Design review board considers West Commons

Published 8:00 am Saturday, July 29, 2006

Coupeville residents will have a chance Monday to comment on a new development in town.

West Commons, a nine-unit condominium project, is going before the Design Review Board during a special meeting Monday evening.

“We wanted to have a meeting in the evening to accommodate most of the people in the neighborhood,” Mayor Nancy Conard said.

The project proposes nine detached “cottage style” housing units that will range from 800 square feet to 1,700 square feet in size. Plans also call for construction of two detached common garages, a commons building and pedestrian paths that connect each unit. The development is designed by Langley’s Ross Chapin Architects.

The 1.3-acre West Commons is located on a northwest dog leg of the Krueger Farm property located south of the intersection of Sixth Street and Krueger Street. The property owner, Cec Stuurmans, can build cottage style homes on the property because of a memorandum of agreement the town council approved in 2003.

Another aspect of the agreement allows the Design Review Board to review plans for construction on Krueger Farm.

Town Planner Larry Kwarsick said the development has a substantial amount of open space associated with the property.

The town staff is recommending approval of the project with 27 conditions attached. Once it goes through the Design Review Board it goes to the Coupeville Town Council for approval.

Kwarsick said having a Monday evening meeting will help make sure there is good community representation. Project designers will also attend the meeting. The Coupeville Design Review Board normally meets in the morning on the third Tuesday of the month.

The special Design Review Board meeting takes place Monday, July 31, 6:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room at the Courthouse Annex Building.