Tumwater moving forward
Dear Tumwater community,
You did not elect me to be complacent.
Since I last wrote, I have continued working with dedicated City staff to better understand the challenges and push for progress on two properties our community cares deeply about.
Progress does not always happen all at once. But that does not mean we stop asking questions, pressing for action, or looking for a path forward.
Falls Terrace Restaurant
There are two truths we can hold at the same time. Falls Terrace is a special place where generations of people have celebrated milestones, shared meals, and made memories. And it is privately owned property. The owner has told us he would like to reopen the restaurant, but there is not currently a timetable for doing so.
The City’s role is limited, but that doesn’t mean we disengage. We will keep the lines of communication open, stay connected with the owner, and continue to convey the community’s interest in seeing something positive happen with this important property.
The brewery properties
This is different.
The brewery properties have been deteriorating for years. Children have grown from babies to adults while these properties have become increasingly unkempt, unsafe, and unproductive. We need a different approach…and we are taking one.
We have gained access to better assess conditions on the property. We completed the second phase of environmental assessments and did not identify additional environmental challenges. And the property owners have begun seeking permits to abate and demolish some of the smaller outbuildings.
The City’s preference is to achieve compliance through cooperation. But cooperation does not mean accepting continued delays or a lack of meaningful progress. We will enforce our City codes and expect steady, visible movement toward a better outcome.
These are two very different properties, with different circumstances and different tools available to the City. But our goal is the same: progress.
We will continue doing what we can, using the authority we have, to move both toward better outcomes for Tumwater.
There is more work to do. We are doing it. And I will keep you updated.
Leatta Dahlhoff
Mayor, City of Tumwater
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