CARLSBORG — A proposed 55-and-older manufactured home development in Carlsborg is getting another look from Andrew Reeves, Clallam County hearing examiner.
After Reeves’ decision to deny the 66-manufactured home proposal July 27, Clallam County planning staff and builder Chris Anderson of CA Homes Inc., asked him to reconsider based on buffer distances.
Reeves said Aug. 16 he would reconsider the proposal. His decision is expected by Thursday, which is 10 business days after the reconsideration was filed.
This is his third time considering the project after denying it last summer (then a 73-home proposal) and again (this time 66 homes) July 27.
His most recent decision, according to a letter to the applicant Chris Anderson of CA Homes Inc., was based mostly on the buffers between Matriotti Creek and the homes.
In their request for reconsideration, they state that Reeves’ decision to deny it based on stream buffers was not mentioned in his 2017 denial of a then 73-home proposal.
Their other point of contention was that the often debated issue of Matriotti Creek’s classification, a Type 2 or Type 3 requiring either a 150-foot or 100-foot setback has minimal effect on the project.
“Even with the 150 setback of Matriotti Creek, [the] project still works without adjusting any lots or streets,” the request says.
County staff and Anderson said they believe Reeves can independently approve the project without a designation for the stream “especially because the stream-width of Matriotti Creek adjacent to the project site has been measured at less than 20 feet by members of [Department of Community Development] and several applicable agencies.”
Clallam County Senior Planner Donella Clark said in an interview that the county maintains that creek remains a Type 3 stream but either way the only possible impact would be to one lot for possible removal and the stormwater pond, which would likely need to be relocated.
In his reconsideration notice, Reeves said that if the project is approved, a 150-foot buffer will be specified regardless of the stream’s classification so that “the appropriate buffer will already be in place.”
In his July 27 decision letter, Reeves said there wasn’t enough information to clarify whether or not the proposal was consistent with Clallam County’s environmental policy and critical codes, and the stream’s classification.
This was a focal point of opponents of the project, mostly nearby residents, or the Concerned Atterberry Neighbors, who hired experts to testify Matriotti Creek was a Type 2 stream and holds important habitat for endangered/threatened fish.
However, Reeves said he’ll reconsider other potential issues for the project aside from the stream buffers, too, including stormwater impacts, traffic impacts, parking, landscape buffering, pedestrian safety and more.
The proposed 66 homes could go on 8.66 acres of a 15.5 acre lot on the corner of Atterberry and Hooker Roads. The homes would vary from 1,200 to 1,700 square feet and sell for about $150,000 with each property being leased out, Anderson said.
Clark said if the project is approved, it will likely come with more provisions on top of the 32 county staff proposed, such as adding a final stormwater plan, a plan for pedestrian paths, widening the north side of Atterberry Road 17 feet, and providing a landscaping screen 15 feet wide along the west and south property lines.
________
Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
