As anticipated, about 50 residents gathered at an space nook Saturday morning to protest a proposed improvement in northeast Lacey.

The residents, all of whom dwell in close by neighborhoods, carried indicators and rang cowbells in opposition to Meridian Market and Fuel, a comfort retailer with fuel pumps that has been proposed for the nook of Campus Glen Drive and Willamette Drive. That location is throughout from Meridian Neighborhood Park.

Nobody spoke in assist of the proposal.

Kristine Padgett mentioned she’s involved about a rise in site visitors for the park and the scholars who journey to and from Salish Center Faculty. She mentioned the realm doesn’t want one other fuel station — there are loads within the surrounding space — and thinks the event might grow to be an attraction for undesirable behaviors, resembling drug use.

“We don’t want our kids uncovered to the danger of undesirable actions in our neighborhood,” Padgett mentioned.

Maureen Bard shared some environmental worries, noticing a rise of stormwater runoff within the space, and the way that runoff is forming ponds in areas the place it usually wouldn’t. Cowl the realm with extra impermeable surfaces and there’s certain to be extra runoff, she mentioned.

Meridian Campus residential house owners affiliation President Ron Germeaux mentioned he has nice considerations a couple of gasoline station getting in throughout from a park and close to a faculty.

“The foremost factor is that it’s an uncommon spot for a fuel station in the midst of a residential neighborhood,” he mentioned. “There are many fuel stations to serve this group.”

If the proposal was only a retailer, the group is perhaps , he mentioned. As a substitute, it’s a proposed gasoline station subsequent to wetlands, a faculty and heavy foot site visitors.

“It simply doesn’t make sense to us,” Germeaux mentioned.

In accordance with metropolis info, the event has been proposed by a gaggle referred to as Northwest Traders LLC of Federal Method. A story of the proposal doesn’t communicate to the necessity for gasoline, however it does to the shop.

“Having lived in Thurston County for the final 38 years, we’ve got skilled the frustration and problem of crossing the I-5 bridge to buy groceries,” the narrative reads. “That is the primary cause we’re eager to cater to the group of Meridian Campus. We’re native residents and wish to give again to our group, aiming for ease of entry and effectivity for householders within the space.”

Rebecca Wilcox mentioned she would assist the proposal if it was a small restaurant, or a farmers market, or one thing like Spud’s, the favored neighborhood market with areas in Olympia and Tumwater.

However the space doesn’t want a fuel station that can appeal to extra automobile and truck site visitors from the freeway, she mentioned.

“I don’t suppose we needs to be including extra fuel stations once we’re making an attempt to maneuver away from fossil fuels,” added resident Geoff Browning, who not solely lives close by however who additionally often picks up litter on his walks.

“There are numerous causes to say no to this,” he mentioned. Browning hopes the Lacey Metropolis Council is listening.

Justin Nelson attended the gathering along with his kids. His largest concern is that his children board a faculty bus a brief distance from the proposed improvement website.

“The rise in site visitors generated by a fuel station raises our considerations as mother and father,” he mentioned.

Like Germeaux, Emily Ingersoll thinks it’s an odd place for a fuel station.

“We’d like extra issues round this space that assist our kids and the expansion of our group,” she mentioned.

Lacey senior planner Samra Seymour mentioned final week that the proposal is ready to return earlier than the Lacey hearings examiner in early April.

Rolf has labored at The Olympian since August 2005. He covers breaking information, town of Lacey and enterprise for the paper. Rolf graduated from The Evergreen State School in 1990.