City of Leavenworth expands ADU options, advances parking garage project

LEAVENWORTH — Leavenworth City Council approved a contract for preliminary work on a parking garage, expanded accessory dwelling unit (ADU) options, and made updates to its water and sewer municipal code during its Aug. 12 meeting.

Leavenworth City Council approved a professional services agreement with ARC Architects to begin site selection analysis and feasibility for a parking garage. The firm was selected by a group of city staff and Parking Advisory Committee members in July, following a request for qualifications process that began this spring. 

The agreement greenlit up to nearly $260,000 for ARC Architects to complete phase one work, which includes site selection analysis, traffic and pedestrian impact studies, restroom facilities assessment, commercial space feasibility, stakeholder and community engagement, and final recommendations. ARC Architects will also perform the second phase of the project, which consists of developing a design and construction document for the garage. The services will be paid for by the Parking Enterprise Fund.

The parking garage aims to add a minimum of 200 covered parking stalls within 1,000 feet from Front Street Park. The team will identify and evaluate city-owned parcels within the designated area that meet the minimum size and location requirement, including lots adjacent to city hall and near the Festhalle.

Experiencing sustained levels of parking demand and constraints, the city had Rick Williams Consulting (RCW) look into the financial feasibility of a parking garage as part of a refresh to the 2018 downtown parking management plan. According to City of Leavenworth Communications Manager Kara Raftery, RWC conducted a financial proforma for a parking structure in 2024, which estimated the construction cost at about $75,000 per stall; the preliminary cost for a parking garage is estimated at more than $30 million.

The city council also held two public hearings for code amendments to ADU regulations and its municipal code regarding water and sewer.

The ADU changes increased the number of ADUs allowed per lot, increased lot coverage per unit, and reduced off-street parking requirements. The number of ADUs permitted per lot was increased from one to two, which are limited to a maximum size of 1,200 square feet each. Amendments also included ability to increase lot coverage by five percent for each ADU located on the same lot. Additionally, one off-street parking space would be only required for each unit, regardless of primary unit size. Parking requirements may also be waived for ADUs located within one-half mile walking distance of a major transit stop.

Only one public comment was a written submission from Ken Yalowitz suggesting a smaller size limit on a second ADU and restricting its use as a bed and breakfast. 

“I think it's going to be self limiting…Oftentimes people are going to choose to have 900 square feet or less, just so that they don't have to pay for another water connection,” said Councilmember Anne Hessburg.

No public comments were made during the hearing for water and sewer code changes. Significant updates included clarification on leak billing credits, alignment with state law on disconnection procedures with state law, revisions to backflow requirements, and allowing utility charge waivers for affordable housing projects.

In alignment with Washington state law, the city added language that enables users who have had their water shut off due to nonpayment to request reconnection on days when the National Weather Service has issued, or announced that it intends to issue, a heat-related alert for the area.

Taylor Caldwell: 509-433-7276 or taylor@ward.media