Puyallup City Council Regular Meeting - June 16, 2026

The Puyallup City Council held a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 6:30 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Mayor Witting presided with Deputy Mayor Johnson and Councilmembers Gilliam, Kastama, and Smolko present; Councilmembers Adler and King were excused. The meeting began with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call. The agenda and minutes from April 28, 2026 were approved 5-0.

Presentations and Proclamations

• LGBTQIA+ Pride Month Proclamation: Mayor Witting read the proclamation recognizing June 2026 as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. Pennie Saum and Ash Mearns accepted on behalf of Puyallup Pride. Ash Mearns thanked the council and noted the absence of a Pride flag at City Hall, calling for further action beyond recognition.
• America 250 Proclamation: Mayor Witting proclaimed the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Andy Anderson and Josh Wheeldon accepted, detailing July 4th events including a dunk tank, bands, and a reading of the Declaration.

Consent Calendar

• Approved 5-0: Contract with Clear Excavating LLC for West Meeker Public Parking Lot; contract with Stumpy Tree Service for Elodea Management; accounts payable/payroll for April 2026; acceptance of Highlands Phases II & III and Stonegate Fencing project completion; purchase of a 2026 John Deere 310G Backhoe Loader for Woodbine Cemetery; contract with Toole Design Group for Road Safety Action Plan; Supplemental Agreement 3 with MIG Consultants for Meeker Festival Street Design.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Matthew Caras thanked the council for Pride Month recognition and expressed support for resources for LGBTQIA+ and veteran communities.
• Jim Jenkins criticized the 7th Street closure near Puyallup High School, arguing it makes students less safe and enables the school district to implement a flawed plan.
• Valorie Dent addressed school-area traffic safety, emphasizing that student driving is a privilege and the school district should impose parking bans.
• Brian Dixon spoke about economic hardship, cost of living, and a feeling that representatives do not listen to the people.
• John Hopkins discussed Arts Downtown, comparing Puyallup’s program to Wenatchee’s and suggesting more public art in parks and better donor engagement.
• Jim Detweiler raised concerns about e-bikes and e-motorcycles in his neighborhood, noting safety issues at Sam Peach Park.
• Paul Whittingslow spoke about retiring American flags, distributing flags and Constitutions, and promoting July 4th events.
• Andrelyn Izquierdo reflected on the symbolism of the American flag, noting both unity and misuse.
• Don Cottam echoed concerns about e-bikes, describing a near-miss traffic incident.
• Eric Showacy expressed concerns about constitutional literacy and argued that the U.S. has not made it 250 years under the Constitution due to alleged treason by officials.

Discussion Items

Ordinances

• 5A – Second reading of Zoning Code Amendment (Title 20): Senior Planner Kendall Walls presented housekeeping amendments from Phase 1 zoning map reforms, including updating the zoning district list, allowing motor vehicle sales in RMX zone along River Road, permitting standalone multifamily in mixed-use zones, increasing density limits in RMX and UCX zones, enlarging maximum size for incidental signs, and updating appeal procedures. Council approved 5-0 on a roll call vote.
• 5B – Second reading of Arts and Culture Commission membership reduction: City Manager Steve Kirkelie explained the ordinance reduces membership from seven to five for one year, after which it reverts automatically. Councilmember Smolko requested a report in six months on recruitment efforts to fill seats, emphasizing outreach to diverse communities. The motion passed 5-0 on roll call.
• 5C – First reading of 2026 budget adjustments: Finance Director Barbara Lopez introduced a consolidated ordinance for routine adjustments including grants and carry-forwards. Councilmember Kastama noted the city’s budget stability compared to cities like Tacoma, attributing it to the budget stability policy. The motion passed 5-0.

Resolutions

• 6A – Reappointment of Kim Field to Conservation Future and Open Space Citizens Advisory Board: City Clerk Dan Vessels noted Ms. Field had filled a vacancy and expressed interest in a full term. Council approved 5-0.
• 6B – Railroad Quiet Zones Project and CRISI grant resolution: City Engineer Hans Hunger and Pablo Pera from PH Consulting briefed Council. A diagnostic meeting in September 2025 identified safety issues at nine crossings; the project now focuses on six crossings. The Meridian and 3rd Street Southeast crossings have high collision risk. The resolution authorizes the use of Tier III funds for the grant match. The match amount was amended from $1.38 million to $1.511 million. Council approved 5-0. Councilmember Smolko noted at least 24 fatalities (1.8 per year) in the past 15 years near the corridor, with 58% being trespass incidents.

Considerations and Requests

• 7A – Phase 2 Zoning Map & Neighborhood Commercial Zoning: Senior Planner Kendall Walls presented proposed modifications to the Limited Mixed Use (LMX) zone to implement the Neighborhood Commercial (NC) land use designation. The areas are small nodes along Stewart and Pioneer Avenues, mostly existing non-conforming commercial sites. Proposed changes include prohibiting standalone drinking establishments and self-storage, limiting outdoor uses and operating hours (7am-10pm), reducing maximum commercial space from 50,000 to 10,000 sq ft, allowing standalone multifamily, and permitting craft manufacturing. Council discussion highlighted balances: Councilmember Kastama expressed strong caution, warning against romanticizing small businesses and emphasizing protection of neighborhoods, particularly lower-income areas. Deputy Mayor Johnson supported the concept as a pilot, noting the affected areas are very small. Councilmember Smolko noted the update regulates existing uses and adds protections like size limits and drive-through bans. Councilmember Gilliam summarized that staff got the needed direction and no motion was required.

City Manager's Report

• Steve Kirkelie announced the next meeting is a study session on June 30, 2026, where Kendall Walls and Courtney Brunell will present further zoning map implementation.

Council Reports

• Councilmember Smolko addressed LGBTQ+ youth, saying "you deserve to know your city sees you and is proud of you," and clarified America 250 honors all who contributed to America's history.
• Councilmember Gilliam congratulated teachers and parents on the end of the school year, noted the success of Meeker Days, and wished fathers a happy Father’s Day.
• Deputy Mayor Johnson thanked council for work on the River Road corridor ordinance and railroad quiet zone resolution, and highlighted Thursday Night Concerts in the Park as a major community event.
• Mayor Witting echoed remarks on America 250 and community unity.

Key Outcomes

• All agenda items passed unanimously (5-0) where voted.
• The consent agenda was approved without any items pulled.
• The railroad quiet zone resolution was approved with an amended Tier III fund commitment of $1.511 million for the CRISI grant match. There will be approximately $2.7 million remaining in Tier III funds after setting aside $5 million for jail remodel.
• Council provided policy direction on Neighborhood Commercial Zoning, with emphasis on careful regulation, public input, and protecting neighborhood character. Staff will bring back more details.
• Executive session began at 8:54 PM, extended 30 minutes, and adjourned at 10:13 PM.

Executive Session

• Council recessed into executive session to discuss potential litigation, real estate pricing, and collective bargaining strategy. No action was taken afterward.