Hearing Examiner, Oct. 26, 2026

Tumwater City Hearing Examiner land-use hearing on October 26, 2026, concerning preliminary plat application TUM-26-0115 for a proposed 11-townhome subdivision on 1.69 acres at 5855 Fifth Avenue Southwest. City staff found the proposal consistent with applicable zoning and planning requirements and recommended approval with conditions, including frontage improvements such as curb, gutter, planter strip, street trees, and sidewalk, as well as required stormwater and tree-related measures. Staff estimated about 60 trips over a day and said the proposal did not trigger a more extensive traffic analysis under city criteria.

Public testimony raised concerns about traffic, pedestrian safety and incomplete sidewalks, parking, steep terrain and winter road conditions, drainage, tree removal, lighting, and the project’s fit with the neighborhood. The examiner clarified the limits of his authority on zoning, density, and the unappealed SEPA determination, then closed testimony without issuing a decision; he said he expected to issue a written decision within two weeks. No vote, contract award, spending allocation, or procurement activity was identified.