Bellevue-based Oakpointe Communities withdrew its application to the city of Kent for a controversial land use change that could allow the developer to build 150 townhouses near the Bridges neighborhood.<\/p>\n
Derek Matheson, city chief administrative officer, announced at the April 6 City Council meeting that Oakpointe had withdrawn its application for a comprehensive plan amendment.<\/p>\n
“The issue will not come back to the council in the near future,” Matheson said. “Oakpointe indicated it might try for a comprehensive plan amendment in the 2022 cycle.”<\/p>\n
That could mean the proposed ordinance to amend the city’s comprehensive land-use map to allow housing on the 13.2-acre site could come before the council in the fall. The application to build the townhomes could go before the Land Use and Planning Board in spring 2022.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the mayors and planning department directors from Kent and Auburn plan to meet on Wednesday, April 14 to discuss an annexation of the Bridges community to Auburn, Matheson said.<\/p>\n
The Bridges housing development is in the city of Kent, but surrounded by properties in the city of Auburn. The 155 acres is part of a “municipal island” in Kent with about 380 homes and 1,000 residents.<\/p>\n
Oakpointe requested the city of Kent change the land use to low density multifamily from urban separator as a first step toward building the townhouses. Oakpointe constructed the Bridges housing development on the site along 124th Avenue Southeast between Southeast 288th and 304th streets.<\/p>\n
The Kent City Council on March 2 voted 4-3 against an ordinance to amend the city’s comprehensive land-use map to allow housing on the site. The council intended to vote on the measure again March 16, but voted 4-3 to remove the item from the agenda.<\/p>\n
Several Kent residents told the council March 2 that they have concerns about increased traffic, nearby wetlands and whether Auburn might annex the land and need to make land-use decisions. More than 530 Lea Hill residents signed an online petition asking the city to reject the proposed land-use changes, according to an email to the Kent Reporter from a resident against the development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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