Skookumchuck Commerce Center development plans again up for state environmental approval

Plans for a development along Reynolds Avenue in Centralia are again under environmental review following an initial denial coupled with opposition from area residents in 2023.

Should it be constructed, the development would cover nearly 57 acres of land and include two warehouses, one 295,365 square feet and the second 483,276 square feet, according to the preliminary proposal last year. Both warehouses would be raised on top of fill to meet flood mitigation standards.

Last year, the Panattoni Development Company attempted to get State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) approval for the Skookumchuck Commerce Center, a warehouse development off of Reynolds Avenue. Engineering consulting for the project is being conducted by AHBL Inc. out of Tacoma.

During the application process, a petition was circulated and signed by 78 home and business owners opposing its construction due to worries about increased traffic in the area along with worsened flooding risk.

Additionally, five letters were sent to city staff from the Washington state Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Washington state Department of Ecology, the Lewis County Community Development department and the Port of Centralia.

The letters either raised additional concerns surrounding the Skookumchuck Commerce Center or requested further studies and requirements before giving the development their approval.

The application for approval was denied, but now developers have revised their plans and applied for SEPA approval again.

Public comment on the application is due by Wednesday, July 10. The Skookumchuck Commerce Center SEPA application documents are currently available on the City of Centralia’s website.

One of those documents — a new traffic impact analysis (TIA) conducted by Heath & Associates — anticipates the Skookumchuck Commerce Center to generate an average of 1,331 weekday additional daily trips entering and exiting the development on Reynolds Avenue consisting of both employee vehicles and trucks.

“During the day, Johnson Road is to serve as the dedicated truck route providing access between the subject site and Interstate 5,” read an excerpt from the TIA. “During the night, Harrison Avenue is to serve as the dedicated heavy vehicle route.”

Trucks will be prohibited from traveling down Belmont Avenue. As for personal employee vehicles, Lum Road is the route they are expected to take to get to the Skookumchuck Commerce Center.

Routing does not include truck travel through the Reynolds Avenue and North Pearl Street intersection.

As for the proposal of adding a turning lane into the development on Reynolds Avenue, no left-turn lanes were found to be warranted based on TIA findings but a “right-turn pocket/taper may be considered at the easterly West Reynolds Avenue project driveway. However, the driveways are shown to operate with acceptable service levels and meet city standards.”

Additionally, several concerns from both WSDOT and the Port of Centralia were addressed in the TIA. One of WSDOT’s main concerns was it believed daily vehicle trips were being significantly underreported.

“The updated TIA will utilize Institute of Transportation Engineers data to derive all average weekday daily trips for the proposed development,” read an excerpt from the TIA.

The port’s concerns revolved around traffic as well, with the port planning on carrying out its own master plan developments in its properties by the intersection of Harrison Avenue and where Reynolds Avenue turns into Galvin Road.

In their letter, port staff stated it was reasonable to believe that some of the truck traffic from the new development would add traffic to that intersection as well.

“During the scoping process with the city, no indication was made regarding including West  Reynolds Avenue-Galvin Road and Harrison Avenue as a study intersection,” read an excerpt from the TIA. “As such, intersection parameters currently included are deemed acceptable.”

With the project being located along the banks of the Skookumchuck River in a known flood plain, a new hydrological assessment was also conducted by AHBL.

Stormwater ponds are included in the Skookumchuck Commerce Center’s design, along with other graded areas in the development to provide more floodwater storage.

“Per the above information, this project complies with all applicable flood control regulations of Centralia Municipal Code,” read an excerpt from the assessment. “... We conclude that this project, as proposed, will not create any new problems within the existing downstream drainage system. This project will not noticeably aggravate any existing downstream problems due to either water quality or quantity.” 

Additional documents currently available for public review on the Skookumchuck Commerce Center include the SEPA checklist, the development’s site plans, a geotechnical report, a habitat assessment report, a no net loss and habitat restoration plan and a mitigated determination of nonsignificance letter.

Visit https://www.cityofcentralia.com/501/SEPAS-and-Public-Notices to access all documents.

Those wishing to submit public comment on the Skookumchuck Commerce Center SEPA application can do so by emailing Centralia Community Development assistant director Hillary Hoke at hhoke@cityofcentralia.com or by calling 360-330-7684.

For more information, contact the Centralia Planning Department at 360-330-7662.