Building & Development for Housing
Leavenworth strives to keep the building process clear and easy to understand. This effort is intended to reduce multiple submittals, time delays or mistakes.
If you are new to building, you are encouraged to complete a pre-application meeting during which your project can be reviewed and discussed with relevant staff members. While not all contingencies can be foreseen, we do hope to develop a reasonable expectation for each building project, using the pre-application process.
Visit our application page to start the pre-application process.
What do we need to consider when developing land for housing?
Development includes subdivisions, short plats, planned developments, cluster plats, and binding site plans. Each type of development provides different options for land development.
The goals of subdivisions, short plats, and binding site plans are to:
- Prevent the overcrowding of land
- Lessen congestion on the streets and highways
- Provide adequate light and air
- Promote the proper arrangement of streets, lots, easements, pathways and other private or public ways
- Provide for adequate and convenient open spaces, utilities, recreation, and access for service and emergency vehicles
- Provide for adequate water, drainage, sewer and other public facilities
- Promote the coordination of development as land develops
- Conserve natural beauty and other natural resources
- Maintain and perpetuate environmental quality
- Provide for expeditious review and approval of proposed subdivisions which conform to zoning standards, the comprehensive plan, and other local plans and policies
- Adequately provide for the housing and commercial needs of the citizens of Leavenworth
- Require uniform monumenting of land subdivisions and conveyance by accurate legal description.
Cluster Subdivisions are a type of subdivision or short plat that is focused on the preservation/protection of sensitive areas including steep slopes, wetlands, riparian areas, or high value habitat areas.
Planned Developments (PD) are a type of zoning district intended to provide flexibility to land uses and lot sizes when the overall development provides a public benefit. Also called Planned Unit Developments (PUD), Planned Developments often include a subdivision process where lots are created for resale and/or development.
Questions?
If you have questions, contact our Development Services Department at (509) 548-5275.
