YOU Made it Happen!
City Council Approves Stopping the Road!
The ink is now dry!
Click to download copy of the new law
But there is still more to do...
Embedded Files
Watch City Council Vote on the Amendment
Next Step: Get the Thurston County Regional Planning Council to Remove it from their Plan!
As the City of Olympia writes on their website, "In April of 2023, as part of an annual amendment process, the Thurston Regional Planning Council decided to keep the Log Cabin Street Connection in the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), even though it had been removed from Olympia’s Comprehensive Plan."
Here is the 2023 Plan to build the road: Click here
We will be posting the next opportunity to try to get them to take it off the project list. Only the voice of the people advocating for human values of nature, tranquility and beauty will overcome their engineering calculations.
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*** Previous Communications below ***
As we wrote following the November 2nd Olympia Council briefing on the Road, the Council took no action to Stop the road which they could do with a simple majority vote of four members. Nor did they vote to evaluate the road as part of the upcoming Comprehensive Plan annual amendment process which closed on November 20, 2020.
With the Council failing to take action, we submitted a comprehensive plan amendment ourselves on behalf of our community who support protecting the LBA Woods from road cutting through it.
This February 9th, the Council will vote to move our amendment forward or kill it in order to stop a full analysis and a public hearing.
You can click here to read the text of our amendment.
The next important thing for friends of the Woods to do is write and speak to the City Council members to get them to vote to allow the proposed amendment to pass through their "screening process" to become a "final comprehensive plan amendment.
Now is the time to contact the Council members and urge them to allow the LBA Comp Plan amendment to proceed. Remember, allowing it to proceed does not guarantee that they will ultimately approve it. But it does allow the Council to have the benefit of a full analysis and the public a chance to weigh in.
The City argues that considering removing the road can wait until 2025 -- the State deadline for reviewing the Comprehensive Plan. But we know the Woods Can't Wait. We know, the longer it is in the plan, the more momentum there will be for it to be built.
The City defends their lack of action by saying there is no adverse consequences from leaving the road in the plan because "...it is unlikely there will be any action on this project in the next 10 years or more". But let's look at that reasoning more closely.
Assuming that having the road in the plan has no impact, then logically it is equally true that there is no negative effect from removing it from the plan now.
Further, even if sometime in the future the need for the road become abundantly clear, the City still owns and controls the land and can move to build it. The City will have suffered no ill-effects or disadvantage from having removed it from the plan now, based on their current statements and, under this scenario, more of the public would be likely to agree with the City's decision when the lived experience of the community shows a compelling need for a road.
Common sense says the road being in the plan does impact decision making. Not just Olympia's decisions but also surrounding jurisdictions and private developers. Thus, planning for the road increases the likelihood that the road will be built.
Finally, beware of the city's imprecise words of assurance like "not currently allocating staff time or resources" and "it is unlikely". These provide ample bureaucratic wiggle room for beginning action sooner than their stated 10-year time period. Delaying a Comp Plan analysis until 2025, as some council members and the staff want, the 10-year horizon is really just 5-years.
It is time for the Council to stop the delay, deferring and dismissing requests for stopping the road. The road through the woods is a bad idea that needs to be stopped as soon as possible.
There is no better test of our current Council's commitment to the environment than voting for the amendment to stop the road - NOW. This is their opportunity to walk their talk.
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Local Sierra Club urges Olympia Council to approve Comp Plan change to Stop the Road. Read their letter here.
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Jump to "Talking Points" here. Watch and read the transcript of the Nov 2nd presentation here.
Writing and speaking make a difference.
Sign on left of water tower off Log Cabin Rd Before YOU DID IT!
Sign after YOU DID IT!
You stopped the Road!
A Broken Promise? Preserving the LBA Woods was a premiere argument for passage of the Olympia Metropolitan Parks District, a tax increase for the money used to buy the LBA Woods.
Advocates, such as Councilmember Cooper put,"...preserving open spaces like LBA Woods" at the top of their list to vote YES on Proposition 1. Even the official voter’s guide showcased LBA Woods as the first argument for passage. It read, “Broad community support exists for conserving LBA Woods”.
The overwhelming majority of the public who taxed themselves and fought for the Woods believed that they were going to preserve the Woods, not build a road with trees on either side. So when you hear the talk about how the "road was always in the plan", remind them that is not what was being said when selling us on a tax increase.
WE NEED YOU TO KEEP MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
WE NEED YOU TO KEEP MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
The Council needs to hear from more than just the road building transportation staff and interests as they evaluate whether to allow the stop the road Comp Plan amendment to proceed to a full analysis.
The Council needs to hear from more than just the road building transportation staff and interests as they evaluate whether to allow the stop the road Comp Plan amendment to proceed to a full analysis.
You can help educate the council about the impact of the road from an environmental, recreational, social and health perspective.
You can help educate the council about the impact of the road from an environmental, recreational, social and health perspective.
What is clear is that YOU are making the difference.
What is clear is that YOU are making the difference.
It is not clear when the next Council meeting will happen that will allow public comments but emailing the council members (see "contacts" tab) can be effective.
It is not clear when the next Council meeting will happen that will allow public comments but emailing the council members (see "contacts" tab) can be effective.
-------- Other Notable Items ------------
-------- Other Notable Items ------------
On, September 15th, the City Council heard from Marc Daily of the Thurston Regional Planning Council who presented the Regional Transportation plan priorities (many of you spoke out against the inclusion of the Road through the Woods contained in that plan). A remarkable statement was made by Mr. Daily that we should keep in mind.
On, September 15th, the City Council heard from Marc Daily of the Thurston Regional Planning Council who presented the Regional Transportation plan priorities (many of you spoke out against the inclusion of the Road through the Woods contained in that plan). A remarkable statement was made by Mr. Daily that we should keep in mind.
Councilmember Parshley asked Marc Daily of the Thurston Regional Planning Council to respond to the fact that adding more lanes in Los Angeles didn't make a difference. Mr. Daily responded by saying, “…we cannot build our way out of congestion. It says that adding capacity temporarily helps things but in the long term it induces demand therefore it gets more people out on the roadway. It is correct that there is bit of a disconnect between what our policy says and what we ask for in terms of dollars."
Councilmember Parshley asked Marc Daily of the Thurston Regional Planning Council to respond to the fact that adding more lanes in Los Angeles didn't make a difference. Mr. Daily responded by saying, “…we cannot build our way out of congestion. It says that adding capacity temporarily helps things but in the long term it induces demand therefore it gets more people out on the roadway. It is correct that there is bit of a disconnect between what our policy says and what we ask for in terms of dollars."
Marc Daily goes on to lay out the challenge when he says, “It is going to take our members around the table to make different choices. To make different decisions as we put together our transportation priorities…”.
Marc Daily goes on to lay out the challenge when he says, “It is going to take our members around the table to make different choices. To make different decisions as we put together our transportation priorities…”.
That is our challenge. We need to help our Council members make "different choices". Choices that their constituents want and our planet needs.
That is our challenge. We need to help our Council members make "different choices". Choices that their constituents want and our planet needs.
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On, August 18th, several people spoke to the Olympia City Council about stopping the City’s plan to build a road through the LBA Woods. Your fact based and heartfelt presentations are having an effect. In the follow-up Council reaction period, Councilmembers Rollins and Parshley expressed their desire to revisit or remove the road from the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Watch last week's City Council public comments that included several stop-the-road commentators (beginning at 2 minutes and 20 seconds in) and the response by a couple of Councilmember Rollins about the road at 20 minutes and 10 seconds in) and Councilmember Parshley at 25 minutes in.
On, August 18th, several people spoke to the Olympia City Council about stopping the City’s plan to build a road through the LBA Woods. Your fact based and heartfelt presentations are having an effect. In the follow-up Council reaction period, Councilmembers Rollins and Parshley expressed their desire to revisit or remove the road from the City’s Comprehensive Plan. Watch last week's City Council public comments that included several stop-the-road commentators (beginning at 2 minutes and 20 seconds in) and the response by a couple of Councilmember Rollins about the road at 20 minutes and 10 seconds in) and Councilmember Parshley at 25 minutes in.
We don’t know the other five Councilmembers’ position on removing it from the plan…yet.
We don’t know the other five Councilmembers’ position on removing it from the plan…yet.
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At the July 10th Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) the members were astounded by the degree of public opposition to the road. Watch it here. There was over an hour of discussion of the road (click above to watch/listen). A member from Tumwater said he got over 60 emails in opposition. Although only one voted no and two abstained, many TRPC members expressed misgivings about building the road through the park. Nevertheless, it passed and is now in the new Regional Plan.
At the July 10th Thurston Regional Planning Council (TRPC) the members were astounded by the degree of public opposition to the road. Watch it here. There was over an hour of discussion of the road (click above to watch/listen). A member from Tumwater said he got over 60 emails in opposition. Although only one voted no and two abstained, many TRPC members expressed misgivings about building the road through the park. Nevertheless, it passed and is now in the new Regional Plan.
Several members felt that the role of the TRPC did not allow them to disrespect the wishes of the sponsoring entity, in this case, the City of Olympia and doing so would be "unprecedented".
Several members felt that the role of the TRPC did not allow them to disrespect the wishes of the sponsoring entity, in this case, the City of Olympia and doing so would be "unprecedented".
When asked how many comments were received in ** favor ** of the road, the answer was none. Only the City of Olympia and the Mayor of Lacey spoke in favor of the road at the meeting.
When asked how many comments were received in ** favor ** of the road, the answer was none. Only the City of Olympia and the Mayor of Lacey spoke in favor of the road at the meeting.
It is now clear that it is the City of Olympia holds the key to stopping the road. Click here to contact them now.
It is now clear that it is the City of Olympia holds the key to stopping the road. Click here to contact them now.
**** Now is the time for the City to remove their support for the road. ****
**** Now is the time for the City to remove their support for the road. ****
Let's Stop the Road Through LBA Woods Flyer w future.pdf
Click to view area on Google Maps
Aerial Video of LBA Woods
Changing the LBA experience from a wildlife refuge to the park along the road
Changing the LBA experience from a wildlife refuge to the park along the road
Instead of hearing the sounds of the birds of LBA Woods you will hear the sounds of road noise.
Link to Plants and Birds found in LBA Woods www.lbawoodspark.org/whats-at-stake/
Log Cabin Congestion.mp4A 2006 City of Olympia study estimated that building the Log Cabin extension would reduce traffic on Boulevard by 6,000 vehicles per day and increase traffic on Log Cabin Road. Increased traffic will result in increased noise and more congestion. Worse, as I-5 becomes more congested Google Maps and Waze applications will redirect traffic around the congestion through the park and into our neighborhoods.
A 2006 City of Olympia study estimated that building the Log Cabin extension would reduce traffic on Boulevard by 6,000 vehicles per day and increase traffic on Log Cabin Road. Increased traffic will result in increased noise and more congestion. Worse, as I-5 becomes more congested Google Maps and Waze applications will redirect traffic around the congestion through the park and into our neighborhoods.
This video shows what happens even now on Log Cabin when I-5 gets tied-up.
This video shows what happens even now on Log Cabin when I-5 gets tied-up.
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