Developer Seeks Extension for Cancadia Project; Hearing Continued to March 17

Kittitas County commissioners on Feb. 3 heard public testimony and a developer presentation on a request to extend the development agreement for the Cancadia project; a motion to continue the public hearing to March 17 at 2:00 p.m. in the commissioners' auditorium was moved and seconded.

The request for extra time was framed by applicant representatives as a response to market conditions and a way to preserve community benefits. Mark Fone, representing the applicant, said the project was approved decades ago and that sales slowed after the 2008 recession. "We're less than half percent built — half built out of the over 4,000 units that we're entitled, somewhere around 1,800 units that we've built," Fone said, arguing an extension would allow the developer to complete a majority of entitled units while maintaining funding for local programs and conservation.

Jamie Ailing of Community Development Services opened the record to new materials, noting the county received comments from Fire District 7 (including Chief Lowe), a PowerPoint from SunCady and two emails from Ira Astra Pan that clarify the staff report. "We were provided comments from fire district 7," Ailing said, and she asked that those documents be entered into the record.

Residents who spoke urged stricter enforcement and transparency. Tom Miller, a homeowner and resident, said he supports growth "as long as it's done responsibly" and asked that the county hold the developer to the development agreement and publish annual performance reviews. Miller raised operational concerns including how waste disposal costs are allocated and whether on‑site patrols meet the agreement's security standard.

Douglas Beck, a full‑time resident and elected owner representative, focused on forest‑health work and wildfire risk. Beck said the developer's land stewardship reporting shows only about 30% of the required treatments completed and urged the county to require yearly compliance reports and the involvement of fire officials in setting priorities. "Homeowners face increasing difficulty obtaining insurance and potential property value declines due to wildfire risk," he said.

Not all speakers opposed the extension. Bruce Chatham, a homeowner representative, told commissioners the proposed extension "recognizes the challenges of the downturn in economic construction and real estate markets" and said additional time would allow the developer and county to address outstanding obligations.

Tyler Estrachan, another resident, urged rejection unless the extension contained clearer, enforceable terms. He argued the staff report left key terms undefined — for example, what qualifies as a new gate or emergency ingress — and recommended requiring stronger inspections, immediate compliance with outstanding conditions, public posting of required reports, and reducing the maximum number of residential units to match actual buildable land.

Representatives for the applicant said they are working with county planning staff to track compliance. Tucker Stevens, representing the developer, said the company has developed "a pretty comprehensive matrix" to check outstanding items and plans to implement roughly $1,000,000 in forest management work this year. He also said the developer is coordinating with the conservation trust that holds easements and with fire officials to ensure WUI (wildland‑urban interface) standards are met during building inspections.

After public comment and applicant remarks, a commissioner moved to continue the public hearing to March 17 at 2:00 p.m. in the commissioners' auditorium, to close the record and close public comment; another commissioner seconded the motion. The motion was recorded and seconded in the transcript provided; no roll‑call vote or formal tally appears in the supplied segments.

Next steps: the hearing was continued to March 17, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in the commissioners' auditorium to allow more testimony and additional documentary submissions. The county staff materials and the newly admitted documents will remain part of the record for the continued hearing.