In a bit of irony, the Packwood Community Hall on Saturday was occupied by the Goat Rocks Fire incident command team and the Lewis County Fire District 10 (Packwood) Fire Hall was being used as a community gathering venue.
Visitors filled the fire hall meeting room from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday to review the first draft of Packwood’s subarea plan. Public review and comment on the plan is encouraged through Nov. 4. Created by a 35-member community advisory committee made up of a diverse spread of local stakeholders, the plan is meant to guide the next 20 years of planning in the East Lewis County community.
The unincorporated area was home to about 1,073 people as of the 2020 census. The plan is headed by county staff, with Packwood resident and Senior Long-Range Planner Mindy Brooks at the forefront. Others from community development are also involved, along with Lewis County Housing and Infrastructure Specialist Eric Eisenberg.
As much time and effort as it’s taken her, Brooks insists: “It’s not my plan, it’s their plan,” referring to the advisory committee, which has met once a month since January and been divided into subcommittees and specific projects. Some of those have required researching other communities that have experienced and tackled similar problems. Others have been studying current state and county code to understand zoning and weigh desired changes. Many of the plans for multi-family housing and other businesses revolve around the establishment of sewers in Packwood, which are scheduled to be finished in 2026.
The first draft focuses on seven main topics: transportation, environment and recreation, development, urban design (land use), housing, public facilities and community. Committee members were manned at one of seven stations on Saturday to present on the topics.
Spurred by an uptick in tourism in the area which led to a boom in short-term rentals such as Airbnbs, the committee has had to work among a landmine of tough topics. Where some rental owners are actively engaged with the plan and the Packwood community, others are more absent. According to the plan’s existing condition report, most of the short-term rentals in Packwood are in vacation houses owned by people who live out-of-town most of the year.
Absentee owners have earned a bad reputation among long-term residents, who’ve complained about short-term renter noise, disruption, traffic and other concerns.
With all this being addressed, member Hanna Jeter called some of the meetings highly emotional.
“But the outcome is amazing,” Jeter said. “Committees have been formed out of it by community members. It’s really encouraging.”
Andrea Erickson, another member, said through the difficult conversations, she’s remembered those involved in the process ultimately have the same goals in mind. Everyone on the committee, she said, wants to preserve Packwood’s environmental and recreational opportunities, maintain the rural feel of life in town, support safety and ensure that growth is supplemented with housing.
Teresa Fenn, a resident and committee member, was one of those to create a new organization because of the planning process. She and others are working to gain 501(c)(3) status for a group they’re calling “Livable Packwood” which has already begun giving training on the establishment of affordable housing.
At 76, longtime resident and President of the White Pass Scenic Byway Maree Lerchen noted the Packwood subarea plan has gone further in addressing community issues than any other effort she’s seen. She said the work has included senior residents as well as youngsters who are seeking to “revitalize” the area.
The vision statement outlined in the plan is as follows: “Packwood is a vibrant small town that embraces history, encourages unique local businesses, provides a diversity of affordable housing options, supports existing as well as new residents, preserves the natural environment, encourages tourism and promotes family-oriented community events.”
To read the first draft of the plan, visit https://lewiscountywa.gov/media/documents/2022-10-17_ThePackwoodPlan_PublicReviewDraft.pdf. To submit comment, email Mindy Brooks at mindy.brooks@lewiscounty.gov.
