Residents urge caution on data centers, traffic and infrastructure during Puyallup zoning study session

Several residents used the council’s public‑comment period to press elected leaders for more outreach and for infrastructure planning prior to rezoning.

Matthew Carris (District 3) told the council he is "not in favor of any data centers being built in our city," citing noise, light pollution and water‑scarcity concerns and urging council members to check neighborhood sentiment before converting low‑density residential parcels to mixed use. "If our neighborhoods are our strength, why would we risk with data centers?" he asked.

Valerie Dent referenced traffic and safety on Pioneer Way and warned that expanding commercial or limited manufacturing uses there would increase neighborhood disruption, describing repeated incidents and long‑standing community efforts to secure traffic calming. David Degro, a planning commission member speaking for himself, urged council to postpone some zoning changes until the city adopts a concrete infrastructure plan — adding that existing intersections are already rated as failing and that development should not outpace connections and emergency access.

Land‑use consultant Terry Weiss recounted a protective covenant tied to annexation of a Shaw/Pioneer parcel and urged caution when creating or altering covenants; he also praised recent improvements in city planning capacity.

Council acknowledged the comments and directed staff to perform further outreach and technical analyses where requested; there was no action taken directly in response to the public comments at the study session.