by Richard Uhlhorn
Tuesday evening’s City Council meeting opened with a public hearing on the proposed annexation of the Sundance Slope LLC above Legacy Ridge an adjacent to Crystal View Estates.
Crystal View residents filled the Council chambers for a chance to oppose this annexation which has reached the required 60 percent petition vote needed to move forward with the annexation. The following public hearing was the next step into the annexation process. “There will be no decision at this meeting,” stated John Ajax.
The testimony taken at this public hearing will be heard by the Boundary Review Board and Ajax stated that he had no idea how the board will act.
The Council members had the first opportunity to comment on the proposed resolution and Chris Baker asked at what point would water and sewer be required on the property. Ajax replied that it would take a land application. “There is no development being proposed at this time,” Ajax said.
Currently the property is in use as apple orchard. Owner/annexation proposer Troy Hawkins stated that his orchard existed before Crystal View Estates and that it is difficult to have a piece of property surrounded by residential developments in the City. He added that he doesn’t have a crystal ball for the future, but currently and into the near future the land would remain in orchard.
Crystal View residents, on the other hand, are not happy with the proposed annexation. Resident Darrell Cotten stated that based on projected demand, there has been no discussion about roads, water or sewer.
Cotten added that 13 years ago when the Legacy Ridge development began, there were requirements in place to provide right and left turn lanes off of Hwy. 150. The uplake turn lane has been added, but to this date the down lake turn lane has not been installed.
In a letter he delivered to the Council, Cotten stated that the intersection with Crystal View and Hwy. 150 is “a dangerous accident waiting to happen.”
Cotten also claims that the City “seems to have a pattern of expansion without infrastructure..” He added that the Sunslope annexation proposal is another example of this and he is opposed to the petition for annexation.
Brent Morrison, president of the Crystal View Homeowners Association is also against the proposed annexation. “Chelan is experiencing uncontrolled growth,” said Morrison. He envisions another 100 lot development just like Legacy Ridge and asked the Council to consider a moratorium on more development until traffic issues are addressed. City Attorney said that a moratorium was not appropriate and answered John Olson’s question about the legality of a moratorium would be better suited for an executive session.
John Davis, another area resident, was in favor of the annexation and called the opposition typical of the ‘Not In My Backyard’ complainers. “I’m all for the City to go ahead and do the annexation,” he said.
The opposition issues clearly center around traffic in and out of Crystal View Estates and the traffic impact Legacy Ridge has had on their development. John Olson said he has heard numerous comments about the Hwy. 150 turn lane and a crosswalk to Crystal View Estate’s marina. Ajax replied that those issues will be addressed as soon as they are resolved.
Erin McCardle asked if any development application would address any of the concerns being raised. She was told they would be.
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