The work to complete Tumwater’s habitat conservation plan (HCP) continues despite failing to secure state funding that would have been used to acquire land in order to initiate a mitigation bank.
The state legislature ended its regular session on April 23 with the city’s request for $2.5 million and Yelm’s similar request for $1.5 million not included in the 2023-25 state capital budget.
Together with the Port of Olympia, Tumwater has been developing an HCP to allow for development in areas where four endangered species occur. These species are the Olympia pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama pugetensis), streaked horned lark (Eremophila alpestris strigata), Oregon spotted frog (Rana pretiosa), and Oregon vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus affinis).
Though the HCP is nearing completion, the city needs to first show its commitment to obtaining mitigation land before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approves its HCP.
City staff describe their predicament as a “chicken or egg” situation as they don’t know what land to acquire for mitigation without completing the HCP.
Tumwater Economic Development Manager Austin Ramirez told the city council during its meeting on Tuesday, June 13 that legislators wanted a specific location that the city wants to acquire.
“We just were unable to say we were going to buy X property with these funds. There's not much on the market for land that can also be used for mitigation because that's the same land that has been pressured by development,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez added that they need more engagement to explain the complexity of the issue and that they needed to figure out which specific funding they want to make the budget request.
The next regular session of the Legislature will allow for mid-budget adjustments. Kelsey Hulse, a consultant from Strategies 360, told the council that they would be looking to reappropriate funding from the Natural Climate Solutions account.
“There's an opportunity to engage with agencies that are stewarding those dollars to see if something like a prairie carbon sequestration project is something that they would consider,” Hulse said.
Hulse added that the city should start working on budget requests sooner. “When I came on board with the city, the agency request process attached to the budget had already completed. We already had a draft governor's budget that had been released so that makes it difficult to sort of get started at that point,” Hulse said.
Meanwhile, the Tumwater General Government Committee approved on Wednesday, June 14, an amendment to a grant agreement with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The amendment extends the grant agreement, which is for the amount of $1,146,000, until April 2024 so the city can complete the public draft of the HCP and the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) review for the HCP.
The committee put the contract amendment on the city council’s consent agenda, so the council can approve it at its July 18 meeting.
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Citizen
HAHAHA, Conservation? Really? Here is an idea that will cost little. Stop approving developments. All of the new developments approved do not consider the environment. adding police, fire, or new infrastructure to accommodate the population increase. Pretending the City is considering future issues caused by development with a conservation plan feels like a farce.
Friday, June 16, 2023 Report this
SecondOtter
THis is so much gaslighting. Instead of looking for '''mitigation"" land, of which there is none left in Thurston county, why not STOP development altogether? How about using the funds for infrastructure repair?
Tumwater is looking for a place for yet another warehouse, yet another roundabout, another strip mall that will never be leased? Use the blighted lands you already have, Tumwater. In the past, economic development has shamelessly stolen good land and developed it. The mitigation land' they claim is so blasted, so abused that it won't grow anything but scotch broom and homeless camps. For instance, that bit of land on 93rd ave, for instance, just west of the I-5 cloverleaf..it's supposedly set aside as mitigation land (despite it being devoid of anything other than scotchbroom that it will never support anything more complex than a bug.) I bet my boots every project manager is using the SAME PIECE of land to excuse their destruction of prime forest/farm/agricultural land. That land will never support life any higher than an insect.
STOP with the incessent, relentless 'development'. Tumwater has already turned into a South Fife..we do not need another roundabout. We don't want more annexation so that Tumwater can squeeze in a warehouse. Just STOP.
Friday, June 16, 2023 Report this
longtimeresident
I agree with both Citizen and SecondOtter. - Tumwater: You are lucky that Margaret McKenny isn't still alive.
Monday, June 19, 2023 Report this
DezSpeaksTheTruth
I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER GETTING OFF OF HIGHWAY 101 AND MERGING ONTO THE ON/OFF RAMP GOING TOWARDS I-5 SOUTH. I TOOK THE TUMWATER 2ND AVENUE EXIT BECAUSE I GOT A FLAT. I PULLED it OFF TO THE RIGHT NEXT TO A VERY TINY PIECE OF LAND WITH SOME BRUSH AND YOUNG TREES. I WAITED THERE FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS FOR AAA AND ALMOST THE ENTIRE TIME A DOE WAS GRAZING IN THAT TINY AREA 20 FT AWAY FROM SPEEDING CARS AND TRAFFIC AND IT WAS PATHETIC AND SAD TO ME THAT THIS WAS HER LIFE AND WHAT SHE HAS BEEN MINIMIZED TOO. FORAGING THROUGH DRY SHRUBS AND GRASS IN A LOT NO BIGGER THAN THREE EXPLORERS SITTING SIDE BY SIDE WITH DEVELOPMENTS SURROUNDING HER IN EVERY WAY AND DANGEROUS TRAFFIC AND VEHICLES NOT ONLY FOR HER BUT FOR US AS WELL IF SHE WAS SPOOKED AND RAN INTO THE ROAD. I SAW AN IDIOT DO JUST THAT TODAY. SITTING IN MY TRUCK WITH THE DOOR OPEN STARING AT THE DEER IN AMAZEMENT AS SHE WAS ONLY 80 TO 50 FT AWAY FROM ME. A GROWN MAN DROVE BY IN HIS TRUCK &ALL THE SUDDEN REVS ENGINE SUPER LOUD THEN YELLS AS LOUD AS HE COULD, HEY YOU FUCKING DEAR!! WHICH MADE THE DOUGH PERK UP AND BOLT TOWARDS ME AND THE ROAD. LUCKILY SHE TOOK A QUICK RIGHT AND MADE A U-TURN ONLY TO HIDE IN THE DRAINAGE DITCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LOT BETWEEN TWO HUGE CONCRETE AND METAL SEWER COVERS. SCARED AND FRIGHTENED AND LITERALLY NOWHERE TO GO THAT IS HER NATURAL HABITAT AND HER SAFE ZONE. ALL BECAUSE THIS ****** WANTED TO SCARE AN INNOCENT ANIMAL AND GOT A KICK OUT OF IT. I WISH I KNEW WHERE HE LIVED SO I COULD SPRAY PAINT ON HIS BIG BLACK TRUCK IN NEON COLORS, "I AM A ****! I SCREAM AT INNOCENT ANIMALS AND ENJOY SEEING THEM SCARED. WHAT DO YOU THINK MY PUNISHMENT SHOULD BE?!?!
Tuesday, June 20, 2023 Report this
Yeti1981
Stop development altogether? Sure, that seems like the solution as we see so many of our neighbors on the streets. We need more housing, period.
Thursday, June 22, 2023 Report this