The City of Lacey plans to acquire a surplus parcel of land from the LOTT Clean Water Alliance and erect affordable housing there.
Plans to purchase the lot at 5025 Mullen Road SE, directly across from Komachin Middle School, surfaced at yesterday's joint meeting with the city council and the North Thurston Public Schools (NTPS). The concept is to build 60 800-sq.-ft. cottages on the 5.32-acre property.
"LOTT has a piece of property that they have identified as surplus, and so we have been coordinating with LOTT Clean Water Alliance to look at potentially acquiring this piece of property for a future affordable housing development project," City of Lacey Community and Economic Development Director Vanessa Dolbee.
If the project pushes through, the city and LOTT will partner with a housing provider and potentially explore opportunities to partner with the school district.
"Affordable housing development is supported by a number of state and local policies as identified in the state Growth Management Act, as well as the City of Lacey's adopted housing action plan and housing affordable housing strategy," said Dolbee.
The proposed $700,00 land purchase aims to develop affordable housing units to support the community.
The site is considered because of various benefits, such as being served by city utilities and the Intercity Transit and being near schools, parks, medical services, and shopping.
Dolbee mentioned that the project's vision is "cottage housing," which means blending the structure into its existing surroundings, which are single-family residential housing.
The city has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LOTT to look at due diligence on the property by conducting a gopher analysis to ensure that the site is "developable."
A pocket gopher analysis determines the presence and activity of pocket gophers on a land parcel. Pocket gophers are tiny, burrowing federally protected rodents that can damage properties and lands.
The first half of the gopher study is done, and a second site visit will follow before the outcome is released at the end of the month.
Dolbee said that the city will partner with the Housing Authority of Thurston County, the proposed housing provider, to ensure that the budget meets the project's funding needs.
Writing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the involved entities will also be considered when proceeding with the purchase and formal procedures.
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Laceyreader11
This means that pocket gophers will be destroyed because they are burrowing animals—even though they are federally protected. According to Fish and Wildlife, Many mammals, large birds, and snakes eat gophers and depend on their activities to create suitable living conditions. Salamanders, toads, and other creatures seeking cool, moist conditions take refuge in unoccupied gopher burrows. Lizards use abandoned gopher burrows for quick escape cover. They are food for other wildlife.
Why does Lacey have to cut trees and destroy wildlife habitats constantly for new construction (Starbucks, Jimmy Johns, pickleball, police station…)
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