City moves to rezone downtown acquisition for park use; abatement, youth academy and park RFPs planned

City Manager reported on several staff items at the Jan. 13 study session, including the city’s early acquisition of a downtown property intended for a downtown park and a schedule of park and youth initiatives slated for 2025.

Staff told council the city closed on 9320–9330 Bridgeport Way with the intention of converting part of the site to a downtown park. Because the property is currently zoned commercial, staff recommended adding a rezoning request for parks, recreation and open space to the 2025 planning commission docket. Council members discussed whether to elevate the matter with a formal council resolution; after a brief exchange the council agreed to expedite the planning review and directed staff to proceed with a resolution to memorialize the change and send the item to the planning commission for review.

Staff also reported the abatement and demolition of the existing building on the site is underway; the city expects abatement to be complete in late February or early March and said an abatement-contract recommendation would be brought to the council (staff targeted the Feb. 3 regular meeting for the contract item). The City Manager noted the adjacent former QFC property had a transformer removed by the utility and that power re‑connection options would be handled by utilities if the site is later redeveloped.

The City Manager also described several parks and youth initiatives the city plans to launch in 2025: a RFP for the Stilacoom H‑Barn revitalization (Partners for Parks to support fundraising and staff to seek consultants), a street‑end pilot (design RFP expected this month with community outreach tied to a March public meeting), a Camp Murray boat‑launch master plan RFP anticipated in spring, and an Edgewater Park design RFP to begin in February–March. Staff said some design work will begin before grant awards in order to keep schedules on track; grants can reimburse design costs where applicable.

Separately, staff said it will pilot a Youth Municipal Academy in summer 2025 to expose local youth to municipal operations, with field trips and agency site visits planned. The City Manager noted the city expects to host a hiring program fellow from the Hiring Our Heroes/US Chamber program for a short rotational placement to support continuous improvement work in planning and public works.

Staff also called out a public hearing scheduled Jan. 24 before the hearing examiner for Alliance Residential’s Town Center master plan proposal, a revised application for roughly 300 housing units adjacent to the Target site; the hearing notice is posted on the city website, staff said.

No ordinance or rezoning action was adopted at the study session; council instructed staff to place the rezoning item on the planning commission docket with expedited review and requested a resolution be prepared for a near‑term council meeting.

Speakers

- City Manager (presenter) - Council Member Bransetter (council) - Council Member Branson (council) - Mayor (presiding)

Authorities

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Actions

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