Orton Junction Update: Regional Council Asks for More Time to Study New Documents

No one came to speak at Thursday’s Pierce County Regional Council on urban growth area (UGA) amendments in Sumner, but the talks were quickly halted and tabled by council staff.

The Regional Council is an advisory-only board made up of council representatives from across the area. They make recommendations on planning proposals and submit their opinion to the Pierce County Council.

Sumner’s Orton Junction proposal was granted a continuance to the Regional Council July board meeting, upon further review of last-minute documents submitted by the city.

At the county planning commission hearing on June 15 (read that story ), which concluded at 11:40 p.m., Sumner planning staff submitted new parcels for conservation easements and sent the Planning Commission another set of documents before Thursday’s 4:30 p.m. deadline.

The new documents included changes to provisions protecting agricultural resource lands, said senior planner Dan Cardwell, of the Pierce County Planning Commission. The provision required the city to identify areas that can be designated as agricultural land after removing that status from the area destined to be the Orton Junction project.

When asked by the board whether or not the new documents would affect the planning commission’s denial of Sumner’s Orton Junction project, Cardwell said he could not be sure, because he had not read the documents.

“It’s always a possibility,” said Cardwell. “The city would not have submitted the information if they thought it wouldn’t change our position.”

The Regional Council will review Sumner's UGA amendment proposal and make a recommendation to the County Council at their July meeting. Planning Commission members are expected to make their decision on June 22 and forward their recommendation to the seven-member Pierce County Council for final approval or denial.