Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow owns land that could play a role in a proposed mixed-use development that has stirred debate about farmland preservation in his East Pierce County city and beyond.
Enslow is a vocal booster of the Orton Junction project, which is slated to include a YMCA and could also have homes, shops and other features. The County Council at 3 p.m. today is set to consider extending the urban-growth area south of Sumner to pave the way for the project. The meeting is at the County-City Building in Tacoma.
Enslow said his ownership of more than 70 acres of agriculture land near Orton Junction has nothing to do with why he’s been outspoken in favor of it. He and other proponents say the project will bring jobs and retail dollars.
“This is really something that’s come from the community, that’s very much wanted,” he told The News Tribune on Monday. “I think it’s a great thing – great for the community.”
Other city officials, as well as the attorney representing the developer who owns a majority of the Orton Junction property, also said there’s no conflict of interest.
But some critics say the situation raises questions.
“It doesn’t seem right to me,” said Jason Pansevicius, who lives near where Orton Junction would be. He has concerns about the project, including the risk of flooding in the area.
“I don’t know why they’re going to build there,” he said. “Everything they want could be put in the city of Sumner.”
The proposal would open 182 acres of rural and agriculture land south of Sumner to urban uses. Enslow’s land isn’t within the 182 acres.
His property south of the Orton Junction site has been identified, along with some other parcels, as land that meets requirements to be protected with so-called “conservation easements.”
In this kind of transaction, a willing property owner sells all future rights to develop his or her land, and a conservation easement is put in place so it stays farmland forever. In this case, owners of land inside Orton Junction would buy those rights so they could have more latitude to build on their own land, where development is currently limited.
Enslow said he hasn’t been made an offer; his land has simply been identified as land where a conservation easement could work.
“There’s nothing beyond that,” he said.
Today, he said, the land is actively farmed and grows corn and other crops.
In order for Orton Junction to move forward, a certain amount of agriculture land elsewhere in the county must be protected to offset the development. An agreement reached last week by the city, the Cascade Land Conservancy and representatives of majority developer Michael Corliss, puts the minimum at roughly 500 acres.
Enslow’s land is listed in that document. Enslow said he did not participate in drafting it.
Officials said his land meets the requirements for preservation and is in a good location because it would help form a barrier of green space outside Orton Junction.
The City Council last year approved a comprehensive-plan amendment that allowed Orton Junction to proceed. Enslow did not vote; as elected mayor, he votes only to break a tie.
Enslow’s land was identified for possible preservation only after the proposal advanced from the city to the county this year. He said he did not seek to have it identified.
There’s no conflict of interest because the decision now rests with the county, not the city, said Carmen Palmer, Sumner spokeswoman.
As far as perception, she said: “Why wouldn’t we want our elected officials to take leadership to conserve the land they own? Why wouldn’t we want that farm saved?”
Ryan Mello, Cascade’s Pierce County conservation director, said his organization is interested in protecting farmland that’s at risk of conversion to urban uses, has the right quality soil and meets other criteria for agricultural resource land.
“It’s up to Sumner and the developer and the county to navigate any potential conflict-of-interest issues,” he said.
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058
sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/street
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