Laserfiche WebLink
Ms. Lindsey Ozbolt <br />Mr. Neil Caulkins <br />January 30, 2020 <br />Page 2 <br />Aamlicable Regulations <br />At the time of the approval and the initial application for the Development Agreement, <br />Kittitas County Code 15A.11.010 read as follows: "A development agreement may be <br />appropriate for large, complex or phased projects, or projects which were not contemplated <br />by existing development regulations or existing application procedures. A development <br />agreement may include provisions which are different or in addition to other county <br />development regulations, as long as impacts are mitigated." <br />It is irrelevant that the County amended this Code in December of 2019 because <br />Community Development Services must apply the regulations governing development <br />agreements in effect at the time of the application. Kittitas County cannot change the rules <br />this late in review, after Easton Ridge Land Company invested well over a year of time in <br />drafting this Development Agreement. Instead, the Development Agreement is vested to <br />the regulations in effect at the time of application, which vesting includes Chapter 15A.11. <br />See Noble Manor Co. v. Pierce Cly., 133 Wn.2d 269, 275, 943 P.2d 1378 (1997) (citing <br />RCW 58.17.033). Further, having been imposed as a conditions of the Preliminary <br />Approval, the Development Agreement is also inextricably linked for purposes of vesting <br />as the Court. Schneider Homes, Inc. v. City of Kent, 87 Wn. App. 774, 779, 942 P.2d 1096 <br />(1997), amended on denial of reconsideration, 971 P.2d 56 (1997). <br />Despite the foregoing, Easton Ridge Land Company also maintains that the proposed <br />Development Agreement is not inconsistent with the new version of KCC 15A.11.010 as <br />it does not include provisions that are different from County Code. The Board of County <br />Commissioners has already concluded: "As conditioned, the proposed use is consistent <br />with the intent, purposes and regulations of the Kittitas County Code and Comprehensive <br />Plan." Therefore, it is irrelevant whether certain elements of the Development Agreement <br />application might be inconsistent with newer regulations; the Commissioners have already <br />determined the project, as a whole, was consistent with County Code. This determination <br />means the draft Development Agreement, tied to the Plat Approval meets the terms of the <br />current version of 15A.11.020(3): "A development agreement shall be consistent with <br />applicable county development regulations, except as such development regulations have <br />been modified by the development standards contained in the agreement." <br />Commercial Element. Service and Retail <br />The approved Preliminary Plat drawings clearly show an "RV RETAIL SHOP" located in <br />the middle of the development. See Exhibit 64, Preliminary Plat High Resolution Image. <br />These facilities are located in areas not suitable for residential development. While not <br />every reference to "commercial use" throughout the application specifies retail, repair or <br />services, it is clearly designated as such on the face of the approved Preliminary Plat. <br />Further, the project description following the high resolution drawings in Exhibit 64 <br />describes a "commercial element (RV repair and retail)." See also Exhibit 88, commercial <br />element. <br />f OIINS•MONRGI:•MITSLTNAGA•KOLousKovA • PLLc <br />