New treatment plant in service

Opening a new chapter in the Enumclaw’s development, the city is now directing all its wastewater to the new phase of the municipal treatment plant.

“We cut it over a couple of weeks ago,” City Administrator Mark Bauer said, noting that the transition went without a hitch.

The fact that the city now offers current treatment of the byproduct from homes and businesses – a step that has received the blessing of the state’s Department of Ecology – means Enumclaw can once again give the green light to those wishing to develop housing projects.

The state of the economy will have the final say, but the city is close to ending its decade-long moratorium that prohibited any sort of major development. Some small projects have occurred, but the city had halted the platting of subdivisions when the state said the discharge from the treatment plant into the White River failed to meet contemporary standards.

Gearing up for a new era, the city had been allowing developers to begin filing their plans. On Jan. 6, Bauer said, the moratorium on platting will expire and, for the first time in about 10 years, the City Council will not be approving a six-month extension.

Also during the past decade, the city has enacted a moratorium on annexation of property into the city limits. About three months remains on that moratorium, Bauer said, and it’s expected it will be allowed to expire as well.

The city is paying for a study of annexation implications, so it will know exactly what the financial costs are when it comes to taking in more land.

Reach Kevin Hanson at khanson@courierherald.com or 360-802-8205.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.