Lacey sets public hearing for controversial Meridian Market and gas station

Lacey residents will have an opportunity to speak about the plan to construct a market and gas station in the northeast corner of the city at a public hearing set for Mon., April 4.

On their meeting Tues., members of the Lacey Planning Commission raised concerns on reports about residents holding protests against the planned Meridian Market development, planned for the northeast corner of Willamette Drive and Campus Glen Drive. (See related story.)

"It is interesting… We, as a planning commission, have absolutely nothing to do with that or have any say about it, but [we're] going to get asked about it," Planning Commission Chairperson David Wasson said.

Walk noted that council members cannot address the public until the hearing is over to maintain the integrity of the process.

"The challenge we have is there's a lot of conversation out in the neighborhoods, a lot of misinformation," according to Rick Walk, Lacey's director of Community Development. 

Walk said the Planning Commission should communicate the process to the community to ensure a valid public hearing and reach a good decision at the end.

Walk also added that the public hearing would address the concerns raised by some residents, including transportation and pedestrian safety.  

The Meridian Market and gas station is based on the Meridian Campus plan of Thurston County in the 1980s. Lacey annexed the land in 1992, which provided varieties of uses such as commercial, residential, industrial, and institutional zones.