Development News for Puyallup, Washington

Puyallup City Council Approves Zoning Code Amendments, Including Auto Sales and Housing Density Changes

The City Council considered a package of minor housekeeping amendments to the municipal code related to zoning updates, including changes to zoning district lists, allowances for auto-oriented uses, multi-family development, residential density, incidental signs, and appeal processes. Key discussions included allowing car sales service in RMX and CCX zones and increasing residential density in RMX and UCX zones. The Planning Commission recommended modifications, notably not allowing car sales in RMX zones but allowing them in CCX zones, and maintaining the existing two-square-foot sign exemption for residential zones while increasing it to six square feet for others. The council debated the expansion of auto sales and density allowances, ultimately amending the proposal to allow auto sales in the RMX zone north of River Road and not in the CCX zone, while also approving increased housing density and other amendments.

Puyallup City Council Approves Moratorium on Battery Energy Storage Systems

The City Council discussed a proposed moratorium on battery energy storage systems (BESS) due to the technology being relatively new and not specifically addressed in the municipal code. Staff recommended a temporary one-year moratorium on larger commercial and utility-scale BESS facilities to allow time for research, evaluation of potential impacts, and development of future regulations. The moratorium would not affect residential battery backup systems or rooftop solar. This recommendation follows incidents involving battery fires, such as at Ferucci Middle Junior High School, highlighting the potential risks associated with overheating and difficult-to-extinguish flames. The council supported the moratorium with a unanimous roll call vote.

Puyallup City Council Discusses Pilot Proactive Traffic Calming Program

The city council reviewed a pilot proactive traffic calming program aimed at improving neighborhood safety by reducing speeds. The program involves a two-phased approach: Phase 1 includes data collection using radar speed signs, followed by enforcement if needed, and post-enforcement evaluation. Phase 2 involves the physical placement of traffic calming measures like speed humps or traffic circles after neighborhood outreach. The program aims to prioritize locations and proactively respond to citizen concerns. The police department reported an increase in complaints about reckless driving, while traffic complaints remained consistent. The budget for the current traffic calming program is $193,000, with discussions on potentially increasing it and exploring automatic traffic enforcement cameras for major arterials.

Puyallup City Council Modifies Arts and Culture Commission Membership to Ensure Quorum

The Arts and Culture Commission presented its challenges in maintaining a quorum for meetings due to a reduction in active members. To address this, the commission proposed lowering the total number of commission members from seven to five, allowing a quorum of three to conduct business. This change aims to enable the commission to continue its work on projects like signal cabinet wraps, public art displays, and music nature walks. The council debated the implications of a smaller quorum, with concerns raised about shrinking community voice. Ultimately, the council voted to approve a motion to reduce membership to five with a quorum of three, with a provision to revisit the decision in one year to assess recruitment efforts and potentially increase membership.