It’s one small step for the northwest quadrant, one giant leap for future economic development in Maple Valley.

The City Council approved an amendment to the northwest quadrant zoning code at its May 14 meeting, which also involved a final compromise which allows the existing business to remain conforming.

“For me this has been the most community engaging process I’ve ever been in,” said Victoria Laise-Jonas, deputy mayor. “We have listened to the community members and the business owners, and I’m pleased that we went through this process and that they’re have been number of compromises. Not everyone’s going to be happy with the outcome. However, sitting up here as city officials, we are up here to represent all of our community and in the end make the best decision to move Maple Valley forward.”

Council member Noel Gerken said that it allows for the area to move beyond its original King County zoning and one which is better suited for the city.

“I think we’re taking control of our city here,” he said. “We’ve got zoning that’s appropriate for us…There’s been a lot of process here. We want zoning that’s friendly to this area that we can build upon. It’s time to step up and begin planning this center of our city here and this is the first step and I think it’s a good step and a compromise.”

Community Development Director Ty Peterson explained in a telephone interview that the northwest quadrant’s zoning is designed to be a “business park.”

“It became clear at the time you have a really golden opportunity,” he said. “This land is situated in such a manner that it poses some of the greatest potential in the city in terms of its location. There’s no other place in the city that has little development that’s primed for redevelopment … if we wanted to create something unique. This location is the best this community has to do something in. That’s what the subarea plan takes.”

Peterson added, however, as far as a vision for the area’s development goes, it will have to be implemented in phases.

The subarea plan is a long term community development piece of the city’s comprehensive plan and is intended to provide a blueprint for future development of the Four Corners area.

The primary purpose of the subarea plan, City Manager David Johnston said, is to create new zoning for commercial development, with the idea of having what he called “festival retail” located near the Legacy site which is a 56-acre city-owned property Maple Valley purchased nearly a decade ago.

The northwest quadrant has been subject to greater debate than the rest of the plan.

The northwest quadrant saga first began in June 2005, when the city authorized the establishment of the Four Corners Subarea Plan as part of the new comprehensive plan, which affects the properties located at the intersection of the Maple Valley Highway and Kent-Kangley Road.

The new zoning code changes, however, under its previous wording, would affect existing business and property owners. While zoning for three of the four quadrants were adopted, the northwest quadrant was delayed due to disagreements between the city and existing property and business owners over the new zoning code. Interim zoning was adopted in the meantime.

The northwest quadrant first entered into interim zoning in 2005. The last extension occurred Feb. 13.

BUSINESS REMAIN CONFORMING

Before the amendment to the city’s zoning code was approved, a compromise was reached that allowed business owners in the northwest quadrant to remain conforming.

Council member Layne Barnes first brought up the matter by saying that existing business should not be harmed by the zoning changes. He made a motion to amend the proposal by allowing existing business to expand by 50 percent.

“I want us to move forward as well,” he said. “And to move us forward we need to have some discussion about how we’re moving forward. One of the reasons this is a value for us is this is a first step. We are going to be making a future step when we go and come back for basically phase two. At phase two we will be making a much more substantial to everything. But in the meantime allowing some business which are being successful to continue to be successful, to continue to provide jobs.”

The motion received support from council member Linda Johnson, who also argued that there was no reason why the businesses there had to be nonconforming.

“He’s trying to protect the existing businesses there until we can do a new subarea plan and do it right,” she said. “What he’s trying to do is protect those businesses from being damaged more than we already have damaged them.”

Johnson also called for the council to create a new sub-area plan, calling the existing one “flawed.”

“We had leadership on council that insisted it go forward,” she said. “So it’s been pushed and pushed and pushed. We’re going to do a new subarea plan, hopefully, as soon as this when gets put to bed, so to speak. What we’re trying to do is just complete the subarea plan so we can start over again and do it right this time. I think the majority of the council has recognized that this process has been grossly flawed. I think that we need to leave this quadrant as close to the way that it is, the way that it has been until we can do it right and still close out this subarea plan. I think it’s important hat we protect our business as we try to grow our community. There is no reason why we can’t do both at the same time.” Peterson, however, warned that the amendment presented by Barnes had a possible unintended loophole.

“Just so you understand, this would have the opposite effect of what they’re seeking,” he said. “Because this would allow heavy equipment storage, but limit those with existing uses. But a new use would have no limitation at all. I’m not sure that’s what you are going for. But that’s clearly what this effect is. It makes no reference to nonexistent structures.”

The council eventually voted against the amendment.

Johnson then proposed another amendment, in which all heavy equipment storage and sales and self-storage would remain conforming. Johnson argued that it is extremely unlikely that a new auto mechanic shop or self-storage would open business there.

“I think that by making all uses permitted we solve the problem we’re grappling with right now,” she said. “We can support the business community in that quadrant. “They’re conforming, they’re not going to bleed to death one drop at a time the way we’re puncturing them right now…What we’re assessing is the risk of a self-storage coming in. I don’t think that’s going to happen and I’m prepared to give the businesses that are there the assurance that they have the ability to continue to operate in a conforming manner until we can get the new subarea plan set.”

The amendment ultimately carried 4-3.

The amendment was supported by business owners in the northwest quadrant, such as Leslie Westover, who owns Westover Auto Rebuild with her husband. Westover stated in a telephone interview that it would have been unfair for the council to make businesses like hers nonconforming when they aren’t exactly certain of their vision for the area.

“While they were going to make us conforming as an auto conforming, I just kind of felt that it wasn’t fair to make large equipment conforming so I felt like I needed to fought for my fellow business owners in the area,” she said. “Until they really figure out what they want to do to make them nonconforming it just isn’t fair.”The motion to approve the zoning code amendment passed 6-1.

The zoning amendment will go into effect on May 31.