Dahlgren Project Anticipates Breaking Ground This Month

Even though the Friends of the Snoqualmie Valley Trail and River tried mightily to oppose the complex, after nearly 5 years of planning, the new Cedar River Partners Apartment Project is anticipated to break ground this month along SE North Bend Way near the intersection of 436th Ave SE. Initial site work includes clearing and grading of the 21-acre site, often referred to as the Dahlgren Property.

The project includes 210 multi-family housing units, associated parking, leasing office/community center; 2,500 lineal feet of street frontage improvements to North Bend Way; a new roundabout at 436^th Ave SE; storm drainage facilities, sewer, water main and franchise utility extensions; and a new, large City Park that will connect to King County’s Tanner Landing Park to provide direct access to Middle Fork Snoqualmie River.

North Bend Municipal Code provides protections to preserve the site’s Mt. Si views with three view corridors (minimum width of 60 feet); requires the retention of 30% of the property’s existing trees; increases setbacks along North Bend Way, the Snoqualmie Valley Trail and between buildings; requires additional, denser landscaping; and requires specific building design elements like rough timbers and natural stone materials.

The new 4-acre North Bend – Dahlgren Family Park will be located on the east end of the property adjacent to the Snoqualmie Valley Trail, King County’s Tanner Landing Park and the Snoqualmie River.

Utilizing an Interlocal Agreement (ILA), the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will construct the park rather than the developer, utilizing Park Impact Fee revenue collected by the City from the Cedar River Partners Apartment Project. With DNR handling construction, the project qualifies for a Washington Wildlife and Recreation Program (WWRP) Grant that the City, DNR and King County were awarded to fund additional improvements at Tanner Landing Park and other water access sites farther up the Middle Fork Valley.

According to North Bend Senior Planner Mike McCarty, “The project doesn’t just immediately benefit City residents through a new park but leverages grant funding for multiple improvements along the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River.”

The new City park will be connected to King County’s Tanner Landing Park, which will receive improvements while the Dahlgren Family Park is under construction. Included in the plans is a new Kayaking and Rafting Center with parking for cars and trailers, a boating drop-off area and picnic area. Other park features include three play areas, picnic shelter and restrooms.

[A formal name for the apartment project has not yet been provided to the City. Water and sewer capacity for the project were reserved with the City in 2017 and 2018 when concurrency certificates were issued. Thus, utility capacity has been held for the project since the time of concurrency certificate issuance.]