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Following complaints from local developers during the Chehalis City Council’s Sept. 11 meeting, the council convened on Sept. 18 for a workshop to discuss possible amendments to city code revolving around frontage improvement requirements for businesses in a commercial area or urban growth area (UGA).
Developers were questioning the city code’s requirement of frontage improvements, including sidewalks, in a commercial area such as North Hamilton Road in Chehalis, and requested the council either amend the code or grant them deferments during the Sept. 11 meeting.
They argued as they were developing in a commercial area in the UGA, they did not want to encourage pedestrian traffic by adding sidewalks. One developer said he believed there is no need anyway as he never sees any pedestrian traffic on North Hamilton Road.
Current city code requires all developers to put frontage improvements, which can include sidewalks, no matter the zoning, but does allow for city staff to grant deferments.
After nearly two hours of discussion among city staff and the councilors on Sept. 18, it was decided the city’s engineering and planning staff will review roads within the UGA with Chehalis’ future growth in mind to determine if any code amendments are needed, along with considering deferment requests.
City Manager Jill Anderson discussed some of the criteria her staff will be using.
“Is development in the early stages and is it going to continue? Is it a transit route or will it be a transit route? Is it going to be a connector with other streets that have sidewalks that would create a walking area,” Anderson said during the Sept. 18 workshop. “We can look at that and then actually provide a recommendation to the council to actually act on.”
Throughout their discussion during the workshop, council members went back and forth questioning the city’s sidewalk requirement.
Chehalis Mayor Tony Ketchum said he understands the need for the requirement for residential areas.
“But if we have a commercial zone or we have an industrial zone that’s never going to have any sort of residential use, so people aren’t going to walk there because it’s just not safe to walk, I just don’t understand why we put sidewalks to nowhere,” Ketchum said.
While the North Hamilton Road area may not have any current need for sidewalks, Mayor Pro-Tem Bob Spahr spoke of the need to keep Chehalis’ future growth in mind.
“We’re not planning just for next week, we’re planning for 20 years from now, 30 years from now,” Spahr said.
He added when Twin Transit was first formed, he was initially opposed to it as he felt it wouldn’t work in the area and wasn’t needed. As Twin Transit continues to grow alongside Chehalis, he believes bus routes will expand and eventually include the area in question, increasing pedestrian traffic.
Anderson said while North Hamilton Road is currently located in the UGA, the city will eventually annex the UGA into city limits and further develop the area as Chehalis continues to grow.
“The timing of that is unknown, but that is going to happen,” Anderson said.
As the city grows and surpasses a population of 10,000 residents, it will fall under more stringent stormwater regulations, Anderson said.
Curbs, gutters and sidewalks all aid in managing stormwater and requiring them will help the city meet the more stringent regulations looming as growth continues, Anderson added.
To view the Chehalis City Council’s Sept. 18 workshop and Sept. 11 meeting, visit https://www.ci.chehalis.wa.us/citycouncil/live-streaming-and-demand-viewing-city-council-meetings.
