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Benton City planning commission reviews proposed UGA swap, prioritizes comp‑plan goals
Summary
City staff outlined a proposed swap to the Urban Growth Area that would remove roughly 71.5 acres in outlying parcels and add park/open‑space acreage; commissioners asked for map clarifications and staff said final land‑capacity calculations are pending before any official UGA expansion.
Nathan, a city planning staff member, presented proposed changes to Benton City’s Urban Growth Area as part of the comprehensive‑plan update, saying the package currently centers on a swap that would remove about “71.5 acres” from several outlying sections while adding park and corner parcels into the UGA.
The presentation said a signed petition asks that a northeast parcel be removed from the UGA and that Olsen/Olson Brothers Orchards had requested removal of orchard land but later withdrew a request to de‑annex because de‑annexation would require a public vote or a majority petition by city residents. Nathan told commissioners the disc‑golf/14th‑Street Park area and a corner parcel whose owner supports inclusion are proposed additions; because some of the land is owned by U.S. Fish and Wildlife the city would still need county approval for uses even if the parcel is inside the UGA.
Why it matters: staff said the swap would help close a small “donut hole” of county land inside the city and improve the city’s green‑space ratio. Nathan presented results of a recent stakeholder exercise ranking comp‑plan goals and policies: the highest priorities included establishing UGAs using 20‑year projections, involving property owners and citizens in planning, preserving neighborhood livability, and encouraging shoreline access and parks.
Commissioners pressed staff on map accuracy and boundary quirks. One commissioner noted that some residences fall inside city limits while adjacent roads remain county‑maintained; Nathan said parcel boundaries can fall on the edge of streets and he will verify street and parcel alignments. On the question of expanding the UGA, Nathan said the city is waiting on updated land‑capacity calculations from consultant Akana; “if we can add more space” after those calculations, staff will bring additional areas forward, he said.
On technical issues, staff told the commission the county and Department of Commerce have reviewed the concept and generally support the swap concept, but the final acreage to add depends on the county‑required land‑use calculations. Nathan also flagged parks‑ and river‑related possibilities: bringing more parkland into the UGA could allow expanded parking and riverside access for events such as kayak races.
Next steps: staff said the city must complete the comp plan and submit it to the county by Dec. 1; planning commission will review the capital‑facilities plan and SEPA at the next meeting and participate in the public hearing process. Commissioners asked staff to correct map revision numbers and to verify street/parcel boundaries before the next packet.
