Puyallup City Council Regular Meeting – October 7, 2025

The Puyallup City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 6:30 PM in Council Chambers at City Hall, 333 S. Meridian. The meeting featured four proclamations, citizen comments, a consent agenda, the retirement of K9 Otto, the city’s 2026 legislative and capital budget priorities, and first reading of a co-living housing ordinance. The meeting adjourned at 9:49 PM.

Presentations and Proclamations

• Mayor Kastama proclaimed the city’s support for teen engagement, development, and community connection. Councilmember Gilliam and numerous local youth accepted the proclamation, and students from Rogers, Emerald Ridge, Puyallup, and Cascade Christian schools were recognized as future community leaders.
• The Civic Club Proclamation honored organizations including Rotary, Kiwanis, American Legion, VFW, Lions Club, Fleet Reserve, Freemasons, and Eagles. Representatives Curtis Thiel, Mike Boisture, Norm Gerkin, Scott Thompson, and Timothy Moss accepted. They highlighted ongoing service projects, including the Rotary-funded Teen Zone at the Puyallup Public Library with a ribbon cutting scheduled Thursday at 4:00 PM.
• Community Conflict Resolution Day was proclaimed for October 16, 2025. The proclamation noted an 86% settlement rate for mediation and recognized the Center for Dispute Resolution’s 30th anniversary of its “Turning Conflict into Connection” training series. Tracy Bowens and Jacqueline Christensen accepted on behalf of CDR.
• Stormwater Awareness Week was proclaimed for October 6–11, 2025, recognizing the Washington State Stormwater Center at the WSU Research and Extension Center in Puyallup. Laurie Larson-Pugh accepted and cited Puyallup-based research into the tire-wear chemical 6PPDQ and its toxicity to salmon.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda was approved 7-0.
• The September 23, 2025 meeting minutes were approved 7-0.
• The consent agenda was approved 7-0. It included accepting a Pierce County Sheriff’s Department grant for sex offender verification; accepting a Washington State Department of Commerce grant for the 4th Street NW Storm System Upgrades Phase N-2a project; authorizing a T-Mobile contract for telecommunications equipment at the Puyallup Recreation Center; and approving accounts payable, payroll, and electronic fund transfers from August 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Greg McGough expressed urgent concern after a teenager was struck in front of his home near 2nd and 7th Avenue. He called for stop signs, streetlights, and traffic calming, and said the petition requirement was too burdensome. Mayor Kastama responded that the actual petition threshold is 50%, not 94%, that the teen was in serious but stable condition, and that a traffic engineer had already responded.
• Kelly Jackson raised traffic safety concerns in her Northeast neighborhood, citing missing sidewalks, speeding cut-through traffic, and safety concerns at parks and trails due to drug activity.
• Jim Couch, a resident since 1984, described repeated crashes and near-misses at the same intersection. He recommended a four-way stop, caution signs, speed limit changes, and periodic police presence, framing it as an engineering problem worsened by Puyallup’s growth.
• Andrelyn Izquierdo urged the city to speak out against racism, raise awareness, and adopt inclusive policies. She recited her poem “Love is Color Blind” and called for greater inclusion of Latina, Latino, and Hispanic residents.
• Paul Rometsch reported that Forever Green Trails has raised approximately $10,000 of its $15,000 goal, intended to help secure $3 million for the missing link of the Riverwalk Trail. He also advocated state legislation to reduce truck idling in Northeast Puyallup, an overburdened community for air pollution, under the Climate Commitment Act.

Resolution: Retirement of K9 Otto

• Police Chief Scott Engle, Officer Andrew Bond, and K9 Otto presented the resolution to retire Otto and transfer ownership to Officer Bond. K9 Otto served as a narcotics dog since March 2019, accumulated 1,335 training hours, and deployed 324 times with regional and federal partners including the DEA, FBI, ATF, Homeland Security, and the Postal Inspector.
• Seizures attributed to K9 Otto and Officer Bond included 215.36 kilograms of methamphetamine, 19.33 kilograms of heroin, 37.07 kilograms of fentanyl, 2.68 kilograms of cocaine, 120 grams of crack cocaine, 620 grams of Xanax, 179 grams of MDMA, 18.8 grams of PCP, 114.7 grams of mushrooms, $238,350 in drug-related currency, and 22 illegal firearms.
• The resolution declaring K9 Otto surplus to city needs and transferring ownership to Officer Bond passed 7-0.

Discussion Items: Legislative Policy Agenda and State Capital Budget Requests

• Public Affairs Officer Eric Johnson presented three proposed 2026 state capital budget requests: $350,000 for final design of the Van Lierop Park parking lot; $1 million for construction of the North Gateway Arch on Meridian; and $1 million toward construction of the 4th Street NW Stormwater Project Phase N-2B, with a total estimated project cost of roughly $3 million.
• Federal consultant Jen Covino reported on the looming federal government shutdown, the pending $850,000 Meeker Street community project funding request, potential opportunity zone designations, and the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program as a resource for pedestrian safety.
• State consultant Luke Esser highlighted budget challenges, reduced funding for the Basic Law Enforcement Academy, public defender caseload standards that effectively tripled demand, and continued concerns about tolling and funding for the SR 167 corridor.
• Councilmembers debated project rankings. Councilmember Johnson initially prioritized stormwater first, followed by the gateway arch, citing economic development. Councilmember Gilliam proposed stormwater first, Van Lierop parking second, and the arch third, noting the parking lot cost was roughly $54,000 to $73,000 per stall. Councilmembers Witting, Door, Adler, and Deputy Mayor King ultimately aligned with that “Gilliam matrix” order: stormwater first, Van Lierop parking second, gateway arch third.
• The Council approved the state capital budget requests 7-0 and approved the city’s legislative policy agenda 7-0.

Ordinance: First Reading of Co-Living Housing Consistent with HB 1998

• Planning Manager Katie Baker presented code amendments required by House Bill 1998, which requires cities to allow co-living housing on any lot in an urban growth area where at least six multifamily units are permitted. The proposal would allow co-living in RM-10, RM-20, RM-Core, mixed-use, and medical zones, require shared kitchens, limit sewer connection charges to 50% of a typical dwelling unit, and cap parking at no more than one space per four sleeping units outside a half-mile walkshed of the Sounder station, with no parking required inside that walkshed.
• The Planning Commission held a public hearing on September 24 and recommended approval with a modification requiring private bathrooms in each unit. Staff also recommended a clarification to the definition of “kitchenette.”
• Councilmembers expressed frustration with state mandates and parking restrictions. Mayor Kastama suggested exploring zoning changes that could limit co-living’s reach. Councilmember Johnson moved to delay first reading to allow staff to analyze zoning options. The motion failed 3-4, with Councilmembers Johnson, Deputy Mayor King, and Mayor Kastama voting yes, and Councilmembers Gilliam, Witting, Door, and Adler voting no.
• Councilmember Witting then moved to approve first reading. The motion passed 6-1, with Mayor Kastama voting no. Councilmember Johnson voted yes after stating he was choosing to respect the legislative process despite disagreeing with the policy. Councilmember Door requested that zoning options and related information be placed on the agenda packet before second reading so the public could comment.

City Manager’s Report

• City Manager Steve Kirkelie reminded Council that Budget Study Sessions are scheduled for October 14 and 15, and that the Teen Zone ribbon cutting will take place Thursday at 4:00 PM at the Puyallup Public Library.

Council Reports

• Councilmember Witting, participating remotely from Texas, said the co-living discussion was an “interesting experiment” and hoped it turns out well.
• Councilmember Johnson thanked colleagues for allowing him to talk through his concerns openly, noting he changed his position through respectful debate.
• Councilmember Gilliam thanked the teens who attended, promoted the future youth council, and encouraged attendance at the final Farmers’ Market on October 11.
• Councilmember Door said she would miss the Teen Zone ribbon cutting due to a conference and requested that second-reading materials include the zoning options for public review.
• Councilmember Adler thanked Northeast residents for advocating for safer streets after the recent incident and offered healing wishes to the injured student and family.
• Deputy Mayor King reported that the 23rd Street project near Clarks Creek is expected to wrap up around the end of October, 9th Street lighting is nearing completion, the Public Safety Building walls are being installed, and additional speed limit signage has been added on Meridian.

Mayor’s Report

• Mayor Kastama highlighted the city’s traffic calming and pedestrian safety program, explaining that residents can request a traffic study through the city website and that a 50% neighborhood petition threshold is required. He acknowledged the serious incident at 2nd and 7th and pledged that the city would give it close attention and work toward safer streets citywide.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the agenda, the September 23, 2025 minutes, and the consent agenda, each by 7-0 votes.
• Approved the resolution to retire K9 Otto and transfer ownership to Officer Andrew Bond by a 7-0 vote.
• Approved the state capital budget requests in ranked order — stormwater first, Van Lierop parking second, gateway arch third — by a 7-0 vote.
• Approved the city’s 2026 legislative policy agenda by a 7-0 vote.
• Failed a motion to delay first reading of the co-living ordinance by a 3-4 vote.
• Approved first reading of the co-living ordinance by a 6-1 vote, with Mayor Kastama opposed.