Cashmere mayor outlines growth, funding challenges in county update

WENATCHEE — Cashmere Mayor Jim Fletcher provided Chelan County commissioners with a wide-ranging update on March 17, outlining housing constraints, infrastructure challenges and the likelihood of a future tax request to voters.

Appearing via Zoom during the board’s regular meeting, Fletcher touched on several issues shaping decision-making in Cashmere, many of them tied to growth and the limits of existing infrastructure.

Among the most immediate pressures, Fletcher said, is the city’s need to consider new revenue.

“The council has to bite the bullet and see if we’re going to go to voters for a tax increase,” Fletcher said, adding that upcoming discussions will determine whether to pursue a ballot measure and what form it might take.

While several options exist, he indicated property tax is the most likely path, given the limited tools available to cities to generate meaningful revenue.

“It’s a very stable, reliable revenue stream, but it’s also very unpopular,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher framed the conversation in the context of rising costs and increasing service demands, challenges echoed by county officials during the meeting.

Housing development, and the barriers to it, was another key focus of the update.

Cashmere has seen continued interest from developers, Fletcher said, but a lack of large, readily buildable parcels has made it difficult to bring forward traditional subdivisions. Much of the available land consists of smaller lots, where property owners are often reluctant to divide or sell.

Even where development is possible, infrastructure remains a limiting factor.

“Sewer is a big limiting factor,” Fletcher said, explaining that without sewer service, higher-density housing is not feasible.

Extending utilities to potential development areas, including property along Rank Road and in the city’s western growth area, would require significant upfront investment. Those costs are difficult to justify for small-scale projects.

The city is also weighing how to guide development more deliberately as it updates its comprehensive plan.

Fletcher said Cashmere recently imposed a temporary moratorium on new mini-storage facilities, citing a surge in interest from developers and concerns that such projects may not represent the highest and best use of limited land.

“We want to postpone that discussion until we get further along in our comprehensive planning,” he said.

In addition to long-range planning issues, Fletcher provided updates on several ongoing projects.

Work is progressing on renovations to the city’s library, with construction underway on new conference rooms and building systems. The project could be completed as early as late May, he said.

At the same time, the city is preparing to sell the former library property, with the council expected to decide soon how to market the site.

Fletcher also addressed a permitting challenge affecting improvements to the city’s riverfront boat ramp. Federal rules governing the placement of material in waterways could delay work if a resolution is not reached in the coming weeks.

Despite the range of topics, Fletcher emphasized that many of the city’s decisions, particularly around growth, utilities and revenue, are interconnected and will be addressed through the comprehensive planning process now underway.

County commissioners Shon Smith and Brad Hawkins acknowledged similar pressures at the county level, particularly around public safety and jail costs, underscoring the shared challenges facing local governments across the region.

For Cashmere, those decisions are coming into sharper focus, how to grow, how to pay for it, and how to do both without losing what residents value about the community.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media