Update
In response to concerned Spanaway citizens, the Tacoma Rescue Mission provides clarity around actions to address road accessibility and its impacts on wetlands.
As the rainy season approaches, Tacoma Rescue Mission (TRM) recently took steps to address accessibility via the county road to the rental home and buildings on the property. TRM had the pre-existing culverts (pipes that go under the road) cleared of debris so water would flow freely underneath and not over the road during continuous rain. We also replaced a failed overflow culvert and added gravel to the roadway to level and fill potholes, and, in one case, widened the road to more closely match the two-lane width of the road connecting to it. TRM also added gravel to a deteriorated dirt road for vehicle access to a barn and a turnaround located on the property. In one location, the added gravel encroached 8-10 feet into a buffer area between the road and the wetlands. While our intentions were to improve accessibility and road conditions, we now know that these actions should have been discussed and, in several cases, permitted separately from our current project permit process prior to doing this work. These oversights occurred due to an internal communication error between different teams and we have since taken firm steps to ensure that this mistake will not happen again.
After disclosing what happened to the regulating agencies and viewing the area with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, a wetland biologist, the county staff, and TRM contracted engineers and project team, TRM was told that this work should have been specifically permitted, and because it was not, we would receive formal notice letters from the county for each violation as well as a request to submit plans to repair any damage. On a positive note, what was done is generally allowable activity (when permitted) and has not significantly damaged the wetland areas or wildlife. TRM has agreed to do remediation (corrective actions) to repair damage done, as well as to apply for and retroactively receive the permits needed for the performed work. This will effectively correct the situation, which is what we all want to happen.
Since the work was performed on a road that was not a part of the Good Neighbor Village project area, we’ve been informed that this should have no impact on the viability of the Good Neighbor Village permitting and construction proceeding as planned. We are very excited to continue developing this new community that gives real hope and a new life to our chronically unhoused neighbors in Pierce County.
At the Tacoma Rescue Mission, we are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that we uphold the highest standards of responsibility — both to our community and the environment. We sincerely apologize for any concern this may have caused, and we are working diligently to correct it. If you have any further questions or feedback, we welcome the opportunity for dialogue as we move forward.
