The Centralia City Council voted 7-2 on Tuesday night to move forward with a plan to rezone the former golf course between Seminary Hill and Ham Hill from R-2, single-family zoning, to R-4, a medium density zoning allowing construction of housing such as duplexes.
The two council members who voted against the proposal were Mark Westley and Leah Daarud.
“I would like to see this passed with an R-2 designation,” Westley said before the vote.
Westley told the other members of the council he wanted developers to conduct studies so the councilors could look at the data and make sure citizens are protected while meeting the needs of those who require housing.
“At this point I want to see that information. I want to see that data. (If the developer showed the evidence) then I’d feel comfortable with an R-4 designation,” Westley said.
Daarud was opposed to any upzoning.
“I think as a council, I think we’re doing a disservice without listening to residents who have been coming here for weeks,” Daarud said. “I’m going to keep my no vote for moving to R-4.”
Daarud’s comments were met with applause from the audience, which included many residents of the area around the golf course.
The vote came after largely negative public comments on the proposed changes.
“Going from R-8 to R-4, I don’t really feel like that’s a compromise,” one woman said, referring to the council’s decision to amend the proposal from a high density R-8 designation to a medium density R-4 designation at its last meeting. “I feel like R-2 is already a compromise enough because we’re losing recreational space.”
“In my opinion, this should be R-0, not R-4,” one man said to applause from the audience.
Despite the public’s comments, the other five council members remained steadfast in their decision to go forward with an R-4 zoning.
“I appreciate the size of your group,” said Councilor Max Vogt.
Vogt told the room he had previously lived in both areas he considered to be too rural and too urban, and when he decided he didn’t like how the area was, he would move. He also said displeased residents may come around on the changes for financial reasons.
“For people who live around (the golf course), I think you’ll be very pleased with the increase in your property value,” Vogt said.
Councilor Sarah Althauser said responsible growth was an important factor in her decision to rezone the golf course, along with the rising demand for housing.
“When one of my houses goes up for rent, people line up,” said Althauser, who owns a real estate investment company.
Councilor Elizabeth Cameron said she understood the arguments of the protesters but believed growth was needed.
“I know change is very hard. … (But) growth needs to come to Centralia so we can have business growth with the loss of TransAlta,” Cameron said, adding, “We are in the business of growth.”
The importance of business growth was emphasized by several council members besides Cameron, including Vogt. When Mayor Kelly Smith Johnston asked if any members had a conflict of interest in the rezoning plan, Vogt was the only councilor to claim a conflict.
“My conflict of interest is that I’m a business owner,” Vogt said, though such a conflict didn’t meet the legal requirement for abstention from the vote.
