Council approves Daniels 22‑lot townhouse project, sets August hearing to vacate J Street

The Cosmopolis City Council on July 16 voted to approve a 22‑lot townhouse project proposed by Kelly Daniels and set a public hearing for August 20 to complete the statutory vacation process for J Street, a procedural step missed when the council acted on the petition last year.

Developer Kelly Daniels presented the plan and said the project will install all horizontal infrastructure — new water lines, sewer lines and storm‑water work — at developer expense. She told the council the planning commission had reviewed the proposal and voted unanimously to forward it with a recommendation. "I'm providing the city council and the city of Cosmopolis with an opportunity for significant revenue," Daniels said, adding that the project includes pedestrian access and on‑site storm retention and will be governed by a homeowners association once build‑out is complete.

Concerns raised and staff responses: residents and council members asked repeatedly whether the Aberdeen pump station has the capacity to serve 22 additional hookups and whether the city should complete a separate engineering capacity study first. Daniels said her team had discussed capacity with Aberdeen contacts and engineers and that the pump station has "massive capacity," while several councilmembers and residents urged a formal technical review; staff agreed to continue coordination with Aberdeen and to make documentation available. The council also discussed emergency access, hydrant spacing and alley widths; Daniels said alleys would be 20 feet and the design includes hydrants and adequate access for service and emergency vehicles.

Procedure and next steps: because the legal public‑notice step for vacating J Street was missed in the prior year, the council set the required public hearing for Aug. 20 and directed the clerk to post notice. The council’s approval of the Daniels project allows the developer to begin horizontal construction and secure permits while the hearing process for the street vacation proceeds; final parcel creation and addresses will follow county assessor actions if the vacation is confirmed. Staff will coordinate permitting, inspections, and any additional studies requested by council or the public.

Votes at a glance: the council approved (1) the Transportation Improvement Plan resolution; (2) a motion to set a public hearing for the J Street vacation on Aug. 20; and (3) the Daniels 22‑lot project approval. No roll‑call vote tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript; motions were seconded and passed in open session.

What remains unresolved: the exact financial exposure to Cosmopolis from Aberdeen’s sewer billing for 2024–25 and any engineering verification of pump‑station capacity. Council directed staff to continue Aberdeen negotiations and to provide any technical reports or public records that clarify capacity and costs.