The city of Bonney Lake will officially oppose the approval of Sumner’s Orton Junction Urban Growth Area amendment before the Pierce County Regional Council Thursday evening.

Councilmember and PCRC Representative Mark Hamilton asked the council during the July 19 study session for an opinion on how to vote when the PCRC addresses the issue, pointing out that if approved, Orton Junction would provide “an economic threat” to Bonney Lake.

The council agreed with Hamilton’s assessment and told him to oppose the UGA amendment before the Regional Council.

Orton Junction is a 182-acre parcel located just to the south of Sumner city limits off of 166th Avenue East. The land sits behind the current car dealerships and retailers to the south of state Route 410 and includes much of the farmland visible from the highway.

The land would also include Sumner’s YMCA facility, but 122 acres of the land would be re-designated for commercial applications.

Bonney Lake officials were clear that they support a YMCA, but cannot support the entire project because of the threat to their Downtown and Eastown plans the commercial land would represent.

Hamilton called the YMCA a “good thing” but said he believed economic influences “gobbled up this whole thing.”

“It certainly doesn’t need retail,” he said.

Hamilton and the council were particularly upset that nowhere in Sumner’s application was the Bonney Lake commercial lands available.

NOne of it, and I mean none of it … mentioned the city of Bonney Lake,” Hamilton said during his presentation to the council on the issue. “It’s like the city of Bonney Lake doesn’t exist.”

Hamilton said such a large parcel of commercial land would threaten the Downtown, less than two miles up the hill, as well as the 174-acres of Eastown, less than six miles away.

“Hence, there’s no need for Orton Junction,” he said.

Hamilton also cited the 2007 Pierce County buildable lands report that cited Sumner as the Pierce County city most overcapacity on commercial lands, as reason to oppose the amendment.

Though no official vote was taken, councilmembers gave Hamilton their approval to oppose the amendment before the regional council and to give the same presentation he gave Tuesday, which included maps highlighting the proximity of readily-developable commercial lands.

“It’s direct competition with us up here,” Councilmember Jim Rackley said.

The Pierce County Regional Council meets tonight, Thursday and is expected to make a recommendation to the Pierce County Council.

A final decision on the UGA amendments in both Sumner and Bonney Lake is expected Tuesday.