PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend City Council and Board of Jefferson County Commissioners have agreed to establish a list of parcels that could be developed for affordable housing.
A quorum of both the commissioners and the council met Thursday night to discuss what they could do to encourage lower-cost housing in the area.
Absent from the joint meeting of the three-member county commissioners board and the seven-member council were county Commissioner David Sullivan and Council members David King and Mark Welch.
Affordable housing has long been a goal of both local governments.
“It looks like were moving forward a little bit on it,” Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval said at the conclusion of the meeting.
“That’s good news.”
County Administrator Philip Morley suggested the two groups consider action in the near future that would establish a “pool of available lands” for developers to view and see if any groups were interested in developing an affordable residential zone in the area.
Also, they instructed staff members to seek grants for preparing land for developers to take over.
Morley said the thought process was a “push and pull” technique.
“The push is to make the list and put them out there for people to look at,” Morley said.
“The pull is in order to see if we can’t get the grants and sweeten the lands a little bit to bring people in.”
Possible development
High on the list for possible development are Port Townsend parcels on Umatilla Street, land near Laurel Grove Cemetery and county buildings on the corner of Sims Way and Sheridan Street, where it may be possible to build residential units on top of commercial buildings.
Deputy Mayor George Randels said he would like to see two main projects identified immediately.
“I think it makes sense to proceed with two parcels, one from each jurisdiction, and the two that come to mind for me are . . . Umatilla Street and the parcels near the cemetery,” Randels said.
“They are roughly the same size and same yield. The fact that they are close together is somewhat unfortunate, but they have the most immediate potential.”
Commissioner Phil Johnson agreed and also suggested auctioning off property on Jackson Street.
“It would be a source of revenue [rather than] a place for affordable housing.”
Not good time to sell
Sandoval said that some land could be sold to fund the other projects, but cautioned against selling in the current economy.
“It’s great to have the potential of that sale, but it concerns me . . . that it’s not a great time to sell,” she said.
“It is a good source of funding, but we should consider the best method to get the greatest yield out of it.”
Both county and city staff members were instructed to create a resolution establishing a list of lands to consider for development and to sell.
Nothing is scheduled now for action by either board.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
