[{"_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",6176765,"mediaKeyId","5342762-f348eeb836c4f3c02df8b2a1d0ef57fe","parentId",5342762,"title","University Place to move 20 Seventh Street business-district plan to a resolution vote","audioSeconds",2275,"startMs",2814000,"endMs",5089000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342762-f348eeb836c4f3c02df8b2a1d0ef57fe&start=2814&end=5089","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342762-f348eeb836c4f3c02df8b2a1d0ef57fe/thumbnail_2814000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6176765/University-Place/Pierce-County/Washington/University-Place-to-move-20-Seventh-Street-business-district-plan-to-a-resolution-vote","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176765-b00d9afd38bb2cbad4d2794af92bc8fd/orig.mp4?Expires=1775546040&Signature=RJILjFdNEVJk6BNBFXYYbp5JlEz6vbGyWSOXlFd9xGuttpCwTiF6W56WBmk53K7hKT5rnk96xFDgbGB7bECPHC6zV5AUcdJ8VAR9Rq078Pnj1RG56D3Pisa27Upn0tEWB4dfHi6O~PcE-fXZpJmSZT2IKuN6tyzQG9z~UcN74AI8LnwneWTSc1SUHlP8s8oMXIfLMRzzxviQhCCN6d~qcBqYhjzU9qNQCCgegU1P2DQKEtlhR5Qp7C2hHSIhmGgxz0eVcm3nk15QC6IiH1mDkH6ORvgyWSBrvLOy4NWWgbO1EKX2r4bAwJTLCXZANwNeEJA4VCuUMfMsW1sEA5GNMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","University Place, WA","date","2025-07-08T05:36:16Z","article","The University Place City Council on Tuesday completed a second study session on the 20 Seventh Street Business District plan and directed staff to return with a resolution for adoption, with no council member objecting.

The draft plan, prepared by city staff and consultants and summarized by Kevin Bridal, the city’s community and economic development director, lays out seven recommended action areas — regional collaboration; environment and climate-change strategy; land use and development patterns; housing; placemaking; economic development; and transportation and utilities. Bridal told the council the plan document and an appendix include a market analysis and that staff collected 681 survey and flash-vote responses during outreach.

Why it matters: The plan is meant to guide future redevelopment along 20 Seventh Street — a corridor the city and the Puget Sound Regional Council designated as part of a regional growth center — by recommending zoning tools, public investments and design standards intended to generate private reinvestment, address safety and improve multimodal access.

The plan’s process and scope

Bridal said an advisory group of local property and business owners met four times while the planning commission held two review sessions and a public hearing before forwarding a recommendation to council. Bridal described the plan as a policy-level document that would require later implementing actions or ordinances to change development standards.

Key recommendations and council concerns

- Pedestrian safety and intersections: Staff recommended staged public investments to improve pedestrian crossings and calm traffic. Public works director Jack Eklund flagged the skewed Sunset Avenue intersection as a major safety and design challenge: “To correct the offset, you would either have to condemn the auto business and take up a fair amount … or you would need to demolish a good chunk of the Presbyterian Church,” he said, noting both options are costly and politically difficult. Council members and staff discussed signalization, split phasing and the potential for phased signal/safety upgrades as volumes rise.

- Environment and climate: The plan recommends improving trail access (including links to Adriana Hesse), low-impact-development stormwater techniques, expanded walking and bicycling options, green building incentives and an EV-charging strategy for the district.

- Land use, housing and parking: Staff proposed using the city’s form-based code, encouraging small-footprint storefronts and exploring finer-grained block connectivity where property depth allows. The plan suggests expanding housing typologies near the corridor — “missing middle” and townhomes — and evaluating a multifamily tax-exemption (MFTE) for parts of the district. Bridal said the council previously used MFTEs elsewhere and estimated — approximately — that MFTE-related actions have leveraged about $180,000,000 in private investment citywide; he described the Grandview Plaza area (including the Grandview Senior Living project) as a redevelopment priority.

- Placemaking and economic development: The draft calls for public-art installations, gateway and wayfinding signage, pocket plazas, street trees and median plantings, and a facade-improvement/street-activation program. Staff recommended restarting a business association for 20 Seventh Street and pursuing façade grants or design support to help existing business owners.

- Transportation: Consultant traffic data presented by Jordan Martin showed that recent (2024) daily traffic volumes on some 20 Seventh segments are lower than earlier counts and that a medium-growth scenario covering 20 years would degrade some signalized intersections but not exceed historic peak volumes. Staff used the Institute of Transportation Engineers trip-generation approach for projections and noted regional trends (post-pandemic travel-pattern changes) that reduce vehicle volumes relative to earlier expectations. Bridgeport/20 Seventh, currently operating at a mid-range level of service, would decline under the scenario to a lower level of service without mitigation; staff said project-specific SEPA review and any major redevelopment proposals would trigger mitigation requirements.

Council direction and next steps

Councilmembers asked staff to bring the plan back as a resolution for formal consideration; the meeting record shows no objections when the mayor asked whether staff should proceed to a resolution. Staff said implementation would require further council direction — for example, to ask the planning commission to draft ordinances changing parking or development standards, or to pursue grant funding and targeted capital projects.

The council’s forthcoming action will be procedural: a resolution adopting the policy framework. Specific regulatory changes, funding decisions or capital projects would be separate actions returned to council for consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Hybrid U.P. City Council Meeting, July 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The University Place City Council on Tuesday completed a second study session on the 20 Seventh Street Business District plan and directed staff to return with a resolution for adoption, with no council member objecting.","taxTitle","University Place, Pierce County, Washington","taxId",51958,"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},6176755,"University Place council approves condolence letter for Texas flood victims",77,2735000,2812000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342762-f348eeb836c4f3c02df8b2a1d0ef57fe&start=2735&end=2812","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342762-f348eeb836c4f3c02df8b2a1d0ef57fe/thumbnail_2735000.jpg","/articles/6176755/University-Place/Pierce-County/Washington/University-Place-council-approves-condolence-letter-for-Texas-flood-victims","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176755-67321c5ccb3574daccf5836411dbe5ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1775546040&Signature=PJ36bSXJro4p5JhXkv8n4lspLZ-m~djKfgsRzP2~0rI~iKcdo9BNpMq3KlDCCJ4iHp3kd8v48eZhXTCTSV2I15EB1odnq30bralDOL5vRsTr04ocjacN3O9wpGgh7aaFeIlWDNTXheOd5ifHYuipeFow4nPFQOjWPmP2jmda~v2uEupdBkulPPmA8ApuMhKdeLkMhCCwhdNS-jOO2~dmUWro1CaJPrmTRzWlByMb3gJADP3n2tML7DFRGjMUbvLvXr2DpPUY4kytVOCTgebByhIDTRPnPY4rY4iNCm3D8BdJQPoYQ2vQBcxxjt7u3rgLATuutPRe4Rexn-0dA0lhZA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Figueroa read a council statement extending condolences to residents of Kerr County, Texas, after deadly flood events and asked for council approval to send a joint letter; the council raised no objections.

The mayor read: “On behalf of the entire city council and the residents of University Place, I wish to extend our deepest condolences to the people of Kerr County, Texas. The devastating floods and loss of life are absolutely heartbreaking.” He asked for a moment of silence for victims and recovery personnel and then requested staff assistance preparing a letter for signatures and transmittal. When he asked if there were any objections to sending a joint letter, the record shows none.

Why it matters: The action is a formal expression of sympathy and a municipal-level diplomatic gesture; staff will prepare and send the letter on behalf of the council.

Action taken

The council approved sending a condolence letter via consensus; staff member Sugg was asked to help prepare and circulate the letter for signatures.","Mayor Figueroa read a statement and the council agreed without objection to send a condolence letter to Kerr County, Texas, after deadly floods; council observed a moment of silence.",{"_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},6176760,"Council agrees to advance revisions to rules and proclamation process after debate on screening",4198,6182000,10380000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5342762-f348eeb836c4f3c02df8b2a1d0ef57fe&start=6182&end=10380","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5342762-f348eeb836c4f3c02df8b2a1d0ef57fe/thumbnail_6182000.jpg","/articles/6176760/University-Place/Pierce-County/Washington/Council-agrees-to-advance-revisions-to-rules-and-proclamation-process-after-debate-on-screening","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6176760-81bbcff739709372eb82cc8d2c2a91ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1775546040&Signature=MuvIESULOcJ2Ot5Y5J~BuR6HjF3KuFUZ~k57NOqr~Gb8q2ZrZyTMTzbZbgFLaNn2BCptDx8bDRip-ERcSIiAkjH-lxV0YRARVePO9D1AJrvrSy2f5ErT0JvyTNb5Xf~DHbMzYIb4OxeXRKaEJhMRW9NJW~saM25F9DraL1WU5tKJFYE0--0sQSMdqiNkDQdVXn-zSVP8cwSn~YKn2rW7nB4mtVe3iFyLRj5exEegWITZfHuRNiiPXcRUHajixvHHc-TJqsCttfnrigViFZt-jwWKbq1GnysjLSnqLXH8C7ndLVg9qrQIBx7-gA1bGlNj2d5Q-G7-6tfyfeaXFgqC3A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Attorney Matt Kayser brought draft amendments to the University Place City Council’s rules of procedure and to the city’s proclamation process during the meeting’s later session, and the council agreed to send the proposed changes back to staff for formal consideration.

Kayser told the council the packet contains a rewritten proclamation rule meant to balance timely recognition of community events with a screening step for requests coming from outside groups. Under the draft language, council may identify recurring recognitions at a retreat or through council direction; outside requests would receive an initial review by the mayor, the city manager and the city clerk. If there is doubt about a request, the mayor would bring it to the full council for discussion.

Why it matters: The revisions aim to preserve the council’s ability to recognize community events and achievements quickly while creating a documented process that screens requests and reduces last-minute surprises. Councilmembers debated how to preserve member prerogatives and avoid perceived censorship.

Council discussion and concerns

Several council members said they favored retaining flexibility while creating a predictable pathway for proclamations. Council member Fleming warned that a pre-screen could feel like “a form of censorship” if council members do not have a clear opportunity to bring a request forward; other members proposed that the mayor’s comments or the agenda-setting process would be appropriate places to surface items for the full council.

Kayser said the draft uses permissive language (\"may\") to preserve council flexibility and that routine recognitions could be placed on the council’s look-ahead schedule; he said the screening step is intended to get quick approvals for straightforward requests and to refer unclear items to council discussion.

Next steps

After a brief debate, councilmembers agreed — without a recorded roll-call vote — to have staff return with a final ordinance or resolution implementing the revised rules. The council chair said the rules could be adjusted after they are tested in practice if issues emerge.","City attorney presented proposed changes to council rules and proclamations. Council discussed a screening step for requests and concerns about member oversight; members agreed to send staff recommended amendments forward for formal consideration.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

University Place to move 20 Seventh Street business-district plan to a resolution vote

University Place council approves condolence letter for Texas flood victims

Council agrees to advance revisions to rules and proclamation process after debate on screening