by Richard Uhlhorn
Community Development Director John Ajax brought a proposed transportation amendment of the City’s Comprehensive Plan to the Chelan Planning Commission on Wednesday, November 19.
The proposed amendment was submitted on October 31 by M2 Consulting, PLLC on behalf of the South Chelan Property Owners Group. The property owners represent 1,000 acres of land on the lower Butte south of US 97A.
They are seeking a new arterial collector roadway (the South Chelan Access Corridor) from the Lower Butte to Hwy 97A at the Peterson Place/Woodin Avenue Intersection. This would open a lot of the property to development.
The proposal would provide multi-modal access to parcels within the City limits. At the 97A intersection of Peterson Place and Woodin Avenue, the proposal calls for a single lane roundabout.
Ajax informed the commission that the proposal came in at the very beginning of the comprehensive plan update process. “It allows for members of the public to apply for an amendment,” Ajax said. The group paid the required $1,250 fee which the city has received.
“We have to evaluate this proposed amendment by December 31. At that time, the proposed amendment, if approved and recommended will be submitted to Chelan City Council by March 31.
Ajax said, “The public will have the opportunity to review and comment on this amendment request.”
The public was present at the meeting expecting some discourse and potential action, but Ajax was just there to inform the commission that they would be reviewing this amendment over the next month and a half. Ajax asked that the review the document as a land use issue.
This proposal will be evaluated within the city’s ongoing periodic comprehensive plan update (due 2026), as part of a broader analysis of the Transportation Element.
The South Chelan Property Owners Group is comprised of the following individuals ororganiations: Joey Dale – NCW Developers,LLC; Todd Davidson – Palisade Capital Holdings, LLC; John K. Morris; Jon D. Wadkins; Barbara J. Wadkins; Jeri K. Fifer; Robert W. Fifer; Mike Shelton – Golden Gate Ventures, LC; and Raja D. Venugopal.
Chelan Planning Commission members
All Things Lake Chelan 