With the Central Issaquah Plan (CIP) Citizen Advisory Taskforce hard at work shaping the vision of Issaquah circa 2030 and beyond, Rowley Properties have formed a similar citizen group to help them examine opportunities for profitable and sustainable development in the city.

While the CIP covers the entire Issaquah valley floor, the Rowley project will focus on two sites near the intersection of NW Gilman Blvd. and State Route 900. Those sites, Hyla Crossing (61.7 acres) and Rowley Center (25.6 acres), are both owned by Rowley Properties and are considered to be ripe for redevelopment, with consolidated ownership, low densities, and increasingly outdated facilities.

In January of this year the City of Issaquah announced a proposed development agreement with Rowley, which it hopes will match the city’s long-range planning.

The purpose of the redevelopment plan is to ensure development is mutually beneficial to the community and to Rowley, and achieves an efficient use and investment of public and private resources.

The two sites are currently zoned IC, or intensive commercial.

As the City of Issaquah’s Major Planning and Growth Committee (MPGC) keeps reminding city project manager Keith Niven and Rowley Properties planner Kristi Tripple, there is a lot of work to do. At present, Rowley and city staff are working together on expansive issues such as traffic management, critical areas, stormwater and affordable housing.

Eager to begin development in a favorable economy for building, Rowley wants to have their plan before council by March 31, 2011. For city planning staff, already busy with amendments to the Issaquah Highlands Agreements, a possible Transfer of Development Rights in that neighborhood, new crossings of Interstate 90, and the CIP, it will be a task for them to get it all done.

“There’s an immense amount of stuff to do,” said Issaquah councilor and MPGC Chair Maureen McCarry, reiterating a position the MPGC has made clear in previous meetings.

Tripple told The Reporter this week that the IC zoning allowed for many different types of uses, which was important given the proximity to Interstate 90 and State Route 900. But she indicated some changes to zoning would be explored.

“Housing is not currently allowed in IC zoning, but I suspect it will be encouraged by the city in the future, given feedback to date from public open houses and input from city consultants and the sub-area taskforce. Our hope is to help the city meet part of its housing needs in the future.”

Assisting with the ambitious plans, the citizen advisory group had their first meeting on June 30, and will meet five times between now and September.

That group is:

• Nina Milligan, City of Issaquah Urban Village Development Commission

• Stacy Goodman, associate attorney at Carson and Noel

• David Kappler, former City of Issaquah councilor

• Karen Abel, executive director of artEAST

• Bob Ittes, President, Bank of the Northwest

• John A. Johnson, designer and artist

• Russell Joe, former City of Issaquah councilor

At the group’s next meeting from 4 – 6 p.m., July 14, in the Pickering Room, discussion will center around streets, parking, and connectivity. Rowley hopes to schedule an open house for the public to review plans to that point sometime in September or October.