Development on the Snoqualmie Mill Site property could be one step closer to becoming a reality this month.
The Snoqualmie City Council will approve or reject the Snoqualmie Mill Ventures Annexation Implementation Plan (AIP) at its Nov. 28 meeting.
If approved, Snoqualmie Mill Ventures will begin work on a development plan for the former Weyerhaeuser mill site, annexed in 2012.
The AIP, which was presented to the Snoqualmie planning commission in late August, is a document that details how the property owners will meet the requirements and standards necessary to begin development. The plan is a high-level analysis of such aspects of the property as zoning codes, wetlands, storm water and extreme slopes.
Snoqualmie Mill Ventures’ AIP will be presented to the Snoqualmie city council on Nov. 14 to give council members time to go through the material before the vote, scheduled for Nov. 28.
Mark Hofman, Snoqualmie’s community development director, said that the planning commission voted to recommend approval of the AIP to the council. If the company’s plan is approved, Snoqualmie Mill Ventures will begin creating a master plan for development and will do an environmental impact study.
“It’s a lot of material, so it’s a lot to go through,” Hofman said. If the plan is approved on the 28th, he added, “we will have a follow up that says ‘now let’s start discussions with consultants and get to work on the master plan.’”
A development master plan would outline all of the aspects needed to begin construction including roads, utilities and more. A master plan along with a review of possible environmental impacts of development would have to be finalized before any actual construction could begin.
Hofman said the creation of the master plan and an environmental impact study could be a year-long process.
“We need to analyze the potential impacts to the environment, things like traffic, storm water, utility placement, the road system, emergency access, potential impacts to air and clean up of the site,” he said.
Work on the plan would begin in December and community scoping meetings would be held soon after approval, Hofman said.
“Community members, local businesses, the city, anyone that has an interest is shown an idea of what they have planned and has a chance to ask for information, ask questions, or comment,” Hofman said.
Snoqualmie Mill Ventures “will respond to each and every comment,” he added.
Details on the timeline of the project and a community presentation would also be worked out after approval.
“We will know shortly after the end of November,” Hofman said. “We will have a discussion about their expected timeline and be able to put out when to expect and initial presentation or gathering, probably at City Hall, to kick off the process.”
To read the AIP, visit Snoqualmie’s community development page at www.ci.snoqualmie.wa.us/Departments/CommunityDevelopment.aspx.
