Council approves preliminary plat for Ponds subdivision near Morrison Road and Plaza Way

The Walla Walla City Council on Feb. 12 unanimously approved a preliminary plat for the Ponds subdivision, a residential development at the southwest corner of Morrison Road and Plaza Way that will add multiple single-family lots and three on-site stormwater facilities.

Staff and the applicant said the design meets city standards and that concerns raised during public review were addressed through the site plan and hearing-examiner process.

City planning staff presented the proposal to council and described the project as a preliminary plat that underwent site-plan review and a SEPA review before a November 2024 hearing, noting changes to the internal street layout that responded to public comment (staff member presenting the item). "Good evening, council. Staff is presenting the preliminary plat for the Pond Subdivision," a staff member told council during the presentation.

Why it matters: The plat creates new lots, sets stormwater and access arrangements and establishes a homeowners association that will be responsible for maintaining open space and storm facilities. Council approval of the preliminary plat allows the project to proceed to civil design and construction stages, at which point final plats, bonds and covenants will be completed and recorded.

Council and staff emphasized safety and code compliance in the discussion. Several council members questioned private shared driveways and emergency access; planning staff and the applicant said the design complies with city standards and that fire and public-works reviews confirmed access can be provided. "These do meet the public standards. This isn't a cul de sac...it's not uncommon for properties to take access off a road through a shared driveway as is here," a staff member said in response to safety questions from Council member Willis.

Stormwater and long-term maintenance were central technical points. Staff explained the three stormwater ponds were sized to hold a 24-hour 25-year storm and were analyzed for the 100-year, 24-hour storm event; the ponds are designed to infiltrate runoff on-site and would overtop only in events larger than their design storms. "They do hold the 100-year event," staff said. Council members pressed that the homeowners association and city inspection would be responsible for ongoing maintenance and sediment removal as the ponds age. Staff said the city would inspect the facilities periodically and that the HOA would be required to maintain and operate them.

Public interest and connectivity questions also appeared. Council member Willis asked about Valley Transit service and access to bus routes; staff said the nearest existing transit service is at Plaza Way and that Valley Transit received notice of the application and is reviewing system-wide routes. Council member Reyna and others noted benefits including proximity to Merpark and the high school and suggested retaining existing trees where feasible.

Next steps: Approval of the preliminary plat advances the project to final civil drawings, construction, and final plat recording. Staff said final approvals would include civil engineering sign-off, construction, and recorded covenants and HOA documents prior to lot sales.

Votes and outcome: Council approved Resolution 2025-009, accepting the hearing examiner's recommendation and authorizing the Ponds subdivision preliminary plat to proceed. The motion carried unanimously with all council members voting in favor.