Snoqualmie considers wine, performance venue for Mill Site development

A draft environmental impact statement was published by the city on April 27.

A wine district, performance venue and housing are all options being considered for development in Snoqualmie after the city published a draft environmental review on April 27.

The draft environmental impact statement covers the Snoqualmie Mill project, a 261-acre site near the foot of Mount Si that was annexed by the city in 2012. It served as a lumber mill for nearly 90 years, and much of it is still somewhat contaminated, even as cleanup projects have been ongoing for a decade.

The draft environmental impact statement does not green-light construction, but provides a blueprint for developers interested in building on the site. It contains three alternatives: the city’s vision, a redevelopment option and a “do nothing” alternative.

The first would build out the site in three phases over 10 to 15 years. It would include 1.83 million square feet of commercial, light industrial and offices space that could accommodate about 3,400 jobs.

The first phase would focus on creating a wine district. This would include winery production, story and tasting rooms, along with restaurants. Some 160 apartment units would be built. More warehouse, manufacturing and office space would be built in later installments. Nearly three-quarters of the site would be kept as open space.

The first phase will be built on areas of the property with no contamination.

The second alternative would focus primarily on manufacturing and light industrial uses throughout the site. It would reduce the number of residential units to 120, and would not include office space.

The second alternative would create a performance venue capable of seating about 5,000 people. The city expects an average of two weekend performances weekly from June through September. The option would create about 1,570 jobs, which is less than the first phase.

An online meeting will be held at 4 p.m. May 20 where residents can provide public comment. More information on this meeting will be posted on the city’s website in coming weeks.