SEQUIM — The City of Sequim has purchased three lots next to its civic center that were known for years for code violations and as a venue for suspected criminal activity.
The Sequim City Council unanimously agreed on June 27 to purchase the lots for $457,500 and the sale closed on Thursday. The city’s funds will come from Rainy Day funds.
City staff have negotiated off and on for more than a decade with property owner Ron Fairclough for the properties at 153, 161 and 169 W. Spruce St., but they couldn’t agree on a price.
The city negotiated the recent sale with Fairclough’s living trust, his brother-in-law and sister Samuel and Yvonne Pedersen, and real estate broker Kalo Vass with Keller Williams Olympic.
The Pedersens could not be reached for comment.
City staff reported that, after they are cleared, the lots will be used for parking city vehicles and for employees to park. The city will cease a $150-per-month rental with First Federal to use the business’ parking lot.
Council member Kathy Downer said at the June 27 meeting she was hesitant to purchase the property because it’s expensive and uses a large portion of the city’s Rainy Day Fund.
However, Downer said, “the prudent thing to do is buy it.”
Fellow city council member William Armacost said he understood her concern, but he’s heard from residents they were concerned about where the city would park cars next to the Sequim Civic Center. Armacost said he felt the purchase was a positive move for the city as it “immediately provides parking,” and the “ability for expansion is a good financial move.”
City Manager Matt Huish said the properties were purchased at a price on the lower end of the appraisal.
More than a year ago, the lots were involved in a fire that burned down a house, garage, dental lab and fifth-wheel trailer.
Fairclough, 84, said in a phone interview that for the fire on June 6, 2021, his mortgage was insured but not the structure.
He signed the property over to his brother-in-law, he said, and now lives in a local motel while continuing to work as a dental technician.
“I always felt the city should have my property,” Fairclough said. “I feel I’m kind of free.”
Fairclough said he bought the first property, 153 W. Spruce St., in 1974, and then 161 in 1980, and 169 in 2007 with the intent to create a Sequim Laboratory of Dental Arts.
Bad renters and theft prevented him from proceeding, he said in a previous interview.
For many years, Fairclough’s properties were reported to the city for criminal activity and code compliance issues. Residents on Fairclough’s properties were investigated and/or charged with multiple crimes.
At its peak, Sequim police went to the lots 144 times from 2010-2014 for issues such as animal abuse, domestic violence, assault, child abuse, drug violations and more.
In 2018, the property was part of Service Fest through Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County and the City of Sequim where volunteers helped clean up properties. A city crew tore down a house for Fairclough at 169 W. Spruce St.
Vass said several agencies have listed the properties over the years and that he became its agent on March 29.
The family wanted to sell all three lots at once, he said, and they had an original price of $750,000.
The price was lowered to $592,500 on May 19 and went under contract with the City of Sequim on June 16 and closed July 6 for $457,500.
Vass said this was “very close to market value.”
“Persistent marketing made it successful and making sure municipalities and other agencies knew about it too,” he said.
A timeline for the new parking lot was not given by city staff.
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Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
