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GROWTH 11-22-99
Where do we GROW from here?
Project a qualified success John Dodge The Olympian Originally published November 22, 1999
OLYMPIA -- The homes are packed together closely on small lots and narrow, tree-lined city streets adorned with ornate streetlights.
There are nearly 100 homes on 17 acres, and there is still room for a neighborhood park in this southeast Olympia subdivision.
Whisper Ridge is the type of urban development envisioned in the state Growth Management Act and Olympia land-use plans -- six lots per acre instead of the suburban sprawl of one or two homes per acre. It's a large-scale infill housing project, built to meet new urban density requirements and create homes that will attract buyers.
Talk to the residents and they seem happy with their new homes.
"It's a nice little community -- a good mix of older folks and younger families," says Lyle Tillett, who lives with his wife and two young boys on 30th Avenue Southeast.
The developer, Leo Deatherage of Keystone Homes Inc. in Olympia, is glad to hear that the high- density neighborhood is well received. He's chosen to live there himself.
However, he says the project has been a costly, time-consuming nightmare to build. And it's less than half complete after four years of effort.
Deatherage has filed several claims against the city, charging them with an 18-month delay in reviewing project plans and granting permits.
"Every deadline we had has been obliterated," Deatherage says.
He secured his final permit to build the second phase of the project on Nov. 1, which he says is a bad time of year to start building houses.
He figures he's lost $275,000 in interest costs on his bank loan for the project because of the delays.
And, he says, the street improvements, impact fees and other development charges the city imposed total about $30,000 per lot before the home construction even begins.
"The same $149,900 house in Whisper Ridge sells for $119,900 in the Prairie Creek subdivision in Yelm," says Diana Greene, a Realtor with Olympia Real Estate Inc.
Wary of a lawsuit, city officials acknowledge that the Whisper Ridge project, which began in July 1995, has suffered a string of setbacks and delays.
"We had staff turnover in the engineering review section," says John Sonnen, the city planner assigned to the project. "Staff did get bogged down."
On the other hand, some of the delays were triggered by the need to redesign and expand the subdivision's stormwater system, which overflowed last winter, Sonnen says.
The city and developer also wrestled over garage design, with the city wanting the garages set back on the side of the home and Deatherage opting for front-facing garages. Deatherage prevailed.
Despite the tension between the city and developer, city officials like much of what they see with Whisper Ridge.
"It is achieving some of the higher densities that we encourage," Sonnen says.
The homes range from 1,300 square feet to 2,070 square feet. The price range is $134,900 to $154,900.
The homes have postage stamp backyards and small front lawns mowed and maintained by the homeowners association.
That's just fine with homeowner Leona Tokos.
"We don't like mowing anymore," she says. "This leaves us free to go fishing."
John Dodge covers the environment for The Olympian. He can be reached at 754-5444. The Olympian Copyright 2000 back to main GROWTH 11-22-99 index
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