Friday, October 2, 2026
Olympia has approved the environmental review for the West Bay Yards development, clearing a key hurdle for the waterfront project.
The city issued a State of Environmental Policy Act Determination of Non-Significance (SEPA DNS) for the mixed-use development at 1210 West Bay Drive.
The project, proposed by West Bay Development LLC, includes five buildings, each with five stories for a total of 478 residential units. It also includes approximately 22,000 square feet of commercial spaces, such as restaurant/café, and an expanded waterfront trail and various public amenities.
As part of the shoreline work, the proposal would cover the existing rock-armored shoreline with natural materials to create a functioning beach. It would fill about 0.5 acres of aquatic area using roughly 27,000 cubic yards or material to create new upland. The shoreline restoration would extend about 150 feet beyond the ordinary high-water mark and include native vegetation.
“The lead agency for this proposal has determined that this action is not likely to have a significant adverse impact upon the environment,” stated Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) Director Tim Smith in the SEPA determination.
Olympia Planning Manager Nicole Floyd added the determination does not mean the project is unimportant, but its anticipated impacts are expected to be addressed through existing city regulations.
The SEPA determination is open for public comment and appeal. Comments should be specific on issues that have not been adequately addressed. Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Jan. 30, and appeals must by filed by 5 p.m. on Feb. 6.
The applicant cannot begin construction until the SEPA appeal period has ended and all other required permits have been issued.
The next step in the review process is a public hearing on the Shoreline Substantial Development and Shoreline Conditional Use permits. The hearing has not yet been scheduled, but will be set once the SEPA appeal period closes.
Comments on the determination may be directed to Nicole Floyd at nfloyd@ci.olympia.wa.us or by phone at 360-570-3768.
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Boatyarddog
This! Aside of the need for additional housing is a huge Deception to Olympians to an Insult to Enviromental Stewardship. An Eviromental Impact Statement MUST Be Done!
Tuesday, January 27 Report this
The_Armed_Gardener
FIRST PLEASE: Fix the roads, pick up the garbage, slow down crime, and stop wasting money on junkies and sexual deviants. Act like a proper city, it's not complicated.
Tuesday, January 27 Report this
1Cochamamba9
ABSOLUTELY HORRENDOUS!!!
...includes five buildings, each with five stories for a total of 478 residential units. It also includes approximately 22,000 square feet of commercial spaces, such as restaurant/café, and an expanded waterfront trail and various public amenities. It would fill about 0.5 acres of aquatic area using roughly 27,000 cubic yards or material to create new upland.
The corresponding infrastructure is ALREADY overtaxed !!!!
... "this action is not likely to have a significant adverse impact upon the environment,” stated Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) Director Tim Smith in the SEPA determination. " Who hired this guy?
Reads to me like some public officials in Olympia are way too cozy with developers.
Tuesday, January 27 Report this
Chris_R
Currently, the property is chained off and used exclusively for illegal dumping. It would be fantastic to see this developed. Also, instead of putting a hotel at Swantown like the port wants, put it here in addition to the housing and retail.
Tuesday, January 27 Report this
QueenBee1
When the developer bought the land it seemed a suspicious deal to me at a mere $250k. Perhaps the city found it a way to offload the toxicity left from the former long term owner. Yes! This requires an Environmental Assessment on the land itself but long term impacts when the goal is to clean up Budd Inlet, and return to Estuary state. Let’s keep in mind with 478 units let’s just say with 2.5 inhabitants per unit, that’s over 1000 people residing in a small parcel with potentially 1/3 let’s say with more than 1 vehicle all to navigate a minimum of two times daily on a two lane road with a speed limit of 30mph!! That’s NOT to account for visitors to its commercial businesses, on top of existing condo inhabitants and commercial business that already exist in close proximity. The what about school capacity? LP Brown the closest elementary school already recieves 15 bus loads of students per day and what happens to traffic flow when the 5th Street bridge is replaced? From my view this size development is not just a bad idea but completely irresponsible!!!
Tuesday, January 27 Report this
johnvaneenwyk
Well, another bogus environmental impact study. The city has already destroyed the heron rookery that was there and now they want o destroy what’s left. Reminiscent of the environmental impact study the city did in LBA woods that reported no wetlands in the woods, which we all contested by photos and testimony. The city ignored it, but when the plan for 700-800 houses (clearcutting 140 acres of trees) finally died, the city purchased the acreage. Shortly thereafter they posted a sign near their new water tower: “Protected wetland. Do not enter!
West Bay Yards debacle? Same old, same old. Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it.
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
BobJacobs
Absurd. Is this how we want our waterfront areas to be used? 27,00 cubic yards of fill to create more land is "restoration"? I would not criticize anyone who suspects someone is being paid.
Bob Jacobs
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Olyrkrgrrl
The scale of this project seems monsterous. Out of porportion with existing structures in the area. Notice the photo only shows parts of two of the supposed buildings. Imaging what five would look like, makes me worry that Olympia is becoming place that does not value it's own values. What keeps going on in the city, despite all the glowing words and spoken intentions, seems to invariably bring about some weird or even bad decisions. And what's up with all that pavement?!
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
northbeachcomm
This proposal of 487 apts. to be built on the tiny road, West Bay Dr. along Budd Inlet, is a bad idea. It was approved by the City of Olympia, now they are asking for SEPA Public comments. The current Oly. city council wants more and more housing; they do not care about affordable housing! They want real estate developers to line their pockets, who cares if only the rich can afford these apts? The Nov. elections for City council are over, write your emails;
citycouncil@ci.olympia.wa.us.
This proposal will put tons of "fill" into Budd Inlet. How will this fill react when the Deschutes dam is removed? This fill is legal under the "City of Olympia Shoreline Master plan"? I do not think so. Wish we had a group that could sue the city over this issue.........Oh, OlyEcosystems .....ON WEST BAY DR, is a group. Send them money, DONATIONS!
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
chrispc2u
As if downtown traffic isn’t getting bad enough? C’mon, man! Where’s the plan to deal the additional traffic???
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Snevets
Please direct all these great comments/ concerns to Nicole Floyd too. I hope she gets an eyeful!
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Southsoundguy
What a blight. Of all the potential for that unused area, slamming ugly commie dorms into it has got to be the worst.
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Mugwump
Adding housing is a good idea in general. But let's consider the practicality of placing the housing on West Bay. The Martin Way corridor is a much more practical location for such a project; it has significant space and plenty of areas that would benefit from development, AND it would provide much more access to public transit. Adding housing to West Bay will significantly and detrimentally affect traffic to and from downtown as well as be an eyesore.
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Wesley
"to create a functioning beach. " A beach that will go unused because of the contamination in the bay. That notwithstanding, property owners should be able to develop as they see fit, no government permission required.
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
OLDME71
Even with added fill this area can become mush with a strong enough earthquake. Liquefaction is common on areas that are fill and not solid. "The Incredible Sinking Buildings ".
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Yeti1981
It is worth recognizing the significance of this project finally moving forward. This site has been underutilized for decades, generating no public benefit while sitting fenced off and degraded. West Bay Yards represents the kind of infill development that many people say they want in theory: housing near jobs and services, new waterfront access, shoreline restoration, and private investment paying to clean up and improve a long-neglected area.
A SEPA Determination of Non-Significance does not mean there is no environmental oversight. It means the impacts are being addressed through existing shoreline, stormwater, critical areas, and permitting requirements, which are among the most stringent in the state. The shoreline work proposed here actually improves ecological function compared to the current armored and contaminated condition.
Olympia continues to struggle with housing availability and affordability. Adding homes in already urbanized areas reduces pressure to sprawl outward, protects rural land, and supports local businesses and public amenities. Projects like this are not a silver bullet, but they are part of a realistic, balanced approach to growth that acknowledges both environmental responsibility and the need for places for people to live.
Public input is important, but so is recognizing progress when a long-stalled, complex project finally clears a major regulatory hurdle and moves toward delivering real community benefits.
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Alex360
Nice. Now get rid of the log yard and develop the peninsula.
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
BillSpencer
It is not 1965 anymore. Olympia is a growing city with a housing crunch. This project has gone through rigorous environmental review and the builder will restore the shoreline. I think a lot of people poo-pooing this project are greedy busybodies that want the benefits of living in a vibrant neighborhood, but who also want to exclude new neighbors from said neighborhood. I'm looking forward to seeing this project get built, and welcoming new people into our city.
Wednesday, January 28 Report this
Thepantywhisperer
Absolutely love this plan and it's about time something is moving forward in the dead zone. I'm sure the city will tack on some road improvement requirements and take the developer to pound town on some issues however it's 2026 and in case you've been asleep the gentrification has been in full swing for a while. People talking about fix our roads fix our crime fix this and fix that, that's not a private developers job and the people who sit in these position got there somehow. Maybe you can vote em out maybe not but the way westbay looks right now sucks. To infinity and beyond let's go
Friday, January 30 Report this
HarryBranch
The plan states that "Shoreline restoration is a major component of this project". To restore something means to return it to its original condition, place or position. The plan is to add 61,515 cubic yards of fill. It's atypical of the shape of estuaries. Estuaries are characterized by a wide shallow run out. A restored Schneider Creek estuary would be much broader than the current stream in a pipe. Setbacks would make development as planned untenable. This development would make restoring the Schneider Creek estuary impossible. Call it what we will, let's not call it a "shoreline restoration".
Friday, January 30 Report this
Olywelcomesall
This story has an incorrect due date for public comments. Please note that public comments on the environmental document have until 5 p.m., February 10, 2026. NOT Jan 30, today. The following is from the City's webpage on the project: Please direct comments regarding this Determination of Non-Significance (DNS)
to the project coordinator: Nicole Floyd - nfloyd@ci.olympia.wa.us , use the
mailing address identified above or by phone at 360.570.3768. Comments must
be submitted on or before 5 p.m., February 10, 2026. If conditions are added,
STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT
DETERMINATION OF NONSIGNIFICANCE
(SEPA DNS)
REVISED
Community Planning & Economic Development
601 4th Avenue E. – PO Box 1967
Olympia WA 98501-1967
Phone: 360.753.8314
Fax: 360.753.8087
cpdinfo@ci.olympia.wa.us
www.olympiawa.gov
Friday, January 30 Report this