Puyallup City Council Regular Meeting – September 1, 2026

The Puyallup City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at 6:30 PM. The meeting included proclamations, public comments, consent agenda approval, a second reading of an ordinance amending critical areas regulations, adoption of the updated Pierce County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan, a policy discussion on the Key to the City, and a presentation on the Puyallup Road Safety Action Plan. Council members also paid tribute to former Councilmember Robin Ferris, who had recently passed away.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the consent agenda unanimously, which included: an amendment to an Interlocal Agreement with South Correctional Entity regarding incarceration fees; acceptance of the 2026 Chip Seal project; interagency agreements with the Administrative Office of the Courts for Post Conviction Alternatives, Therapeutic Court Program, and interpreter services; a contract with Clean Hydrovac for stormwater facility rehabilitation; and acceptance of a $15,000 grant from ForeverGreen Trails/Foothills Rails-to-Trails Coalition for the Puyallup Riverwalk Trail Phase 5.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Valerie Dent (District 2) criticized a council member's conduct at the August 25 meeting, stating it was “belittling, demeaning and insulting” and not corrected by the mayor. She also questioned the long-term financial forecast for the flagpole project and called for greater transparency and revised conduct.
• Jim Steves (District 3) cited a Pensacola, Florida case to argue that Flock license plate readers are at least 7% inaccurate and raise due process concerns. He urged cancellation of Flock contracts until regulations are in place.
• Kathleen McLeod (District 3) expressed distrust of Flock cameras, citing an incident in Milwaukee where a misread plate led to a family being pulled over at gunpoint. She argued privacy protections are not guaranteed when data is shared with ~100 other cities.
• Matthew Karas (District 3) described an Oshkosh, Wisconsin incident where Flock initially denied creating heat maps of vehicle movement but later admitted it did. He characterized Flock as a tool for intimidation rather than safety and asked council members to reflect on how they show up for their community.
• Michael Craven (District 3) cited a Florida arrest based on a Flock error that jailed a woman for two weeks, arguing widespread surveillance is not how to achieve safety.
• Penny Thorpe (District 3) noted that despite a sanctuary state policy, a public records request revealed ICE informally accessed camera networks across 5,000+ communities through agency-to-agency sharing, and reiterated that widespread surveillance is not safety.
• Andrew Braden (District 2) expressed support for the Puyallup Active Transportation Plan to add safe bike routes, noting danger on roads like Fruitland Avenue and the difficulty of reaching the Riverwalk Trail safely. He urged faster implementation of bike lanes on West Stewart Avenue.
• Craig de Tien (District 2) supported adding bike lanes on Stewart Avenue and also raised concerns about speeding on Stewart, asking for more radar enforcement. He also urged the city to address an overgrown, fire-prone vacant lot on Pioneer near the police and fire departments.
• Charles Hitz-Taylor (no district specified) spoke as a cyclist who was recently struck by a car near Sumner/Puyallup. He called for more bike infrastructure to improve safety, noting that he feels safer biking in Seattle and Tacoma than in Puyallup.
• Angelice Guardo (Pierce County District 2) shared personal family experiences from September 11, 2001, and expressed hope that policies continue to improve to prevent exploitation by traffickers and racists.
• Bud Metzger (District 3) criticized the council majority for disrespecting the public, citing treatment of a 20-year-old who spoke too loudly and laughing at residents. He reminded council he had warned them about Flock cameras long ago and urged them to listen and conduct difficult conversations with the public.
• Vicky Burke (District 1) expressed concern that Flock cameras enable targeting of brown people and that access is not well-controlled. She called for investment in sidewalks and streetlights before other projects, and criticized the removal of history from the comprehensive plan.

Discussion Items

• Second Reading – Ordinance Amending Critical Areas (PMC 21.06) : Deputy Mayor Johnson made a motion to approve the second reading. Councilmember Castanema noted that the ordinance does not include expanded stream buffers or riparian management zones, which will be studied further with best available science. Councilmember Smolko secured staff confirmation that adoption does not predetermine future decisions on buffers. Councilmember Gilliam supported the pause to allow localized science that could potentially reduce buffers where mitigation proves no environmental harm. The motion passed on a roll-call vote: all seven members voted aye.
• Resolution – Hazard Mitigation Plan Adoption : Emergency Manager Kirsten Hoffman presented the completed Puyallup Jurisdictional Annex to the Pierce County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2025-2030, approved by WA EMD and FEMA Region 10. She described the collaborative planning process over three years, consolidation of 21 hazards into 14, and public engagement including an electronic survey. Councilmembers asked about citizen concerns (earthquakes, wildfires, lahars), equity for vulnerable populations during evacuation, and the highest-priority unfunded mitigation project (to be reported later). Councilmember Adler commended partnership-building; Councilmember King requested a public summary. The council discussed autonomy in emergency response—Deputy Mayor Johnson confirmed Puyallup retains independent decision-making in a crisis. The resolution was approved unanimously.
• Key to the City Policy Discussion : Mayor Whitting introduced proposed criteria for awarding the Key to the City after a recent nomination sparked requests for guidelines. Councilmembers debated whether written criteria are needed given the existing supermajority requirement. Councilmember Castanema argued for council discretion, noting only two keys had been awarded in a decade. Councilmember Smolko suggested adding a transparency element, such as providing written justification in the agenda. Deputy Mayor Johnson cautioned against public debate on nominees. Councilmember Gilliam supported criteria to require clear reasons from the nominator. Councilmember King saw the draft criteria as useful guidance but not requiring formal adoption. After discussion, the mayor directed staff to prepare a resolution for a future meeting codifying criteria, with added language preserving council discretion and a process avoiding public debate on individuals.
• Presentation – Puyallup Road Safety Action Plan : Assistant City Engineer Hans Unger introduced Michael Houston of Toole Design, who described the federally funded Safe Streets for All (SS4A) planning grant. The plan uses a Safe System approach aiming for zero fatal/serious injury crashes. Data collection is underway, with public engagement via pop-ups, listening sessions, and online tools over 16 months. Councilmembers asked about proactive identification of safety issues (e.g., lighting, school zones) rather than merely reacting to crash data. Michael Houston confirmed the analysis will look at crash patterns and similar roadway characteristics to anticipate risks. Councilmember Adler suggested mining recent public comments on traffic safety from council meetings. Staff will return with preliminary findings in spring 2027 and a draft plan in fall 2027.

Key Outcomes

• Approved consent agenda unanimously.
• Adopted Ordinance (second reading) amending PMC 21.06 Critical Areas, without changes to stream buffers/riparian zones, which will be studied further. Roll-call: all ayes.
• Adopted Resolution approving the 2025-2030 Pierce County Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan and City of Puyallup Jurisdictional Annex. Unanimous.
• Directed staff to prepare a resolution codifying Key to the City criteria, including council discretion and a non-debate process, for a future meeting.
• Received presentation on the Puyallup Road Safety Action Plan; staff will return with a safety analysis in spring 2027 and a draft plan in fall 2027.
• Council reports included tributes to former Councilmember Robin Ferris, announcements about the Washington State Fair, and community updates.