A ‘mini Point Ruston’ with 396 new homes, greenway planned in this Pierce County town
A new mixed-use housing and commercial development along Chambers Bay could bring up to 396 new residential units to the town of Steilacoom if the appropriate permits are approved, according to a master plan submitted to the town.
The Cove at Chambers Bay development would be built on a 70-acre site of the former Abitibi paper mill, which was decommissioned in 2000. Approximately 16 acres of the site at 4302 Chambers Creek Road is developable. The idea, submitted in July, is to build a mix of residential and commercial properties there, including single-family homes, townhomes, multifamily dwellings and up to 15,000 square feet of commercial space, according to the project description.
A 1,700-linear-foot greenway with pedestrian and bicycle access would be built along Chambers Bay, in addition to a 0.4-acre park. Two new internal roads would go in, in addition to new stormwater infrastructure and utilities upgrades, according to the project description.
The land is owned by the applicant for the project, HDG, LP. If approved, the project would be developed in phases. Full build-out is expected to take 10-20 years, according to the project description.
“The Cove at Chambers Bay project is beginning to move forward. The public process will take place during the next 6-9 months,” town administrator Paul Loveless said, according to the minutes for the town’s Dec. 16 parks and environment advisory committee.
A scope of work contract for $3,885 to review the traffic impacts of the proposed development was approved by the town on Feb. 4, according to the council agenda. A development application for the site is expected to “proceed for review in 2025,” and “The master planned development permit and other required permits will be processed concurrently,” according to the minutes of a Steilacoom planning commission meeting on Dec. 9.
A ‘mini Point Ruston’
Town mayor Dick Muri told The News Tribune on Tuesday the developer’s applications are before the planning commission, which will bring the topic to the Town Council for final approval around June.
“This is the last big one for Steilacoom,” Muri said, noting there are no other vacant parcels of similar size in the town. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Muri likened the project to a “mini Point Ruston.” The former paper mill site has been abandoned for 25 years, “and a lot of people are looking for something to be done,” he said.
The development is expected to be a significant revenue source for the town, in addition to bringing much-needed housing to Pierce County. It comes at a time when the town faces budget cuts and announced it would no longer fund its popular summer concert series this year as it had for 37 years prior.
The town of Steilacoom approved a zoning change for the paper mill site in 2022, which allows for mixed and commercial use there. Zones surrounding the property include commercial shoreline, public/quasi-public and residential, according to the project description.
There are four wetlands within or adjacent to the development area and two streams that discharge into Chambers Bay, according to application documents. The habitat in and around the project area “has the potential to support state sensitive species” like chinook salmon, steelhead trout, two species of butterflies and three species of birds, but, “There is no critical habitat designated for any species under [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service] jurisdiction within the Project area.”
Muri said public comment on the topic will close Feb. 26, and residents can email town planner Tanner Fuller at tanner.fuller@ci.steilacoomwa.us with questions or concerns.
This story was originally published February 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
