City of Leavenworth updates permit application timelines, invests in downtown improvements

LEAVENWORTH – During its final meeting of 2024, the Leavenworth City Council approved several measures designed to enhance the downtown corridor and streamline the project permit application process.

In downtown Leavenworth, the city will be leasing 10 additional Bigbelly bins for a contract term of 60 months, funded by the lodging tax. Earlier this year, the city installed 55 Bigbelly bins in the downtown corridor in order to more efficiently manage garbage in heavily trafficked tourist areas. The compacting Bigbelly bins have a 150-gallon capacity, are fully enclosed, and have a fullness indicator. According to Public Works Director Andi Zontek-Backstrum, the bins upgrades have significantly reduced labor hours, particularly during festivals.

“On Sunday mornings, we had the entire utility crew come in historically, and they would clean up all of the loose litter and pick up all of the street cans. And we've actually reduced that now to two people for two hours, versus their whole crew of eight,” said Zontek-Backstrum.

Leavenworth City Council also authorized Ardurra Group, its on-call transportation engineers, to complete hydraulic and structural analyses of the Blackbird Island Pedestrian Bridge, located on the eastern side of Blackbird Island. This fall, city staff observed significant erosion, or scour, affecting the existing pile cap on the bridge, posing significant risk to the bridge’s structural integrity. Ardurra Group will also propose recommendations for mitigation.

In community development, the city adopted proposed amendments to LMC Title 21, as required by the Local Project Review Act by Jan. 2025. The changes include new permit review timelines and annual reporting requirements, and are intended to increase the timeliness and predictability of local development project review and decision-making. 

“These changes [are] fairly small, but they're important,” said Community Development Director Maggie Boles.

Previously, the code required that final decisions for project permits undergoing a full administrative or a quasi-judicial review process be issued within 120 days after determining the application’s completeness. 

The adopted amendments now establish distinct timelines for issuing decisions on project permits based on the type of review process. For permits reviewed through a limited administrative process, decisions must be issued within 65 days of determining the application is complete. Permits subject to a full administrative review require decisions within 100 days, while quasi-judicial or judicial review processes allow up to 170 days for a decision.

In other business, the city also approved a professional services agreement with The Local Event Co, LLC for management services of the Leavenworth Festhalle, adopted the 2025-2026 Biennial Budget, and discussed a proposed partnership agreement with the Leavenworth Summer Theater regarding Festhalle room rental expenses. 

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