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Hillyard council approves rezoning and development agreement for 79.76‑acre Clover Meadows
Summary
The council unanimously approved rezoning and a development agreement for the Clover Meadows subdivision, which includes a developer commitment to 70% open space, a 150‑foot buffer to the stream, and a conveyance of 35 acres (including the stream corridor) to Metro Parks; the five‑year enhancement program and final stream restoration depend on Metro Parks and further engineering.
Hillyard City Council on June 8 approved rezoning 79.76 acres east of Elliot Road to the Hillyard Conservation District and authorized a development agreement for the project known as Clover Meadows.
Hillary Lefine, representing Fiser Homes Grant Communities, told the council the developer can “accommodate 150 ft between the rear of our lots and the stream embankment,” maintain roughly 70% open space and provide a minimum 50‑foot buffer to existing homes. Lefine said seven lots will carry product restrictions that limit certain home options; those restrictions are internal to the builder’s product mix.
The development agreement requires the developer to convey about 35 acres, including the stream corridor, to Metro Parks, Tom Hart, speaking for the applicant, said. “There’s a conveyance requirement so that…35 acres including the stream corridor that Fiser would be responsible for conveying that to Metro parks,” Hart said, adding that Fiser will coordinate a five‑year enhancement period that includes removing an adjacent driveway, invasive species removal and native plantings designed to allow vegetation and filtration to establish.
Council members pressed the applicant on details: sales‑staff education about open‑space boundaries will be handled through internal sales presentations; the developer would educate buyers about avoiding pesticides rather than attempt enforceable restrictions; and final basin locations, fencing and other site details will be refined during final engineering. Hart and others said developer budgets could not absorb full stream restoration for the channelization on this site and that Metro Parks’ involvement — driven by the conveyance and the parks agency’s expertise — is central to delivering a larger restoration.
The council voted 7–0 to adopt Ordinance 26‑13 (rezoning) and Ordinance 26‑14 (development agreement). Both measures were described as effective at the earliest date allowable by law.
Why this matters: The approvals lock in zoning and contractual obligations that create a large contiguous open‑space parcel adjacent to other conserved lands. While initial plantings and five years of monitoring are in the development agreement, the transcript and applicant comments make clear a full stream restoration is contingent on Metro Parks’ participation and future engineering and grant work.
Next steps: Final platting, engineering and detailed design will return to the city for final development approval; the development agreement requires the initial five‑year enhancement and coordination with Metro Parks but does not guarantee a completed, large‑scale stream restoration unless Metro Parks takes an active role and outside funding is secured.
