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Residents press council on street‑end access as council approves municipal‑code update contract
Summary
Public commenters urged the council to delay code changes and improve volunteer permitting for lake street ends. The council approved a $198,700 contract with Keller Associates to update the municipal code; speakers said the city’s volunteer permitting and enforcement of encroachments need fixes first.
Lakewood, Wash. — Residents urging improved public access to Lakewood’s lakefronts told the City Council on June 16 that the city’s permitting and enforcement systems are lagging and that planned code changes should not be rushed.
Several speakers during public comment criticized past parks projects and raised environmental and access concerns. Christina Manetti described a series of parks decisions she called “scandalous,” citing tree removal at Fort Steilacoom Park, concerns about artificial turf, and a neighborhood house demolition tied to Edgewater Park planning. John (James) Dunlop and John Burns focused on Edgewater Park and lake street ends; Burns specifically advised the council to “take no action on this motion today” in reference to a contract to modify city processes and procedures (motion 2025‑37) until an experienced city manager is in place.
City staff had included motion 2025‑37 on the consent agenda. The item authorizes a $198,700 agreement with Keller Associates to assist updating Lakewood Municipal Code Title 12 and the engineering standards manual. The council approved the consent agenda items (with two other items removed for separate consideration), which included the Keller Associates agreement.
Speakers asked for clearer, user‑friendly online permitting, a volunteer coordinator to manage street‑end cleanups, consistent enforcement of right‑of‑way encroachments and greater transparency on how the city will change processes. “Let's wait for an experienced, competent, and wise city manager such as Doug Russell to be firmly in place to oversee critical updates,” said John Burns during public comment.
Councilmembers who spoke acknowledged the comments and said staff will follow up on permitting and enforcement processes with the new code update and that the city should make information more accessible to volunteers.
