A photo of a cleared wide swath of land where blackberry bushes were cut down and a fence wtih a blue house and white trim in the background. In the foreground green plants with blue flowers are in bloom. Someone cut down the invasive species on this city-owned street-end on Westlake Avenue sometime in the spring 2025.

Clearing public land of vegetation requires city approval

A photo of a cleared wide swath of land where blackberry bushes were cut down and a fence wtih a blue house and white trim in the background. In the foreground green plants with blue flowers are in bloom. Someone cut down the invasive species on this city-owned street-end on Westlake Avenue sometime in the spring 2025.
This section of city-owned land was recently cleared of blackberries without city permission or approval. Photo taken May 7, 2025.

May 9, 2025

This week we learned vegetation was removed from the public right-of-way on Westlake Avenue where the street ends at Lake Steilacoom.

The work that was done – removal of invasive species like blackberries – was unauthorized. This type of work requires city approval before it can be done. Specifically, removal of vegetation on the lake requires a shoreline exemption permit. Work within the city’s right-of-way also requires a right-of-way permit.

These permits are required to make sure any vegetation removed does not result in erosion issues on the shoreline or other environmental damage. The right-of-way permit covers concerns about liability and people doing work on city-owned property, among other requirements.

Last year we saw volunteers with good intentions cause damage to the lake access point off 100th Street on Lake Steilacoom. The removal of vegetation and subsequent work that was done resulted in the Department of Ecology visiting the site and requiring the city to repair the damage to protect the shoreline. This came at an additional cost to the city, and ultimately taxpayers, for the corrective action that was required.

While we appreciate the public’s enthusiasm to remove invasive species and try to open access to the lake using the city-owned street ends, people are asked not to remove vegetation without city approval or the necessary permits. If you see someone removing vegetation from a public street end, please report it to the city by calling the non-emergency number: 253-287-4455.

We are in the process of creating a volunteer program to engage people interested in clearing these sites and helping maintain them. The goal of the program is to make it easier for volunteers to be able to clear street ends in accordance with environmental regulations.

Specific to Westlake Avenue, we are actively designing a public access point to the lake at this location. We are working with the neighborhood to gather feedback and develop the site in a way that is appropriate for the area. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

Read more about the city’s street ends in this 2023 street end report.

Read a summary of a public meeting to hear neighborhood opinions about developing Westlake Avenue into public access to the lake.