PHOTO BY MEGHAN ERKKINEN

The owner of Honey House Naturals, located on 48th Street in Fife, said a rezone would affect plans to replace storage containers with a building, as she has planned.

Rezone could save residences, hurt investments

By Meghan Erkkinen

The Fife City Council is considering an ordinance to rezone several parcels of land near 47th Street and 70th Avenue. The rezone would be another step toward preserving and promoting single-family residences in the area, but would also hinder the plans of some property owners in the area.

The parcels the changes would affect lie mostly along 48th Street East between 70th Avenue and Freeman Road. Currently, parcels north of 48th Street are zoned either neighborhood commercial or community commercial. The ordinance would change all the parcels to medium-density residential.

On the south side of 48th Street, parcels between 78th Avenue and Freeman Road, and between 48th Street and Levee Road, are currently zoned medium-density residential. Those parcels would be rezoned high-density residential.

Properties west of 78th and south of 48th are all zoned community commercial. Under the proposed zoning, some, including a large parcel owned by the city of Fife, would be rezoned single-family residential.

The council supported the measure, saying it would help preserve one of the city’s remaining residential neighborhoods.

“I think it’s very clear that if we want to stay a city we have to” preserve Fife’s residential neighborhoods, said Mayor Barry Johnson. “I think it’s the right thing to do to rezone.”

Councilmember Butch Brooks pointed out that the area was one of the few in which the city still could make changes for the future. Councilmember Kim Roscoe agreed.

“These neighborhoods are unique and I think this is in the long-term best interest of Fife residents,” she said.

Not all residents agree, however. One property owner said the rezone would negatively affect his investment in the land, and that the city will see commercial development before it sees more residential development.

Ruth Willis, who lives on 48th Street near 77th Avenue Court, also opposes the rezone. Willis bought her 1.5-acre property about 12 years ago, when it was zoned community commercial, with the intention of building and growing her business on the property.

Willis’ company, Honey House Naturals, makes natural lotions, soaps and other body products for distribution around the country. The products are made in a garage in her yard, and the company employs about 12 part-time and full-time employees.

The company has grown over the years, and Willis has acquired storage containers to hold equipment and supplies. However, the climate within the containers is difficult to regulate, and Willis has plans to build a new, 6,000-square-foot building to house the equipment.

“We put our efforts into staying here,” Willis said.

Willis and Honey House Naturals facilities manager Steve McKeen said they have discussed their plans with the city, and have been waiting for water and sewer extensions to be approved and constructed along 48th Street in order to continue with the expansion.

News of the proposed rezone to single family residential caught them completely by surprise.

“If we can’t get that building back there, it stops us from growing any further,” McKeen said. “It’s going to prevent the business from being as successful as it could be.”

Although the rezone will not prohibit expansion, it will limit it to 20 percent of the footprint of existing commercial buildings, which is not nearly big enough, Willis said.

“I just don’t know how we could do it with only a 20-percent increase,” she said. “We’re good at conserving our space, but we’re not that good.”

Willis and McKeen stressed that they try to fit the landscape of the business in with the neighborhood. Willis has planted a garden and raises a chicken, turkey and bees on the land.

“We want to be part of the community,” McKeen said. “We don’t want to be a business the neighbors don’t want here.”

The council acknowledged the negative impact a rezone would have on some residents.

“I understand the opinions of some of the property owners,” Brooks said, but added that he did not feel the rezone would put existing businesses in jeopardy.

Councilmember Rob Cerqui cast the only “no” vote to oppose the rezone. The council will hold a second reading on the ordinance at its next meeting, Nov. 25.

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