Puyallup City Council Regular Meeting – October 27, 2026

The Puyallup City Council met in regular session on October 27, 2026, in Council Chambers at City Hall, 333 S. Meridian. Mayor Ned Whitting presided; Deputy Mayor Johnson was excused. The council approved the agenda and minutes, recognized civic clubs and teen engagement, heard citizen comments, approved the consent agenda, acted on the 2027 property tax levy and the 2027-2028 biennial budget, authorized a tourism promotion area interlocal agreement amendment, and received presentations on zoning code amendments and the 2026 community survey.

Presentations & Proclamations

• The mayor read a Civic Clubs Proclamation recognizing local service organizations. Representatives described their work: Don Thompson (Downtown Rotary) highlighted the Rotary Stage, a $100,000 commitment to the library teen area, and community events; Jeff Laurence (South Hill Rotary) noted more than $2 million contributed to homeless-family housing and $18,000 in annual scholarships; Ron Hale (Masons/Scouting) mentioned 16 scholarships and more than 4,000 scouts; Andy Anderson (American Legion Post 67) noted service since 1919, the Fourth of July concert, and six scholarships; Rex Fabian (VFW Post 2224 and Fleet Reserve Association) said Post 2224 is the largest VFW post in Washington and promoted the November 8 Veterans Day program with Navy Band Northwest.
• The mayor also read a Teen Engagement, Development, and Community Connection Proclamation; Lucas Hodgson received it.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Citizen comments were limited to three minutes; public hearing comments were limited to two minutes.
• Jim Jenkins (District 1): supported completing the River Trail extension as a straight-through project but raised process concerns about an alternative route through a neighborhood; criticized the 7th Street closure and Puyallup School District plans.
• John Hopkins (former mayor): praised Arts Commission/Arts Downtown collaboration and expressed support for funding gateway arches and an experiential art center.
• Valerie Dent (District 2): described speeding and pedestrian safety issues, including Cascade Christian Academy enrollment growth from about 1,100 to more than 2,100 students, denied traffic-signal requests, and cited police records showing eight hit-and-runs, 14 non-injury accidents, and one fatality over 10 years.
• A community member speaking about Richard Geiger: said Geiger was killed at the railroad crossing on October 21 after his wheelchair became stuck, called the death preventable, and said it was the fifth such fatality at that crossing in five years; asked for BNSF flangeway fixes or a pedestrian bridge and requested a moment of silence.
• Jerome O'Leary (Kidder Matthews, listing broker for 1402 Meridian, the old Jason's restaurant site): said three years of marketing produced no residential or mixed-use interest, only auto-oriented commercial interest, and recommended keeping the property commercially zoned.
• Andy Anderson (District 2): discussed a historical monument and planned flagpole near the Meridian Street Bridge.
• Jim Detweiler (District 1): recommended that council members say 'lodging tax' instead of 'LTAC funds' to improve public understanding of legally restricted tourism-promotion revenues.
• Becky Condra (Arts Downtown secretary): announced Phil and Linda Yates's donation of the bronze sculpture 'Single Point,' valued at $6,020, placed in the Activity Center, bringing the permanent sculpture collection to 57; promoted the November 14 Arts Downtown gala.
• An unidentified race organizer: said the Puyallup Valley Half Marathon may move to South Hill because of safety concerns crossing downtown streets, but wants to keep the event downtown and offered to work with the council on a plan; also highlighted holiday races and the Christmas Eve run being nominated for best annual event in the Pacific Northwest.
• Angelina Scardo (Pierce County): formally requested a citywide policy providing free period hygiene products in women's restrooms at businesses, nonprofits, churches, medical facilities, and other establishments, citing the library's practice and impacts on students, workers, and transgender individuals.
• Bud Metzger (District 3): argued the city is not seriously addressing traffic and transportation, criticized fair expansion without public conversation, and asked the council to slow development decisions.
• A hotel director from Hollander Hospitality read a statement of support for increasing Pierce County's tourism promotion area assessment from $1 to $3 per occupied room night.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the consent agenda as presented, including: accepting a $15,000 Washington State Department of Ecology grant for zero-emission landscaping equipment; authorizing a three-year renewal with N. Harris Computer Corporation for CityView permitting software; authorizing an amendment to the 2025 Emergency Management Performance Grant agreement; accepting the sculpture 'Single Point' donated by Arts Downtown; and approving a commercial lease with the Puyallup Sumner Chamber of Commerce for City Hall commercial spaces.
• Earlier, the council approved the September 15 and September 22, 2026 minutes after Councilmember Adler noted a clerk-level spelling correction on the September 15 minutes: 'Andrewlin' had been misspelled.

Public Hearings

• 2027 Property Tax Levy: Finance Director Barbara Lopez presented the proposed levy. The preliminary 2027 levy is just under $11.5 million, producing an estimated levy rate of about $1.105 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. The city portion for a median-value home was estimated at $564 for the year. After opening the public hearing, the council heard Valerie Dent, who asked that railroad crossing ADA issues be addressed in a pending grant and opposed any quiet zone because train whistles are a safety measure. The council then approved the first reading of the levy ordinance and the companion resolution by voice vote.
• 2027-2028 Biennial Budget: Lopez presented the proposed balanced budget. Citywide revenues total $348 million over the biennium; taxes are about 33% of revenues. The budget includes 4.4% wage increases in 2027 and 2.5% in 2028, four new general fund positions totaling about $830,000, a $36,000 police academy allocation, police drone replacement equipment, large park mowers, and three new utility positions. Councilmember Castman explained the city's conservative revenue-forecasting tiers and said the city maintains a 15% fund balance; he said the budget does not create new taxes, the city's share is about 10% of a typical property tax bill, and the city portion on a median home could decline by a few dollars. Councilmember Adler thanked Lopez and her team. No public comments were offered, and the council approved the first reading of the budget ordinance by voice vote.

Consideration: Tourism Promotion Area Interlocal Agreement Amendment

• Eric Johnson introduced Dean Burke, president/CEO of Visit Tacoma-Pierce County, with consultant Kelly Rankin of Civitas remote and hotel representatives present. Burke explained the TPA is a per-room-night assessment on lodging businesses with 40 or more rooms, authorized under RCW 35.101, and current rates have not changed since 2009.
• The proposed amendment would remove Fife, add Ruston, and change rates to $5 per night in downtown Tacoma, $3 in Tacoma outside downtown/Lakewood/Puyallup/Ruston, and $1.50 in remaining areas; Puyallup's rate would rise from $1 to $3. The petition received 67% support, exceeding the 60% requirement, and was estimated to generate about $2.5 million more by 2029. Revenue allocation would become at least 90% to a tourism-promotion organization and up to 10% to a grant program.
• Councilmembers asked about marketing effects and exemptions; Burke said the funds support convention, leisure, and sports-event recruitment, and extended-stay guests generally pay only through day 30. The council authorized the amended ILA by voice vote.

Zoning Code and Map Amendments

• Associate planner Rachel Brown and development services director Courtney Brunelli presented package 6, the second phase of zoning code and map amendments implementing the 2025 Comprehensive Plan. The package had been reviewed by council in June 2026 and by the Planning Commission from July through October; a Planning Commission public hearing was scheduled for October 28.
• Proposed changes include LMX/in-neighborhood commercial rezones with an administrative conditional use permit for new uses near residences; additional sites added since June; commercial-zone allowances for multifamily and daycares; manufacturing/business-park residential allowances limited to the Benaroya site unless council approves; mixed-use zone cleanup and CMX elimination; fairgrounds-area refinements including RV stay lengths extending from 7 to 14 days and special-event restrictions; and a revised middle-housing definition that includes detached single-family dwellings.
• Brunelli explained the old Jason's site at 1402 Meridian is currently nonconforming: property owners are seeking general commercial zoning to allow auto-oriented uses such as a gas station or car wash, while the Comprehensive Plan designation is mixed use. No action was taken; staff scheduled a council public hearing and first reading for November 10, with second reading scheduled for November 17 but potentially continued to December 8.

2026 Community Survey Results

• The performance management analyst presented results from the survey conducted by ETC Institute in May-June 2026 with 3,000 sampled households and 424 completed surveys; margin of error is 4.7% at a 95% confidence level.
• Results showed 86% of residents said Puyallup is an excellent or very good place to live, 80% said it is an excellent or very good place to raise children, and 82% plan to remain in the community for the next five years. Satisfaction exceeded Northwest regional and national benchmarks on all five quality-of-life measures and most major service areas.
• Notable improvements since 2024 included public safety, library, and recreation services, including a 10-percentage-point increase in the overall feeling of safety. The greatest opportunities for improvement identified by residents were condition of major streets, traffic signal timing, timeliness of city information, and affordable housing.
• Two focus groups were held: one on communications found residents want more mobile-friendly content and easier access to city information; one on economic vitality found residents love downtown and shop/eat locally but leave Puyallup for recreation. A second communications focus group was scheduled, and the full report was to be posted on the city website.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the agenda and the September 15 and September 22, 2026 minutes, with a spelling correction on the September 15 minutes.
• Approved the consent agenda items listed above.
• Approved first reading of the 2027 property tax levy ordinance and the companion property tax resolution; no opposing votes were recorded.
• Approved first reading of the 2027-2028 biennial budget ordinance; no opposing votes were recorded.
• Authorized the amended Interlocal Agreement for the Pierce County Tourism Promotion Area.
• Took no action on the zoning code and map amendments or the community survey; both were informational/policy-setting presentations. The next council meeting is scheduled for November 10, 2026, with second readings of the budget ordinances and first reading of land-use amendments planned. Second reading of the land-use package is currently scheduled for November 17 and may be continued to December 8.
• Councilmember King announced he would draft a letter to the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission and BNSF, and would reach out to congressional representatives and federal rail agencies, requesting safety improvements at downtown railroad crossings after the October 21 fatality. Councilmember Adler said he would join and echo that advocacy.
• Mayor Whitney encouraged residents to vote and adjourned the meeting.