Your Home Town Bulletin • October 2026

NW Landing office closed October 12

The Northwest Landing office will be closed Monday, October 12, for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The office will reopen Tuesday, October 13, at 9 a.m.

Indigenous People in DuPont

Indigenous Peoples’ Day is celebrated on the same day as Columbus Day. King County and the cities of Olympia, Seattle, and Spokane also recognize the day in honor of Washington’s indigenous people (First People). The Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Cowlitz Indian Tribe both own property in and around DuPont. The Nisqually people built a traditional longhouse off Mounts Road on the former Braget farm. The Lushootseed phrase “sxwdaɁdəb” on the front of the longhouse means “a place to gather your spirit power.” The tribe also owns acreage in the Old Fort Lake area above Sequalitchew Creek and adjacent to the DuPont Civic Center. 

The Cowlitz Tribe operates a tribal member service office located at 1000 Davis Place, near Bell Hill. 

 

Sign up for Tour of Halloween Homes

Get ready for the 2026 Tour of Halloween Homes! Sign up for the Halloween decorating contest here.

Oh! And then there’s Pumpkin People!

The DuPont Chamber of Commerce is hosting Pumpkin People, beginning with a launch party at The Hive Market on Saturday, October 17, at 11 a.m. 

From October 17 through October 31, businesses and organizations will display “Pumpkin People” creations down Wilmington Drive. Community members and visitors are invited to participate by walking through town, enjoying the displays, and capturing memories with photos. You are encouraged to share your favorites on social media using #DuPontPumpkinPeople. Vote for Pumpkin People People’s Choice here.

Fall Cleanup 2026 with Lemay Pierce County Refuse

The City of Dupont, with LeMay Pierce County Refuse, is offering clean-up of your unwanted materials on Saturday, October 17, starting at 8 a.m. Curbside pickup only. There will be no bulk waste drop-off site. Place your unwanted materials in bags or boxes no heavier than 45 pounds each. Place them at your regular pickup location by 8 a.m. Make sure bags or boxes are securely closed to protect contents from weather and wildlife. No hazardous materials! These include antifreeze, flammable liquids, fluorescent bulbs, oil-based paints, insecticides, and garden chemicals.

While we’re talking ‘cleanup’, help keep neighborhood green spaces clean

Our compliance officer is seeing more green spaces with trash and toys left behind. In one area, near the Willson St. playground, landscape rocks have been displaced, often into the lawn area. Please be sure to pack trash and belongings out after you have visited one of the ROA’s green spaces. 

 

 

 

 

Quick cleanup after September 25 rain and wind

With 30 mph winds and heavy rain on September 25, branches and trees came down on streets, parks, and ROA green spaces. A tree in a green space on Montgomery Street came down. City Public Works quickly cut up the tree and Premier Landcare, our landscape company, quickly cleaned up the tree trunk and branches. All within an hour!

Put those window air conditioners away

Window mounted air conditioners are allowed in the front and side of homes from May 1 to September 30. Permanent window mounted air conditioning units are allowed in windows at the back of the house.

Protect migrating birds at night

It’s the beginning of fall migration for thousands of birds – most of which fly at night. That’s why it’s important that outdoor lights are shielded so they face downward and not up into the sky. Turn off any non-essential lighting by 10 p.m. We live next to the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. What many of us love about living here is the wildlife. Let’s do our part and protect our wild neighbors. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Threats to Birds, Collisions from Nighttime Lighting
Cornell Lab of Ornithology estimates that as many as a billion birds die each year from flying into buildings. “Shutting off lights during migration and taking other measures, like installing window films on the glass’s exterior, can save birds. A study published in the journal Biological Conservation in 2020 suggested that extinguishing even some light during migration can benefit birds attracted to the artificial radiance.”
Next steps for revised Resident Handbook

The ROA Board of Directors received comments from nine members about the revised Resident Handbook that was mailed in August. The board reviewed suggestions and will make changes before distributing a new version of the Resident Handbook in January. Thank you to ROA members who brought concerns to the board’s attention. The goal for this revision was to make the content more understandable. There are also a number of changes needed with the new state law – Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act or WUCIOA – coming into effect.

 

Thank you for taking part in our August membership survey!

We received many thoughtful comments, suggestions and questions from the 164 members who participated in our August survey. Look for more answers in future Your Home Town bulletins. The ROA Board of Directors will also be considering some added programs, such as a community forum and orientation sessions for new residents. You can read the 26-page report here. We are also sharing the results (but not names, addresses and phone numbers) with City of DuPont officials. It’s clear that many residents aren’t sure which parts of DuPont are overseen by the Northwest Landing Residential Owners Association and the city. Essentially, the ROA maintains green spaces, alleys, and cluster mailboxes. Most ROA green spaces have maroon-colored park benches. Trails, streets, roads, sidewalks and parks are under the city’s jurisdiction. 

 

Northwest Landing Events

REGISTER FOR EVENTS HERE

Board of Directors – 5:30 p.m. • Wednesday • October 7, 2025 – via Zoom. Email to receive Zoom hyperlink. Please contact staff at if you have questions or concerns a violation notice or want to report a problem with a Northwest Landing property. Last board meeting for 2026: December 16-3 p.m.

Budget Ratification Meeting – 6 p.m. • Wednesday • November 18 • via Zoom. Email to receive Zoom hyperlink.

Property Improvement Committee (PIC) – meetings are generally held at 5:30 p.m. – 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month. Except for underground irrigation systems, this committee must review all exterior modifications, including painting, roofing, adding central air conditioning, heat pump or solar panels, fences, sheds, patios, patio covers, decks, landscape renovations, adding or removing trees. Some projects may also require a city permit. Underground irrigation systems require a city permit. Property Improvement forms can be downloaded from the homeowner’s portal on the website. Go to Member Logins. After you login, click on Documents, then open the folder Property Improvement Committee Forms. Call 253-964-1289 if you need help finding PIC forms.

Residential New Construction Committee (RNCC) – meetings are scheduled at 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. as necessary – 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, plus March 31, June 30, and September 29. This committee must review all new construction, for example a home addition, or a new home, and appeals of decisions made by the Property Improvement Committee.

Family, neighbors and sunflower fun!

Several Northwest Landing families visited Schilter Farm in late August for the Sunflower Festival. More photos here.

 

 

 

Dear ROA,

I just got a notice from the ROA that I need to clean the siding on my house. I usually do that once a year in the spring. If I do it now, it’ll just get dirty again after our rainy winter.

– Sidelined by dirty siding

Dear Sidelined,

Although it’s true that cleaning siding is recommended for the spring, if your siding is so dirty that our compliance officer could see it easily from the street, it’s time to clean it. Spring is six months away, after all. Here’s a good guide from Reviewed.com: Yes, you need to clean the vinyl siding on your house – here’s how.

Have a question for Ask ROA? Send a message to

 

 

 

The season is called “fall” because our deciduous trees and shrubs lose their leaves, sometimes completely covering the lawn (which won’t survive with all that cover). Please don’t wait until the end of autumn to pick up leaves. You may receive a violation notice if you do. An easy way to pick up leaves is with your lawn mower. Fall is the best time to trim bushes and trees, especially after the leaves have fallen. Be sure to clear tree limbs and shrubs away from sidewalks, alleys, driveways, fences, and property lines. If you can’t see the windows or doorways to your home, it’s time to trim.

Keep storm drains clear

City storm drains can get clogged with fallen leaves and flood streets and alleys. The City of DuPont clears stormwater drains on weekdays and it’s best that you don’t park over the drains. 

If you are planning to remove a grown tree or plant a new tree, be sure to submit a property improvement request (tips on how to find forms is under Northwest Landing Events above). You may also need a permit from the City of DuPont to remove a tree. DuPont Citizens Tree Care Manual

Do not dump leaves, lawn and tree clippings in the woods! And don’t blow leaves into the street unless you plan to pick them up there. Blowing leaves into the street can clog storm drains, causing a flooding problem. We have many trees in DuPont, so we can’t depend on city street sweepers to keep up. You may think dumping yard waste in the woods a natural way to manage yard waste but it is a fire hazard. And you may be introducing weeds to the woods. On Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge land adjacent to homes on Hoffman Hill, it’s a federal crime.

Washington State University’s suggested timeline for fertilizing lawns in western Washington is November 15–December 7, April 15, June 15, and September 1. Washington State University’s Home Lawn Guide.

Gardening resources for Washington State– flower beds, fruits, lawns, pest management, and more.

 

If you have suggestions about plants and plant care for the bulletin, email

 

City of DuPont Events

 

Youth Basketball • registration ends October 9 • season runs November 30, 2026-February 27, 2027 • K-9 grades

DuPont Farmers Market • Sunday • October 4 • 11 a.m.-4 p.m. • last farmers market for 2026 • Clocktower Park.

Hudson’s Bay Heritage Day • Sunday • October 4 • 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at DuPont Farmers Market • Clocktower Park • Fort Nisqually history interpreters and music. Learn about people who traveled, worked, and traded at Fort Nisqually during the Hudson’s Bay Company era (1843-1851).

Teen Halloween Thrift Shopping • Saturday • October 10 • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. • Ages 13-18 • $10 • register by October 6.

Halloween Hullabaloo • Friday • October 16 • 6 p.m. • Steilacoom Community Center – 2301 Worthington St, Steilacoom • family friendly night with a magic show, spooky treats for purchase, a bonehunt for kids 8 & under, and indoor trick-or-treating • $10 pass for family of four • registration required. 

Senior Lunch and Movie • Tuesday • October 13 • meet at DuPont City Hall • $15 plus tax

Teen Programs • Knitting Club, Sundays, 10-11 a.m.

Parks & Recreation Annual Auction • November 4-8 • tickets on sale now • proceeds support youth, adult and senior programming.

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