Cashmere to consider extending mini-storage moratorium

CASHMERE — The Cashmere City Council will consider extending the city’s temporary moratorium on new mini-storage facilities during a public hearing Aug. 24.

The existing moratorium is scheduled to expire Aug. 23. Council members voted Aug. 10 to schedule the hearing, which will allow the city to consider adopting a new ordinance or resolution extending the prohibition.

Mayor Jim Fletcher said Director of Operations Steve Croci recommended considering an extension while Cashmere completes its comprehensive planning process and prepares a broader package of land-use code updates.

“We’re going to be coming back to the council with a list of various city land use codes that need to be updated, and we’d rather handle that as one package of codes rather than 20 times of each different package of codes,” Fletcher said.

No decision was made Aug. 10 on whether the moratorium itself should be extended or how long an extension might last.

Councilmember Jeff Johnson, attending the meeting via Zoom, said he supported holding the hearing but questioned whether the original moratorium had provided enough time for the city to complete its work.

“I would say just make sure it’s long enough,” Johnson said. “I fully support that.”

Fletcher said temporary land-use moratoriums are generally established for fixed periods rather than allowed to continue indefinitely, requiring the council to revisit the issue if additional time is needed.

The vote on the matter on Aug 10 was simply to authorize publication of notice for the Aug. 24 public hearing and to schedule the hearing itself. Any extension of the mini-storage moratorium would require separate council action following the hearing.

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