SEATTLE — Concerns from the Puyallup and Muckleshoot Tribes over the construction of a new megachurch in Milton were overlooked by the city, according to an Indigenous rights lawyer who says the new build could be violating treaty rights.
The megachurch is prompting environmental, traffic and housing concerns from multiple groups. The Salvation Baptist Church bought a single-family zoned piece of land to build the 92-thousand-square-foot building.
"I saw the trees go down last week and that was sad," said Milton resident Jeoffrey Cross.
"The sanctuary holds 2,000 people in one seating so that's a lot of people coming," said Chris Phillips who lives a block away from the property. After fighting the construction of the church for years, Phillips says her hopes diminished when the trees were cut down. "I just don't want to see it happen, but then again, I feel like it's a done deal and I'm done with it."
The City of Milton conducted the necessary state environmental reviews before construction and found two wetlands and a stream to Surprise Lake with endangered Coho Salmon on the site. The Puyallup and Muckleshoot Tribes wrote letters to the City of Milton in 2021 with their main concerns focusing on fish blockage and stormwater infiltration that could result in the death of the fish. The city responded to the Puyallup Tribe by inviting them to a public comment session.
"The fact that the tribes were invited to public comment and in fact their comments were treated as public comments rather than intergovernmental communications is very telling," said Gabriel Galanda who does not represent Puyallup or Muckleshoot Tribes but is an Indigenous rights lawyer. He said even the hearing examiner, who reviewed the project, listed the Tribes' letters in the public comments section when they should have been held in higher regard.
"If it's not illegal, they certainly violated best practices," said Galanda who believes more should have been done to address the Tribes' concerns. He said the city should have made more of an effort to meet with the Tribes per treaty agreements.
"It seems the City of Milton or at least its politicians don't appreciate the supremacy of Indian treaty rights and particularly fishing rights," said Galanda.
Former Milton Public Works Director Nick Afzali resigned in 2021 over the project. In his resignation letter, obtained by KING 5, he wrote in part the church "does not align with my core values as a professional who has been serving the public… for the last thirty years." Afzali was the State Environmental Policy Act official who conducted the environmental reviews.
"They had 20 acres and they are pretty much filling up every square foot except where there are wetlands and streams," said Phillips.
This is what Phillips, a former architect, had to say when asked if the city did everything right: "No. That is my professional and personal opinion."
KING 5 reached out to Milton Mayor Shanna Styron Sherrell multiple times about how the city handled the project. She declined to comment for this story but said the church went through neighborhood meetings, city council meetings, public hearings, and appeals.
Even after all of that, Galanda believes it's not too late for the city to respond.
"The project should be paused, and the City of Milton should engage in government-to-government consultation with the Puyallup and Muckleshoot Tribal nations regarding the impacts this project will have on treaty rights," Galanda said.
Trees have recently been cut down and construction work is currently happening. KING 5 should learn more about the church's plans through the permitting process in the coming months.
A spokesperson for the church told KING 5 they chose that property because of its proximity to their other church. When asked about environmental concerns, they pointed to the long approval process but declined to answer additional questions.