Puyallup City Council Regular Meeting – April 28, 2026

The Puyallup City Council met in person in Council Chambers at 333 S. Meridian on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, convening at 6:30 PM and adjourning at 10:02 PM. All seven councilmembers were present: Mayor Witting, Deputy Mayor Johnson, and Councilmembers Adler, Gilliam, Kastama, King, and Smolko. The agenda was approved 7-0, and the March 10, 2026 minutes were approved 7-0.

Presentations & Proclamations

• Mayor Witting read a proclamation honoring the Puyallup Elite 6th grade team for winning the Washington State Middle School Championship; the coach and team accepted.
• Mayor Witting proclaimed May 3-9, 2026, as National Correctional Officers Week in Puyallup; Captain Wayne Blackard accepted.
• Mayor Witting and Deputy Chief Massey recognized Ryan Meeker for intervening in a dangerous dog attack on April 9, 2026, protecting a young boy. Meeker said he was at the right place at the right time and hoped his actions encourage others.

Consent Calendar

• The Council approved the consent agenda 6-0, with Councilmember Kastama not present for the vote. Approved items were: authorize a contract amendment with MIG for the 2044 Comprehensive Plan; adopt the resolution updating the City's 2026 Non-Represented Employees Salary Schedule; and approve accounts payable, payroll, and electronic fund transfers from March 2026.
• Councilmember Adler pulled the West Meeker Public Parking Lot budget amendment for discussion; it was later tabled to the next meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Val Dent (District 2) asked for a neighborhood meeting and explanations for safety-camera activation delays, Deer Creek area flooding, and school-zone pedestrian safety concerns on 7th Avenue.
• Matthew Caras opposed the flagpole expenditure, citing $1.3 million in state capital funding and arguing the money should support infrastructure and veteran housing. He said yearly food costs at New Hope Resource Center are roughly $45,000, about 27% of the cited flagpole cost.
• John Hopkins discussed the Riverwalk missing link and flood engineering challenges, supporting a soft-surface segment; he said the Foothills Rails to Trails Coalition and Forever Green Trails support that approach.
• Joe Colombo praised Code Enforcement Officer Shane Piran and noted improved noise management at Washington State Fair motorsport events; he opposed the flagpole expenditure, saying the city should prioritize infrastructure and public safety.
• Craig DeTiemme described deteriorating road conditions and a dangerous student crossing on Stewart Avenue.
• Kyle Landon, speaking as a private citizen and planning commissioner, opposed restricting ADUs in the lahar hazard zone and urged a holistic, data-driven approach to lahar risk rather than singling out ADUs.
• Heather Schiller thanked the Council for recognizing Ryan Meeker, questioned the flagpole budget, and said the agenda listed $149,710 for the flagpole while the Fourth of July celebration had received $81,398, exceeding $230,000 in discretionary spending.
• Samantha Miller argued the flagpole does not align with the city's strategic plan priorities and urged denial.
• Mitzi McMahan, Jessica Degner, Nadine Weinrich, and Archer Grimes, all PHS-area neighbors, described repeated traffic safety problems near Puyallup High School, including speeding, stop-sign violations, parking violations, and unsafe pedestrian conditions; they called for enforcement and independent review before permanent decisions.
• Bev Showacy opposed placing a flagpole near car dealerships and suggested the funds be used for community needs.
• Sandy Monaghan, PHS cross-country coach, supported the street closure because it provides a safe warm-up and gathering space for her 76-athlete team and safer crossings for students.
• Bud Metzger urged prioritizing child traffic safety and cautioned against framing the issue as students versus neighbors.
• Jill Rhoader did not support the street closure and also raised left-turn safety concerns on River Road.
• Sam Ladin, a current PHS student, supported the street closure because more than 1,900 students cross the campus area, and opposed the flagpole, suggesting the funds could feed or house people.
• Dale Hayes raised concerns that the proposed Critical Areas Ordinance could restrict private property from the back easement to the street without compensation.
• Sarah Blakey asked that a good portion of the flagpole funding instead go to permanent supportive housing for homeless veterans.
• Kyler Degner asked for sidewalks and basic safety improvements in the PHS neighborhood.

Resolutions: Street Vacation Petition near Puyallup High School

• City Engineer Hans Hunger explained that the resolution would set a public hearing for a petition to vacate a portion of W Main between 6th Street SW and 7th Street SW and all of 7th Street NW between W Main and 2nd Avenue NW. A public hearing was planned for June 2 if the resolution passed. The school district would complete required improvements, including half-street improvements and sidewalk construction, by September 2027, and would pay the city the appraised value of $375,000 for the vacated right-of-way.
• Brian Devereaux, Puyallup School District facilities planner, described the road closure pilot that began December 23, 2024, the community engagement process, traffic studies by Heffron Transportation, and proposed curb and parking changes. He said the permanent closure would substantially improve student safety and preserve emergency vehicle and utility access.
• PHS administration stated there are 15 portables west of the street, 12 used every period, averaging about 30 students, creating several hundred crossings every 55 minutes.
• Councilmembers raised concerns about the limited scope, safety on neighboring 8th Street NW, missing student-crossing data, and the need for measurable student-behavior and safety improvements. Deputy Mayor Johnson moved to reject the resolution and expand the vacation north to 3rd Avenue with more improvements; the motion failed for lack of a second. No motion to approve the resolution was made, and the item was deferred.

Ordinances: Middle Housing (Title 20)

• Planning Manager Katie Baker presented the second reading of the middle housing ordinance required by HB 1110. The first-reading version would have restricted the 13% of RS-zoned lots in the lahar/volcanic hazard area to a single ADU, with no two ADUs, duplex, triplex, or fourplex.
• An amendment by Councilmember Kastama and Mayor Witting to allow duplexes citywide and triplexes by conditional use permit in the restricted area failed 2-5.
• A motion to allow only up to two units in the 13% restricted zone failed 2-4, with Councilmember King abstaining.
• Deputy Mayor Johnson then moved to apply the same middle-housing allowances used in the other 90% of the city to the 13% lahar-restricted area; the amendment passed 6-1, with Councilmember Kastama opposed.
• The Council then approved the second reading of the amended ordinance 6-1, with Kastama opposed. Discussion included uncertainty about lahar warning times, historical lahar disasters, and legal and equitable concerns about singling out the lahar zone.

Ordinances: Title 3 Cleanup

• The Council approved the second reading of the ordinance amending Title 3 to remove lingering references to the 20-year multi-family tax exemption from Chapter 3.70. The vote was 7-0.

Other Business

• Councilmember King moved to remove the America250 flagpole funding item from the agenda; the motion passed 6-0, with Deputy Mayor Johnson not present for the vote.
• Mayor Witting moved to table the West Meeker Public Parking Lot budget amendment to the next meeting; the motion passed 6-0, with Deputy Mayor Johnson not present for the vote.

City Manager, Council, and Mayor Reports

• City Manager Steve Kirkelie said the next meeting would include an informational presentation on the Critical Areas Ordinance, not a vote, and recognized Planning Manager Katie Baker, who is leaving after 18 years of service to become Planning Manager for Sumner.
• Councilmember Gilliam announced the Sip Puyallup event and farmers market on May 9 and her enrollment in the Community Emergency Response Team training.
• Councilmember Smolko reported on an Earth Day nature walk at Clark's Creek, visiting the WSU Master Gardener gardens, and reading Ezra Meeker's autobiography.
• Councilmember Kastama noted the passing of Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Mount Everest, and his twin brother Lou Whittaker, both of whom helped found Crystal Mountain.
• Deputy Mayor Johnson encouraged attendance at the Pierce County Prayer Breakfast on May 7 at the Washington State Fairgrounds, where former Seahawks quarterback Jim Zorn would speak.
• Councilmember Adler thanked PHS neighbors and students who stayed late to share their perspectives.
• Mayor Witting added thanks to Katie Baker, saying the Council could not have completed the Comprehensive Plan without her.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda approved 7-0; March 10, 2026 minutes approved 7-0.
• Consent agenda approved 6-0.
• Street vacation resolution was not approved; no motion to approve was made and the matter was deferred.
• Middle housing ordinance approved 6-1 after the lahar-zone restriction was removed by a 6-1 amendment; Councilmember Kastama was the sole no vote.
• Title 3 multi-family tax exemption cleanup approved 7-0.
• America250 flagpole item removed from the agenda 6-0.
• West Meeker Public Parking Lot budget amendment tabled 6-0.
• Meeting adjourned at 10:02 PM.