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The council moved Tuesday to prepare a measure to approve the development and will vote on the measure next week.
The development proposal for the 2400 block of Lilly Road replaces an earlier proposal for the 45-acre plot known as Briarton Village. It would be bounded by the Chehalis Western-Trail to the east, Surrey Street to the south, Lily Road to the west and 26th Avenue to the south.
When built out, residents would live in 121-single family homes, 88 town homes and 90 multifamily dwellings. It would be anchored by a 10,080-square-foot commercial center and a 7,288-square-foot community building. A large village green and two ponds would lie in the center of the plot.
The development is far superior to Briarton Village, which was designed to look more like a traditional subdivision, said Ron Thomas of Thomas Architecture Studio of Bainbridge Island, representing applicant 2400 Lily Road LLC.
“It’s dotted with parks throughout,” he said.
Instead of curvy streets, the village would be situated on a traditional traffic grid, dispersing traffic better. Instead of a deep concrete stormwater containment structure, two lakes with a waterfall would be constructed.
Unlike other recent proposed residential developments, the village is relatively non-controversial, with no neighbors speaking out against the development at the council’s hearing Tuesday. The council unanimously moved to have a formal vote on the matter next week, perhaps the final vote.
“We have received very good feedback from the public hearings,” Thomas said.
Council members mostly praised the development.
“This is an amazing design,” Councilwoman Karen Rogers said.
Some minor concerns were raised.
Councilwoman Rhenda Strub pointed out that because two nearby intersections are rated at a level “F” on an A-F grading scale, the city is not seeking to make the developer pay for improvements. She said she didn’t understand why.
City Manager Steve Hall said that the city can’t force the developer to pay because the intersections are already failing, and the state Growth Management Act doesn’t allow the city to force people to fix problems that others created earlier.
Karen Messmer, a former council member representing the Olympia Safe Streets Campaign, wanted to make sure that bicycle and pedestrian connections were included where streets in the development don’t connect to surrounding streets. Thomas assured her that those connections are in the plans.
Matt Batcheldor: 360-704-6869
mbatcheldor@theolympian.com
