People pack city hall to protest change to The Grove

The public has spoken, and Langley residents were very clear about the message they hope the city will send to the developers of The Grove.

The message: Don’t add more homes to the development.

The developers of the subdivision, Pacific Crest Partnership, recently asked Langley officials to almost double the size of the new neighborhood. But a standing-room-only crowd at city hall Wednesday told the city council to keep the project as is.

“They have been here for three years and still haven’t gotten what people of Langley or the city want,” said Langley resident Terry Noel.

Langley’s city council chambers were filled to the last seat and more residents stood in the hallway to hear the city council discuss the recent proposal by the developers to expand the number of lots in the Coles Road development.

Three years ago, Ted Brooks said citizens had agreed to the 24-home plan mainly because it was for the greater good of the community. The developer would get to build homes while new residents and old alike would get trails and open space.

Now, some residents are feeling burned.

“My take on this whole situation is, I would say we are subjected to a bait-and-switch. They intended all along to come back,” Brooks said.

The city approved the 24-lot subdivision last year. Pacific Crest Partnership, however, has since asked the city for approval to increase the number of lots to 46. The change would also reduce open space on the 40-acre building site from 23 acres to 20.66 acres.

The Bellingham-based developers said its original plan for the Coles Road property is no longer financially feasible.

The new plan for the housing project is still evolving. After meeting with city staff, the developers withdrew the expansion proposal to come up with a yet again another plan, said city planning consultant Donna Keeler.

Pacific Crest Partners have asked to make a presentation to the city council Nov. 15.

While the city is not required to consider changing the already-approved plan, it can’t stop the developer from asking for changes, Keeler said.

The company acquired the Coles Road property after completing an 18-month process to annex it into the city of Langley.

While construction of a public and private trail system and rough grading for the project is completed, Pacific Crest Partners wants to modify the layout of lots on the subdivision before installing infrastructure.

When the 40 acres were annexed into the city in 2005, several conditions were set for the developer in the annexation agreement. The development was limited to 24 single-family homes, and the city required that 30 acres be left as open space.

Keeler said annexation agreements are a fairly new. But the developer must abide by the original annexation agreement unless both parties agree to amend it, she said.

That seems unlikely. The city council and mayor made it clear earlier this week that they were not supportive of changing the plan.

Councilman Paul Samuelson was blunt.

“I can communicate clearly. I don’t want 46 houses in the development,” he said.

Councilman Bob Waterman agreed.

“Looking at the plans before they were withdrawn, it’s just another cookie-cutter housing development,” Waterman said.

Councilman Robert Gilman took offense to a statement by the developers that Langley needs more housing to live up to the requirements of the state’s Growth Management Act, the law passed more than a decade ago to reduce urban sprawl.

“Langley presently is doing very well with that, thank you very much!” Gilman said.

The mayor had strong words, as well, for the proposed change in plans.

“It’s nothing we wanted,” Mayor Neil Colburn said.

“For some of us, Save The Trees or WEAN, it’s curious that this is characterized as Coles Road 3,” he added.

“For us it’s more like Coles Road 23. PCP approached us for the third time and it’s like ‘God, would you just go away,’” Colburn said.

Even so, Colburn asked the council consider reviewing the revised proposal because city staff had urged the developers to create more affordable housing in the subdivision.

“What about affordable housing,” Colburn asked.

“You can make me the bad guy, if it floats your boat – if they make a portion of it affordable housing and I mean real affordable housing – how much are we willing to do?” Colburn asked.

Gilman said the bar would be high.

“We have to maintain the balance between housing and non-housing projects. We unbalance the community by adding on more and more market-level housing,” Gilman said.

“Affordable housing is missing, but not the only thing that’s missing,” Gilman added.

Based on the current plan, homes would likely be priced in excess of $500,000.

Residents told the council that while they are not opposed to affordable housing, they want the developer to stick to the promises that have been made for The Grove.

One audience member was concerned that the developer may abandon the cleared project site if the city doesn’t agree to the changes.

Keeler said it is not likely, but the city did not require a performance bond to make sure the developer finishes the work.

Michaela Marx Wheatley can be reached at 221-5300 or mmarxwheatley@southwhidbeyrecord.com.