Your Home Town Bulletin • November 2026
NW Landing office closed November 11, 26 and 27
The Northwest Landing office will be closed Wednesday, November 11, for Veterans Day, and Thursday and Friday, November 26-27 for Thanksgiving.
Congratulations to contest winners!
Visit Halloween Homes by Halloween for best views. Photos of entries can be viewed here.
Planning a new roof, fence, walkway or shed? You will need a property improvement request
We have received reports about homeowners making improvements without getting approval from our Property Improvement Committee (PIC). Our compliance officer is also seeing a lot of fences and exterior paint in need of work. Now is the time to plan for those projects. Virtually anything you are planning to the exterior of your home must go through PIC review – including installing new landscaping. Many projects also require a city permit. Removing a tree? Approval must be received by both the ROA and the City of DuPont. If your project doesn’t align with Northwest Landing standards (found in the Resident Handbook), you may have to remove or rework the project. We live directly above Puget Sound and several salmon-bearing streams. Any impervious surface like concrete contributes to stormwater runoff, therefore there are restrictions against changing out more than a certain percentage of your yard to an impervious surface.
Hearing gunfire? It’s hunting season in western Washington
We often hear distant gunfire and explosions from military exercises at nearby Joint Base Lewis McChord. But what about the gunfire you heard on one of our woodland trails? Hunting season began October 17 in western Washington and that includes on the waters on the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Waterfowl hunting is permitted in designated areas on the Nisqually River Delta during fall and winter – from the water, not trails or roadways. You can still visit part of the refuge, while some are closed for safety. More information here.
What to do with old jack-o’-lanterns
Let’s start with what NOT to do: don’t toss them in the woods for wildlife to eat where they are more likely to rot. Pumpkins can be disposed in yard waste or added to compost. They also make colorful temporary bird feeders. Here are some tips from Audubon Society – Pumpkin Bird Feeder Makes Happy Harvest for Birds.
Did you say COOKIES?
Members of the DuPont Community Garden are selling homemade cookies to support the garden’s mission to provide fresh produce to Lakewood and Thurston County food banks. Order November 21-December 11. Cost is $30 per two-pound box of deliciousness. Cash or credit card payments accepted. Email with your name, phone number, email address, and number of boxes you want to purchase. Orders can be picked up at the garden on Powerline Road (enter from Center Drive) on Saturday, December 19, 10 a.m.-noon.
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 fun at Schilter Farm!
Several Northwest Landing families visited Schilter Farm in October for fall festivities. More photos here.
Dear ROA,
I just repainted the trim on my house and one of my neighbors told me that I needed to send my painting plans for review by the Property Improvement Committee. What gives? I thought I was doing standard maintenance. Am I going to be fined?
- Painted in Hoffman Hill
Dear Painted,
If you painted the trim the same color that it was, that is considered maintenance. However, if you have painted your trim a different color, you will need to contact the ROA office, fill out a Property Improvement form and send it in as soon as possible. Fines are not charged until several notices are sent to an owner. Our association prefers to have an owner comply so that a fine does not need to be charged.
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.
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.
November is also prime time to winterize your underground sprinkler system to avoid the system 
freezing and pipes bursting. There are many local companies that can do the job. You can winterize it yourself. Oregon City has DIY suggestions for winterizing.
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
Downtown Trick-or-Treat • Friday • October 30 • 3-5 p.m. • Wilmington Drive businesses
Senior Lunch and Movie • Tuesday • November 3 and December 1 • 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.
Puzzle Competition • Friday • November 13 • doors open at 6 p.m. • DuPont Fire Department • $20 per person or $80 for teams of 2-4.
Cookies with Mrs. Claus • Sunday • December 6 • sign up for 1:30 p.m. or 2:30 story time • $5 per child • under age 2 free.
Santa Breakfast • Sunday • December 13 • 10 a.m. • The Home Course • registration required • $18 plus tax, age 2 and under free.
Sign up for city news
You can sign up for city email lists on a variety of topics including parks and recreation, public works, and city council news. Sign up for City of DuPont newsletters and alerts here