Sequim City Council approves tract after density lowered

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, July 12, 2006

SEQUIM — Score one for the city’s parkland fund — and one against higher-density, relatively lower-priced housing.

Wellington Estates, a 97-lot subdivision proposed for a 29.5-acre parcel north of Bell Hill, won unanimous approval from the Sequim City Council on Monday.

Developer Neil Rasmussen of Sumner in Pierce County, plans to build 1,800-square-foot, single-family homes — priced from $320,000 to $380,000 — on his land east of Sequim Avenue and south of U.S. Highway 101.

He’s had to scrap a proposal to construct 36 townhouses, zero-lot-line homes also known as duplexes, that would have sold for around $250,000.

Planning Commission

Last month the Sequim Planning Commission considered Rasmussen’s townhouses and the impact of the relatively dense development.

After a long discussion, the commission issued no recommendation for the subdivision.

So Rasmussen removed the townhouses from the plans and agreed to pay the city a fee in lieu of setting aside 10 percent of his development for open space.