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The demand for second homes was projected (using various factors such as population growth <br />within two hours of the Pass, the estimated growth rate of mountain second homes, and the <br />rate of expected buyers at the Pass) at an average of between 39-89 second homes per year <br />between 1998 and 2005 and 50 to 120 per year between 2006 and 2015. Again using a <br />conservative growth assumption, it is projected that over the 1998-2005 planning period, 380 <br />new second homes will be constructed within the area. This entails an annual average of <br />approximately 54 new second homes per year. During the 2006-2015 period, as the <br />environment continues to improve related to ski area and summer facility upgrades, it is <br />projected that an additional 710 second homes will be constructed, an annual average of 71 <br />new second home dwellings. <br />Under those assumptions, over the approximately 15 year time frame for the planning period, a <br />combined primary and second home total of 1,257 new units, or an annual average of 74 <br />dwellings per year will be constructed within the Snoqualmie Pass area. <br />In comparison, over the past few years, (1995-97) an average of 13 dwellings were constructed <br />within the Snoqualmie Pass area. The conservative estimate of demand represents a significant <br />increase in building rate and maturation of the community over the next planning period. It <br />should be noted that demand over time may vary considerably as various unanticipated <br />economic and social factors occur. (A potential range in demand for residential dwellings was <br />projected, from a low of 882 new residential units to a high of 2,132 new residential units within <br />the planning area.) <br />Under any of these projections, the Pass has sufficient residential land capacity to meet the <br />estimated demand. <br />3.2.2 Commercial Development Capacity and Demand <br />A similar analysis was conducted for commercial land area. Currently, there exists 30,000 square <br />feet of commercial development on 8.22 acres of land in the Snoqualmie Pass area. The <br />potential exists for 112.64 additional acres of commercial development in the area, including <br />land for hotels, which could accommodate over one million square feet of commercial space <br />(assuming four square feet of land are required for each square foot of building). Most of the <br />existing commercial acreage is concentrated in the Summit West area, while much of the <br />potential additional acreage is located in the Summit Central and Gold Creek areas. <br />An analysis of demand for retail commercial square footage within the Snoqualmie Pass <br />Planning Area was also undertaken, consisting of estimating demand related to "spending <br />factors" of the projected permanent residents, second homeowners, overnight lodging guests, <br />day visitors to the area, and regional pass-through traffic. Standards for per capita spending by <br />each of these groups of consumers were developed and applied to various commercial <br />categories, including: high turnover restaurants, quality restaurants, supermarkets, convenience <br />retail, specialty retail, gas stations, and hotels and motels. <br />The composite annual spending patterns for commercial uses were then tabulated with <br />benchmarks for the year 2005 and 2015. Total projected annual spending within Snoqualmie <br />Kittitas County <br />Comprehensive Plan <br />December 2016