Holiday Closure: President’s Day
Lakewood City Hall, the lobby of the Lakewood police station and city operations will be closed Monday, Feb. 17, 2025 in observance of President’s Day.
Emergency services and police patrols will operate on a normal schedule and are not impacted by the closure.
Regular operations resume Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. The Lakewood City Council meeting is Tuesday at 6 p.m. with a regular meeting followed by a study session.
Public Hearing: Proposed Expansions of Residential Target Areas
The Lakewood Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. about proposed expansions to the Residential Target Areas where the city’s Multifamily Tax Exemption program could apply.
Two amendments to the Multifamily Tax Exemption program (MFTE) regulations are also proposed. There are no proposed changes to the zoning or allowed uses within any MFTE-eligible area.
The public hearing will be held at Lakewood City Hall in Council Chambers, 6000 Main Street SW. People can attend in person and provide comments at the meeting or join remotely and provide testimony via Zoom.
Read more about what is proposed and for details about how to submit written comments before the meeting.
Hidden Heroes: Darwin & Shartrice Peters
Darwin Peters II and Shartrice Peters are our Hidden Heroes for week 2. The dynamic duo are devoted community leaders and coaches, focused on improving the lives of Lakewood youth and providing them with mentorship and support.
Read more about the couple and how they’ve given back to Lakewood over the years.
The goal of Hidden Heroes is to raise the visibility of Black and African American leaders in our community. The focus is on celebrating their accomplishments and bringing to light lesser-known individuals who have made a big impact either on their local community, in their profession, or on the global scale.
Learn more about these heroes by reading about them on the City of Lakewood’s website or by following the city’s Facebook and Instagram accounts. Want to receive the information in an email? Click this link to sign up using the form at the bottom of the page.
Drop in for winter wellness programming
Chase away the winter chill with wellness programming offered by the City of Lakewood.
Available classes include Gentle Yoga, Fusion Yoga, a new four-week Kirtan Chanting class and a Sound Healing workshop on Feb. 23.
Classes are offered at the indoor Pavilion at Fort Steilacoom Park, 9107 Angle Lane SW. Unable to commit to a full session? The following classes allow drop-ins for $12 per class:
- Gentle Yoga, Mondays, 4:45-5:45 p.m.
- Gentle Yoga, Thursdays, 4:45-5:45 p.m.
- Fusion Yoga, Thursdays, 6-7 p.m.
Find class descriptions, registration links and more information about drop-ins online.
Council Corner: Feb. 10 meeting recap
Natural Environment and Climate Change (NECC) Program, implementation plan and work plan review. The Lakewood City Council heard from Planning Division Manager Tiffany Speir about the creation of a Natural Environment and Climate Change program that will guide the city’s efforts around things like urban forestry and climate change policy. Once developed, the program will include policy direction, a 10-plus year implementation plan, and a three-to-five-year work plan. The NECC Program and plans will replace the city’s adopted 2022 Three-Year Energy & Climate Change Work Plan.
Watch the meeting.
What’s on Deck? The Lakewood City Council meets Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025 at 6 p.m. for a regular meeting followed by a study session in Council Chambers.Tentative agenda items include:
- Business Showcase: State Farm Insurance, Juanita Lanier.
- Authorizing the execution of an agreement with SMS Cleaning, Inc, in the amount of $135,023 for custodial services.
- Authorizing the City Manager to accept $67,000 in sponsorship donations from Amazon, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Pierce Transit, Washington State Employee Credit Union, Vibrant Schools and friends and Twin Star Credit Union to support City of Lakewood programs and events.
- Authorizing the execution of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the City of Lakewood and Partners for Parks (PFP) to support payment of A&E services for H-Barn Project.
- Authorizing the execution of an agreement with Graham Baba Architects, in the amount of $981,367, for design services for the H-Barn Project.
How to attend: Attend in person at Lakewood City Hall, 6000 Main Street SW. Attend virtually via Zoom (or dial 253-215-8782 and enter meeting ID: 868 7263 2373), or watch live on the city’s YouTube channel.
Police Chief’s Corner
Each week Lakewood Police Chief Patrick D. Smith shares a summary that includes a look at total calls for service the Lakewood Police Department responded to for the prior week. The intent of the summary is to show a snapshot of how the department works to keep the community safe. To see quarterly statistical analysis, visit the Lakewood Police Department crime statistics page on the city website.
Weekly summary Feb. 4-11, 2025
- Calls for Service: 887 (up 1% from prior week)
- Arrests: 45 (down 24% from prior week)
- Violent Crime: 25 (down 22% from prior week)
- Property Crime: 65 (down 4% from prior week)
- Traffic Stops: 120 (up 11% from prior week)
- Collisions (reportable): 19 (down 10% from prior week)
Attend a Neighborhood Association meeting in 2025
Neighborhood associations play a crucial role in fostering community engagement and improving the quality of life in local neighborhoods. Through its Neighborhood Connections program, the City of Lakewood aims to not only better connect the community, but also help residents better understand city processes.
There are currently six Neighborhood Associations in Lakewood. Five meet regularly. The meeting times and locations are listed below. All residents are invited and encouraged to attend an upcoming meeting for their respective neighborhood. Find out more about the Neighborhood Connections Program online.
Attend a Neighborhood Association meeting
- Fort Steilacoom Neighborhood Association
- Meets: Feb. 18, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. (meets the third Tuesday of the month)
- Location: The Pavilion in Fort Steilacoom Park, 9107 Angle Lane SW
- Springbrook Community Meetings
- Meets: Feb. 20, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. (meets the third Thursday of the month)
- Location: Springbrook Connections, 5105 Solberg Dr SW #A
- Tillicum/Woodbrook Neighborhood Association
- Meets: The second Tuesday of the month.
- Location: Tillicum-American Lake Gardens Community Center, 14916 Washington Ave SW.
- Downtown Neighborhood Association
- Meets: Meets the second Wednesday of the month.
- Location: Interim Lakewood Library, 10202 Gravelly Lake Dr. SW
- Lake City Neighborhood Association
- Meets: Every other month. Next meeting is March 13, 2025 at 7 p.m.
- Location: West Pierce Fire & Rescue station, 8517 Washington Blvd. SW
- North Lakewood Neighborhood Association
- No meetings scheduled.
Community events
Lakewood Playhouse presents “The Laramie Project”
In honoring the memory and legacy of Matthew Shepard, this production of “The Laramie Project” strives to inspire the community to see themselves in the citizens of Laramie and reflect on their own reaction to recent attacks on the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, locally and nationally. With a cast composed of local actors, this production will bring a whole new perspective on the work by putting community at the center of the storytelling and offering space for conversation and reflection. What can we learn about ourselves by examining the words and actions of another community?
The show runs Feb. 21-March 9, 2025, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. The “pay what you can” and industry night is Sunday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Call the Box Office at (253) 588-0042 or visit www.lakewoodplayhouse.org to book tickets online.
Sign up for Lakewood Alert (Code Red)
The City of Lakewood uses Code Red, an alert service, to notify residents of important information happening in the city.
If there is an emergency that requires public notification, we will use Lakewood Alert as one way to communicate. We will also post information to our website and social media channels.
Subscribers can sign up to receive text and email alerts. People can also sign up for important non-emergency updates including information about road impacts from large events in the city or information about special events.
Find out more and sign up today.
Road project updates
Steilacoom Boulevard Weller to 87th Ave: The contractor continues work on the north side of Steilacoom Boulevard with one westbound lane closed. Work is focused on resolving utility conflicts and installing new storm system installations. This must be done before placing new curb and gutter, sidewalks and curb ramps. Once the work is done on the north side of the project, the contractor will move to the south side to complete new curb and sidewalk there. Paving is anticipated in May/June. New traffic signals will be installed in the fall.
84th and Pine: Permanent signage is installed; the signal-arm mounted luminaires will be installed Friday. Once this is complete, the project is complete, pending final inspection.
Rose Road Sanitary Sewer Project: Work is anticipated to start early March. The contractor will be placing “no parking” signage the week of Feb. 24. Segments of Rose, Forest, and Fern will be closed for the work. This closure/work will be in place through June 2025.
South Tacoma Way Overlay 96th to Steilacoom Blvd.: Miles Resources is expected to start work in early March. This work will be largely completed over a two-week period with minor lane closures during the day. The grinding/paving will be completed over the period of a week in April/May with striping also taking a few nights. A new traffic signal will be erected in late fall.
South Tacoma Way & 92nd signal replacement: Work is expected to begin in March.
South Tacoma Way 88th to north city limits: Lakewood Water District is completing work now. Its contractor has taken one southbound lane and moved the other to the two-way left turn lane. The water district’s contractor will be in the area until mid- to late-March, working Monday to Saturday. The city’s contractor will start the city’s portion of road improvement work once the water district project is done. Construction is expected to go into late summer/early fall.
Bridgeport Way 75th to north city limits: Pierce County Sewer has an emergency repair starting of its interceptor line along Bridgeport Way through the entire city limits and into University Place. They will start reducing traffic lanes soon. For more information visit Pierce County’s website.
Parks project updates
American Lake Park: Construction continues on the upland retaining walls. The new 16-foot by 20-foot shelter is installed. Completion is anticipated by June.
Wards Lake Park Improvements: Clearing of invasive species throughout the park is underway and restoration of the existing pedestrian bridges has begun. Grading for the new bridge abutments spanning Wards Lake are anticipated to begin next week. The 35-acre park will remain closed through November 2025 while the city’s contractor makes major upgrades to this park.
The Big One: Relocation of the Tenzler Log: Construction of a shelter around the log is complete. The log was refinished to protect and seal the monument, and installation of a wire mesh to protect the round is nearing completion. Seeding will be installed once the weather warms up before the official “unveiling” of the round in its new home at Fort Steilacoom Park.
Westlake Avenue Street End Pilot project: The Parks and Recreation Community Advisory Board is hosting a public meeting March 8 at the end of Westlake Avenue from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to talk to neighbors about developing the street end into a public access point for Lake Steilacoom. This is an opportunity to share thoughts on the city’s plans to increase public access to the lake. Look for the City of Lakewood pop up tent on site for the meeting.
Chambers Creek Trail. The city partnered with Pierce County and University Place on a project to improve access along Chambers Creek between the City of Lakewood and University Place. Pierce County recently completed the construction of a boardwalk. Pierce County Trails crews will begin work on the soft surface portion of this trail this month. The first section of the trail will open to the public in spring 2025, with the remaining two sections of trail opening throughout the spring and summer as trail crews complete work. The public should expect trail closures during this work.Please be aware of trail signage and stay on the open trails.
Other park projects planned for 2025:
Primley Park playground replacement: A community work day is postponed due to delays in delivery of the new playground equipment.
Oakbrook Park: A new picnic shelter is on order and design is ongoing for a trail inside the park permitter that will be installed before the busy summer season.
New park signs: Park signs will be replaced this year with updated designs. Expect the signs in place by summer.
Historic H-Barn revitalization: Grants and community funding continues to come in to support the preservation of the H-barn at Fort Steilacoom Park. Local nonprofit Partners for Parks is working to raise $3.5 million to match a $4 million commitment from the city. Design work will start in early spring to determine building and code needs, as well as cost estimates.
Harry Todd pickleball courts: Four new pickleball courts will be developed at Harry Todd Park this year. The city has submitted permits for this work. The courts should be available for public use by fall 2025.
Nisqually Loop Trail Fort Steilacoom Park: In partnership with the Nisqually Tribe the city will install several interpretive exhibits along the Nisqually Loop Trail in the southeast area of the park. The exhibits will be located along a 1-mile trail and include Nisqually art, educational information and Lushootseed language. Construction is anticipated to occur late summer-fall of 2025.