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Staff reports: Nisqually honor walk set for Feb. 28; Alliance Residential approved by hearing examiner; police audit grant awarded
Summary
City staff provided a bundle of operational updates at the Feb. 10 Lakewood study session: a tribal honor walk Feb. 28, a South Tacoma Way groundbreaking, hearing‑examiner approval for the Alliance Residential project, a $45,000 grant for a police‑station energy audit and a failed state application for mobile‑home park funding.
City staff delivered multiple project updates and event notices at the Lakewood City Council study session on Feb. 10, 2025.
Parks and events: City staff said the Nisqually Tribe will partner with Lakewood for a chief honor walk on Friday, Feb. 28, from noon to 2 p.m. at Fort Steilacoom Park; the walking route will follow the proposed Nisqually Loop Trail and the plaza near Wahaup Lake will serve as the gathering area. Staff also reported a planned ribbon‑cutting and groundbreaking for the final segment of South Tacoma Way (80th to 88th) with Congresswoman Strickland; the council noted Strickland secured $2.5 million toward that project.
Land use and capital projects: Caulfield told the council that the city hearing examiner approved the Alliance Residential development following a lengthy hearing and public comment; conditions suggested by city staff were included in the ruling and the project will proceed through its regulatory steps. Staff also reported that the WSDOT‑led shared‑use connector path is expected to be bid in March, with bids opening in May and construction beginning in summer 2025 and continuing into 2026.
Grants and facilities: The city received a grant of nearly $45,000 to cover an investment‑grade audit for the police station, a step staff said is needed to plan building improvements required by state legislation. Caulfield noted the likely implementation costs for those improvements are not currently funded and the city is pursuing legislative solutions to modify statutory timing or metrics.
A separate application — the state’s Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (targeting mobile‑home park infrastructure) — was not approved. Lakewood had applied for roughly $5 million in federal HUD‑linked funds for mobile‑home park improvements and identified specific sites and infrastructure work; staff said the state will follow up with HUD for an after‑action review and that Lakewood’s application work could be reused for future rounds.
City hall and other items: Staff said the city’s city‑hall beam repair and sealant project is moving toward architectural plans, structural analysis and internal permitting, with plans to bid in April–May 2025 and construct in summer 2025. Staff also noted recent landscaping work at city hall and that the city will include maps and project timelines in an upcoming Lakewood Connections magazine issue.
Ending: Staff requested council input where needed for outreach and scheduling; several councilmembers suggested including project timelines or start/finish estimates in public materials. Caulfield and department staff will return with bids, permit timelines and further grant follow‑up as projects progress.
