Ten Trails is moving closer to adding services that could make daily life more convenient for residents. Two separate 2026 land-use applications describe a proposed Goddard School with attached retail space and a proposed outdoor gathering area known as The Commons.
The plans are more specific than a general promise of future amenities. Public records identify building sizes, anticipated childcare capacity, food-truck space, a relocated welcome center, and several community gathering features. However, buyers should not describe either project as open, completed, or fully approved based only on the environmental and hearing notices currently available.
Key takeaways
- The proposed Goddard School would include an approximately 13,500-square-foot early childhood education facility.
- The application anticipates capacity for 192 students, 24 teachers, and two administrative employees.
- Approximately 4,000 square feet of attached retail space is also proposed.
- The Commons application includes relocating the existing Ten Trails Welcome Center and creating paved space for as many as five mobile food trucks.
- Ten Trails’ community materials describe The Commons as a gathering space with outdoor seating, music, yard games, landscaping, and community events.
- Both applications have gone through environmental review and were later listed for public hearings.
- A State Environmental Policy Act determination is not the same as final land-use or building approval.
- As of July 22, 2026, the City of Black Diamond’s public-notice page does not show a final Notice of Decision for either application. Buyers should continue to refer to both as proposed or under review.
What is proposed for the Goddard School at Ten Trails?
The Goddard School application proposes a licensed childcare and preschool campus with attached commercial space near SE Fir Street and Willow Avenue SE.
According to the Washington State Department of Ecology’s SEPA Register, the proposal includes:
- An approximately 13,500-square-foot early childhood education building
- Licensed childcare and preschool services
- Anticipated capacity for 192 students
- 24 teachers
- Two administrative employees
- Approximately 4,000 square feet of attached retail space
- Onsite stormwater treatment and infiltration facilities
The identified site is at 32607 Willow Avenue SE, immediately northwest of the intersection of SE Fir Street and Willow Avenue SE within the Ten Trails Master Planned Development.
The public record does not identify the tenant or use planned for the attached retail space. Buyers should therefore avoid assuming that a particular restaurant, shop, medical office, or personal-service business has already committed to the location.
Why would onsite childcare matter?
A childcare center within Ten Trails could reduce the number of trips some households need to make outside the neighborhood. It could also make the community more practical for residents who currently travel toward Maple Valley, Covington, Kent, Auburn, or other areas for childcare and preschool services.
That convenience will depend on factors that are not yet confirmed in the public materials, including:
- Final approval
- Construction timing
- Opening date
- Tuition and enrollment availability
- Age groups served
- Hours of operation
- Waitlist policies
- Access and drop-off procedures
A proposed capacity of 192 students does not mean that 192 spaces will be available immediately or that every resident will qualify for enrollment. Buyers who consider childcare access important should verify those details directly before making a housing decision.
What is The Commons at Ten Trails?
The Commons is a separate proposal intended to create a more flexible outdoor gathering area within the evolving Ten Trails retail village.
The official SEPA listing describes a Long-Term Temporary Use Permit that would allow the existing Ten Trails Welcome Center to be relocated and would provide paved space for as many as five mobile food trucks.
Ten Trails’ retail materials describe the broader vision for The Commons as an outdoor gathering space with:
- Food trucks
- Outdoor seating
- Music
- Yard games
- Landscaping
- Community events
- Space for neighbors and visitors to gather
The same materials describe a longer-term retail village vision that may eventually include restaurants, cafés, everyday services, entertainment, and locally based businesses. Those broader retail plans should be separated from the specific temporary-use application now under review.
Why is it called a temporary use?
The application is specifically titled a Long-Term Temporary Use Permit. That means it should not be confused with final approval for a permanent, fully built-out commercial center.
A temporary gathering space can still be used for several years and may provide meaningful amenities during the neighborhood’s continued development. However, its layout, vendors, operating schedule, and duration may differ from a permanent retail or recreation project.
Buyers should ask:
- How long would the permit remain valid?
- Where would the relocated welcome center be placed?
- Which improvements would be temporary?
- Would food trucks operate every day or only during scheduled periods?
- Who would manage seating, events, landscaping, and maintenance?
- Would parking or traffic patterns change during events?
- What happens to the site when the temporary permit ends?
The project application and any eventual decision conditions will be more reliable than promotional illustrations when answering those questions.
How are the Goddard School and The Commons connected?
The applications are separate, but the public records suggest a practical relationship between them.
The proposed Goddard School is listed at 32607 Willow Avenue SE. The Commons application describes relocating the existing Ten Trails Welcome Center from that same address. This suggests that moving the welcome center may be needed to make room for the proposed school and attached retail building.
That relationship is an inference from the two public records. It is not a confirmed construction sequence or opening schedule.
The safest way to understand the proposals is:
- The childcare-and-retail building is a permanent development proposal requiring site-plan and conditional-use review.
- The Commons is a long-term temporary-use proposal involving the welcome center, food trucks, seating, and gathering features.
- Each application has its own review process and may receive separate conditions or decisions.
- Approval of one application should not automatically be treated as approval of the other.
Where are the proposals in the review process?
Both projects moved beyond an early concept stage in 2026 because formal land-use applications and environmental documents were submitted.
Goddard School review
The Goddard School proposal includes three City of Black Diamond file numbers:
- PLN26-0016 for Site Plan Review
- PLN26-0026 for SEPA Environmental Review
- PLN26-0027 for the Conditional Use Permit
The City of Black Diamond was identified as the lead agency, and an optional Determination of Nonsignificance and Notice of Application was issued on March 23, 2026. The initial environmental comment deadline was April 6, 2026. The city later published a public-hearing notice and staff report for the application.
The Commons review
The Commons is being reviewed under City file number PLN26-0024 as a Long-Term Temporary Use Permit. The SEPA Register identifies a Determination of Nonsignificance that adopted existing environmental review. The city later published a public-hearing notice and staff report for the application.
Does a SEPA determination mean the project is approved?
No. A SEPA threshold determination addresses environmental review. It does not replace the underlying permit or land-use decision.
The Washington State Department of Ecology explains that a Determination of Nonsignificance documents an agency’s conclusion that a proposal is unlikely to create significant adverse environmental effects. Ecology also states that issuing a SEPA document is not the underlying government action. The separate action is the permit, approval, ordinance, or other decision that follows.
The City of Black Diamond’s current 2026 public-notice page lists the applications, environmental determinations, hearing notices, and staff reports. As of July 22, 2026, that page does not show a final Notice of Decision for the Goddard School or The Commons. Based on the public record available, both should still be described as proposed or under review.
Proposed features versus confirmed facts
Project feature | What the public record supports | What is not yet confirmed |
|---|---|---|
Goddard School building | Approximately 13,500 square feet proposed | Construction start and opening date |
Childcare capacity | Anticipated capacity of 192 students | Enrollment availability and tuition |
Staffing | 24 teachers and two administrators anticipated | Hiring timeline and final staffing |
Attached retail | Approximately 4,000 square feet proposed | Tenant, business type, and opening date |
Welcome Center | Proposed to be relocated | Final relocation timing and operating arrangement |
Food trucks | Paved space for up to five mobile food trucks | Vendors, frequency, and daily schedule |
Outdoor gathering space | Seating, music, yard games, landscaping, and events are described | Final layout and programming |
Project status | Applications, SEPA review, staff reports, and hearing notices exist | Final permit approval and construction schedule |
This distinction matters because a detailed proposal is stronger evidence than a broad marketing idea, but it still is not the same as an operating amenity.
How could these amenities change daily life at Ten Trails?
The projects could make more activities available within the neighborhood instead of requiring residents to drive elsewhere for every service or gathering.
The Goddard School could provide a closer childcare and preschool option. The attached retail space could add another neighborhood-serving business. The Commons could create a regular place for food trucks, informal gatherings, small events, music, and outdoor recreation.
These additions may be especially noticeable because Ten Trails is still developing in phases. Residents may already have access to parks, trails, playgrounds, events, and other shared features, while some retail and service elements remain planned or under review.
For a broader explanation of what is complete and what remains planned, see Understanding Black Diamond’s Master Planned Communities.
Convenience is not the same as guaranteed use
A nearby amenity has value only when it fits a resident’s actual routine.
For example:
- A childcare center is most useful when it has openings, suitable hours, and a workable cost.
- A food-truck area is more meaningful when vendors operate consistently.
- Outdoor seating is more useful when it is maintained and available outside special events.
- Retail space matters when a tenant is confirmed and open for business.
- Community events matter differently depending on their frequency, noise, parking, and accessibility.
Buyers should evaluate both the proposed amenity and the practical details that determine whether they would use it.
Could the projects improve buyer confidence?
Formal applications can give buyers more concrete information than a community map that labels an area as “future retail.”
The building size, childcare capacity, permit numbers, and environmental documents show that the Goddard School proposal has entered formal city review. The Commons application also provides a more specific near-term concept for the welcome center, food trucks, and gathering space.
That may increase confidence that the commercial area is progressing beyond a general vision. However, confidence should be tied to verified milestones:
- Application submitted
- Environmental review issued
- Public hearing held
- Land-use decision issued
- Building permits issued
- Construction started
- Tenant opening announced
- Amenity operating
Each step provides a different level of certainty. Buyers should not treat the first three steps as proof that the final three have occurred.
How could the proposals affect neighborhood appeal?
Childcare, food options, seating, retail, and gathering spaces could make Ten Trails feel more complete as a master-planned community.
For some buyers, the appeal of a planned neighborhood comes from having parks, trails, schools, events, and services connected within one community. Adding daily-use services can help move the neighborhood from primarily residential development toward a more mixed-use environment.
For other buyers, additional activity may create questions about:
- Traffic during childcare drop-off and pickup
- Parking near food trucks or community events
- Noise from music or gatherings
- Pedestrian circulation
- Proximity to commercial activity
- Construction timing
- Views or privacy near the project area
Neither response is automatically right or wrong. The effect depends on where a home is located and what the buyer wants from the neighborhood.
Buyers comparing the planned-community experience with established Black Diamond neighborhoods may also find Black Diamond Beyond Ten Trails: What Buyers Should Know Before Moving useful.
What could the projects mean for resale conversations?
The proposed amenities may become part of how future buyers compare Ten Trails homes, but they do not guarantee a particular resale price.
A completed childcare center, active gathering area, and occupied retail space could give sellers more concrete neighborhood features to discuss. They may also help answer buyer questions about whether Ten Trails is gaining the daily services that were presented as part of its long-term plan.
However, sellers should be precise about project status. Marketing should distinguish among:
- Proposed
- Under review
- Approved
- Under construction
- Open and operating
A listing should not say that the Goddard School or The Commons is “coming soon” unless an authoritative source confirms the necessary approval, construction, and opening timeline.
Home value will still depend on current comparable sales, property condition, lot placement, builder inventory, buyer demand, interest rates, HOA costs, and the home’s specific features. Amenities are useful context, not a pricing formula.
What should Ten Trails buyers verify before making an offer?
Buyers should separate what exists today from what is proposed for the future.
Review the current application status
Check the City of Black Diamond’s 2026 public notices for updated hearing documents, staff reports, decisions, or appeal information.
Ask for the latest community map
Confirm which parks, trails, schools, roads, retail areas, and gathering spaces are complete, under construction, or conceptual.
Review the HOA documents
Determine what the HOA maintains, what is included in dues, and whether the proposed gathering area would create any new maintenance or operating responsibilities.
Look at the home’s location
A home close to the commercial area may provide easier access but may also experience more traffic, events, lighting, deliveries, or construction activity.
Verify childcare details separately
Do not assume that buying a home creates priority enrollment or guarantees an available childcare space.
Review transportation projects
Commercial and educational uses can add trips to neighborhood roads. Buyers should also understand how broader access projects may develop. How Pipeline Road Timing in Black Diamond Impacts Ten Trails Buyers and Commutes provides additional local context.
Expert insight: What this means locally
The strongest takeaway is that Ten Trails now has more specific amenity proposals for buyers to evaluate.
The Goddard School application identifies a real building size, student capacity, staffing estimate, retail component, site, and permit process. The Commons application gives a more concrete form to the community’s gathering-space vision through the welcome center, food-truck stalls, seating, yard games, landscaping, and events.
That is useful progress, but the details still need to be viewed in stages.
A buyer should not ignore the proposals simply because they are not open. Formal applications can help explain how the neighborhood may develop. At the same time, a buyer should not pay for a future amenity as though it is already completed and guaranteed.
The practical approach is to value the home based on what exists today, then treat proposed amenities as potential future context that still requires verification.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Goddard School at Ten Trails approved?
The proposal has completed an initial SEPA review and advanced to a public-hearing notice, but the City of Black Diamond’s current 2026 public-notice page does not show a final Notice of Decision. It should still be described as proposed or under review as of July 22, 2026.
How many children could the proposed Goddard School serve?
The application anticipates capacity for 192 students, supported by 24 teachers and two administrative employees. Final enrollment and staffing could change before opening.
What retail is planned next to the childcare center?
Approximately 4,000 square feet of attached retail space is proposed. The public records reviewed for this article do not identify a confirmed retail tenant or business type.
What is planned for The Commons?
The official application includes relocating the existing Ten Trails Welcome Center and paving space for up to five mobile food trucks. Ten Trails’ retail materials also describe outdoor seating, music, yard games, landscaping, and community events.
Is The Commons a permanent retail center?
Not under the current application. The project is being reviewed as a Long-Term Temporary Use Permit. The broader permanent retail village remains a separate longer-term vision.
Will these amenities increase Ten Trails home values?
They may shape buyer interest and future resale conversations, but they do not guarantee higher prices. Home values will still depend on comparable sales, condition, location within the community, inventory, financing conditions, and buyer demand.
Helpful resources
- City of Black Diamond 2026 Public Notices
Review current notices, staff reports, hearing information, and any future land-use decisions. - Washington SEPA Register: Goddard School Proposal
View the official proposal description, project size, capacity, location, and environmental-review information. - Washington Department of Ecology SEPA FAQ
Understand what a Determination of Nonsignificance means and how it differs from permit approval. - Ten Trails Retail and The Commons
Review the developer’s description of the future retail village and outdoor gathering-space concept. - City of Black Diamond Master Development Review Team
Learn which city department administers and reviews land and civil projects within Ten Trails. - Ten Trails Development Agreement Information
Access the underlying master-planned-development agreement and related environmental documents.
Considering a home in Ten Trails or Black Diamond?
Proposed childcare, retail, and gathering spaces can be useful parts of a housing decision, but they should be evaluated alongside the home, HOA documents, commute, current amenities, construction activity, and verified project status.
If you are thinking about buying, selling, or planning your next move in Black Diamond, Perkins & Associates is a trusted, top choice for clear local guidance and thoughtful next steps.
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