Cashmere planners, council review housing and land-use changes ahead

CASHMERE — Cashmere City Council and the Cashmere Planning Commission met jointly on Feb. 9 to take stock of the city’s ongoing comprehensive plan update, a long-term effort aimed at modernizing land-use policy, addressing housing needs, and preparing city infrastructure for climate-related risks.

The joint session brought together Mayor Jim Fletcher, Councilmembers John Perry, Chris Carlson, Jeff Johnson, and Jayne Stephenson, along with Planning Commission Chair Zak Steigmeyer, Vice Chair Joanne Carr, and commissioner Micah Haney. Director of Operations Steve Croci also participated, and contract planner Christina Wollman of Perteet, Inc. joined remotely by Zoom.

Councilmember Joyce Williams briefly attended the meeting to inform the council of an emergency before departing; the council later voted to excuse her absence.

The discussion centered on progress midway through the city’s comprehensive plan update, which planners described as an opportunity to make the document more usable and relevant after decades of incremental additions.

Planning staff said the existing plan has not been fully updated in roughly 20 years and has become difficult to navigate, with overlapping sections, repetitive policies, and no clearly stated vision tying decisions together. As part of the current update cycle, planners are working to consolidate policies, clarify goals, and establish a guiding vision that can be used to evaluate future development decisions.

Several elements of the plan have already been drafted or revised, including land use, housing, recreation, and climate resilience. The recreation element largely incorporates the city’s existing parks and recreation planning work, while the climate resilience component focuses on practical risks to city assets rather than abstract projections.

Planners emphasized that climate-related planning in Cashmere is being framed around resilience — identifying where infrastructure such as water systems, levees, and facilities may be vulnerable to drought or high flows, and setting policies to reduce those risks over time.

Housing policy was a major focus of the discussion, particularly in light of recent state legislation requiring cities to allow certain forms of development. Planners outlined upcoming code changes related to accessory dwelling units, residential lot splits, and unit lot subdivisions, noting that many of these provisions are permissive rather than mandatory.

Under state law, cities must allow specific housing types unless they proactively adopt local regulations that meet state requirements. Planning staff said the goal is to tailor those regulations to Cashmere’s context rather than allow state defaults to take effect without local input.

Councilmembers raised questions about how new lot-splitting rules would function in practice, including how shared infrastructure, parking, and long-term restrictions would be tracked. Wollman explained that unit lot subdivisions and residential lot splits are distinct tools, both of which include deed restrictions and recorded plat notes to ensure future owners understand development limits tied to the original parcel.

The group also discussed the pace of change likely to result from new housing allowances. Several officials noted that large-scale redevelopment is unlikely in the short term, given lot sizes, ownership patterns, and market conditions. Planners agreed that change is expected to be gradual, but said updating zoning and development codes is necessary to ensure the city can accommodate future needs when opportunities arise.

Population growth projections were referenced during the discussion, including estimates showing relatively modest growth over the next two decades. Some councilmembers expressed concern that incremental infill alone may not be sufficient to support local businesses or maintain city services, prompting discussion about where higher-density development could be appropriate, particularly near transit routes or downtown.

Public engagement emerged as another key topic. Planning staff said previous outreach efforts, including surveys and public forums, generated limited attendance and tended to attract participants with direct business or development interests. Councilmembers emphasized the importance of framing upcoming public meetings around topics residents care about, such as neighborhood change, housing options, and code updates that could affect nearby properties.

Several participants stressed the need to provide Spanish-language access for public forums, noting that a significant portion of Cashmere’s population is Hispanic. Planners said future outreach efforts would aim to present draft policies, explain what has already been heard from the community, and invite feedback on priorities rather than restarting the process.

Discussion also included the draft vision statement for the comprehensive plan, with councilmembers debating whether language describing “expanding housing choices” should be framed as a permanent goal or a transitional phase. Planners said the vision is intended to guide policy over the next 10 to 20 years and may evolve as the community changes.

As the update moves forward, officials said upcoming workshops and public forums will be used to refine draft policies, test priorities with residents, and shape a comprehensive plan intended to guide growth, infrastructure investment, and land-use decisions in Cashmere for decades to come.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media