Lakewood City Manager’s Weekly Bulletin For June 19

Press release from the City of Lakewood:

June 19, 2020

Lakewood COVID-19 business assistance loans now available

The city of Lakewood established an assistance program to support small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is focused on providing much needed capital to sustain business operations and retain employees who may otherwise be laid off as a result of the current economic climate.

If your business has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, you may be eligible to apply for assistance if you meet the criteria. The city will begin reviewing applications Friday, July 10, 2020. The program will remain open until all funds are exhausted.

View eligibility requirements and download the loan application from the Lakewood COVID-19 Business Assistance Loan Program website.

Phase 2 reopening guidelines

The Tacoma Pierce County Chamber and the Economic Development Board of Tacoma-Pierce County have shared resources for business to assist in re-opening and recovery. View more.

Packed parking lots welcome sign in Lakewood Towne Center

Shoppers lined up this morning for Burlington Coat Factory’s re-opening and 50 percent off the entire store sale. Burlington is just one of many stores that has opened in the last two weeks at Lakewood Towne Center.

After two months of empty parking lots, it’s a hopeful sign that people have missed the in-store retail shopping experience. There are lot of great of sales out there and Lakewood is open for business! Remember to wear your mask and be safe.

Lakewood Farmers Market opens today

Join us today at Fort Steilacoom Park in the parking lot adjacent to the baseball fields for our Lakewood Farmers Market in its new location.

The market runs every Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. at the park through Sept. 18, 2020.

The new location allows us to achieve social distancing and meet public health directives to keep the community safe during the current health crisis. The layout of the market will offer drive-thru and walk-thru options for visitors. People can walk around the perimeter of the booths to purchase items, or they can drive through the middle of the market to pick up items they pre-ordered.

See the full lineup of vendors, including food trucks and dessert options on the Farmers Market page.

Changes coming to northbound I-5 in Lakewood

This weekend, weather permitting, contractor crews working for the state Department of Transportation will relocate all lanes of northbound Interstate 5 to a new location near Berkeley Street.

During the overnight hours of Saturday, June 20, the following closures will be in place during an overnight traffic shift:

• Single lane closure on northbound I-5 will be in place from 10 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
• Northbound I-5 exit to Berkeley Street and the Berkeley Street on-ramp to northbound I-5 will close from 10 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
• Northbound I-5 exit to Thorne Lane will close from 10 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. Sunday.
• Two lanes will close on northbound I-5 from 11:59 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday.

If weather cancels the work Saturday night, crews will attempt to do the work during overnight hours on Sunday, June 21 with the following closures:

• Single lane closure on northbound I-5 will be in place from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Monday.
• Northbound I-5 exit to Berkeley Street and the Berkeley Street on-ramp to northbound I-5 will close from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Monday.
• Northbound I-5 exit to Thorne Lane will close from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Monday.
• Two lanes will close on northbound I-5 from 10:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. Monday.

This is the first of several traffic shifts that allow crews to widen I-5 and raise the elevation of the highway above the water table.

Additional overnight closures for the week of June 22 are listed on Tacomatraffic.com, including an upcoming overnight closure of the Madigan Gate and adjacent northbound I-5 Berkeley Street ramps.

Travelers are encouraged to watch their speeds and give crews the room they need to work. A temporary speed limit reduction to 50 mph is in place on I-5 from mileposts 121.9 to 124.1.

Before heading out the door, travelers can find the latest information on the WSDOT app and by following the WSDOT regional Twitter feed.

Station District Subarea Plan survey closes June 26

The future of Lakewood’s Station District is in the public’s hands. Input from residents, business owners and developers will help the city develop a subarea plan which will guide future development within this designated area.

The goal for the district is to craft a plan that is grounded in the first-hand experiences of the community it will serve. This phase of engagement will run from now until June 26, 2020.

Take the SURVEY! Answer questions about the area around the Lakewood Sounder Station. The survey takes about 10 minutes.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Participate in the WALKSHOP! To understand community priorities, we need volunteers to explore the Station District — in a safe, socially distanced way — and report back about your experience. Make it a family adventure, we even have a worksheet for kids to fill out.

DOWNLOAD WALKSHOP WORKSHEET

DOWNLOAD THE KIDS’ WORKSHEET

Lakewood summer concert series lineup announced

The city of Lakewood is excited to announce its summer concert lineup for the 2020 season. This year we expanded our free summer concert series to seven weeks, allowing our community to come together and enjoy a variety of entertainment at our Pavilion in the Park.

Concerts will be Thursdays, 6:30 to 8 p.m. starting July 16 through Aug. 27, 2020 at Fort Steilacoom Park.

Bring a chair or blanket and join us on the Pavilion lawn to see some of the region’s best live entertainment!

Due to public health guidelines around social distancing, space may be limited and social distancing of at least six feet between people required.

View the full lineup.

Public comment sought on Western State Hospital update

The state Department of Social and Health Services has proposed a complete reconstruction of Western State Hospital and its campus.

Public comment will be accepted until July 10.

• View the proposed master plan update.
• View the notice of application.
• View the project website.
• Read more about what is proposed and how to comment.

Registration now open for Lakewood’s Camp Create

This low-cost summer day camp offered by the city’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department runs Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from July to Aug. 14. It is open to children ages 5 to 12 years.

Camps run in one-week intervals; campers can register for just one week, or the full summer schedule. Cost is $99 per week.

New this year the camp will be held at the Lakewood Senior Activity Center, 9112 Lakewood Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499. Camp will adhere to current public health guidelines outlined by the state Department of Health and the Office of the Superintendent for Public Instruction as it relates to childcare services.

Download and fill out the registration packet, then email to Cameron Fairfield.

Be safe this 4th of July

Independence Day is just around the corner and the city of Lakewood and West Pierce Fire & Rescue want the community to celebrate safely. Each year thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks, few people understand the associated risks – fires, devastating burns, other injuries, and even death.

The best way to protect your family is not to use any fireworks at home – period. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the majority of public fireworks displays have been canceled.

July 4 is the busiest day of the year for West Pierce Fire & Rescue and Lakewood police. Please be smart, don’t mix alcohol and explosives, keep children away from fireworks and remember we already have extremely dry conditions so be mindful not only about where you light your fireworks, but also where they will fall.

Use of legal fireworks is allowed in Lakewood from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on July 3, 4 and 5 and on Dec. 31.

View the images to see what is legal and what is illegal.

City Council June 22 virtual meeting preview

The Lakewood City Council will meet virtually for its June 22, 2020 regular meeting.

Items on the agenda include:

• Police Policies and Procedures Review
• Western State Hospital Master Facility Plan Update
• 1st Quarter Financial Report
• COVID-19 Financial Report

Review of City Council meeting attendance in person or virtual:

Due to the stay home order, the Lakewood City Council is holding its meetings virtually so that the city can continue to conduct necessary business. Under the order in-person attendance by members of the public is NOT permitted at this time.

Residents can virtually attend City Council meetings by watching them live on the city’s YouTube channel starting at 7 p.m.

Those who do not have access to YouTube can call in by telephone via Zoom: Dial +1 (253) 215- 8782 and enter participant ID: 151-082-920.

City Council meeting agenda and materials can be found here.

Transportation updates

The city’s road improvement projects are allowed under Gov. Jay Inslee’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order.

Veterans Drive

This week storm water infrastructure installation and road grading was finished between Gravelly Lake Drive to Lake City Boulevard. Curb and gutter will be poured Monday (June 22) and Thursday (June 25). Electrical conduit installation continues in this segment.

The first segment detour remains in place as does the detour of Vernon between Kenwood and Veterans Drive. As a reminder only those living within (and services for) the closure limits are allowed access. Closures are expected to last 4-5 weeks and will reopen to through traffic once the base lift of asphalt is in place. This is expected to occur the last week of June of the current section that is closed. Work will continue in the reopened segments with intermittent lane closures.

Read more about this project.

Onyx Drive

Tacoma Power continues relocating infrastructure east of Coral Lane and anticipates work will be completed within two weeks. An outage affecting approximately 12 customers will be necessary. Tacoma Power will contact the affected customers directly.

The prime contractor continues to install storm water infrastructure east of Garnet Lane and is prepping for curb on the south side of Onyx east of Garnet. Curb and gutter were poured the end of this week on the south side of the road west of 87th Street. Next week the contractor will grade for sidewalk behind the new curb and gutter.

Intermittent lane closures will continue along both segments of the project. Expect up to 10 minute delays west of 87th Street as the contractor pours curb and gutter.

Read more about the Onyx Drive project and see overhead shots of the project on the project website.

Steilacoom Boulevard

Paving was completed on Steilacoom Blvd the end of this week. Crews will be out Monday raising the utility lids and Tuesday a yellow curb will be re-installed near Edgewater Drive. Over the weekend the right lanes will remain closed between Weller and Phillips roads.

Remaining work includes cleaning up the site around the cubs and sidewalks. Permanent pavement markings will be installed in three weeks, once the pavement is cured.

Pavement patching

The City of Lakewood’s contractor, Asphalt Patch is nearing completion of the 2020 patching program. Remaining work areas are primarily on Custer Road between Bridgeport Way and Lakewood Dr., scheduled to be completed in the next two weeks.

Chip Seal begins July 6

The city’s 2020 Chip Seal program will begin July 6, and is concentrated between Clover Park High School and Halcyon, and north of 112th and south of 108th streets. Work is expected to take two weeks.

Census 2020: Be counted

The Census Bureau is continuing to reach out to those who have not filled out the Census yet in an effort to make sure everyone is counted. In light of COVID-19, the bureau recently announced the deadline to complete the census was extended to Oct. 31, 2020.

As of June 18, 61.5 percent of US households responded to the 2020 Census. Washington’s response rate is 66.9 percent, as is Pierce County’s. The city of Lakewood’s 2020 Census response rate is 62 percent overall.

The city is preparing to send in-home mailers to its undercounted neighborhoods to help increase participation in the count.

There are three ways that people can respond to the census:

• Respond online atwww.2020census.gov.
• Call a toll-free number (4 a.m. to 11 p.m. PT)
  • English, 844.330.2020
  • Spanish, 844.468.2020
  • Other languages available, please contact me for information
• Return by Mail

How to help or get help

Looking for ways to help your community during this time? Or are you looking for assistance?

Pierce County created a website with information about how to donate to area food banks, including Emergency Food Network based in Lakewood, and a fund set up specifically to assist the human services needs facing our community in light of COVID-19 impacts.

There are also resources for individuals and businesses looking for more information about available financing and public assistance options.

View the website.

Veterans Brick Update

Did you purchase a brick to be engraved on the Veterans Memorial located outside Lakewood City Hall in Lakewood Towne Center?

We hope to see the bricks engraved this summer, dependent on weather and the status of any stay home orders around COVID-19.

Thank you to everyone who purchased a brick for your patience while volunteers continued with the brick sales to be able to engrave them all at one time.

Volunteers were able to sell 153 of the 242 bricks remaining at the memorial. They are grateful for the community’s support of veterans and proud to see this memorial that was dedicated in 2003 by a citizen-led committee come closer to completion.

Join a community advisory board

Do you like to give back to the community? Are you looking to get better connected to Lakewood? Have some free time you want to fill? Consider joining one of the city’s community advisory boards. Board members often have experience or expertise they can lend, can meet on a monthly basis and can commit to serving a full term, or longer.

Boards with openings:

• Landmarks and Heritage Advisory Board: 2 vacancies. Open until filled.
• Lodging Tax Advisory Board: 4 vacancies. Deadline: Open until filled.
• Planning Commission: 1 vacancy (unexpired term through Dec. 15, 2021). Open until filled.
• Youth Council: Accepting applications through June 19. Find the application here.

Board and commission descriptions, meeting schedule and application form can be found online.

Stay up to date with MyLakewood311

Did you know Lakewood has its own free mobile app? All you need to know about the city is at your fingertips. Updates on road projects and detours around the city and other city announcements can be found under the “Public Announcements” header.

Contact the city using the “submit a new request” button and select from the appropriate category. The app allows you to track city staff’s response to your request and follow it through the process.

Please only submit one request per item – submitting multiple requests for the same item slows the review process. Note: This app is not monitored 24/7. If you are reporting an emergency that needs immediate assistance please call 911.

Download it now in the iTunes App Store or on Google Play.

Upcoming Council Meetings

Under the current stay home order, residents can virtually attend City Council meetings by watching them live on the city’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/cityoflakewoodwa

Those who do not have access to YouTube can call in to listen by telephone via Zoom: Dial +1(253) 215- 8782 and enter participant ID: 151082920.

Participation in public comments and public testimony on public hearings will only be accepted via email at this time. Comments should be sent to City Clerk, Briana Schumacher at bschumacher@cityoflakewood.us. Comments received up to one hour before the meeting will be provided to the City Council electronically. Comments received after that deadline will be provided to the City Council after the meeting.

June 22, 2020 Study Session

• 1st Quarter Financial Report
• COVID-19 Financial Update
• Western State Hospital Master Facility Plan Update

June 29, 2020 (tentative)

• Police Policies and Procedures Review (tentative)
• COVID-19 Financial Report (tentative)

View the full agenda packet.

This press release was produced by the City of Lakewood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.