Work has began on a new housing development geared toward seniors called Cameron Village at the southeast corner of Kendall and West Hendrickson roads.

Greg McCarry’s Westerra Homes leads the project, which features 57 homes and three commercial parcels — an office building, coffee stand and a medical/dental space — in three phases.

Traffic detours continue in the area from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays through April 4 as utility crews install water and sewer lines.

According to McCarry’s plans, each phase follows an 18-month timeline with Phase A building 22 homes, Phase B 21 homes and Phase C 14 homes.

Future homeowners can choose from six floor plans ranging from 1,200-1,800 square feet on one level with a two-car attached garage.

Homes either will be single-family homes or duplex townhouses where residents own the land and building.

McCarry wrote in his report that his targeted price range is $350,000 depending on costs of construction.

The homes will go in the city’s Lifestyle District, which looks to “promote growth of lifestyle options for seniors in a neighborhood setting that provides a broad range of housing types, service, mobility options and health care facilities to support ‘living-in-place’ through the many stages of senior life.”

Sequim city councilors unanimously approved the Preliminary Major Subdivision 6-0, with Jennifer States excused, on March 11. The Sequim planning commission recommended approving the plan, too, on Feb. 19.

Streets

Similarly to the homes, streets will be built in phases as well with Phase A constructing about 300 feet of North Ninth Avenue, a new road Galloway Boulevard, and two sections of alleyway.

Phase B connects Galloway Boulevard to West Fir Street and loop to connect more homes.

The final Phase C extends North Ninth Avenue about 650 feet to another new road, Dexter Way.

City Engineer Matt Klontz said that part of the city’s Capital Improvement Program may allow for the city to begin discussions with nearby homeowners to purchase rights-of-way to potentially connect Ninth Avenue through to Fir Street.

According to McCarry’s plans, construction crews will build sidewalks along the south side of West Hendrickson Road, the east side of North Ninth Avenue, both sides of Galloway Boulevard, and on the north side of Dexter Way.

In the report, Sequim Assistant Planner Gary Dougherty said there are no identified wetlands in the project and an irrigation ditch maintained by the Sequim Prairie Tri-Irrigation Company will be unaffected.

Mules owned by Olympic National Park will relocate nearby before construction begins on the homes, Doherty said.

Access

With its proximity to Kendall Road, councilor Ted Miller showed concern about the design being seen as a cut-through and possible hindrance to new residents.

Klontz said “cut-through traffic is a situation we try to avoid.”

“There’s actually a driveway that meanders and there’s no appearance of a straight shot through the development,” he said.

“It’ll be laid out so there’s a break in the visual.”

McCarry’s traffic consultant, Jake Traffic Engineering, Inc. of Seattle said the new development adds about 139 new net vehicle trips in the mornings and 109 evening trips to the roadways.

Laurie Gasnick, a nearby Sequim resident, was the only resident to speak at the public hearing and write-in opposed to the project.

She and her husband Harry wrote that a 2017 traffic study showed Priest Road is the third most traveled road in Clallam County while Kendall Road is the fourth most traveled.

“The developer’s traffic studies included Hendrickson, Kendall and Washington Street but interestingly neglected to take into account Priest Road, which is the arterial that connects these roads to access Washington Street, River Road and Route 101,” they wrote.

“We have lived on Priest Road for 25 years and have witnessed the changes to traffic and speeding with an almost cascading effect and know that neither of these road extensions will have any impact or mitigating factors on the traffic that will travel west toward the big box stores and 101.”

In the city’s report, Dougherty wrote that, “staff have not been able to attribute any specific impacts from this development to Priest Road.”

He said the city’s Transportation Master Plan includes “improving North Ninth Avenue to a higher volume collector street between Brackett Road and Hendrickson Road.”

This will provide a north/south alternative for Priest Road and North Seventh Avenue traffic leaving Sequim’s commercial areas, Dougherty said.

City staff said they anticipate future improvements will be needed at the Ninth Avenue and Hendrickson Road intersection before or while extending Ninth to Brackett Road.

The city already has purchased right-of-way at the intersection for improvements, such as a roundabout or traffic signal.

During the public hearing, Miller said he believes the intersection will need a traffic signal.

For more information on the project, visit www.sequimwa.gov or www.westerrahomes.com.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Part of the new Cameron Village development includes three commercial spaces, including a coffee shop, along West Hendrickson Road. Those will be constructed as part of Phase A. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Staff with the City of Sequim say right-of-way is already purchased to potentially put in a traffic signal or roundabout at the intersection of Hendrickson Road and Kendall Road to accommodate future growth. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Cameron Village features 57 homes and three commercial spaces in three phases built on two new roads that help connect West Hendrickson Road and West Fir Street. Photo courtesy of the City of Sequim