SEQUIM — Swaths of land plus plans for an “urban village” appeared on the city’s horizon Monday night.
In the latest in a series of annexations, the Sequim City Council voted unanimously to add two more: Barbara Richmond’s nearly 30-acre property on Forest Road off West Sequim Bay Road, and about 168 acres south of U.S. Highway 101 and west of River Road.
Along with those annexations on either side of the city, the council gave its unanimous blessing to Bell Creek Village, a residential-office-retail project near the center of town.
Whidbey Island developer Jerry Hann presented the “urban village” concept early this year in hopes of bringing Sequim in as a tenant.
A civic center on Bell Creek, with a new City Hall and other public facilities as a centerpiece.
That plan fell apart when would-be occupants such as the Museum & Arts Center decided they weren’t interested in being part of a large, shared building and the city found the cost of building infrastructure on the site prohibitive.
Bell Creek Village
But Bell Creek Village will still take shape, and it will be nothing like anything Sequim has seen.
The 76-acre parcel, now home to quail and juncos, will be the site of 548 housing units, 239,000 square feet of retail space, a “town square” plaza and office complexes.
Hann told the council he plans to preserve the wetlands and oak trees that spread across the mostly flat land, located south of U.S. Highway 101 and west of Sequim Avenue.
He’ll have multifamily housing units above the retail stores and offices and about 7 acres of parks and other open areas.
“This will be a very active community” of residents and business people sharing space, Hann said.
In voting to approve the project, the council took care to require improvements to adjacent streets so that pedestrians and motorists can travel easily between the village and downtown Sequim.
No one in Monday’s audience came forward to speak about Bell Creek Village.
The council members, however, gave Hann’s plan rave reviews.
“This is a tremendous benefit to the town to have this happen,” said Councilman Bill Huizinga.
“This will augment downtown,” added Councilwoman Patricia Kasovia-Schmitt.
Annexations protested
It turned out that many who sat through Monday’s meeting were there to protest the annexations.
“I have no desire to be in the city limits,” said Kelly Thomas, one of three neighbors who voiced opposition to the annexation of the of the parcels near River Road.
The Richmond annexation also drew a fervent opponent in Trisha Cobb, who spoke for herself and two others.
She expressed a worry that the land on Sequim Bay, where Richmond’s home and Blackberry Forest farm now sit, will become a high-density subdivision.
Cobb, a Realtor, warned the City Council that Sequim’s real estate market is suffering from too much supply and not enough demand.
Of 482 lots on the local Multiple Listing Service, only nine sold last month, Cobb said.
“I understand the need for density within the city,” she added.
But with the fragile bay-side ecosystem, “this is not the place to put your density . . . I implore you not to improve this annexation,” Cobb said. “Or hold off until water and sewer is extended.”
“The staff and Planning Commission recommended this,” said Councilman Don Hall.
