Submitted by Kirk Kirkland and Claudia Finseth.
Six weeks after The Environmental Coalition of Pierce County filed a complaint to the county and sent photos of Tacoma Rescue Mission of TRS dumping truck loads of gravel into two creeks at the Spanaway Marsh without a permit, the Pierce County Planning Department sent a Violation Notice to Tacoma Rescue Mission.
The previous drains were full of debris which caused the creeks to flow over Wasmund Road. After an assessment by a wetland biologist, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the county planning staff issued a Violation Notice to TRM. Such notices usually includes a fine of up to $9,000 for damage to the creeks.
But that’s as far as the county and state went in upholding the law.
Two days after sending the Violation Notice, the county staff then issued a Fill and Clear Permit. The grading permit gave TRM permission to “have a ground breaking ceremony and start clearing and grading,” according to the website for TRM.
Spanaway Concerned Citizens (SCC) responded by filing an appeal of the Grading Permit at a cost of $1,750. Unfortunately, this appeal will not be heard until January 22, 2025 by the hearing examiner.
The TRM website said the filling and grading would “clear vegetation and level and grade the earth into what will become the road leading from Spanaway Loop Road into the permanent supportive housing development” called Good Neighborhood Village.
Trees began to fall on November 28 — Just one day before the announcement of the Ground Breaking event.
The cracking sound of a cut tree is distinct. If you’re close by it is the sound of death and an alarm to get out of the way. The trees near the building site were cut first.
TRM used a processor that began falling trees so fast it made my stomach turn,” said Paul Lubbesmeyer “Our hearts go out to each of you that live on the perimeter of this nightmare.” Lubbesmeyer is one of the leaders of Spanaway Concerned Citizens.
Neighbors who live all along the waterway that the Spanaway Marsh feeds were upset when they saw the aerial photos of the clearcut destruction of over 900 trees on the Marsh.
The tree removal began just one week after SCC filed an appeal of the Fills and Clear permit. Obviously, the appeal did not delay or stop the tree cutting, even though the appeal listed a number of requirements that needed to be resolved before the grading permit could be issued; even though Pierce County Code requires all of the related issues be resolved before the trees can be cut down.
Those issues include restrictions on cutting trees within 300 feet of an Eagles’ Nest and on cutting trees within 315 feet of wetlands and wildlife habitats. Also a special permit from Fort Lewis McChord was needed for prior damage done to wetlands without approval of the Federal Clean Water Act.
But these provisions were not enforced.
On the Thursday morning of the Ground Breaking, dozens of sign-waving protestors gathered in the cold near the Spanaway Loop Road and Wasmud Road intersection. While the ceremony was underway, the sound of trees falling continued.
Tree felling went on into the afternoon. Aerial photos show the trees were falling in areas suspiciously close to the wetlands which have buffer limitations.
Environmental Coalition we asked the state Department of Fish and Wildlife enforcement staff to issue a Stop Work Order. This request was also sent to the director of planning, reminding him that the Violation Notice requested that the county not issue a Fill And Grade Permit before all other requirements were resolved.
County Code specifies that if other permits or conflicting approvals are not resolved, than the Fill and Gravel permit is “null and void”, according to PCC 18.140.030.
Before the granting of the grading permit, the county was required to notify the Pierce County Auditor. Before the issuance of any site development or building permit approval, the county needs to submit a Tree Conservation and Landscape Plan, according to PCC 18J.10.080 (a,2) Neither of these were done.
Over $140,000 in donations from neighbors and other environmentally conscious friends has been used by Spanaway Concerned Citizens for legal fees thus far. There will be more citizen expenses to come, for Spanaway Concerned Citizens has lodged more appeals.
In the last year, the burden of enforcing the county’s Development Regulations has fallen on the neighbors and friends who know the importance of the Spanaway Marsh. But the forest and wildlife won’t receive their day in court until March 2025.
This is way too late to save the 900 trees, and the black bears being forced out onto the roads where the traffic making delivery to the buildings site.
The Spanaway Concerned Citizen team is currently working on the administrative appeal that they recently filed. “Although the trees have been cut, which makes us so angry, we are still fighting to Stop The Village from being built,” said Paul Lubbesmeyer.
The Spanaway Concerned Citizens are continuing to raise money for the appeal of the Fill and Grade permit issued by the county. The Public Hearing is scheduled for January 22, 2025.
If you want to contribute to the legal appeal here is how.
Give Directly to Spanaway Concerned Citizens:
ONLINE: Spanaway Concerned Citizens Website
MAIL: Spanaway Concerned Citizens, P.O. Box 562, Spanaway, WA 98387
Housing for homeless and displaced is an ongoing issue that will be ongoing and the more you do to help the more the need continues.
Kirk brings to light the side of our natural habitat loss and destruction of an already impacted lands that give or wildlife places to thrive in an already encroached area.
Without the research and activism of this group for this land and other natural areas we would have super highways and traffic from motorists displacing and destroying disappearing habitat never to be the once it once was.
Development of land is part of the growth for our communities, all is being asked is to look for a less fragile area and use land that can be repurposed without having a domino effect to our natural environment.
Pierce County Planning dept has failed to employ or promote those with prior code enforcement experience. Old timers that are good at it are retiring. Internal promotions are promoting unqualified people into jobs which these people have never done nor are they good at it – however they are well liked, and therefore get promoted. They have no prior experience at it and merely inherit the job duties – AND THIS IS THE RESULT. No oversite!!!
I feel sorry for these people who live next door to this development! Shame on TRM!
For every clear cut on this planet, we humans are digging our own graves. I hope everyone realizes this.
If there are rules to prevent this, how is it being allowed to happen? Who is in charge of violation enforcement? They should be fired, and swiftly replaced. Why have rules if there are no consequences for breaking them? Pierce County corruption runs rampant!
The people that are directly affected by this SHOULD CONTACT their local COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE- each district has one. Set up a time to meet, voice their concerns about lack of oversight ie… how was this permit ALLOWED to happen which clearly violates pierce county code! Not sure if this is the correct representative? but I would start here https://www.piercecountywa.gov/1395/Marty-Campbell-District-5
Meet with this person and if necessary, move up to higher authority- these people have oversight and power over pc staff and managers etc – they are supposed to represent what our tax dollars are for. If enough people press this at this level – things will move – I would not start with Pc staff – let the representatives do ALL THAT for you.
The county council reps are the people that allowed this to begin with. Marty Campbell included. Pierce county is so corrupt it is mind boggling. We have been fighting this from the very first meeting. Let me quote Steve O’ban it doesn’t matter they can’t afford to fight us!! Work should have never been allowed to start with an appeal pending. Irreparable damage has been done all for sake of money!!
Two articles about the deaf city and county officials and they wonder why the voters are angry.
I have no objection to stating your disagreement about the situation, but stop inflating the rhetoric with overblown descriptions. Or maybe it’s just ignorance on your part. But there was nothing even close to “old growth” trees involved in this.
What I failed to understand is why an approved road which was approved years ago to cut through spanaway loop all the way to I-5, which would have benefited tens of thousands of people
was deemed impossible to build due to wildlife considerations but you can put in a bunch of houses for homeless drug addicts and alcoholics?