UPDATE | September 17, 2019
The City of North Bend announced that clearing, grading and construction of the River Run Apartment complex, which was scheduled to begin this week, has been delayed by the developer in anticipation of a very wet season.
According to Project Manager Holly Brown with North Bend Associates – River Run, the project is firmly slated to move forward in the spring.
ORIGINAL STORY
The City of North Bend announced that construction of the new 128-unit River Run Apartment complex is anticipated to begin on Tuesday, September 17th, which means residents may notice some trees coming down in the area.
The nearly six-acre site is located at the northeast corner of the 436th Avenue SE and SE 136th Street intersection near I-90 Exit 32 – next door the new Chinook Lumber store.
Following clearing, grading and utility infrastructure installation, crews will construct 11 apartment buildings and one clubhouse/office building for a grand total of 128 apartments, including 28 (80% AMI) affordable housing units.
North Bend Communications Manger Jill Green said, “Although the developer is not pursuing HUD funds for the projects, they have demonstrated they have sufficient funding for the entire project. This includes the 28 units of affordable or workforce housing that is a condition in the code.”
As part of the project, a roundabout at the 436th / 136th intersection and front sidewalks will also be constructed and will connect to recently built sidewalks in front of the new Chinook Lumber store.
The River Run project should be completed in 2021. According to Bumgardner Architecture website, River Run units “are a mix of walk up apartment flats and 3-story townhomes, which are provided with their own backyards.” The central clubhouse building will also have a pool.
The City of North Bend said the project is will meet its Tree Ordinance and municipal code: “Trees that will be removed will either be replaced at a 3-to-1 ratio or be mitigated via a ‘fee-in-lieu’ tree program that uses funds to plant trees elsewhere around the city.”
The city added that both its and the applicant’s arborists have visited the site many times and determined multiple areas of the land parcel where existing tree groves will remain. The developer is required to retain a minimum 20% of all significant trees in the developable site area. According to the city, they are slightly exceeding that level.
Per a city news release, “The arborists are working closely with the contractor to ensure construction activities do not damage existing trees proposed to be retained.”
In addition to receiving building permits from the City, the project also obtained a Forest Practices Permit with Washington State Department of Natural Resources and a Construction Stormwater Pollution Prevention Permit from Washington State Department of Ecology.
Comments
Oh, well as long as they’re leaving some trees. Never mind the traffic, the overcrowded schools (and accompanying buses), the crime, and the loss of quality of life all this development is leading to. Barring a zombie apocalypse or something this trend can’t be undone.
North Bend needs to amend their motto: ‘Easy to Reach- Impossible to Drive Through’.
Actually Chris, it has been completely revised by the outgoing and recently moved-on council members responsible for the growth explosion and will be unveiled by year end. It is now ‘Unfettered Growth – No Vision’.
I like it. It’d make a good tattoo. Like right across their foreheads.
At what point will this development STOP?? Our town is no longer our town. When will the city stop being so money hungry and start thinking of the quality of life of it’s residents? Please tell me this is the LAST development. This is so frustrating.
The city is getting selfish. Put the people before their pockets.
What about the water? Is there going to be enough?? Not only for us, but for the animals. Seeing all of these trees get cut down is so sad. Can we please stop stealing the homes of the animals that live here and make this area special?
I have an idea. How about they DON’T build the complex!
Why, Why, WHY???? This town sure is not what it used to be. Everywhere you turn there is a plot of trees being cut down for more housing. North Bend is becoming more and more like the Issaquah highlands and that is not a compliment. If we keep up like this for a few more years, all of the charm and nature of North Bend will be gone. It’s already been damaged beyond repair, but we still have time to save it from destruction.
The growth management act was adopted in 1990 to address growth and to plan for it. All cities and counties have to follow the growth management act requirements. People need a place to live and having a plan for where homes can be build and the type of density is a good thing. Unplanned growth is pretty messy and much harder to deal with. One only has to look at Issaquah to see what unplanned growth looks like. In our society we cannot tell a landowners that they can not develop their land when the zoning allows for it simple because we don’t want growth.
Debra, no. The law doesn’t allow for telling a landowner what they can and cannot develop on their land unless there are restrictions in place called moratoria. These are enacted by city governing bodies to slow development until vital infrastructure is in place or budgeted for to build. We’ve had them before and we should consider them again. I’d say the current explosion of development including the development in this article is pretty messy and hard to deal with. And btw we are far beyond the development requirements of the GMA. Have you tried to drive through North Bend on a weekend lately or any day at 3pm? Please cite the traffic mitigation/enhancements planned to accommodate the increase in new resident cars.
Is there sufficient parking on the property for 128 units or will 136th be overflow parking for the Alpine Estates Neighborhood?