For the week of June 11 - 17, 2003

Bellevue P&Z says no 
to storage units plan

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By MATT FURBER
Express Staff Writer

Bellevue’s Planning and Zoning Commission Thursday, June 5, approved the design review for the most recent Bellevue Square plans.

Developer Ronald Sharp accepted recommendations that the approximately 30,000-square-foot, 30 unit, five building shopping center to be built south of Valley Market should not include self-storage units.

The storage component was intended to help Sharp "recapture infrastructure cost" until city business could absorb the increase in retail space.

"There hasn’t been this much retail development in Bellevue in 20 years," he said. But, the longtime Wood River Valley developer understood that the community did not want to see a trend set that would permit self-storage construction in the city.

Once the final parking, snow storage and waste-removal questions are ironed out, "the project may go forward as changed," said Steve Almquist, Bellevue Planning and Zoning administrator.

Sharp expects the project will take approximately three construction seasons to complete.

"I’d like to get all spaces occupied within three and a half years," he said. "It is in our best interest."

Design review for Larry Wilson’s final townhouse project, Highland Village, was held up due to landscaping concerns. Wilson said several trees had died on the property due to irrigation problems. The commission recommended that Wilson plant some new spruce trees and even some cranberry bushes. With the Bellevue Tree Committee looking over its shoulder, the commission intends to aggressively promote responsible landscaping to each new development applicant.

And as more applications pour across Almquist’s desk, concern about water and sewer problems are still a concern for the commission.

Thinking about future infrastructure, the commission needs to decide how to recommend impact fees for new developments. Water study data would help them come up with a fee structure, said chairwoman Karen Hawkes.

"We need to go to the council to get direction," she said.

Almquist suggested that that was possible and reminded the commission they could move forward with regular business because at the current rate, sewer and water hookups would be available for a "good amount of time," time the city needs to solve its water and sewer issues.

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