[{"_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",6017664,"mediaKeyId","5775679-6b9a37ae04e1a222bd5468238006deef","parentId",5775679,"title","Council hears minor amendments to shoreline master program; Ecology certification next step","audioSeconds",571,"startMs",3219000,"endMs",3790000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775679-6b9a37ae04e1a222bd5468238006deef&start=3219&end=3790","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775679-6b9a37ae04e1a222bd5468238006deef/thumbnail_3219000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6017664/Lakewood/Pierce-County/Washington/Council-hears-minor-amendments-to-shoreline-master-program-Ecology-certification-next-step","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6017664-80d648a6e8ab11bf02d5519fe4ac1d83/orig.mp4?Expires=1775080141&Signature=GAn1elW97wl10Qgm36GSIT5YkJEk1Z-Jc3b8FnyBphq9sis6KD05x9xFlqbj340rq4vpSoWacTb0-XIY187RT4OUxGFEzJ2R-LHjP29P5UKw1qvQtHIiAftYkYOpTM7hcYUH5u9~uQmzEaxrglpGGz5v3XErIKnXEYsOOC6dK039dTajS4b3ZY7BWRQB12u3j49GoEIKfEh9QoTZlruJxOLAU18T4Uqt18YC1AZsb-emv0jkygLsLPPqutQuraWOSv27J~sXuaX2p3YPZKLPUgmg0NlpTcS~jc9OrGH0dqKC5QxzfALGfHlSAFRQgtbALewCXsV6bYh7SybnHZCXQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lakewood City, WA","date","2025-09-10T08:47:37Z","article","Planning manager Tiffany Spear told the City Council that the Washington State Department of Ecology has certified the city's recent periodic review changes to the shoreline master program except for “one required and then one recommended amendment.” The required amendment, Spear said, is a cross-reference addition to an existing section of the city’s critical areas code.

“This item…starts on page 56 of your program or agenda tonight,” Spear said, indicating the packet sections where the council could review the recommended language and where the edits appear in the master program. She described the changes as non-substantive cross-references intended to make the shoreline master program consistent with the city’s critical areas ordinance and said Ecology accepted the revisions without substantive objection. Ecology sent a certification letter dated June 30, she said.

Councilmembers asked for clarification about the language that would allow unavoidable impacts to certain non–fish-bearing streams and their buffers — a narrow exception rooted in reasonable-use considerations. One councilmember asked for examples of permitted activities that might qualify under the provision; another asked the staff to provide a categorized list of which local water bodies are designated fish-bearing, non–fish-bearing perennial, or seasonal.

Spear said she did not have the full catalog of water-body classifications at hand but offered to follow up with a list for council. “I'm happy to do a follow-up message out to the council clarifying which water bodies, streams, creeks, or lakes are within any of those classifications,” she said.

Spear also clarified process and timing: the Shoreline Management Act uses a state certification process, and the Ecology decision is the final step after council action. She told council the amendments would come back for council action at the next meeting and that the state’s Ecology Department would complete final certification after that action. Because the Shoreline Management Act sets the public-review process, she said the council’s review differs from typical local code changes and therefore would not be handled as the council’s usual public hearing item.

Councilmembers asked for a follow-up memo listing which local waterways fall into each classification and for examples of the kinds of projects that could qualify for a reasonable-use exception. Spear agreed to provide that follow-up information to council members.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting of September 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning manager Tiffany Spear told council the Department of Ecology certified the city’s periodic-review changes to the shoreline master program except for one required cross-reference change and one recommended amendment.","taxTitle","Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington","taxId",3978,"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},6017669,"New ‘Beloved Community’ mural unveiled at Fort Steilacoom Park; city to mark MLK Day at Pierce College",158,930000,1088000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775679-6b9a37ae04e1a222bd5468238006deef&start=930&end=1088","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775679-6b9a37ae04e1a222bd5468238006deef/thumbnail_930000.jpg","/articles/6017669/Lakewood/Pierce-County/Washington/New-Beloved-Community-mural-unveiled-at-Fort-Steilacoom-Park-city-to-mark-MLK-Day-at-Pierce-College","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6017669-ec865ab627766ee0510ab55f4ea87008/orig.mp4?Expires=1775080141&Signature=Z9IFm0rpi7f-RVyNdEr4-7WXcO6zoLK~Kq35D-Mf1m~KJjfD6u2uPbgthEdVY9WAKyaTjIUinHDR0D43aV6-tn0jhT8H~cymgczx91BtDgI0K1yiYeZ5xJM9IUgmw-A4BK8YgbnAhT--9p9MpJdPhqHnCbov7FDkcsuMlSv1Bxz-G7h8DPFjb4z~-OHkQG7IAyG8GmrgwzEPS2ivh74TXa1~1hsKGrMkeJ4EwqNRfaB1FJGMdHIRW2qnDg11nDcRx5IjkzLMjLqyJXTHJBRRf-4qkH8pAfgXT-Y-xmmaOEhZyBSo1vtK2BTUOhpZ-fSy11bD0jl3~S1hHrtqNr2ogg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lakewood Arts Commission reported the completion and recent dedication of a mural titled “Our Beloved Community” by the artist Perico on the barn at Fort Steilacoom Park and said the work ties to a city initiative called Beloved Community.

“The mural is inspired by the beloved community philosophy that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Thich Nhat Hanh promoted,” Emily Feline, chair of the Lakewood Arts Commission, told council during a joint meeting. Feline read the plaque text and described key imagery: children from different cultures sharing food in a garden and a monarch butterfly representing migration and ancestral remembrance.

The commission said the mural was completed in May and that the commission hosted a ribbon-cutting attended by Mayor Whelan, Deputy Mayor Moss and councilmembers Branstetter, Bocce and Bell. The mural, the commission said, is intended to emphasize unity, justice and compassion and to complement other city programs tied to the Beloved Community theme.

The commission also announced a citywide Martin Luther King Jr. celebration that will be held on King’s birthday, Jan. 15, 2026, at Pierce College. The event will include artists, performances and a staged play; the commission said it plans a related fundraising community screening of the documentary Count It Out, with Dr. John Scott facilitating discussion.

Commissioners said the mural is part of a broader push to weave the Beloved Community theme into events and public art. “This mural reflects Lakewood's dedication to love, inclusion, and celebrating diversity,” Feline said during the presentation.

Councilmembers and commissioners also discussed associated programming: the commission said it will promote the documentary screening at the MLK event and incorporate the mural’s themes into other community gatherings. No formal council vote was taken during the presentation; commissioners asked for continued council support for event promotion and artist recognition.","The Lakewood Arts Commission described a new mural by artist Perico at Fort Steilacoom Park tied to the city’s Beloved Community initiative; the commission also announced a citywide Martin Luther King Jr. celebration for Jan. 15, 2026, at Pierce College.",{"_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},6017674,"Lakewood Arts Commission has wrapped 33 signal boxes with artwork; more sites planned",315,423000,738000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775679-6b9a37ae04e1a222bd5468238006deef&start=423&end=738","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775679-6b9a37ae04e1a222bd5468238006deef/thumbnail_423000.jpg","/articles/6017674/Lakewood/Pierce-County/Washington/Lakewood-Arts-Commission-has-wrapped-33-signal-boxes-with-artwork-more-sites-planned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6017674-d4e9e172608d256133c94ccec2189590/orig.mp4?Expires=1775080141&Signature=nDQ0OkF~h0wsB3Gq2Y5tuR0t3oV49djXiUzyovRZJYdKJaZcMx2tdGO8BsEHQ-BSRh1W8zHtjfDZOYtFyQNBvZUauJtlcMhlKdlMtxgImJ4EdkR8X7TxKEbPeP6gtU8jj3leE-OlcN6jJXRY7gGHwdreByKTZkrsU-EmS6kF9sEi1Ji8M1GT-e4xCRqJmst1bDHBsv0q8JPZLKReKXRReIC6YFlbvzfR5v6K4EPfrVeypnEhVYsr5NFCM1jdFSHdoPO7nRG4txj9sOzzRT~SEPIcSZvn0zzT4LkZaRpJE8gcqy4DQ7~7zG5CM-8af13L~oh5uUjnK9V~zlJ6avLLgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Lakewood Arts Commission told City Council it has wrapped 33 traffic-signal boxes across the city with commissioned artwork and plans additional wraps on Silicon Boulevard and Pacific Highway in 2025.

The program, the commission said, uses local and student artists and is paid from the commission's existing budget. “We are proud to have installed these 33 locations to date,” Earl Borgert, vice chair of the Lakewood Arts Commission, said during the joint meeting. Commissioners said each wrap costs roughly $2,500.

Commissioners and city staff described the program as a low-cost way to beautify streets and reduce graffiti. “About 2,500 per box,” a city staff member, identified in the meeting as Sally, said when asked about unit cost. On artist compensation Sally said, “700 per large box and 400 per small box.” The commission also said wraps typically last about 10 years and are relatively easy to maintain or replace when tagged.

The commission described its artist-selection process as a standard call to artists followed by a subcommittee review. “We do submit a call to artists, and then those call to artists submit various different works. And then we have a subcommittee or a subcommission that gets together and chooses which pieces of art that we feel best would identify with that part of the community,” Earl Borgert said, describing how the commission weighs community fit (for example, artwork showing children near a park or culturally themed work in an international district).

Commissioners said the production and installation also benefit local businesses: the vendor that installs wraps is a printing company with local operations, and the project produces work for that firm. The commission said it often selects artists from a mix of ages and cultural backgrounds, including students. “We reached out to the student artists at Pierce College for Silicon Boulevard boxes and to Pac into Hawassil art studio managed by Kellis Parlett for her students' art,” Borgert said, summarizing outreach for the next phase.

Councilmembers asked about life span and maintenance. Commissioners said wraps typically hold up well for about a decade and are straightforward to clean. They noted a few early wraps with negative space were more likely to be tagged and said they now favor fuller coverage to discourage graffiti. “All the research shows that it actually does, prevent graffiti,” Sally said when asked about vandalism prevention.

Next steps discussed included expanding the program to additional corridors and exploring a cultural exchange with the city’s sister cities: “There was some discussion about perhaps inviting each of the sister cities to submit a piece of art to put on a box,” commissioner Phil Raschke said, proposing a clustered installation as a possible anniversary project.

Commissioners asked council for continued support and noted the program’s relatively modest per-site cost compared with other public-art installations. The commission said the city-funded stipend to artists and materials come from its existing budget; council did not take a formal vote during the presentation.

The commission will return to council with details and locations for the 2025 wraps as plans firm up.","The Lakewood Arts Commission reported it has installed artwork wraps on 33 signal boxes citywide, at an average cost of about $2,500 per box, and plans additional student-driven wraps on Silicon Boulevard and Pacific Highway in 2025. Commissioners said the wraps pay artists modest stipends, last about a decade and appear to reduce graffiti.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council hears minor amendments to shoreline master program; Ecology certification next step

New ‘Beloved Community’ mural unveiled at Fort Steilacoom Park; city to mark MLK Day at Pierce College

Lakewood Arts Commission has wrapped 33 signal boxes with artwork; more sites planned