Pure Joy Sanctuary
A Regenerative Neighborhood Demonstration Project
Location: Spanaway, Washington
Project Type: Community Planning • Regenerative Development • GIS • Infrastructure Planning • Living Laboratory
Role: Project Director & Community Intelligence Lead
Project Overview
Pure Joy Sanctuary is a 1.25-acre regenerative neighborhood demonstration project located in Spanaway, Washington. More than a residential development, it is an exploration of how neighborhoods can create lasting environmental, social, and economic value by treating housing, ecology, infrastructure, and community as interconnected systems.
The project will transform an existing residential property into a mixed residential neighborhood consisting of an existing home, a detached flex studio, and three thoughtfully designed duplexes connected by shared community spaces, food forests, native landscapes, ecological restoration areas, and outdoor learning environments.
The vision is to demonstrate a replicable model for regenerative neighborhood development that can inspire future communities.
Vision
Pure Joy Sanctuary exists to demonstrate that residential development can create value beyond buildings.
By integrating ecological restoration, Indigenous-informed stewardship, community intelligence, regenerative design, and geospatial technology, the project seeks to become a place where people and nature flourish together.
Our long-term vision is to establish Pure Joy Sanctuary as a Living Laboratory where residents, universities, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and industry partners collaborate to advance regenerative community development through research, education, and innovation.
Geospatial Strategy
GIS serves as the project's decision-support platform, helping us understand existing conditions, evaluate development options, coordinate infrastructure, and plan for long-term stewardship of the property.
Current applications include:
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GIS is being used to document existing site conditions, including structures, access, vegetation, utilities, topography, and other features that influence development decisions.
Status: In Progress
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Per Pierce County Code 18j.15.030 and 18j.10.055 the residential subdivision development of
Pierce County Parcel # 40153117342 into additional residential lots bordering single-family residential property at 19619 83rd Ave E (52,852 sq ft) must follow a tree conservation plan. View Tree Conservation Report
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A professional survey documenting property boundaries, elevations, structures, and existing site features. This provides the base information used for engineering and site planning.
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Subsurface and soil conditions are being evaluated to understand site suitability, groundwater conditions, infiltration potential, and engineering considerations for future development.
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Site drainage is being evaluated to understand existing runoff patterns and inform stormwater management, infiltration, and future infrastructure planning.
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GIS is being used to understand parcel boundaries, setbacks, development constraints, proposed lots, and how different site configurations affect the overall plan.
Coming Soon
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Mapping supports the planning of roads, stormwater, drainage, sewer, septic, and other infrastructure needed to serve the property as it develops.
In Progress
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GIS will help identify areas for tree preservation, native planting, habitat restoration, stormwater management, and other regenerative elements of the site.
Coming Soon
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Future mapping will look beyond the property itself to understand nearby schools, food systems, transit, businesses, community organizations, and other assets that can help connect Pure Joy Sanctuary to the surrounding community.
Coming Soon
Regenerative Framework
Pure Joy Sanctuary is organized around six interconnected pillars.
Ecological Regeneration
Protect and restore native ecosystems while improving biodiversity, forest health, wildlife habitat, soil quality, and long-term ecological resilience.
Community
Create places where neighbors naturally connect through shared gardens, gathering spaces, outdoor learning environments, and collaborative stewardship.
Human Well-being
Design healthy environments that encourage walkability, access to nature, social connection, and physical and emotional well-being.
Learning & Innovation
Develop the site as a Living Laboratory supporting research in biodiversity, climate resilience, GIS, food systems, regenerative design, and community health.
Stewardship
Apply Indigenous-informed principles of reciprocity, ecological restoration, and long-term care for the land.
Cultural Connection
Honor the Coast Salish peoples whose ancestral homelands include this landscape while fostering opportunities for partnership, learning, and environmental stewardship.
Our Partners
Collaboration Opportunities
Pure Joy Sanctuary is intentionally being developed as an open demonstration project.
We are actively seeking collaborators interested in advancing regenerative community development through research, planning, technology, and education.
Current partnership opportunities include:
Universities
Applied research, internships, capstone projects, and long-term monitoring.
Public Agencies
Green infrastructure, housing innovation, climate resilience, urban forestry, and GIS.
Technology Partners
GIS, AI, remote sensing, environmental monitoring, digital twins, citizen science, and data visualization.
Design Professionals
Architecture, planning, engineering, ecology, landscape architecture, and Indigenous stewardship.
Foundations & Philanthropy
Support for ecological restoration, research, educational programming, and Living Laboratory development.