Increasing living space density

More units will be added to the Northern Heights apartment complex project.

During a special June 21 meeting, the Airway Heights Planning Commission approved a planned unit development (PUD) overlay request to increase the Northern Heights apartment complex from 216 middle-income rental units to 232.

The apartment complex will be located on 10.85 acres of property designated multi-family, on the southwest corner of Sixth Avenue and Garfield Street.

The project's developer, Wyatt Architects and Associates, applied for a PUD overlay that allowed for additional density, provided the company met certain conditions. Wyatt performed an analysis of the property, finding the property's density met the requirements for additional apartment units.

"When staff looked at those numbers and added them up, there was potential (for the developer) to put in a couple of more units," Development Services Director Derrick Braaten said.

The Planning Department gave the project's State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) review a mitigated determination of nonsignificance and the increase of apartment units should be approved if the developers meet certain conditions. Some of those include creating a 10-foot bike/pedestrian path, connecting to a separate path installed on Garfield Street, as well as installing sidewalks and lighting along the north and east boundaries of the property. Wyatt will also provide a bus stop at Russell and Sixth and a 30-foot section of right-of-way beginning on the southwest corner of the property.

Braaten said construction of Northern Heights will happen at the same time the city is doing its reconstruction of Garfield Street, from Highway 2 to Sixth Avenue and the city will build the full frontage improvements on the north and east property boundaries.

During a June 14 meeting, the commission took public testimony from residents. Some were concerned about the potential for increased traffic with the apartment complex and the city connecting Russell Street to Sixth Avenue.

At that public hearing, Braaten explained the original plan was to connect Russell to Sixth, but staff changed their plans because of the misalignment of Sixth Avenue, and potential safety issues. The increased traffic volumes will be orientated to Russell Street.

Prior to the vote, Commissioner Matthew Pederson said he was concerned about the impact future residential developments would have on the city's water system. Airway Heights decommissioned wells 1,4 and 9 during the recent water situation and has not reactivated them.

Braaten said the Northern Heights project was accounted for in the city's planning documents.

Pederson said he was pleased this project is moving forward, but suggested the city's staff and elected officials think of a strategy for future developments that may incur high water and sewer charges on residents.

"Strategic planning needs to be put in place for the short and long term," Pederson said.

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.