By Dennis Box, The Courier-Herald

Ground will be broken this week as phase one of the Falling Water housing development begins with the first home sales expected in the fall of 2004. According to project manager Bill Diamond, "We are beginning with division one, phase one, which is 116 lots."

The entire development is slated for 979 homes on 479 acres south of Bonney Lake between McCutcheon Road and 188 Avenue Court East. Along with numerous housing divisions there are designs for greenways, an elementary school and a bypass arterial that skirts the edge of the development, connecting with Rhodes Lake Road on the east end and McCutcheon Road on the west.

The project began in the early 1990s but has changed ownership twice. The current development firm - Capri Investment LLC, an international investment firm - bought the property in 1997. Overseeing the design and construction of the development is Larson and Associates, a Tacoma-based land surveyor and engineering firm.

A critical choice facing the Bonney Lake City Council is whether Falling Water should be taken into the city's UGA (Urban Growth Area) and eventually annexed. Annexation is solidly supported by the mayor, but has created a split among council members.

"I've tried to get them into our UGA from the start," Mayor Bob Young said. "If we get them into our UGA, we have more control and we get the fees. Now the county gets all the fees and eventually the state may force us to take them later on. I don't understand a couple members of the council."

Concerns over water, sewer and the cost of providing services have presented serious stumbling blocks for some council members. The Falling Water UGA amendment went before the City Council for a vote on Nov. 27, 2002 and was defeated. It came up again in the Dec. 2 Council workshop, but has been tabled.

"They're (Falling Water) hoping to come into the city for the sewer and water," Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman said. "But our sewer system wasn't built for that many people." Swatman does not believe Pierce County or the state will force Bonney Lake to take Falling Water into the city.

At the workshop, Councilman Jim Rackley came out in favor of bringing Falling Water into the city, suspecting the state or county will eventually force the issue.

"The county has done such a poor job with these areas outside the city," Rackley said. "There are so many people living outside the city that need city servicies. Sky Island was brought in earlier. The city should be trying to fix these problems and those people can't help do that if they're not part of the conversation."

Councilman Dave King has come out squarely against bringing the development into the city. "Falling Water is a great example of the conflict the Growth Management Act creates between various levels of government - the city, the county and the state…. I believe the (Falling Water UGA) amendment should not go through, particularly at the density levels being proposed. It's a dangerous position for Bonney Lake to take. We will be impacted by the development no matter what we do."

A major concern of the city has been the sewer hookup. The developer is building a dry-line community drain field system for the first phase of the project. The City Council voted to maintain the system and collect the fees.

"This was of special interest to Bonney Lake because of its affect on our water source at Victor Falls," King said. "It was important that the outflow from the community septic be well downstream from Victor Falls."

Project manger Bill Diamond stated they still hope to be able to convince the City Council to bring Falling Water into the city. "There's nothing hidden here. It's all out in the open. We want to work small enough to serve the community and the city and the goal is to get into the UGA of the city."

Diamond stated that there are plans for three types of homes in the project. The high-end being 65 to 70 foot lots for three-car garage homes, 60 foot lots for two-car garage homes and 50 foot lots directed at first time home buyers.

The developer is under a county mandate to build a bypass corridor to accommodate the increase in traffic, but several council members have expressed concern over the funding of such a road if Falling Water becomes part of Bonney Lake.

"It's too easy for the county to tell us that's part of your UGA Bonney Lake so you need to fund it," King said.

The Sierra Club has also voiced concern over the problem of transportation to and from Falling Water. "The county is looking at Rhodes Lake Road," Bliss Moore of the Sierra Club noted. "But we're fearful that the expansion of the road just promotes sprawl."

Rackley stated that once the road improvements were done by the developer bringing Falling Water into the city would be much easier.

From first permit to digging has taken over a decade, and it may be another ten years before the project is completed. "It's important to us to be good stewards," Diamond said. "That's why it has taken so long. I'm very excited to see this coming together."

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com