Roughly 50 community members gathered on the outskirts of Napavine Thursday evening to voice their concerns over a proposed 195-unit housing development on Woodward Road.
The meeting, organized by residents, included comments from representatives of the Napavine School District, the Lewis County Public Utility District (PUD), and Lewis County Fire District 5, and comes ahead of a Monday deadline to submit written comments on the project’s environmental review.
Absent were representatives from the city and developer, though organizers said that both had previously committed to attending.
“I think it’s unfortunate that they didn’t show up,” said organizer Bob Bozarth. “I just wonder what’s going on in this world. It’s not the world I grew up in.”
If built, the 195-unit development would be constructed in two phases, consisting of 56 units at first and then an additional 139 units, on approximately 70 acres of land. For neighbors, the concern centers around what the new houses could eventually bring — traffic, extra students and increased demand for first responders — and a fear that local infrastructure would not support the increased demand.
Known as the Tiger Meadows project, the proposal comes as South Lewis County has seen a steep increase in development and population growth in recent years. According to recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, neighboring cities Winlock and Toledo were among the fastest-growing cities in Washington between 2020 and 2023, with a population growth rate of 32.5% and 21.1%, respectively.
Several attendees voiced concerns that Napavine would soon see the growing pains felt by Winlock.
“The reason that those things are coming down here, if you drive up and down I-5 like I have for 30 years working, is because the county’s north of us, and the cities, all have impact fees,” one attendee said.
Shane Schutz, superintendent of the Napavine School District, said the district does not currently have a plan to handle an influx of students from the development, particularly since the district will not charge an impact fee on the proposal.
“When I had heard about developments that were happening in our community, I got really concerned,” Schutz said. “We have limited space, as most of you all know.”
With the addition of 195 homes, several attendees voiced concerns about the school district’s ability to educate 195 additional students “minimum.”
“What am I going to do with a possible 195 students? I don’t have an answer for you today,” Schutz said. “I know the fear that the possible 195-unit housing development does, it does put fear into people, including myself, I’m not going to lie. I’ll have to do some research.”
While the influx of students would bring in additional state resources, Schutz said that would likely only fund an additional portable building.
The district, Schutz said, is likely to ask voters in February to support an infrastructure bond in February, after a $19 million proposal garnered 53.47% support in the 2023 general election, below the 60% supermajority needed to pass.
Regardless of whether the bond is successful, Schutz said the district is likely to keep portable classrooms, because “we need room for that growth.” The bond, Schutz said, would include developing a capital facilities plan, which could allow the district to charge impact fees in the future.
Gregg Peterson, the interim Fire District 5 chief, said the project would likely have a “minimal” impact on the district’s fire service. Peterson, who studied the call volume at a similar project, said the proposal would likely see 20 calls a year, “or roughly a call every 18 days,” to Tiger Meadows.
“From the fire department side, I don’t see any serious issues regarding access or the delivery of our product, or an impact to the rest of you who live in the community if it’s only one response every 18 days,” Peterson said.
Luke Canfield, power resources manager at the PUD, said the PUD is “indifferent” to growth.
“We plan for growth. We’re indifferent as far as where it’s located. We’ve seen a lot of growth in Winlock,” Canfield said.
Over the past four years, the PUD’s average load has increased by three or four megawatts, and the new homes could add half a megawatt “on average.”
“It’s not a capacity issue, so it’s minimal impact on the PUD as far as infrastructure,” Canfield said.
According to Canfield, any infrastructure improvements that do need to be built for the project would be paid for by the developer, not “the homeowners, or anyone else in the community.”
With an increased population, several attendees voiced concerns over an increase in traffic in the area. According to a traffic impact analysis on the project that was published in June, the project may generate an additional 1,865 daily trips.
The analysis notes that “sight distance for the proposed Road C access intersection with Woodard Road is shown to be deficient in the easterly direction” due to a crest curve that “restricts driver visibility and would need to be regraded to flatten the curve.”
No other traffic mitigation measures were identified “at this time.”
“Woodard is not built for all this traffic,” one attendee said. “If you’re looking at 195 houses, you’re probably looking at a minimum of 400 cars.”
According to the analysis, once completed, Tiger Meadows is likely to generate “137 total trips occurring in the AM peak hour and 186 total trips occurring in the PM peak hour.”
The city will accept written feedback on the project’s environmental review through Monday. To submit comments, visit cityofnapavine.com/communitydev/page/public-notices or send written comments to Public Works and Community Development Director Bryan Morris at bmorris@cityofnapavine.com or Box 810, Napavine, WA 98565.
Following the environmental review, comment period and completion of staff report, the city of Napavine’s Planning Commission will host a public hearing on the proposal. A staff report is expected to be issued within 90 days of the public comment period ending.
“What’s going to make a difference is if you submit, in writing, before the 16th, which is Monday, your objections to this development,” one attendee said.
