County seeks to encourage private work on Highway 99
A proposal that aims to transform the busiest intersections of Highway 99 into fancier, denser developments is on its way to Clark County’s commissioners.
The county planning commission unanimously approved a proposal last week to add medians, bike lanes and sidewalks, and put substantial restrictions on the design of new developments on parts of the Hazel Dell strip.
In exchange, businesses would have somewhat more flexibility in the use of their buildings.
But property owners say taxpayers will also have to give them more reasons to redevelop, and the planning commission agrees.
“You’re going to have to have a massive amount of incentives,” said Rick Haddock, a local real estate agent who serves on Team 99, a coalition of residents and business leaders that has led the redesign effort. “We’ve had very little new development when times were good.”
Team 99 suggested that commissioners consider:
nReducing impact fees.
nCreating a regional stormwater facility, to lower on-site drainage costs.
nPutting highway improvements on the county’s six-year transportation plan.
nMoving or burying power lines along the west side of the highway.
But Arlen Stanek of Hazel Dell, a retired architect and neighborhood activist, said the code’s new restrictions aren’t onerous. He said they’ll only require builders to think differently than they’re accustomed.
“This code will not increase the cost of a building, period,” Stanek said.
Brad Lothspeich, a former fire chief who chairs Team 99, said he’d concluded from a series of meetings that most business and property owners support the county’s general goals.
“There wasn’t one of them there that doesn’t want Highway 99 to look better,” he said. “It’s just how we get there.”
Michael Andersen: 360-735-4508 or michael.andersen@columbian.com.
