The Des Moines City Council convened on Thursday, June 12, 2025, for a session that balanced future growth with community celebration.
Discussions were dominated by housing and development, with the council giving a green light to a controversial mixed-use project in Woodmont despite resident concerns over traffic and school crowding.
The council also unanimously approved updated regulations for Middle Housing and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to comply with new state laws.
In addition, the council received key updates on the SR 509 Completion Project, the outcomes of the 2025 state legislative session, and celebrated a milestone with a proclamation honoring the 20th anniversary of the popular Des Moines Farmers Market.
Proclamation Celebrates 20 Years Of Des Moines Farmers Market
Opening day of the 20th season of Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market was on Saturday June 9, and record crowds were in attendance. According to organizers, over 7,000 people came to the market to enjoy the fresh produce, crafts, and delicacies of local vendors. Mayor Traci Buxton read a proclamation, which can be found at the link above, celebrating this community establishment.
Market volunteers gave out $700 in senior and low-income benefits on Saturday, through programs that aim to make healthy food more accessible. Councilmember Matt Mahoney mentioned that they can always use more volunteers and board members to help keep the market going. Information on volunteering as well as special events at the market can be found on their website.
State Route 509 Completion Project Update
The council heard a presentation on where Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is at with the SR 509 Completion Project currently underway. They stated that the goal of the project is to enhance the state’s competitiveness in trade by completing connections between the ports of Seattle and Tacoma.
After the new stretch of 509 is finished, there will be tolls. Tolls will likely be $1.20 to $2.40, depending on time of day. In addition, there will be senior and low income discounts. Trucks will pay more, depending on size. WSDOT will have information for the public and be available to answer questions at the farmers market on July 19.
2025 Legislative Session Report
The 2025 Washington State Legislative session had a packed agenda, with over 2,400 bills introduced. They also faced a $16 Billion dollar deficit, and a 30% turnover rate, meaning that a lot of our current lawmakers are new to the job. According to the presentation, the outcome was relatively favorable for the city.
While the city put out a request for the state to lift the 1% property tax cap, that bill did not get the support it needed during this session. Instead, cities can now choose to add a .01% sales tax to fund public safety. This could mean hundreds of thousands in revenue for Des Moines. However, there are many hoops to jump through in order to qualify for this sales tax lift, and City Manager Katherine Caffrey said the city shouldn’t count on seeing funds from this bill, as it is already being legally challenged.
There was also an increase in the gas tax, and part of that revenue will be shared with cities. In addition, another million dollar grant was secured for the Marina Steps project. Finally, a UW program received $440,000 for air quality monitoring equipment that will track particulates in the air surrounding SeaTac airport. The Mosquito Fleet ferry program passed the House but not the Senate, and will be back for discussion next year.
Controversial Woodmont Development to Proceed
Nearly 8 acres at 26915 Pacific Highway are likely to be developed into market rate housing with businesses on the ground floor. The property has been vacant for 20 years, and according to the presentation, not well-managed. The development will include 290 residential market-rate apartments, plus 7,500 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor. There will also be a resident fitness center and pool.
During Public Comments, many neighbors of the development expressed concerns about the amount of people this would bring to the area. They said traffic is already terrible on that road, and to have so many new residents trying to turn into their parking area will only make it worse. Another concern addressed crowding in the local school, which is already over-capacity and can’t accommodate more students. They also raised concerns around struggling businesses and crime in the area, saying that these should be addressed before building anything new.
A full traffic study will be performed at a later date, and that information will be brought back to the council. As far as the school crowding issue, it was noted that market-rate units have far fewer kids than affordable housing units, so the local school could expect to see around 30 new students once the development is in use. No one from the school district made it to this meeting, but this information was relayed by staff.
Councilmember Jeremy Nutting noted that the city has to meet state requirements for housing targets. In addition, the gentrification that comes with 290 new housing units will help correct issues that some neighbors raised. Councilmember Matt Mahoney said this has been a nuisance property over the years and this development will alleviate those problems. Mayor Traci Buxton said anything going into that property is going to have impacts, and that this development will actually help to activate the property in a positive way. The new residents will reinvigorate Redondo Square, which currently has struggling businesses.
Councilmember JC Harris said he wants more housing, but not until the city’s tree code and sound insulation codes are updated. He was the lone no vote on moving this development agreement forward.
Middle Housing & Accessory Dwelling Units
The council unanimously approved updating regulations around Middle Housing and ADUs, which have been presented and discussed over the last several meetings. Both ordinances aim to comply with new state laws around increased density for a growing population.
