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Mission Ridge seeks council support as draft EIS comment period opens for major expansion
Summary
Mission Ridge representatives presented a multi-phase resort expansion and village proposal to the Wenatchee City Council, described wildfire and traffic mitigations, and asked the council to consider a letter of support during the open draft environmental impact statement comment period (about one month remaining).
Representatives of Mission Ridge briefed the Wenatchee City Council on a proposed multi-phase resort expansion and village that is currently in the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) public comment period. The presenters described parking and capacity constraints, proposed new lifts and terrain, and a five-phase, multi-year build-out that the developer forecasts would generate significant property tax revenue over the project’s build cycle.
The presenter said the expansion is planned on about 800 acres purchased in 2016 and emphasized that the developer intends to fund infrastructure and mitigation measures. "Development pays for development," the presenter said, adding the project’s owner plans to donate land and pay for construction and staffing of a new fire station as part of wildfire mitigation measures. The presentation also listed remote fire detection systems, expanded snowmaking to provide water for firefighting, and other mitigation practices.
Mission Ridge told the council it has worked with 26 jurisdictions and stakeholders over nine years and released an economic impact study forecasting long-term property tax revenue and job creation. The presenter said the phased 20-year buildout is projected to deliver an estimated $209 million in property tax revenue over the planning horizon and stressed the project would be privately funded.
Council members discussed summer access, Nordic and tubing amenities, public-transit connections, and emergency access. On wildfire risk, the presenter acknowledged that a full secondary access road is impractical given the topography and said mitigation must rely on layered measures including the proposed fire station and fire-detection technology.
At the meeting’s close of the presentation, the council indicated staff would prepare a letter of support for the draft EIS: "Josh and Matt will get a letter of support that will include the city council, and then, we'll keep working on the impact study to make sure and get comments back for you on that," a council member said. The presenter requested comments be returned within roughly a month to meet the comment deadline. No formal vote on the project was taken by the council at this meeting.
