Rocky Prairie/Maytown Planning

Maytown Land Use Evaluation

On September 7, 2010, the Board of County Commissioners adopted Resolution No. 14401 with annual amendments to the Thurston County Comprehensive Plan, and Ordinance No. 14402 amending the Thurston County development code. A notice was published in the Nisqually Valley News on September 24th. The notice of adoption is available by clicking here.

Comprehensive Plan Amendment History

In the fall of 2007, the Friends of Rocky Prairie submitted a site-specific comprehensive plan land use plan amendment and rezoning application for property generally located east of Tilley Road South and approximately 1.5 miles east of Maytown, in southeastern Thurston County. The northern portion is owned by Malcolm and Robert McIntosh, and is commonly referred to as the McIntosh Tree Farm. The southern portion is owned by Maytown Sand and Gravel LLC, and is the location of the now defunct South Sound Logistics Center.

The proposal was to change the land use and zoning from Rural Resource Industrial (RRI) and Rural Residential Resource One Unit per Five Acres (RRR 1/5) to Rural One Unit per Twenty Acres to facilitate the preservation of the native prairie habitat and other environmentally sensitive lands.

In the Fall of 2007, the Friends of Rocky Prairie submitted their amendment request to the Thurston County Board of Commissioners.  On March 26, 2008, the Board held a public hearing on the proposed 2008 Preliminary Development Code Docket.  Following the public hearing, the item was added to the 2008 Official Development Code Docket.  The issue was not processed in 2008.  The issue was added as a legislatively selected issue because of the community concerns expressed at the public hearing and through other public testimony.  The commissioners in place at the time were Cathy Wolfe (District 1), Diane Oberquell (District 2), and Robert N. Macleod (District 3). 

In June of 2009, the Board of County Commissioners placed this issue on the Official Docket of Comprehensive Plan Amendments as a legislatively selected issue, and expanded the scope to include nearby properties. The properties are shown as Area 1 and Area 2 on the Maytown Land Use Evaluation Study Areas and Zoning Map.

To see referenced documents and maps, click here.

Please note: Maytown Sand and Gravel, LLC purchased the 746-acre Port of Tacoma property on April 1, 2010.

Current Status

First Planning Commission Briefing: The first briefing before the Thurston County Planning Commission was on October 21, 2009. The presentation included a summary of the proposal, history, and an overview of the issues. The presentation is available on the Documents and Maps page.

Second Planning Commission Briefing: The second briefing was on December 16, 2009. The Friends of Rocky Prairie, Port of Tacoma, Robert McIntosh and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife gave presentations. The presentations are available on the Documents and Maps page. The audio of the meeting is available on the Planning Commission minutes page.

Third Planning Commission Briefing: The third briefing was held February 17, 2010. The preliminary staff report was released on February 11, 2010, and is available on the Documents and Maps page.

Planning Commission Public Hearing: A Planning Commission public hearing on this topic was held on March 10, 2010.

Public Hearing: The Board of County Commissioners heard public comments at a hearing on June 7, 2010.

Final Decision:  On September 7, 2010, the Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution No. 14401 and Ordinance No. 14402 which changed the land use and zoning for Area 1 from Rural Resource Industrial and Rural Residential and Resource One Unit per Five Acres to Rural One Unit per Twenty Acres.  The property in Area 2 was changed to Public Parks, Trails and Preserves.

Contact Us

Interested Parties: If you would like to be added to our Web Mail list, please click here. Staff contact: Jeremy Davis, Senior Planner. Phone: (360) 754-3355, x7010 E-mail: davisj@co.thurston.wa.us.