2022-07-26_PlanningCommission_ChehalisWestlundEnbody_TestimonyJuly 25, 2022
To: Lewis County Planned Growth Committee Subject: Chehalis Embarks on Process to Increase Urban Growth Area
My wife (Dalene) and I (Paul) own a working Certified Organic family farm that is very near to the acreage you are in discussion about for UGA expansion. The traffic, noise, garbage, and litter would
all increase on Kirkland Road. Another issue of importance is the high amount of additional pollution
that would be added to the Newaukum River. The Newaukum in recent years has become cleaner and is supporting more fish. A housing development would jeopardize the hard fought gains this river has made.
Housing developments won’t hesitate to use inorganic herbicides (Roundup), fertilizers, and pesticides,
all of which find their way into the waterways, which are detrimental to not only the fish, but all wildlife. Another huge concern is the amount of added traffic that will clog an already extremely stressed
interchange at I-5, exit 72. This interchange is currently at maximum capacity and cannot handle any
more traffic. Both the Chehalis-Breen UGA expansion and the Chehalis-Westlund-Enbody expansion would make a large impact on the traffic problems that already exist at this exit. For these reasons and more we are against both of the Chehalis UGA expansion plans.
Paul and Dalene Olson 282 Kirkland Rd.
Chehalis, WA 98532