By Ruth Longoria

Mercer island Reporter

It’s been months in the making, but the city’s 2005 Comprehensive Plan finally got the nod from council members during the Tuesday, July 5, City Council meeting. According to state law, cities are required to have a comprehensive plan in place to deal with anticipated population growth as outlined in the Growth Management Act. The city updates the plan, as needed, every year.

Despite myriad lined-through (outdated) sentences and paragraphs and underlined (modified or new) statements and additions to this year’s edition, there aren’t a lot of surprises in the 2005 Comp Plan, said Gabe Snedecker, the city’s principal planner.

Well, with the exception of an ordinance mandating a “housing demonstration project.” The council has discussed the possibility of the project at previous council meetings, but this was the first time the plan said, “Adopt an interim ordinance” instead of the previous: “Consider adoption of an interim ordinance.”

Not everyone on the Island is excited about the prospect of that project — also referred to as “compact courtyard housing.” The name tends to make one think it’s another name for cottage housing — where a few small houses are grouped together on a single lot, with a shared courtyard, similar to a small condominium or townhouse complex only with (in most situations) no shared walls, and more grassy areas. Cottage housing has been successful in many parts of the country, including areas in Seattle, as a lower cost but less apartment-like housing option.

“This demonstration project will be the try-it-before-you-buy-it, kick-the-tires opportunity for Mercer Island to try courtyard housing,” Snedecker said.

This demonstration project isn’t necessarily cottage housing, said Ira Appleman, longtime Island resident, who was opposed to the council sliding the mandate through as part of the Comp Plan without what he considers adequate notification to, or input from, residents.

“This is worded so it can be whatever the developers want,” Appleman said. “This is the most extraordinary move on the part of the council, it’s never happened before. If they want to increase density in single family areas they should bring it to the public for a vote.”

Appleman urged the council to take time to study the prospect and feasibility of higher density housing in single family areas before mandating it be built on the Island.

With little discussion on this or any of the agenda items, and one of the shortest council meetings in several months, the council passed the 2005 Comprehensive Plan — and thus the ordinance — unanimously.

Snedecker’s enthusiasm for the project was echoed during the public comment portion of the meeting by Islander Bruce Lorig, who also is a member of Futurewise, a growth management advocacy group that recently contacted the city and prompted city staff to look at adding more residential housing options to deal with anticipated growth on the island.

“This is a positive step forward,” Lorig said of the demonstration project. “And, it’s an opportunity to put our toe in the water and see how it works. I think that’s one of the only ways to get affordable property on Mercer Island.”

Where the demonstration project will be is undecided so far, Snedecker said. No specific site has been chosen, but Snedecker expects several developers to jump at the opportunity to offer what’s expected to be a less expensive housing alternative.