City Council

LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND PIERCE COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA Thursday, December 1, 2022 6:00 P.M. City of Lakewood Council Chambers 6000 Main Street SW Lakewood, WA 98499 Residents can virtually attend City Council meetings by watching them live on the city’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/cityoflakewoodwa Those who do not have access to YouTube can participate via Zoom by either visiting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86872632373 or calling by telephone: Dial +1(253) 215- 8782 and enter participant ID: 868 7263 2373. Page No. CALL TO ORDER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION (2) 1. Review of the 2023 Pierce County Legislative Policy Manual. ADJOURNMENT Persons requesting special accommodations or language interpreters should contact the City Clerk, 253-983-7705, as soon as possible in advance of the Council meeting so that an attempt to provide the special accommodations can be made. http://www.cityoflakewood.us  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 1 2  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND LANDS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history which led to this moment. The City would like to recognize that we are on the lands of the Nisqually People, and acknowledge the history of dispossession that allowed for the growth of our community. We offer respect to the Nisqually People and their Elders, past, present, and emerging. We recognize our responsibility to value all people, and are committed to equitably serving all people in our diverse community. A STATEMENT ON EQUITY BY THE LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL The Lakewood City Council acknowledges that equity is essential to a healthy community. We are committed to identifying and eliminating systemic racism. We intend to lead by example in the advancement of equity and the deliberate practice of inclusion. The City Council commits to the following practices: • Instilling equity as a priority of policy and the delivery of services. • Enacting initiatives that support and celebrate the diversity of the community. • Ensuring equity in municipal planning. • Identifying and dismantling preconceived prejudices. • Increasing sensitivity to social norms and cultural expectations. • Pursuing justice and equity for all residents. We recognize the critical role that city leaders have in removing barriers to opportunity. We recognize that systemic inequality has endured, but commit that it shall not persist. The City Council will not tolerate intolerance. It is unconscionable that some members of our community fall victim to acts of hate. Acts of hate based upon race, creed, ancestry, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or socioeconomic status are unwelcome in Lakewood, Washington. The Lakewood Police Department shall be vigilant in its investigation and prosecution of crimes of hate. These intentional practices will inform our decision-making on policing, zoning, capital investment and all other matters of the City Council. Our objective is to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive Lakewood community for all residents and we invite all Lakewood organizations and residents to join us in this effort. 2 3  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 Contents INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND LANDS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ........................................................ 2 A STATEMENT ON EQUITY BY THE LAKEWOOD CITY COUNCIL ............................................ 2 COMMUNITY& ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................... 5 Regional Planning....................................................................................................................................... 5 Regional Planning – Puget Sound Regional Council ................................................................................. 5 Regional Planning – Metropolitan Planning Organization........................................................................ 5 South Sound Affordable Housing Partners ................................................................................................. 5 Middle Housing ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Annexations ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Arrowhead/Partridge Glenn ...................................................................................................................... 6 Camp Murray ............................................................................................................................................ 7 Joint Base Lewis McChord ....................................................................................................................... 7 Lakewood Population Allocations .............................................................................................................. 7 Lakewood Libraries .................................................................................................................................... 8 COMMUNITY HEALTH & RESILENCE ................................................................................................ 8 American Rescue Plan Act Funds ............................................................................................................... 8 Pierce County Village ................................................................................................................................. 9 Discretionary Spending of Public Health Resources .................................................................................. 9 Flood Control Zone District ....................................................................................................................... 9 PUBLIC SAFETY....................................................................................................................................... 10 Geographic Equity in Discharge from State Facilities ............................................................................. 10 Protecting Residents of Adult Family Home Businesses........................................................................... 10 State Hospital Reentry Program ............................................................................................................... 10 Enhanced Services Facilities .................................................................................................................... 10 Video Arraignment .................................................................................................................................... 11 Booking Restrictions ................................................................................................................................. 11 Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office ........................................................................................... 11 TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE ...................................................................................... 11 Pierce County Transportation Coordinating Committee .......................................................................... 11 Pierce County Sewer Utility ...................................................................................................................... 11 Future Commercial Airfields - JBLM ....................................................................................................... 12 Parks & Recreation..................................................................................................................................... 12 Chambers Creek Canyon .......................................................................................................................... 12 Seeley Lake Conservancy Park ................................................................................................................. 12 Lakewood Community Center ................................................................................................................... 12 HISTORIC SITES ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Old Settlers Cemetery ............................................................................................................................... 13 ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 13 Regional Climate Change Efforts ............................................................................................................. 13 MILITARY AFFAIRS ............................................................................................................................... 13 North Clear Zone ...................................................................................................................................... 13 GENERAL GOVERNMENT .................................................................................................................... 14 Innovative Service Solutions ..................................................................................................................... 14 3 4  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 City Council Goals Legend The policy goals in the County Policy Manual align with the City Council Goals 2021-2024. Each policy name is a different color to reflect the corresponding City Council Goal. Economic Development Dependable Infrastructure Public Safety Fiscal Responsibility Transparency Robust & Active Community 4 5  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 COMMUNITY& ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Regional Planning The City supports the continued partnership between Pierce County and other municipalities within the county concerning regional planning and transportation issues. Lakewood is a proud member jurisdiction of the Pierce County Regional Council (PCRC), which was created to ensure local planning between Pierce County municipalities is accomplished in a coordinated, efficient, and consistent manner. The primary responsibility of the PCRC is to ensure that the Growth Management Act requirements are coordinated within the region. Regional Planning – Puget Sound Regional Council The City supports a more equitable sharing of federal transportation dollars by the governing Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) - the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). The City also supports the limitation of PSRC’s authority and scope to that identified in Chapter RCW 47.80 and 23 USC § 134. In its Interlocal Agreement, the mission of PSRC is identified, “to preserve and enhance the quality of life in the central Puget Sound area. In so doing, it shall prepare, adopt, and maintain goals, policy, and standards for regional transportation and regional growth management in the central Puget Sound area, in accordance with federal and state law and based on local comprehensive plans of jurisdictions within the region.” (emphasis added.) However, PSRC’s continually expanding reach now includes: the establishment of Multi-County Planning Policies; a Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) and Growth Shares; and implementation activities including VISION 2050 adoption and interpretation. The City opposes any incursion by PSRC into local land use, housing issues and equity issues. Regional Planning – Metropolitan Planning Organization The City would support, and take the lead on, forming a Pierce County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and Regional Transportation Planning Organization (RTPO) as alternatives to the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). South Sound Affordable Housing Partners The City is a founding member of the South Sound Affordable Housing Partners (SSHA3P), which is a regional effort by member municipalities to address affordable housing with a coordinated approach. The City supports SSHA3P’s 2023 legislative priorities on affordable housing: • Support basic infrastructure funding via flexible funds through programs like the Public Works Assistance Account (PWAA) and Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) to help cities and towns fund basic infrastructure, critical to the development of housing. 5 6  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 • Support surplus land dispossession policy updates to provide greater flexibility for the homeownership development opportunities for low- and moderate-income households. • Support rental assistance funding to limit evictions. • Support operating funding for permanent supportive housing. • Support creation of local revenue options to fund the development of affordable housing. • Monitor proposals to increase access to homeownership opportunities, including condominium liability reform and recommendations made by the Homeownership Disparity Workgroup. • Oppose preemption of local land use authority. Middle Housing The City supports local zoning for middle housing types. Middle housing types including duplexes, triplexes, ADUs and multifamily housing are currently allowed on 55% of the City’s residential lots, and cottage housing is allowed wherever single family detached housing is allowed, or on 78% of the lots. The City has a variety of policy tools for supporting the development of middle housing types, such as the City’s Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, a housing incentives regulatory code chapter, and inclusionary density bonuses for landowners interested in providing units for very low income persons. In addition, the City was selected for a competitive grant through the Department of Commerce to evaluate the authorization of middle housing types on at least 30% of lots zoned for single family. The City’s programs and efforts at the local level to support middle housing development should not be preempted by the State. The City opposes state legislation that dictates land use and zoning without consideration for unintended consequences such as displacement and gentrification. • Accessory Dwelling Units: The City supports Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to augment Lakewood’s affordable housing stock. ADUs are a viable, equitable, and increasingly popular affordable housing option. The City has adopted updated ADU policies and development code requirements that provide for the easier creation of more attached and detached ADUs associated with housing types, such as single-family homes and townhomes, found in multiple city zones (R1-R4, MR1 & MR2, etc.) However, utility and side sewer connections to accommodate ADUs on current plots can be prohibitively expensive, especially for lower-income households. The City supports a dialogue with the County on how to address fee schedules and side sewer connections for Lakewood customers seeking to add an ADU. The City supports solutions such as reducing and/or waiving connection fees and capacity charges for these customers, as well as allowing new ADUs to connect to existing side sewer lines. Annexations Annexations should encourage the logical development and expansion of the City to provide for a healthy and growing local economy and efficient provision of urban services. Arrowhead/Partridge Glenn Annexation of this “urban island” has been attempted three times; twice by the Town of Steilacoom in 1995 and 1996, and once by Lakewood in 1997. All three annexation attempts 6 7  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 failed at the ballot by an increasingly larger margin. The Town of Steilacoom, West Pierce Fire and Rescue, and Pierce County are not opposed to Lakewood annexing this area. The City would support and take the lead on, the annexation of this area if, and only if, Pierce County addresses this area’s aging infrastructure prior to annexation. Camp Murray The City and Camp Murray leadership evaluated this potential annexation after jointly completing the Camp Murray Annexation Analysis Report in 2020. Currently, Camp Murray leadership is not supportive of annexation after the report found annexation would not be revenue neutral and would result in increased costs for Camp Murray. The City is interested in acquiring the Camp Murray Boat Launch with the goal of creating and managing it as a city park. The City would invest infrastructure development to increase accessibility to American Lake. This may be accomplished through annexation of the boat launch property from Camp Murray or assuming the property lease from the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife. Joint Base Lewis McChord Lakewood’s Urban Growth Area (UGA) includes the urban area of Joint Base Lewis- McChord (JBLM). Over the past two decades JBLM has significantly developed this area. The City would consider annexing this area in the future, contingent on County approval, to include revising the existing agreement between the City and the County. The City would consider an incremental approach to annexing this area that would start with the annexation of American Lake Veteran’s Administration Medical Center and American Lake Veterans Golf Course. Lakewood Population Allocations Pierce County recently adopted the 2044 population, housing unit, and employment growth targets for the County and the 23 cities. Per PSRC population allocations, the Pierce County core cities of Lakewood, Puyallup, University Place, and Auburn are expected to absorb a large share (23%) of the regional growth through 2050. However, unique situations and existing spatial constraints can affect the ability of individual jurisdictions to meet these targets. In Lakewood, the population and employment base are directly tied to, and subject to unpredictable change because of, the level of service members and contractors stationed or working at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM). In addition, there are several existing unique spatial and environmental constraints in Lakewood, including: JBLM’s Air Corridor zones that prohibit urban residential development; several lakes and associated lands that can only be developed at lower densities; large tracts of public lands (including parks, Western State Hospital properties and the South Puget Sound Urban Wildlife Area); pre- incorporation and pre-GMA existing developments, and inadequate infrastructure. Lakewood is seeking support from Pierce County for the following: Policy direction must be developed for inclusion in the GMA, Multicounty Planning Policies, Countywide Planning Policies, individual Comprehensive Plans, and other appropriate documents that provide individual jurisdictions the ability to meet and/or adjust population and employment targets based on situations or issues outside their ability to govern. 7 8  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 Lakewood Libraries The City of Lakewood and Pierce County Library System (PCLS) have been partnering to bring new libraries to Lakewood since 2010 when the PCLS Master Facility Plan identified a need for new libraries in the City. The need for new libraries has been subsequently reflected in the City’s Comprehensive Plan and Legacy Plan as it relates to partnerships and sharing facilities. While the PCLS is the decision-maker on where libraries will be located, the City has become involved in this process: 1) given the City’s involvement in the development of the 2010 Master Facility Plan; 2) the opportunity to create an economic catalyst in both the downtown and Tillicum neighborhood with a focus on library and other services to include better access to transportation and better parking; and 3) the opportunity to incorporate a senior activity/community center as part of new libraries to leverage synergies of programming as well as other “store front” services in the area of human and social services. In 2017 the City and PCLS entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore the options of new library facilities in both the Lakewood Towne Center and Tillicum neighborhood as called for in the 2010 Master Facility Plan. The result was the City acquiring property in 2019 for a new library in the Tillicum neighborhood. The City and PCLS also looked at property alternatives in the downtown area, however, none were available that met PCLS’ needs. In 2019, PCLS initiated a community engagement process about future library facilities in Lakewood that included beginning to explore funding options and developing design options for new libraries. This all stopped with the arrival of the pandemic in March 2020. In late 2021, the City and PCLS re-engaged to reconstitute the process of addressing library facilities in Lakewood. The outcome was the formation of the Library Advisory Committee (LAC) in April 2022, which is tasked with the objective of providing recommendations to the PCLS Board of Trustees and Lakewood City Council about library facilities in Lakewood. In June 2022, the PCLS closed the main library due to significant building issues and in October 2022 announced a location for an interim library. The City supports the continued partnership with PCLS to address the urgent need of permanent and safe library spaces in Lakewood. COMMUNITY HEALTH & RESILENCE American Rescue Plan Act Funds The federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocated $175,781,756 to Pierce County in 2021, with a final commitment of funds in October 2021. The City is appreciative of the beneficial programs that impacted Lakewood residents. The City requests the County continue to support programs and expenditures that benefit Lakewood residents and businesses, including but not limited to: • Residential and Commercial rent, mortgage and utility assistance • Residential and Commercial Landlord assistance • Resident and Business Navigator Services • Infrastructure funding (e.g., completing sewer system in Lakewood) 8 9  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 • BIPOC Business Assistance, e.g., continuing the BIPOC Business Accelerator Program • Capital support for housing preservation and construction for residents at or below 80% of AMI The City is supportive of Pierce County’s Sewer and Water Utility Infrastructure Partnership Program, which the City has submitted the following sewer extension projects: • Grant Avenue and Orchard Street • Wadsworth Street, Silcox Drive and Boat Road • Rose Road and Forest Road • Boat Street sewer extension for Habitat for Humanity The City supports fee relief from the County as well as the ability to connect to a new side sewer for Lakewood customers benefiting from the sewer extension projects who are seeking to add ADUs to their property to accommodate growth of the City’s Middle Housing stock. Pierce County Village The City supports County ARPA funds being allocated for the Pierce County Village to be located in Spanaway. The proposed micro home village includes wrap-around services that would help Lakewood residents experiencing chronic homelessness, to include Veterans, who may receive a VASH voucher during their stay. The City is also pleased to see the selection of Tacoma Rescue Mission as the entity to manage and operate the Pierce County Village given its long-term regional leadership to provide effective services to the homeless. The site identified for Pierce County Village is environmentally sensitive. Rather than constructing the village with community septic systems that run a heightened risk of contamination and damage to the surrounding wetlands, the City encourages the County to utilize sewer on the site. This approach aligns with fundamental GMA policies of having urban growth supported by urban services, including sewer and other appropriate infrastructure. Ensuring the health and safety of the community residents is another strong reason to bring sewer to the site. Discretionary Spending of Public Health Resources A wave of new funding for addressing public health in Pierce County has come to fruition in recent years. New funding sources include the County’s collection of a one-tenth of one percent Sales and Use Tax for behavioral health such as mental health and substance use disorder treatment, as well as County-level settlement funds from the state’s lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. The City supports the use of these funds at the county-wide level for addressing important public health issues, to include more discretionary funding to specifically address public health issues in Lakewood. Flood Control Zone District The City encourages the County to move the FCZD to a tiered rate based on risk of flooding. The City supports using flood control funds to mitigate existing risks rather than subsidize new development within the flood zone. The City is also concerned with the potential for the governing board to impose the maximum rate allowable. 9 10  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 PUBLIC SAFETY Geographic Equity in Discharge from State Facilities The City appreciates the State’s recent efforts to move toward a more community-based behavioral health system. This transition presents an opportunity to not only provide more accessible services to those who need it most, but also for the facilities to be more geographically disbursed. Based on the findings from the Residential Facilities report, the County should join the City in requesting that the state invest in long term care facilities in all underserved regions of the state, which may include Pierce County. Secondly, building upon the work of the Sex Offender Policy Board, the County should join the City in requesting that the state should clarify that fair share principles apply to sexually violent predators released from state hospitals and secure community transition facilities. The City requests the County support additional changes so DSHS will have to: 1) Institute fair share policies for discharge planning from state hospitals for individuals that have a history of one or more violent acts (extend SB 5163 policies, that only apply to the Special Commitment Center, to state hospitals). 2) Disclose publicly accessible and relevant criminal history to service providers for certain persons during the discharge planning process. 3) Procure additional services (e.g. housing, mental healthcare, etc.) within a regional service area if existing services are not adequate. 4) Implement Department of Health credential waivers for treatment providers working in underserved counties. The City will continue to monitor the Western State Hospital Task Force’s evaluation of Pierce County resources. Protecting Residents of Adult Family Home Businesses The City requests that the County advocate for legislation at the state level to address growing community and public safety concerns related to Adult Family Home businesses (AFHs). AFHs serve adults with functional limitations who need personal and special care. The City supports legislation that protects these vulnerable members of our community by preventing Level 2 and 3 registered sex offenders, sexually violent predators and “felony flips” from residing in Adult Family homes. The City suggests amending the definition of “resident” in RCW 70.128.010 to exclude individuals convicted of sexually violent crimes and crimes that require registration as a sex offender. State Hospital Reentry Program The City supports language that would expand the reentry community safety program. The current program is designed for individuals being released from a correctional facility. The City supports expanding the program to apply to patients who are civilly committed after prosecution for a violent offense or who are civilly committed based on criminal insanity. Enhanced Services Facilities Enhanced Service Facilities (ESFs) serve adults with mental and chemical disorders or other 10 11  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 impairments that require supervision and daily care. The City requests that the County advocate for legislation that would prohibit Adult Family Home businesses (AFHs) from converting to ESFs, as well as legislation that would prohibit the citing of ESFs in residential neighborhoods. Video Arraignment The County does not provide video arraignment from the Pierce County Jail. Video arraignments allow the City to safely and effectively provide public defense services to jail populations, such as decreasing the number of jail transports, which are expensive and potentially hazardous. The City requests that the County find solutions to the issues impeding their ability to provide this service. The City supports the County allocating the necessary resources to provide for video arraignment. Booking Restrictions The County has implemented booking restrictions at the Pierce County Jail in accordance with pandemic-related CDC and Washington State Department of Health guidelines. The new guidelines prioritize detention for individuals who pose an imminent threat to public safety, such as Felony arrests. However, detention has been discontinued for some arrests, including certain property crimes. These crimes still impact the City’s public safety. The City requests the County to implement solutions to continue pre-pandemic detention policies, such as acquiring additional staff and detention space to augment jail capacity. Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office The City relies on the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for effective adjudication of significant offenders. The City supports consistent, transparent and timely felony charging and filing from the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. The City also supports regular communication regarding the Lakewood cases reviewed by the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE Pierce County Transportation Coordinating Committee The City is appreciative that the Pierce County Regional Council (PCRC) increased the transparency of the Transportation Coordination Committee (TCC), particularly in regards to how TCC scores and determines funding recommendations. TCC has made project score cards available to all member jurisdictions at the end of the scoring process when presented to TCC by subcommittee. The City is also appreciative of PCRC forming a subcommittee to work with TCC on holistically examining the scoring and ranking process. The City further recommends that PCRC solicit feedback from member jurisdictions on TCC’s existing project selection process. Pierce County Sewer Utility The City urges Pierce County to proactively plan for and build sewer system expansions in passed over areas of the county’s urban areas. These “infill” expansions would encourage efficient development and expansion of infrastructure systems. Historically, Pierce County has not proactively planned for, or built, sewer system expansions in its service area. Rather, private development has been required to extend sewer main systems, with the opportunity to seek at least partial reimbursement via latecomer agreements for oversizing lines to anticipate future 11 12  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 development. This policy has led to older, urban sections of the county not having sewer access, and has encouraged leap-frog development, inconsistent with the Growth Management Act. The Pierce County Sewer Utility should change its capital facility planning policies and practices to “do business as a business,” meaning that it should be willing and able to construct sewer extensions into incorporated areas. Lakewood would readily participate in the pending update to the Unified Sewer Plan to assist with updating utility policies. Future Commercial Airfields - JBLM The City opposes the use of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) as a commercial air field. The Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC) was created by the state legislature and tasked with recommending a new primary commercial aviation facility in Washington by February 15, June 2023. The CACC initially identified JBLM as a potential location but has eliminated JBLM from further consideration to focus on three greenfield sites: Pierce County Central, Pierce County East and Thurston County Central. The City opposes the use of JBLM as a commercial airfield or any location that would impede the operations of JBLM. supports this decision and opposes the use of JBLM as a commercial airfield because of strong opposition from the congressional delegation, significant concerns raised by the military, identification of the site as having high congestion issues, no transit service, and rated “unlikely” by WSDOT and “unable to accommodate commercial air service” by PSRC. Parks & Recreation Chambers Creek Canyon The City has partnered with Pierce County and University Place to work together on the Chambers Creek Trail Project. The majority of the land is owned by Pierce County with sections of the trail and trail heads located in University Place and Lakewood. When complete, this project will result in a 2.5 mile trail through the canyon. The City is supportive of continuing its partnership with the County and University Place to improve and expand the Chambers Creek canyon trail for residents to safely enjoy. Seeley Lake Conservancy Park Seeley Lake Conservancy Park contains 48 acres of urban forest land in the heart of Lakewood. The park includes woods, wetlands, natural areas, lake, and a 1.3 mile perimeter loop trail. The lake is a stormwater collection site with fluctuating water levels which flood portions of the trail during the winter rainy season. In December 2019, the City of Lakewood and Pierce County entered into an agreement to improve the site with the goal of "increasing habitat, recreation, and safety". The City is supportive of continuing its partnership with the County to finish these vital improvements to expand use and make the site more accessible for all park users. Lakewood Community Center The Pierce County-owned and operated Lakewood Community Center is a multipurpose center, serving residents of all ages and abilities and has been the home to the City of Lakewood’s Senior Activity Center since 2007. The site is in close proximity to Seeley Lake Conservancy Park and features the only gymnasium in the Pierce County parks 12 13  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 system. During the pandemic the City’s senior activity center was closed due to public health and safety precautions. During that time a number of issues relating to building safety have been identified. The City is supportive of a continued lease with the County to ensure space to house the City’s Senior Activity Center. The City also supports the County’s plans to make the necessary improvements to preserve the existing building for future generations. HISTORIC SITES Old Settlers Cemetery The Old Settlers cemetery, founded around 1855, was established for the free burials of settlers and their descendants in the Lakewood area. There are approximately 250 graves located in the inactive cemetery which is maintained by the County. The City is supportive of taking ownership of the cemetery from the County to improve aesthetics and increase the regular maintenance of the grounds. ENVIRONMENT Regional Climate Change Efforts The City is supportive of the recent increase in regional climate change efforts at the federal, state, county level such as new grant programs for projects mitigating the impacts of climate change, electric vehicle charging station development efforts, as well as the County’s new 20-year Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan recently adopted by the City. The City is supportive of collaborating with the County on any regional climate change efforts, especially those that impact Lakewood residents. MILITARY AFFAIRS North Clear Zone The City requests Pierce County’s continued partnership in vacating the Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) North Clear Zone (NCZ), the federally-designated, 3,000-by-3,000-foot safety corridor adjacent to the end of the runway with the highest statistical possibility of aircraft accidents. The NCZ lies partly within the City of Lakewood, and currently includes multiple commercial and industrial businesses that are incompatible with JBLM operations and violate its Air Installation Compatibility Use Zones (AICUZ) safety standards. Lakewood and Pierce County have signed an agreement signifying a commitment to execute a long-range plan that will restore this area to an uninhabited state. The City asks that this agreement continue to be a priority for the County in its local actions and state-level advocacy efforts. The City is appreciative of the County allocating resources for vacating private property located in the NCZ, and further supports additional County resources for continuing this effort. 13 14  Return to Agenda CITY OF LAKEWOOD PIERCE COUNTY POLICY MANUAL ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 7th, 2022 GENERAL GOVERNMENT Innovative Service Solutions The City supports innovative service solutions and technological advancements that would provide mutual benefits for Pierce County and Lakewood. To improve the delivery of municipal services, the City supports contracting with the County for selective services and advocates for technological advancements in the County’s video arraignment and continued development of the online building/permit platforms. The City is appreciative of recent innovative service collaborations with Pierce County such as the PALS+ permitting system and traffic signal contracting. 14 15