Sumner Outlines Plans For New Operations Facility

SUMNER, WA — Residents will be seeing some big changes in Sumner, as the City is starting work on a new operations facility.

Once it's up and running, the City says the building will store all the equipment it needs to keep water, sewer, and road systems repaired and running. It'll also serve as the new home base for the City's Shops and Parks and Recreation employees.

The new building is set to be build on 29th Street, not far from the intersection with 142nd Avenue.

That puts it right between several warehouses and a nearby residential area, and the City says it will serve as a noise and visual buffer between the two different zones.

"Storage of materials like gravel and sand go closest to the residential border while staff parking and higher traffic uses stay on the side bordering warehouses," the City said. "On one side, a high wall with green vines and a green space also buffer the facility from the residential neighborhood. Sidewalk improvements also add connections. By adding the missing sidewalk on 29th Street E, the residents in that area now have an easy walk to new amenities around the 24th Street interchange plus a safe connection to the Sumner Link Trail."

But it also means nearby neighbors also likely will have some questions about the project — which the City is happy to answer.

Anyone with comments or concerns on the new construction is invited to visit the city's FAQ, which invites residents to post questions about the projects, and provides more information about how the area may change.

Now that the City has secured the land, construction bidding is set to begin in December. Construction will then take place between Spring 2022 and Summer 2023, before the City plans to move in, in Summer 2023.