Additional apartments a possibility for south Pullman

The Pullman Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended a zone change for nearly 4 acres that would pave the way for more apartments on the south end of the city.

It is now up to the City Council to change the zoning for the two parcels on Bypass Drive from general commercial to R4 high-density, multi-family residential. The parcels are located south of Pullman Regional Hospital.

The land is part of the Palouse Business Center subdivision that was supposed to be available for business development. However, it has sat vacant for years and KIP Development is instead proposing it be used for high-density dwellings.

The property is near a new apartment complex, Riverview Apartments, which opened this year.

Planning Commissioner Brent Carper said he supported the zone change because he believes more high-density residential buildings should be located in different areas of the city instead of being “clustered in one corner of the town.”

“We need to have more high-density residential scattered in appropriate places throughout the city, not all concentrated in one place,” he said.

Carper said he still hopes the other nearby parcels of land will be saved for commercial development. He said that land is “just awesome for businesses or professional offices.”

“I’ve always been surprised that it hasn’t taken off; it seemed like a great idea,” he said. “I still think it’s a great idea.”

He said Bypass Drive could be a dividing line between residential and commercial areas. He also believes the nearby Clearwater Drive and Fairmount Drive can easily accommodate the traffic.

According to city documents, a maximum of 168 dwelling units could be developed on this property under the R4 designation.

In its zone-change application to the city, KIP Development said that its existing bike and walk paths “will also provide safe and convenient ingress and egress to residents and connect them to shopping and other commercial needs in Pullman.”

The parcels are located near the site of the proposed south bypass highway that is part of Pullman’s long-term goals.

Wednesday’s meeting included a public hearing on the zone change. Nobody spoke in opposition to the change.

Information about this zone change can be found at bit.ly/3ycVFO8.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.