Leavenworth moves forward with cemetery expansion

LEAVENWORTH — The Leavenworth City Council signed off on design services for the expansion of Mountain View Cemetery during the brief July 8 meeting.

The city council approved a design agreement with PLACE Landscape Architecture (PLACE) for the design of the Cemetery Expansion project, which will include a site survey, replatting and creating new burial sections, lawn renovation and irrigation adjustments, foundation design for cremains niches, and visual screening for the maintenance building.

The cemetery’s highest priority is the preparation of platted burial sections in its undeveloped area, which was originally outlined in a 2022 Cemetery Master Plan. Citing the urgent need for additional plots, the city budgeted for the project in 2024 and hired PLACE as a consultant. PLACE originally determined design and construction would cost approximately $630,000, exceeding the city’s $100,000 budget. 

As a result, the design consultant completed pre-design work, developed a schematic design and outlined phased improvement options, leading to the completion of a feasibility study. The study provided estimated costs and scope to each component of the work, allowing the city to proceed with individual elements as funding allows.

The total contract approved by the council was $47,100, which includes $5,000 for the completed feasibility study and $42,100 for the design services.

The council also removed a franchise agreement with Chelan County from the agenda to allow more time for negotiations. The agreement would formalize the terms and responsibilities for existing and future city utilities, as City of Leavenworth owns and maintains utility infrastructure outside city limits and within the county’s right-of-way. It was prompted by the city's Water

Transmission Main Replacement: Well Site to Mill Street project, which includes the installation of approximately 5,400 linear feet of new water main within Chelan County right-of-way.

During the meeting, Public Works Director Andi Zontek-Backstrum told the council that the item was placed on the agenda because it was originally holding up the permitting process for the project. However, the county granted the permit to allow negotiations to continue without causing more delay. Zontek-Backstrum said the city was working with the county to include more specific language regarding the responsibilities of each party.

“At the determination of the county engineer, we would be required to move our utilities if it interfered with their project. Obviously that's a really big deal and it's not detailed. So that's some of the specific language that we've been negotiating back and forth on what should be their responsibility versus ours,” said Zontek-Backstrum.

Lastly, the city council approved amendments to the quarterly budget.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media