[November 13, 2009] Proposed Parlette annexation rejected Tweet WENATCHEE, Nov 13, 2009 (The Wenatchee World - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Citing widespread opposition and echoing residents' safety concerns, the City Council Thursday rejected a controversial proposal to annex 6.8 acres of vacant land above the Broadview subdivision. Five of the seven council members rejected the proposal to annex the property, owned by Wenatchee attorney Bob Parlette. Councilman Don Gurnard cast the lone dissenting vote. Councilman Mark Kulaas recused himself, because he said he has relatives who own property in the vicinity. The vote ends, at least for now, a three-year battle to annex the property, which Parlette says can no longer be profitably farmed as orchard, because taxes are too high. He hopes to develop the land into 14 home sites. Other developers Calvin White, Ron Andre and Bart Clennon also hope to develop in the area. Parlette's land is in northwest Wenatchee, above Maiden Lane and the upscale, 140-home Broadview subdivision. A sticking point in the negotiations was the need for a second road to access the site to ease evacuation in case of fire or other emergency. A city code requires subdivisions with 40 homes or more to have two entrance and egress points, city officials said. The Broadview subdivision is accessible only via Maiden Lane, yet has some 140 homes, according to city officials. Parlette had proposed to give the city rights-of-way through his property to extend North Road, now a narrow and primitive single-lane path, to Broadhurst Place, currently a cul-de-sac in the Broadview subdivision. He also proposed to pay $42,000 to widen and improve North Road. City officials estimated the cost to transform North Road into a standard city road at $750,000. City officials said that if North Road were improved, even minimally, it would mean some 45 new building lots in the area, among all four of the hopeful developers. Parlette admitted that his proposal wasn't perfect, but it was the only way to create a second access to Broadview. "You have a huge liability facing you," Parlette told the council. "You've had three years to solve this problem and haven't solved it." Eight Broadview and North Road residents spoke out against the annexation and Parlette's plan. The developers were the only ones who spoke in favor. Opponents called Parlette's plan a "Band-Aid" solution that would only further overwhelm the already limited road capacity. "If the finances aren't there between the developers and the city, don't do it," said Vern Smith, a Maiden Lane resident. "I don't believe profits should come at the expense of my family's safety." Most council members agreed. "I appreciate the struggles of the developers, but it's an opening of a Pandora's Box," Councilwoman Karen Rutherford said. "With the annexation, you're opening a secondary access that's woefully inadequate." "It seems to me we're trading one safety issue for another safety issue," Councilman Jim Bailey said. Gurnard favored the Parlette plan because he said it would finally create a second -- if imperfect -- access to a neighborhood that has long needed one. "If we kill this, that development's done," he told his fellow councilmembers. "You'll never have another road built in that development anytime soon." Councilwoman Carolyn Case said she favored a southern route out of the subdivision -- a road that would run along the base of the Wenatchee foothills and connect Broadview with Fifth Street. City officials said the alternative would be expensive. Parlette said he'd consider working with Chelan County for a means to develop his property. Christine Pratt: 665-1173 [email protected] To see more of The Wenatchee World or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.wenworld.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Wenatchee World, Wash. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]