Crunch Pak pipe bridge still on hold as Cashmere seeks clearer design

CASHMERE — For the second time in recent weeks, the Cashmere City Council has postponed a decision on Crunch Pak’s proposed overhead pipe bridge, saying the company must provide clearer visuals and address aesthetic concerns before the project can move forward.

The council first tabled the proposal earlier this winter while seeking revisions to the design and to the terms governing use of city right-of-way. On Feb. 23, council members said the updated materials still did not give them enough information to approve a structure that would span a public street.

“I have a hard time approving something that will be a potential disservice to our residents unless I can be convinced that this is not going to be a disservice,” Councilmember Jeff Johnson said, pointing to the corridor’s prominence along Sunset Highway, where the view opens to the mountains as drivers enter the city.

The project would carry a pipe between two Crunch Pak buildings, reducing most forklift trips across the roadway and allowing product to move internally between facilities. Director of Operations Steve Croci said the structure has already been engineered to a significant degree, with a small concrete pad planned in the right-of-way to support a vertical post and a minimum seven-foot pedestrian clearance between the structure and the adjacent building.

Croci said the goal is to keep the installation visually minimal and consistent with the surrounding industrial buildings, with exterior panels and additional landscaping along the street.

But several council members said the schematics provided were too small or too technical to show the real-world appearance of the crossing.

“An artist’s rendering would be very nice so we can see what we are actually getting,” Councilmember Jayne Stephenson said.

Mayor Jim Fletcher said the council should also consider the company’s role as a major local employer.

“I guess I would jump on it as if this is an economic development issue,” Fletcher said. “We need to keep this business in town and help them grow and expand in town.”

Croci said the bridge would significantly reduce forklift traffic across the roadway and improve working conditions for employees who currently move waste and byproduct between buildings outdoors. Other portions of the company’s facility expansion are already under construction, but the pipe bridge cannot proceed without city approval.

Council members also discussed whether a private project using public right-of-way should provide a broader public benefit, either through enhanced design features or improvements elsewhere in the area.

The council voted to table the proposal again and invite the company to return with detailed visual renderings and specific aesthetic options for the crossing.

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