Puyallup council authorizes development agreement for MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital expansion

Puyallup City Council on Jan. 27 approved a resolution authorizing the city manager to enter into a development agreement with MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital to implement the hospital’s 20‑year master plan.

Senior Planner Chris Beal described the plan as a campus buildout that includes parking structures, expansion of the central utility plant and a new patient care tower. "The new patient care tower would be 160 new licensed inpatient beds, plus 30 observational beds that would be transferred to Daly under the new patient care tower," Beal said, adding the plan includes a shelf floor for a future 40 licensed beds.

Beal and staff said the development agreement codifies permit processing timelines, vesting for hospital-related improvements, and a customized, phased approach to required street frontage improvements. The agreement also includes procedures for reassessing traffic impacts and mitigation if the scope or size of proposed buildings changes during buildout. Beal said Phase 1 focuses on maximizing ambulance-bay queuing and improving the ER porte‑cochere, with a larger ambulance expansion contemplated in a later phase.

Members of the public urged the council to consider operations and neighborhood impacts. Trevor Baumgartner, an LPN and SEIU representative, urged improved parking and safe staffing levels as the hospital grows. A local first responder told the council ambulance activity on 12th Avenue has risen "from 6 a week ... to at times 6 a day," and asked that off‑site street infrastructure down to 21st Avenue be considered.

Councilmember Johnson moved to authorize the city manager to execute the development agreement; the motion was seconded and adopted on the council’s voice vote.

City staff said the master plan and development agreement are intended to expand regional health‑care capacity, generate construction and property tax revenue, and create local employment and education opportunities. Staff and council repeatedly tied certain public benefits and frontage improvements to specific phases and triggers in the agreement.

Next steps: staff will proceed with implementation steps under the agreement, including permit processing consistent with the agreed timelines and the phased frontage and ambulance‑bay improvements.