What is now 186 acres of mining lands surrounding the Southeast 192nd Avenue/state Route 14 interchange may, in 20 years, be a decidedly more vibrant mix of commercial, residential, entertainment uses, green spaces and a hotel.
Recognized as what could eventually serve as the eastern gateway to Vancouver, much of the area is in the process of completing annexation to the city of Vancouver. The eastern quarry was annexed in July 2005.
The area was originally designated as one of 15 urban centers and corridors intended for focused planning in Vancouver’s comprehensive plan of May 2004, and in response, the city has created the Riverview Gateway Subarea Plan to guide the urban mix of development with objectives, zoning and design standards.
Planners and lead consultant, Seattle-based MAKERS Architecture and Urban Design, have collaborated on the subarea plan since 2006, and the Vancouver Planning Commission held a public hearing on the draft Sept. 23. If approved by the commission on Oct. 14, the Vancouver City Council is expected to adopt it in early 2009.
The period for SEPA comments and written comments on the plan has been extended to Oct. 10.
A unique dynamic
The western half of the quarry is owned by Pacific Rock Products, a subsidiary of Cemex, and is commonly referred to as the Fisher Quarry. The eastern half of the quarry, which includes lands on both sides of Southeast 192nd Avenue, is owned by Weston Investments and is known as the WSDOT Quarry, after its previous owner. It also has been referred to as the Smith Quarry.
Weston Investments (also referred to as 192nd LLC) includes Portland-area developers Joe Weston and Ed Freeman, who bought the quarry land several years ago with the intent of future development, said Don Hanson, a partner in Otak’s Lake Oswego office and a consultant leading the developers’ design team.
Immediately south of state Route 14 are large, heavily wooded residential lots, open spaces and the Columbia Vista Mill, a specialty lumber mill with docking facilities. The shoreline will be protected, with no significant changes in land uses for some time.
Mining will continue at the WSDOT Quarry for about three years, Hanson said, but there could be development on the site next to state Route 14 where mining isn’t taking place within two years, if not sooner, he said.
The planning process was a collaborative effort between the city and landowners, they said. The developers’ vision and the city’s objectives have been “luckily in synch,” Hanson said. A representative of the Fisher Quarry could not be reached for comment.
The city invested in the development of 192nd Avenue and will pay for some of the road work, but the building development and much of the infrastructure costs will be the responsibility of the private developers, said city planner and project manager Bryan Snodgrass.
‘Self-contained urban community’
The subarea plan calls for a mix of urban uses and to provide for higher-end boutique retailers rather than big-box stores, with restaurants, entertainment and an atmosphere that fosters walking.
“I think that’s particularly missing in that part of the region,” said MAKERS Partner Bob Bengford. “It will look different, but also function quite different – be more pedestrian-friendly.”
On the WSDOT Quarry side, developers envision a hotel, a mix of retail, office, both mixed-use buildings containing some residential and freestanding condos, townhouses, single family homes, plenty of plazas and soft green open spaces, Hanson said.
Bengford said he could see a movie theater fitting in nicely if the surrounding area demographics would support it.
Office uses remain a priority for the city, as it hopes to even out the jobs-to-housing ratio.
Surrounding the area is nice, low-density residential and some commercial development, the Hewlett-Packard campus and wooded, large-lot residences along the river.
Planners favor high-density residential in the area as opposed to more single family homes to capture several key demographics much of the city is missing: downsizing empty nesters, young professionals and workers employed at surrounding businesses.
In creating the vision for the Riverview Gateway Subarea, planners looked at several Northwest urban developments including University Village in Seattle, Redmond Town Center and Portland’s Pearl District.
But the site’s rugged feel and unique topography could create a unique ambiance not found elsewhere, Bengford said.
Phased implementation
Because of the site’s size and current uses, development will not occur all at once. Planners expect implementation of the plan vision will be challenging due to the infrastructure needs to ready the sites for urban development. But the subarea’s consolidated land ownership makes it easier than if it were owned by multiple parties.
“With only two property owners, it creates a unique master planning opportunity,” Bengford said. “Ordinarily, these types (of land) are parceled up quite a bit. With only two owners, they can create something cohesive.”
The 192nd LLC design team has created a preliminary plan of what the design could look like. But before development occurs, the developers will submit master plans for their sites that must be consistent with the subarea plan, Snodgrass said.
Master planning aims to ensure appropriate buffering between developing areas and resource extraction, which could continue at the Fisher Quarry for more than a decade, according to the draft plan.
Until urbanization occurs, currently allowed mining activities can take place without master planning, but will require review under city zoning standards.
Challenges, opportunities
The severe topography of the site presents a challenge for development, Hanson said, but because of its current use, also gives developers some flexibility.
“When you mine it, you can leave it the way you want it for development,” he said. “You can set your own grades and while you’re mining, pre the site for future development.”
And while the land is a blank slate to some degree, the topography will guide development.
“Because it’s extreme, it begins to dictate where roads can and cannot go, as well as development,” Hanson said. “It will guide them in a certain direction – a good direction.”
Stormwater management also presents a challenge, depending how water infiltrates the quarry surface, which may have little soil, Bengford said.
Planners hope water infiltrates quickly, allowing development of low-impact buildings. One of the plan’s goals is to employ a variety of environmental management and low-impact development measures to improve ecological functions.
The slope allows the opportunity to have taller buildings that don’t impact the view of neighbors on the surrounding bluffs – in some cases up to 12 stories, Bengford said.
But some neighbors have a different view of the situation.
At the Sept. 23 public hearing, a few neighbors spoke out against proposed building height standards in fear of losing their view. Staff is conducting further research on the issue.
Megan Patrick-Vaughn can be reached at mpatrick@vbjusa.com.
