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Neighbors say 32‑cabin Grouse Glen proposal exposes gaps in Western Regional Plan
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Summary
Neighbors and commissioners clashed over a conditional‑use application for a 32‑cabin resort and whether the Western Regional Plan is outdated; residents asked for clearer visioning and stricter or more targeted policy to protect community character and ecological values.
Neighbors who attended a conditional‑use hearing and residents who testified at the Planning Commission meeting urged clearer regional policy and tighter controls on large, externally financed tourist developments.
At the meeting Heather Cantuva (S10) told the commission that 30–40 neighbors attended a weekday CUP hearing for a proposed 32‑cabin Luminary Resorts development in the Sol Duc River Valley and that the Western Regional Plan’s sections on water and sewer are out of date. “This developer purchased a 20‑acre lot and is seeking a conditional use permit to put 32 cabins on the 20 acres,” Cantuva said. “That’s going to result in just a ton of density on one lot.”
Cantuva said the plan inaccurately lists the Hungry Bear Resort as open and flagged a section that references a golf course she described as inconsistent with local expectations. She urged the commission to prioritize community‑derived visioning for the Western Region and to identify safeguards that would prevent developments that do not fit the local character.
Commissioners acknowledged the tension between enabling economic opportunity in rural zones and the limits imposed by the Growth Management Act (GMA). Staff reminded the commission that conditional‑use permits are quasi‑judicial: a hearing examiner evaluates whether impacts can be mitigated and issues findings and conclusions. Staff also said their preliminary position in the CUP review was that 32 cabins likely exceed a reasonable scale for the site.
Several commissioners discussed ways to influence project outcomes without overstepping legal constraints: create incentives for local materials or hiring rather than strict local‑only mandates, craft accessory‑use scale limits to avoid past court problems, and improve public outreach to inform visioning work that complements GMA compliance.
Next steps: commissioners asked staff to return draft language and options for visioning work and accessory‑use scale limits at a future meeting; the public hearing on the comprehensive plan was continued to March 4 and staff asked for written comments to feed into the packet.
