Letters to the County

The Gathering Place Letters to the County

Hello Open Lifers,

We want to extend an opportunity to write letters addressing the Pierce County Planning and Public Works Staff regarding Support of The Gathering Place.  This letter will serve to encourage forward progress with both administrative approval of a setback and will be submitted with our permitting paperwork following.

Currently we are attempting to move forward to receive an administrative approval to reduce the building setback along 234th Avenue East from 25 feet to 20 feet. This has been our hold up for a year with the County. It would allow us to build out a lobby in order to create an entrance that extends towards the parking and adjust our bathrooms to be off the lobby vs. off the main room within the space. Once this is approved we can submit our permits and begin working on building out the additions of a lobby and then in back the kitchen and general use rooms for ministry use.

Our architectural firm, Innova Architects, has encouraged our letters be submitted by the 9th of January to thadh@openlife.church in order to attach to a new submission to the county requesting their Administrative Approval. Please do not send the letters directly to the county as they may be lost in the shuffle. We will be attaching them to a fresh submittal to the Administrative Staff at the end of next week and then saving them to resubmit with permitting. They have also encouraged us to coach the writing of these letters to be in a positive tone and pointing towards the current needs and future benefits of the facility in its future form.

Instead of highlighting how long this project is taking the County, we want to help the County see the positive impact this facility will bring to the community at large, benefitting the greater good within this area of the County upon their prompt approval.

Things you might consider including that are a benefit to the community could be:

• Greater capacity for youth outreach
• A more accessible building for those with accessibility issues
• A space that will provide weekly community dinners, for people desiring connection with others and a hot meal 
  • These meals will partner with local farmers to reduce waste from produce not sold at Farmers Markets on the weekends
• A smaller community space available to those who face the need for funerals, weddings, company meetings, HOA meetings, local School Staff meetings and more
• A space to continue hosting distribution partnerships with non-profits within the community (Bonney Lake Giving Tree, Sumner Family Center, GoodRoots Northwest, Olive Crest Foster Agency, Veterans Housing Village and more in partnership with World Vision) 
• A space to host Kids at Play events for East Pierce County families
• A space to host courses for families, married couples, youth and more.
• Continue to serve the White River School District as an emergency pick up location during inclement weather or school events

The top of your letter should be addressed like this

1/2/2025

Pierce County Planning and Public Works
2401 South 35 th Street, Room 2
Tacoma, WA 98409-7460

RE:   Open Life Church, Letter in Support of The Gathering Place
         10411 234 th Avenue East – Bonney Lake, WA
Parcel(s): 0159013050
Project No:22-038

Subject: Support of The Gathering Place

Dear Staff,

Put your content there and then…

Sincerely,

Your Name
Who you are…like Open Life Member, Resident of East Pierce County

If you have further questions, please email thadh@openlife.church and I will get back to you quickly as we want to see this facility permitted this year and open the doors to greater service to our community and members within 2025.

- Thad