Pierce County Council should reject any new regulations on warehouses in industrial areas. A proposal to do so emerged as a result of Ikea building an 834,000-square-foot warehouse and Whirlpool building an 850,000-square-foot facility in Frederickson.

An initial proposal to cap warehouses at five acres, which would allow for about 130,000 square feet, evolved into a plan to require an additional layer of administrative review for facilities of between 250,000 and 425,000 square feet. Any that would exceed the latter amount would need a conditional use permit and be subject to a public hearing and approval by a hearing examiner.

With one member absent, the council deadlocked 3-3 on a vote taken May 26. As a result it did not pass. Based on comments by several members, it appears the matter could be brought back for consideration again soon.

Critics of large warehouses argue that manufacturing plants generate more jobs and should get priority on industrial land. But the reality is manufacturing has been in decline for some time. Importing products from abroad is a crucial part of the local economy, despite the recent drop in cargo activity through the Port of Tacoma.

Large distribution facilities in the county give the port a competitive edge. This is not the time to place unnecessary regulations on building warehouses.