Your Home Town Bulletin • January 2026
NW Landing office closed December 23, 2025-January 2, 2026
The Northwest Landing office will be closed for our holiday break from noon on Tuesday, December 23, through Friday, January 2, 2026. The office will reopen Monday, January 5, at 9 a.m. If there is an emergency during that time, such as broken and leaking underground sprinklers, fallen tree, or snow removal needed, email the board of directors at .
2026 assessments are increasing
If you are a Northwest Landing homeowner, you should have received a budget mailing, dated October 25, 2025. If you 
didn’t receive or read the mailing, you can find it by logging in the Member Logins on our website. You can find the mailing under “Documents” then “Notices/Mailings.” The spreadsheet of budgeted items for 2026 can also be found in the “Budgets” folder. The board of directors voted in October to increase monthly assessments to $46 (currently $43) a month or $552 a year. If you are currently paying by mail, or have a bill pay set up for your bank to mail a check for you, or dropping off your payment at the office, you will receive a payment booklet in the mail. We would like to encourage you to set up automatic payments (ACH) with your bank or credit union. You can easily set up auto-pay by logging in at Member Logins, then set it up in “Make a Payment.” Call the office at 253-964-1289 or email r, if you need help.
Costs have gone up, especially since many of the ROA properties are more than 25 years old. Irrigation systems need to be upgraded or replaced, along with fences and landscape plants. Pictured here are two native trees that are growing in Northwest Landing green spaces. The ROA maintains more than 152 green spaces, some with heritage trees that are more than 100 years old. Sadly, the Douglas fir will need to be cut down this winter because it is in poor condition and could fall on homes or the street next to it. Removing this tree will cost more than $15,000.
Decorating for the winter holidays
With the holiday season here, we kindly remind residents to follow the community’s holiday lighting and décor guidelines. Traditional decorations and lights may be displayed 30 days before and 30 days after the holiday.
We recognize that many of our residents love decorating with lights and celebrating a variety of holidays with special décor. Your board of directors will be discussing possible changes to the holiday décor rule at their January 21 meeting. If you would like to attend this or a future meeting, see details under Northwest Landing Events.
In February, a revised version of the Northwest Landing Resident Handbook will be mailed to all owners. You will have an opportunity to comment on the handbook and suggest changes.
There wasn’t enough interest in the Deck the Halls contest this year, so we’re postponing until 2026. Happy Deck-the-Hall-idays to one and all!
Now is the time to license your pets – dogs AND cats
The year 2026 is the 100th anniversary of U.S. Route 66. The City of DuPont reminds us that before you take your pets on 
that road trip, be sure he or she is licensed. All cats and dogs three months of age or older must be licensed by the City of DuPont and be current on vaccinations. Rabies vaccinations are required by Washington state law.
Even if your pet has a microchip, think of pet licensing as a way for your neighbors to get your wayward pet back home. DuPont police and other city staff can find the owners of lost pets and keep your pet out of the local shelter. Most residents won’t have a way to scan a microchip, especially if it’s a weekend when many veterinary offices are closed. License pets here.
Who to call – city or ROA
If something is on a city street, grass strip between sidewalk and street, park, or trail, the City of DuPont has jurisdiction. That includes lost dogs, dangerous or sick wild animals, abandoned vehicles, graffiti, and fallen trees. Go to Report a Problem on the city’s website.
If something is in an alleyway or a greenspace/pocket park (most have red benches), Northwest Landing ROA has jurisdiction. Call 253-964-1289 or email .
The Northwest Landing website hosts a Who You Gonna Call webpage which includes common topics our office gets questions about.
Pre-school openings at Steilacoom Community Center
Junior Explorers: Come explore with us! This class prepares children, 4 – 6 years old, for kindergarten. The Junior Explorers is a play-based program that focuses on STEM, art, social-emotional development, and school success. Children will learn self-help skills, play outside, go on field trips, interact with seniors in the community, and make new friends.
Little Explorers: Little Explorers was created for children 3-4 years old to have their first preschool experience. Children will be introduced to a classroom environment, with lots of opportunities for playtime that includes building, art, singing and dancing. They will learn self-help skills, how to share, cooperate and communicate, while making new friends. More information at Steilacoom Youth Programs
Revitalized Pierce County news source
If you have lived in Pierce County for the past 20 years, you may have read or heard about The Suburban Times. Pierce 
County resident Ben Sclar launched the online bulletin board with news from western Pierce County, including DuPont, in 2005. Earlier this year, he closed that chapter to focus on another news venture. In its place, is The Cascadian, continuing Suburban Times commitment to local news. You can sign up for a daily news roundup from DuPont and surrounding towns and cities here: Cascadian subscription.
Northwest Landing Events
Join us for bowling, pizza, and dessert at Chalet Bowl in Tacoma!
Board of Directors – 5:30 p.m. • Wednesday • January 21, 2026 – via Zoom– reservations required by January 19. Call 253-964-1289 or email to reserve. On Zoom. Please contact staff at if you have questions or concerns a violation notice or want to report a problem with a Northwest Landing property. Board meetings scheduled for 2026: February 19-3 p.m., March 19-3 p.m., April 15-5:30 p.m., May 21-3 p.m., June 18-3 p.m., July 22-5:30 p.m., August 20-3 p.m., October 7-5:30 p.m., December 17-3 p.m.
Property Improvement Committee – meetings are scheduled at 5:30 p.m. – 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, plus March 31, June 30, and September 29. 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, 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.
The Property Improvement Committee will be taking a short break. Our volunteer members dedicate their time and expertise throughout the year to help keep Northwest Landing beautiful, and we are grateful for their service. Any property improvement requests submitted in December will be reviewed when the committee resumes meeting on January 20, 2026. We encourage homeowners to plan ahead and submit early where possible. Thank you for your understanding and for supporting our amazing volunteers.
Dear ROA,
I saw a couple of posts on Facebook last month from residents who were dinged for hanging holiday lights too soon. I know there’s a rule that lights and décor can’t be put up until 30 days before the holiday. But…sheesh! It RAINS here and we’re trying to get lights up between storms. Also how do you know what holiday we’re celebrating? Maybe I’m putting up decorations on November 21 to celebrate the winter solstice, which happens to be December 21.
–Unhappy Holiday Decorator in Palisade Village
Dear Unhappy,
Along with the rain, it’s dark here in winter! We have maybe eight hours of daylight in December. Lights not only brighten things, but they are also festive. The problem comes in when your neighbor wants to put up huge skeletons for Halloween on Labor Day weekend. Then leaves some of it up for a couple of months. At the same time, which holiday are we talking about? As you point out, maybe you celebrate the winter solstice or Yule and want to decorate 30 days beforehand. Our current décor rule can cause a whole lot of consternation when a resident receives a violation notice for hanging holiday décor. It’s frustrating for staff too. The goal of homeowners’ association rules is ultimately to protect property values. Are property values affected by your neighbor’s 10-foot-tall skeleton that is still displayed in February? Or by holiday lights that are half burnt out and hanging loosely from their fence?
Let’s talk about social media here for a moment. Yes, most of the board members, staff, and committee members are on Facebook. However, just like police and city officials, someone cannot always answer questions on social media. And probably shouldn’t except to point people to resources associated with the organization, whether that’s city government or a community association. The best way to be heard is to contact staff and board members directly. Contact information is on the Northwest Landing website. You may also attend a board meeting. The board meets in a small conference room, so anyone not on the board must meet with us on Zoom, and a reservation is required.
Regarding social media discussion about the Northwest Landing ROA’s holiday décor policy, your board and staff heard you. The board of directors will be discussing changes to the policy at a future meeting. If you have a comment about holiday décor you would like the board to consider, send them to .
Winter is here. We haven’t seen any snow (yet) with our regular visits by atmospheric rivers or Pineapple Express. Be sure to keep sidewalk clear of debris and (maybe) snow. If snow accumulates in alleys, your board of directors will alert our landscape contractor to plow. If you see any problems on ROA green spaces or alleys, be sure to contact the ROA office at 253-964-1289 or email .
DuPont is a “tree city”. Many of our trees don’t lose all of their leaves until mid-December. Be sure to keep stormwater drains clear of leaves and remove any fallen leaves on your lawn and sidewalks. 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! That includes Christmas trees. You may think that’s a natural way to manage yard 
waste but it is a fire hazard and you may be introducing weeds to the woods. And 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. Also, do not dump your leaves in an ROA greenspace, or on any property that you do not own. It can be frustrating for landscape maintenance crews to finish their job cleaning up leaves in the green spaces, only to have someone dump more leaves, creating more work for them. Christmas trees should be cut into smaller pieces and placed in a yard waste container. If you don’t have a yard waste container, you can order one from LeMay Pierce County Refuse or take the tree to either a Pierce County landfill or Thurston County yard waste, just south of DuPont.
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
SAIL-Stay Active & Independent for Life • Mondays & Wednesdays • 10-11 a.m. • DuPont Community Center • 303 Barksdale Avenue • 4-week class, $40 • $5 drop-in session. Next class begins December 15 and January 12, but you can drop in on any class.No classes will be held on December 24 or 31. Strength, balance and flexibility fitness for adults age 65 and older. Falling is a leading cause of injury among older adults but can be prevented. Programs like SAIL are recommended by the Washington State Department of Health Injury Prevention Program to keep us on our toes without falling.
DuPont Yoga at the DuPont Community Center • Gentle Yoga, Mondays, 6:30-7:30 p.m. • Ying Yoga, Tuesdays 6:30-7:45 p.m. • Morning Stretch, Saturdays, 8-9 a.m. • DuPont Community Center • 5 classes-$90, 10 classes-$150, drop-in-$20.
Savvy Seniors • Wednesday º January 7 • 1-3 p.m. ª DuPont Community Center • Calling all seniors interested in meeting others, playing cards, working on puzzles, doing crafts or listening to a guest speaker.
Teen Programs • Dungeons & Dragons Club, Thursdays, 4:30-6:30 p.m. • Knitting Club, Sundays, 10-11 a.m.
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