Puyallup council previews Phase 2 zoning and directs staff to Planning Commission with cautions on data centers and residential consolidation

Senior Planner Kendall Walls told the Puyallup City Council that Package Six of the city’s development and permitting work plan will align the zoning map with the adopted future land use map and advance several code amendments, including mixed-use zones, single-family (RS) consolidation options, manufacturing zone updates, and Fair Park overlay revisions.

“Phase two is about bringing our future land use map and zoning map into consistency,” Kendall Walls said, outlining proposals to eliminate an area-specific CMX designation in the Shaw–Pioneer area and apply the UCX mixed‑use zone, to amend the limited mixed‑use (LMX) zone for neighborhood commercial parcels, and to consolidate older commercial/office categories into LMX.

The council focused discussion on three high-profile topics: whether to consolidate RS6/8/10 into fewer zones, how to treat the Benoya business park (MP) and potential data centers, and proposed changes to the Fair parking overlay. Walls presented three options for single‑family zones — keep three zones, consolidate to two, or consolidate to a single RS6 — and noted that the single‑zone approach could trigger supplemental environmental analysis and broader outreach.

Council members generally acknowledged the benefits of simplifying zones to increase middle‑housing opportunities. Council Member Gilliam asked about tradeoffs; Deputy Mayor Johnson and others urged robust outreach and cautioned against fast implementation without more study. “We’d be going to smaller lot sizes with RS6,” Walls said, noting RS6’s 6,000‑square‑foot minimum versus RS10’s 10,000‑square‑foot minimum and the potential impacts on development patterns.

On manufacturing and the South Hill Business and Technology Center (Benoya property), staff flagged requests to clarify permitted uses in the MP zone — including craft manufacturing, daycare, warehouse/distribution, equipment sales, multifamily, and, notably, data centers. Some council members supported adding residential and daycare allowances to diversify uses near parks and Pierce College; several urged caution on data center allowances because modern hyperscale facilities have large water and power footprints that differ substantially from older data centers.

Council Member Edler summarized the concern: “Data centers are the hot word here — we need thoughtful discussion about what that means and the potential impacts.” Council Member Smokco asked staff to provide job‑per‑acre estimates and water/power demand projections so members could better assess infrastructure implications. Mayor Whitting and others said they saw value in expanding allowable uses to adapt to shifting market demand but agreed to move the package forward through the Planning Commission for detailed review.

Walls also described proposed amendments to the Fair land‑use implementing zones and updates to the Fair parking overlay to resolve nonconforming issues on Fair‑owned parcels and to allow additional fair‑related activities outside the main grounds. Council members expressed general support but asked staff to assess compatibility with adjacent residences and equity concerns.

The council gave staff direction to pursue the Phase 2 package with Planning Commission review and additional community outreach; members emphasized that the RS consolidation item may need to be decoupled for extended outreach and possible supplemental environmental work. There were no formal ordinance votes at the session; the council approved only the meeting agenda by voice vote at the start of the meeting.