Several years ago, a development team met with city staff to discuss a conceptual development plan for a large property ownership at the south city limits between Seventh Avenue and River Road. That discussion evolved into a formal subdivision application for 48 acres of that ownership — Legacy Ridge — last summer.

The city staff commenced to review the submittal, initially accepted it as appearing to meet standards of completeness and subsequently stopped the review process after determining the application to be lacking in some details.

The application is “stopped” again while questions of utility services and stormwater management are addressed.

However, the city staff still has determined there is enough plan information to proceed with public review and comment on potential environmental effects of the development as provided in the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).

Although the recent SEPA notification in the media and to surrounding properties solicits public comments, there will be many more opportunities for formal public comment on Legacy Ridge starting late summer to fall, including a public meeting by the Planning Commission and a public hearing by the city council.

Before these occur, the continuing staff review will ensure that the proposal meets all city code requirements and plan directions and makes adequate provision for water, sewer, transportation, critical areas, stormwater management and neighborhood character. These formal public comment sessions will again be published, posted on signs and advertised to adjacent property owners.

The applicant also is hosting a neighborhood meeting from 5-7 p.m. July 21 at the Transit Center, 190 W. Cedar St.

Some of the concern regarding Legacy Ridge voiced by nearby residents relates to the existing substantial supply of building lots — over 500 left over in final plats created six or more years ago. The city cannot legally intervene in the real estate market and influence supply by denying a property owner the inherent right to use property for whatever is allowed under existing plans and codes.

Similarly, although some neighbors are concerned about the loss of a “more rural existence,” this area was entirely rural prior to the introduction of the first residential plats and the extension of city roads and utilities to serve them.

The proposed development is entirely within the city, and by the State Growth Management Act and Sequim’s own Comprehensive Plans of the past 20 years, the subject property and others in the area are designated for urban, residential use. It would be neither fair nor legal to deny a property right to this and other urban land owners in the area to preserve a lifestyle preferred by a few.

The city’s new Comprehensive Plan speaks at length about the need to accommodate new, single-family housing within the city on regular urban lots to absorb a housing market that might otherwise consume more of the rural valley.

All developers are required to include technical engineering reports with plan submittals to address impacts including traffic, stormwater and critical areas such as wetlands and streams.

Reports for the Legacy Ridge subdivision have been submitted and will be reviewed by staff and consultants who are expert in various fields. The city will work with the developer to ensure impacts are mitigated before the proposal is forwarded to the city council for action.

If the impacts are not mitigated, staff will recommend that the project not go forward unless changes are made.

In the case of stormwater, for example, Sequim City Code requires that the design conforms to the Washington State’s Department of Ecology’s Manual for Storm Water Management in Western Washington. Stormwater management is a critical feature in Legacy Ridge site planning.

As for transportation, a traffic impact analysis has been submitted as required by city code. The analysis will be reviewed to ensure that the street system can handle the additional vehicle and pedestrian traffic or needed improvements are made as part of the development.

One needed street improvement in Legacy Ridge is filling the gap in Seventh Avenue that currently exists north of Reservoir Road. Making this connection is a part of the city’s long-range transportation plan.

Other areas of the city street grid, including off-site intersections, also need to be evaluated for potential improvements.

The city has potable water and capacity at its Water Reclamation Facility to handle the water volumes required and sewage generated by this development.

Because of the development’s higher elevation, however, the city’s system is not capable of distributing the water at the required pressure to satisfy service and fire flow requirements.

It is the responsibility of the developer to finance, engineer and construct the infrastructure improvements necessary to supply the water at the required pressure without a loss in the service currently being provided to existing customers.

A similar situation could exist at another, low lying, development where the developer might have to construct lift stations to raise the sewage generated into the city’s gravity sewer system.

Impacts to the environment, to other users of the city’s infrastructure and to those living around a new development are all considered in reviewing proposed developments and must be fully mitigated to meet code standards.

Citizens can access project information on the city’s website at www.sequimwa.gov/index.aspx?nid=471.

Chris Hugo is Community Development Director for the City of Sequim.

David Garlington is Public Works Director for the City of Sequim.