Thursday, March 28, 2024

Chelan Council rejects DOH loan, wrestles with Comprehensive Plan

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CHELAN - The Chelan City Council and Planning Commission convened for a joint discussion on Tuesday, May 9 to listen to an update on the city’s comprehensive plan and give some feedback as to how the process is moving along. 

To comply with the Growth Management Act, the city has to approve a plan by the end of July after receiving an extension from their previous due date of June 30.

Before, both groups got a chance to sink their teeth into the over 900 page draft, they had to make a decision on whether to accept or decline the airport water line loan they received from the Department of Health (DOH). In a previous council meeting, City Administrator Mike Jackson explained they had until May 16 to make a decision.

“Originally the city had hoped to receive $6 million loan from the DOH with $3 million in forgiveness to run a 18 inch water line from the city to the airport to provide fire flow,” City Administrator Mike Jackson began. “Instead, we received $3 million loan with $800k forgiveness which would have created a deficit of $2.2 million and it is my understanding that the feasibility (of the project) was predicated on the $3 million loan forgiveness.”

Jackson explained that if the council moved forward and accepted the loan they would be burdened with the extra cost and forced to look for additional funding, which could be difficult according to Jackson while also initiating the project.

It didn’t work out the way the city intended, but it doesn’t mean the project is gone forever,” Jackson advised, “we could come back at a later date and re-apply. But the chances of receiving more through the existing DOH program would be pretty slim since the city did not rank high compared to other cities. In another year we might rank higher, but typically they receive more applications than they can accommodate.”

Council made a motion and declined the loan.

• Comp Plan

After council concluded their regular business, they then moved to a conference table in the front of the room with the Planning Commission and listened to Planning Director Craig Gildroy and Lisa Grueter, from Berk Consulting run through some changes they made in the new comprehensive plan.

This biggest concern council and Planning Commission had was to not lose the current feel of the town.

“I think if we go back to the Lake House, we need to protect height limit, and if we encourage trails downtown, you don’t want to walk out to Don Morse Park and not see the lake or be living a couple blocks up Gibson and lose your view of the park and lake,” councilman Cameron Morehouse said. “We need to look at view corridors in and out of town, views are critical and if you destroy downtown views, you’ll destroy the feeling of the town.”

Gildroy explained that to help fight that they put in an amendment that requires the developer to provide a metric or 3D drawing to show the impact on surrounding areas and the city can adjust the building to protect views.

“We recognise that sometimes to have parking, you have to go underground and to cover those costs you have to go up,” Gildroy said. “If we want them we need to allow them to come, so that is why we put in those provisions, so we can take a good look at it. The standard is 50 feet, but we can modify that case by case.”

Planning Commissioner Tim Hollingworth argued that the problem comes with the GMA which is set up to concentrate population growth in the city.

“We do this so we don’t have sprawling and dense development going up Union Valley,” Hollingsworth said, “basically the backdrop is protected so we have to figure out ways to accommodate growth.”

“If we’re going to be a small town we have to stay small or bite the bullet and let it all go to hell,” Planning Commissioner Myrt Griffith said.

Gildroy offered taking a story off and then letting the developer earn their way up to 50 feet by creating a model to show the visual impact.

“Because you need parking on site and these are small lots so they have to go underground and that adds such a high cost that limiting it to three stories makes it not feasible,” Gildroy said.  “The whole premise was to have economic development, to have bodies come in, that is what the Economic Advisory Committee advised. The height limit was mainly for bulk and the length of the building that is a walled feeling. Roof line modulation and articulation will address some of that and that is why we put this statement in here, so we could actually see the building and know what it would look like and condition it appropriately.” 

Councilwoman Wendy Isenhart advised caution, saying she would rather not take risks and lose the identity of the city. 

“Driving through Lakeside was the highest shock with the height and closeness to the road, I couldn’t see Lakeside Park and more and it was a shock,” councilwoman Isenhart said. “We have seen what happens when we put five story buildings around the lake and we shouldn’t allow them.” 

Instead of downtown or along the lake, the table leaned more toward Apple Blossom Center as a location to expand and put hotels and other lodging. 

“They could have accessory uses around that and it could give people a place to walk and do commerce,” councilman Guy Harper suggested. 

Commissioner Griffith recommended keeping Chelan a village and asked for more affordable housing so the people that work in Chelan can also live here as well. 

“The people that work in Chelan cannot make enough money to live here. I spent a day in the hospital and the ones that were taking care of me live in Wenatchee and drive up here every day,” Griffith stated. “I know our economy depends on tourists, but we have to start thinking about making Chelan affordable. I’m thinking what can I do to keep people here.” 

Gildroy responded by saying the comp plan will allow for a live work area on the same lot as the business. 

Councilwoman Kelly Allen closed the meeting by asking Gildroy and Grueter to look for areas where there might be an opportunity for lake access.

“I do think we need to listen to the community,” Allen said, referring to a petition that circulated through the community in an attempt to get the city to make on of the Three Fingers a public park. “Instead of pushing that can down the road we need to figure it out.” 

Both Grueter and Gildroy said they will look into it. 

For more information regarding the updated Comprehensive Plan go to cityofchelan.us/departments/building-planning-department/ or contact Gildroy at (509) 682-8017 

The Planning Commission is holding a public hearing on the comp plan on Wednesday, May 17 at 6 p.m. After that, the next public hearing will be June 27, with the city council deliberating the plan in their two regular meetings in July. 

 

Zach Johnson can be reached at lcmeditor@gmail.com or (509) 682-2213.

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