial zoning would “solidify the neighborhood” by concentrating truck access to defined routes. He said Pape is under contract for an adjacent parcel currently owned by Murray’s and that application materials for a conditional-use permit are being prepared.

Tyler Litzenberger, president and owner of Vector Development Company, said Vector’s alternative aims at a mixed-use approach to support both housing and industrial continuity. Litzenberger said Vector is investing in rebuilding Freeman Road and in associated utilities — “an investment in the city of Fife north of about $5,000,000 for infrastructure improvements” — and urged the commission to consider a mixed plan and allow more time for Vector to respond to staff questions.

Resident concerns and public comment

Residents and property representatives who spoke at the meeting urged different outcomes. Theresa Deesner, a Firwood resident, said she feared the neighborhood would “be surrounded by industrial” and lose its character. Don Hobbs, who lives off Freeman Road, opposed industrial rezoning and warned of displacement, saying many owners and renters purchased property as residential and would be affected if zoning changed.

Stephanie Lynch, a real-estate agent representing several Firwood owners who favor selling to Vector, asked commissioners to review Vector’s proposal closely, saying it addressed obstacles the city identified with making Firwood industrial and could help with housing and costly infrastructure improvements.

Technical and jurisdictional constraints

Larson and staff reminded the commission that the city cannot require property owners to extend utilities beyond what system design requires and that coordination with the Puyallup Tribe and other agencies will be necessary for stormwater and river outflows. Larson also noted the city’s intergovernmental obligations: \"the city of Fife has an intergovernmental relationship with the tribe. We're required by the land claim settlement agreement to consult on land use actions,\" he said.

Next steps and public involvement

Larson said commissioners should review the written alternatives submitted by Pape and Vector (included in the packet) and identify additional information they need to make an informed April recommendation. Staff will accept written comments ahead of the March 3 public hearing; the commission may deliberate and vote on recommendations at its April 7 meeting. Larson suggested commissioners could vote on the larger comprehensive update separately from any Firwood-specific motions to avoid delaying the overall docket.

Ending

The planning commission did not take a formal vote on Firwood rezoning at the Feb. 3 meeting. Commissioners asked staff for clarifications and encouraged additional public comment and formal written submissions before the March public hearing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Meeting Feb. 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City planning staff briefed the Fife Planning Commission on zoning alternatives for the Firwood neighborhood after two developer proposals arrived in November, prompting residents to urge preservation of housing while developers argued industrial or mixed uses would support infrastructure and project viability.","taxTitle","Fife, Pierce County, Washington","taxId",67891,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6347684,"Fife staff outline middle-housing code changes required by state law; commission reviews administrative design standards",1321,4811000,6132000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2244582-eeda2356f4a464ac6332b2898370e5fe&start=4811&end=6132","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2244582-eeda2356f4a464ac6332b2898370e5fe/thumbnail_4811000.jpg","/articles/6347684/Fife/Pierce-County/Washington/Fife-staff-outline-middle-housing-code-changes-required-by-state-law-commission-reviews-administrative-design-standards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6347684-4a6db32db6715211fcd64ccfd113b0ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223827&Signature=ULAYtasDNJtpbbTqJXUOToO16OaXW4jvqN2R09zg4DGqSRlhkPdBrhQoIZvdj5teczpERb9ydBg1iVOYiYwCCGmnH7ROhnRbN8I9cGmeTpZBtx29CTuIBnkU9rFgWcffD~FjjNTrCchfHi-9nerhBisD3VlFgzGvuivR1qWgKqCi2DucUWUxAB2coKU2tMwcEqxjrz1BpWd-NDaZ7omccAJ~6CfmEUDONh-fnxXCPC307lrmUXf4Gfky3U5qkl5YXs9~gKjMcnTO7W7WYNA~VvMJUbzzXxhXju5s3zULtSC1UJxdiN1dR0PQHJCxAMHIvzg7sJv12OpuILKauzcirg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","FIFE, Wash. — The Fife Planning Commission on Feb. 3 reviewed draft code amendments to implement the state’s middle-housing law and related changes to the city zoning code.

Senior planner Taylor Jones presented the draft amendments that implement House Bill 1110 (as cited in the staff presentation) and explained how Fife, a tier-3 city, must allow two-unit middle-housing configurations in predominantly low-density residential zones. Jones said the draft adopts Commerce’s model middle-housing ordinance as the basis for administrative, objective design standards and places the new regulations in a single code chapter (19.68) to improve usability.

Key provisions presented

- Applicability: The state mandate requires tier-3 cities (population under 25,000) to allow two-unit middle-housing in predominantly single-family zones. Jones said Fife’s low-density residential zone is the primary zone affected; medium- and high-density zones already allow higher densities.
- Administrative design review: The draft uses an objective, administratively implemented design-review process tied to building permits to meet the state requirement that design review be non-discretionary.
- Cottage housing and courtyard apartments: The city will retain its existing cottage-housing regulations for areas where a more detailed code already exists, and apply a streamlined cottage-housing approach in low-density residential locations. Courtyard apartments and ground-floor units must meet pedestrian-oriented access and façade/window standards in the draft language.
- Landscaping and flexibility: Staff proposed limited administrative authority to relax certain commercial landscaping requirements when they would prevent achieving an additional middle-housing unit, with the caveat that landscaping cannot be less strict than single-family standards.
- Subdivision and units-per-structure clarifications: Staff confirmed current subdivision code already allows zero-lot-line short subdivisions if unit counts meet density requirements. The draft clarifies how units-per-structure are regulated in medium- and high-density zones.

Commission feedback and clarification

Commissioners asked how the code treats “structure” versus “unit” counts and whether the city would limit units per structure in medium-density areas. Staff clarified that medium-density zones typically limit units per structure to six, while high-density zones do not impose the same structure-size limits.

Jones said the draft leans on Commerce’s model ordinance because the state consulted experts and jurisdictions during its development. He said specific program parameters — for example, exact inclusionary percentages or incentives referenced elsewhere in the meeting — will be set later in code-drafting steps or policy decisions.

Ending

The commission provided questions and suggestions; staff said the draft code will be refined and returned for further review and public hearing as part of the comprehensive-plan and code update schedule. The commission did not vote on the middle-housing amendments at the Feb. 3 meeting.","Senior planner Taylor Jones presented draft middle-housing code amendments on Feb. 3 to implement state law for tier-3 cities, emphasizing an administrative, objective design-review path and clarifying rules for cottage housing and unit counts.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6347685,"Planning commission backs staff’s City Center preferred alternative with inclusionary zoning added",1486,3364000,4850000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2244582-eeda2356f4a464ac6332b2898370e5fe&start=3364&end=4850","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2244582-eeda2356f4a464ac6332b2898370e5fe/thumbnail_3364000.jpg","/articles/6347685/Fife/Pierce-County/Washington/Planning-commission-backs-staffs-City-Center-preferred-alternative-with-inclusionary-zoning-added","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6347685-554abedc3095c8841a78d2d2a069d1a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775223827&Signature=GiItohOc4KzwFUFdLF96WTVosM1ZWx3pV~w5680bxBCPntqyDbnmYigL8~MYrAycZFUG5ME2B6qEroFKgfn6p0EDZlb62l67dCxJw66lEbidoCfSdbbo5NmCbsOULUegPe9IueSp3Ip8Bptx6kGTknbzaI7ZeLhwYI4yI3i2QprSm9QbiHzhZ7b4VBGUQ9USlRcE7~uLtVxzqaV-bI3c04jkOjOQVHEKxs1HOHBZoDpYI1-4TMCkq463410DIlZPLD6mtrXQkEuD24A4oT2eBAcVE-5-qP3PCv-HruPGbeB~PYLRMG3vRj2x7vpe9dXEo6GvB3tKX5N~1xcwvX5S9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","FIFE, Wash. — The Fife Planning Commission on Feb. 3 voted to recommend the City Council advance the staff-recommended City Center preferred alternative, which largely follows Alternative 2 from the draft environmental impact statement but adds voluntary inclusionary zoning drawn from Alternative 3.

The commission’s motion, made and seconded during the Feb. 3 meeting, carried by voice vote.

What the commission recommended

Consultants presented the draft EIS comment summary and staff’s preferred alternative. Michelle Ellsworth of the consulting team summarized that the draft EIS considered three growth alternatives: no action, Alternative 2 (meets county/PSRC housing and employment targets) and Alternative 3 (exceeds targets). The preferred alternative recommended to the City Council would:

- Study growth consistent with Alternative 2 in the final EIS (housing/employment targets described in the DEIS).
- Include inclusionary zoning incentives from Alternative 3 to support affordability.
- Expand the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) target area citywide within the City Center to encourage developer participation in affordable housing programs.
- Allow mixed-use development up to six stories in City Center North and maintain community-mixed-use (City Center South) south of I-5.

DEIS comments and agency input

Consultants reported six comment letters on the DEIS: three from regional agencies and three from individuals. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife preferred Alternative 2 (with Alternative 3 as second choice) citing lower impacts to critical areas and creeks through centralized development. The Department of Ecology provided guidance on clean fill and contamination response during redevelopment. Sound Transit requested clarifications and asked staff to consider how development standards in the planned action ordinance could affect future transit facility siting. Individual commenters expressed support for higher density and inclusionary zoning, and one raised concerns about traffic and the light-rail station location; consultants noted station siting is outside this EIS scope.

Affordable-housing tools

The commission heard details about the MFTE and inclusionary zoning: MFTE provides a 12-year property tax exemption in exchange for committing a portion of new units to affordability (consultants noted MFTE commonly targets 20% of units at 80% area median income but exact program parameters would be set by city policy). Inclusionary zoning in the preferred alternative would be voluntary and incentive-based: developers could receive density bonuses, reduced parking or expedited permitting in exchange for providing affordable units; program parameters would be finalized during code drafting.

Vote and next steps

Commissioner Dominique moved to recommend the preferred alternative as shown in the staff packet; a second followed and the motion passed by voice vote. The recommendation will be presented to City Council on Feb. 11 (staff will confirm the Council agenda) and a final EIS and planned-action ordinance will be prepared for adoption with the comprehensive-plan updates this spring.

Ending

The commission’s recommendation advances a City Center approach that aims to concentrate growth around the future light-rail station while adding tools to encourage affordable housing. The City Council will receive the commission’s recommendation and related materials in February.","The Fife Planning Commission voted Feb. 3 to recommend that the City Council advance a City Center preferred alternative that follows DEIS Alternative 2 while adding voluntary inclusionary zoning from Alternative 3.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Fife planners, residents spar over Firwood rezoning alternatives as developers propose industrial and mixed-use plans

Fife staff outline middle-housing code changes required by state law; commission reviews administrative design standards

Planning commission backs staff’s City Center preferred alternative with inclusionary zoning added