East Wenatchee City Council Rejects High Density Recommendation

The East Wenatchee City Council is rejecting an application by property owners to rezone their roughly half acre lot in the 800 block of Devon Avenue.

The owners, Braden and Jessica Draggoo, want the residential property rezoned to allow for high density housing such as an apartment complex, but all 14 neighbors on the block signed a letter in opposition to the change.

The neighbors have also been vocal in their opposition at city council meetings, bringing up the neighborhood's location on a dead-end street.

East Wenatchee City Council member John Sterk says the city has a critical need for more housing but must find a different way.

"I am very, very, very aware of our need," said Sterk. "Using this situation to help to supply that need is not the way to go pure and simple. It's just not the right approach."

Council member Sasha Sleiman says it was a tough choice for her to vote against the recommendation.

"At some point, neighborhoods will change," said Sleiman. "Neighborhoods will change, And I don't think becoming more urban, or having more units automatically equates to feeling less safe."

The East Wenatchee Planning Commission had recommended the parcel be rezoned to allow high density use. There were also no objections to rezoning the property from an environmental review or a review by the state.

The city council will hold a hearing at its first meeting in October to consider options for the future of the property.

The property owners had filed an application to rezone the lot but have not submitted any formal plan for how they would develop the space. It was speculated they would likely build a 15 unit apartment complex, the maximum density allowed on a half-acre property in East Wenatchee.

At its October meeting the council can either outright reject the application for rezoning or refer the matter back to the planning commission to pursue any other options possible for the property.

The property sits adjacent to areas zoned for commercial and residential use. A single-family home currently sits on the property.