A Letter to Lakewood

Submitted by Bob Warfield.

The meeting of City Council Monday evening, April 21, 2025 at Lakewood City Hall was impressive. In the space of ninety minutes, it captured the best of community, local governance and our contemporary dilemma, one facing every town and city across Washington. From opening citations, a celebration of Daffodil traditions, improving public awareness to end sex predation, through extended public comment, and our mayor’s masterful instructive response to it, and our dilemma, it all played like scripted theater, a lesson in American civics. 

If only it was the dilemma du jour, easily smoothed into the passing history of time and place, all the comment and concern long eased. But it is not. On May 8, two years ago, nine bills became law with imposition on local government to address “the housing crisis” across Washington. Suddenly, one person’s crisis becomes one for many, and conversely, for many, one. It brought people out Monday, and will again, as we grapple with a “climate change” bound to conflicting visions of happiness, accommodation and how to get around in an age of changing modality.

The “nine new laws,” attempting visionary resolution of looming shelter and transportation clouds, permit a helter-skelter of growth and get-around, that leaves local community (Lakewood & CPSD) to struggle with implementation while keeping established residents and business happy and prosperous – HB1096 lot-splitting; HB1491 reduced parking; and SB5552, HB1110, HB1337, picture duplex, triplex, and townhomes on single-family sites, plus Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The problem, like most in social organization, becomes one of varied perspective: a senior ruling compelling a junior doing. In our case, earnest attempt through the city’s tax incentive to achieve the state’s social objective. But it comes off like a neighbor inviting their family to use your couch, permanently; and don’t forget the ‘frige, garage and bathroom.     

One must wonder about a place like Edmonds, settled and content (100+ years & 40%+ HH income exceeding Lakewood’s). Are they contemplating revised lot lines or a row of townhomes and ADUs – seriously? Here in Lakewood, the latest Alliance “accommodation” (good-bye Barnes & Noble) becomes a parking venue with dwelling secondary, stacked for cornered renters. None of this shudder into Lakewood’s future-scape portends the ideal outcome all would wish. But it’s where our municipal code and “nine bills” leave a city “still becoming” through upheavals of fragmented ownership and established interests.

What to do? Public comment offered much opinion that undesirable zoning incentive proposed along downtown Gravelly Lake Drive could easily site elsewhere in Lakewood. With lots assumed, lacking planning insight, and woebegone Tenzler mourned, we might all be better informed. A glimpse at Public GIS shows that Lakewood’s “elsewhere” is in short supply, NIMBY jammed against I-5 and under McChord (JBLM) flight restrictions.

What to do suggests a longer view and (more) imaginative overlay. Projecting a planned vision of Lakewood well beyond the “2040 horizon” might help. The sinews of connection, transportation and utilities functions, and social organization, should attempt a better build-out vision, one more comprehensive, contemplating funding and partnerships to draw essential public support and investment toward a farther horizon – fifty years out (2075) would not be too near. 

Imagination has realizing value and vision enabling purpose. Overlay tomorrow with all of its possibilities, what to keep, where to adapt and how to proceed? Phased progress could even mean realignment of jurisdictional boundaries. It certainly will mean further evolution of modalities, communications, and yes, AI. As the conversation continues, we must tax ourselves to learn and to grow healthy, creative community, worthy of human experience, and the best shared and mindful future we can leave to those who follow.