Additional housing could be on the way
Published 10:52 am Thursday, December 11, 2008
By Kevin Hanson-The Courier-Herald
Homes for perhaps hundreds of new Enumclaw residents could be built in the not-too-distant future, due to a shift in the way the city allocates its utility connections.
A moratorium on development has been in place for much of the past decade, prohibiting even small resident developments, while the city has worked to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. Perceived inadequacies with that plant and subsequent sanctions by the state have prompted the city to put developments on hold while improvements to the existing plant have been designed and funding sources have been determined.
Utility connections are allowed for both commercial and residential customers and, while the moratorium has prohibited residential development, existing commercial connections have gone unused.
That's a situation the city has been looking to reverse.
It was anticipated the City Council would take action Monday night to shift some of those unused utility connections from commercial status to residential. The council had considered the issue two weeks ago and expressed no concern.
City staff has determined 89 new residential utility connections can be created, taking them from the pool of unused commercial connections.
Part of the reason for the availability, according to Community Development Director Mike Thomas, is businesses that have ceased operation. For example, the former pickle factory was a heavy user of city utilities; the business now operating on the site places far less demand on the city system. The difference, Thomas explained, can now be granted in the way of residential hook-ups.
The desire to build, Thomas added, seems to exist.
“We perceive there's a demand,” he said, noting his belief all 89 utility connections will quickly be snatched up. “People have been waiting to subdivide for years and been unable to do so.”
The city will begin making the new utility connections available in mid-January, Thomas said.
But just because someone applies for a permit to build new homes, that doesn't guarantee it'll happen. The city, assuming the demand will be greater than the supply, is prepared to use an existing “concentric ring” philosophy that gives priority to projects closest to the heart of the city (downtown). It's a process that emphasizes “infill” of existing vacant lots, Thomas said, and places lesser importance on proposals in outlying parts of the city.
Also, the city will be looking to assure those who are granted permits move quickly. Money will be required and a timeline will be established for work to begin, or the right to develop will be lost.
“We don't want people getting connections and sitting on them,” Thomas said.
Kevin Hanson can be reached at khanson@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/courierherald.
