The Pierce County Planning Commission has recommended to deny the City of Sumner’s proposal to modify its Comprehensive Urban Growth Area to allow for it’s Orton Junction project. The proposal redesignates 182 acres of agricultural and designated resource lands to an urban land use designation, allowing for a mixed-use zoning of commercial and multi-family residential.

A County Council decision will most likely come in mid-August, according to a spokesperson from the Pierce County Planning Department.

“You know, we were hoping we would get approval,” Sumner City Administrator Diane Supler said. “The decision was three to four, so we understood [denial] was a possibility.”

If the council affirms the recommendation and votes to deny the city of Sumner’s proposal, it could put a stake in the city’s efforts to bring a new YMCA into city limits.

“We’re going to prepare our information for the Pierce County Council,” Supler said. “At the close of council, at the end of the day… at the end of it, we believe we met their criteria.

Supler said the city believed the Planning Commission decision was not based on the proposal’s ability to meet criteria. Though the commentary along with the decision said it was based on agriculture reasons, the staff report had said we had met that criteria, she said.

We will continue to update on this subject as details emerge.