1/15/2025
STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT – Notice of Addendum and Adoption of Existing Documents
Lead Agency: City of Cle Elum
File #: PMU-2024-002, BLA-2024-004, SUB-2024-001,-002, -003
Name/Location of Proposal: Bullfrog Flats Project
Applicant: Blue Fern LLC; (425)629-3854; [email protected]
Background Information: This Addendum adds to information about environmental impacts contained in an EIS prepared by the City in 2002. (That EIS may be reviewed using the link provided below.) The EIS considered 5 alternatives for development by Trendwest Resorts of an approximate 1,100-acre property located within a designated Urban Growth Area. FEIS Alternative 5 was approved by the Cle Elum City Council in 2002 as the Bullfrog Flats Master Site Plan, subject to more than 120 conditions of approval. A development agreement was also adopted. Approved land uses included 1,334 housing units (plus 50 units of affordable housing), 950,000 gsf of business park uses, substantial open space (more than one-half the overall site), parks and trails, and land dedicated or set aside for public uses.
In 2020/2021, the City prepared a Supplemental EIS for a different development proposal on the same site submitted by Sun Communities. The SEIS included updates to the information and analysis in the 2002 UGA EIS about the approved Bullfrog Flats Master Site Plan/FEIS Alternative 5 and evaluated a new proposal by Sun Communities. An addendum to the 2021 SEIS was published in 2023 to address revisions to Sun Communities’ original application.
Documents being adopted: The following environmental documents were prepared by the City of Cle Elum pursuant to SEPA for prior development proposals on the UGA/Bullfrog Flats site. The prior SEPA documents were independently reviewed by the City’s SEPA Responsible Official, along with the Bullfrog Flats Project application, and were determined to contain directly relevant information about potential environmental impacts from development of the subject site. The following documents are, therefore, being adopted for purposes of environmental review of the Bullfrog Flats Project: Trendwest Properties Cle Elum UGA EIS, 2002; 47o North Major Modification Supplemental EIS, 2020/2021; and 47o North Major Modification SEIS Addendum, 2023. The documents being adopted, including technical appendices, are available at: https://cleelum.gov/background-information
EIS Addendum: Based on the City’s review of the Bullfrog Flats Project application, the proposal is substantially similar to the approved 2002 UGA master site plan. The minor changes included in the present proposal would not result in new or different significant environmental impacts or mitigation requirements, beyond those identified in the 2002 EIS and addressed in the original conditions of approval. This 2025 EIS Addendum was prepared, pursuant to WAC 197-11-600(4)(c), to document the City’s review and analysis of the Bullfrog Flats Project, and to identify appropriate modifications changes to adopted mitigation measures and conditions of approval to reflect the passage of time and changes in background conditions, and to provide environmental information to agencies, tribes and the general public.
Notices of adoption of existing documents and the availability of the 2025 EIS Addendum, and links to the adopted documents, have been emailed to agencies, tribes and interested citizens, consistent with requirements of SEPA and the City Code.
The 2025 EIS Addendum, all adopted environmental documents, the Bullfrog Flats Project application, and substantial background information, are available for review or downloading from the City’s website at https://cleelum.gov/city-services/planning/bullfrog-flats-development/. Printed copies of the EIS Addendum or USB drives with pdf files may also be purchased or reviewed at City Hall.
City of Cle Elum Designated SEPA Responsible Official: Richard Weinman, c/o [email protected]
1/9/2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING – Bullfrog Flats Development
Notice is hereby given that the Cle Elum Hearing Examiner will hold a public hearing at the Cle Elum City Hall, 119 West First Street, Cle Elum, WA. 98922, on Thursday, January 30th, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. or soon thereafter for the purpose of considering the following proposal:
The Bullfrog Flats Development Project is a phased, mixed-use development located in the western part of Cle Elum, between Bullfrog Road and SR 903. The current proposal is approval of subsequent development pursuant to the 2002 Bullfrog Flats UGA master site plan and development agreement approved by the City in 2002. The application is comprised of a boundary line adjustment to establish parcels and phase boundaries for the master site plan, alongside master plat and preliminary plat applications for the first three phases: S-1 (95 single-family units), S-2 (138 single-family units), and J (164 zero-lot line townhouse units), for a total of 397 units.
The entire site is zoned as Planned Mixed Use (PMU), governed by the standards and conditions set forth in the existing Development Agreement. Primary access will be provided by a new road extension connecting Bullfrog Road to SR 903, with additional connections to the north and south. These phases are part of an overall project that is proposed to be developed over an approximate 10- year period and includes 1,334 single family and multifamily housing units, 950,000 square of business park uses, extensive open space including parks, trails and recreational facilities. Sites for affordable housing and expansion of the city cemetery will also be set aside and dedicated to the city. The master plat includes phasing details, such as proposed phases, residential units, and roadways for the development. The application also requests to transfer the Development Agreement from Sun Communities, and extension of the Development Agreement by 10 years, through 2037. As each phase proceeds, individual preliminary subdivision and grading, excavation, and filling applications will be submitted to further subdivide the land and install the necessary infrastructure for residential lots.
The city staff report will be available for the public on January 15th, 2025 via the city’s website:
https://cleelum.gov/city-services/planning/bullfrog-flats-development/
Interested persons may appear and be heard at said hearing, or written comments may be submitted to:
City of Cle Elum
Attn: City Clerk
119 West First Street
Cle Elum, WA. 98922
(Bullfrog Flats)
Join Virtually with Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/7573184018?pwd=dERndjBJVC9GdVQ1d2ISRExwZFhXZz09
Meeting ID: 757 318 4018 Passcode: 98922
**SEE BELOW FOR RELATED COMBINED NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF EIS ADDENDUM & ADOPTION
PURSUANT TO THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (SEPA)
1/9/2025
COMBINED NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF EIS ADDENDUM & ADOPTION PURSUANT TO THE STATE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (SEPA)
The City of Cle Elum is the SEPA lead agency for the Bullfrog Flats Project, proposed by Bullfrog Flats LLC. The proposal is an implementing project of the Bullfrog Flats Urban Growth Area (UGA) master site plan and Development Agreement, which were approved by the City of Cle Elum in 2002. The City prepared an environmental impact statement (EIS) approved in 2002 for that project that considered 5 alternatives for development of the site, including Alternative 5, which reflects the approved master site plan. The City also prepared environmental documents for 2 subsequent proposals by Sun Communities in 2021 and 2023 for development of the same site; each document contains updated analysis of Alternative 5. The City’s SEPA Responsible Official has independently reviewed the Bullfrog Flats Project application and the existing environmental documents and has determined as follows: (1) the Bullfrog Flats Project is substantially the same as the approved 2002 project and changes are minor; (2) the existing environmental documents prepared for the prior proposals provide relevant analysis of impacts associated with the current Bullfrog Flats Project; and (3) proposed changes to the project are minor and would not result in any new or substantially different significant impacts to the environment beyond those identified in the existing environmental documents. The City is, therefore, adopting these documents pursuant to WAC 197-11-600(4)(a), as follows: Bullfrog Flats UGA EIS, 2002; 47o North Major Modification Supplemental EIS, 2021; and 47o North Major Modification SEIS Addendum, 2023. The City has also prepared an Addendum to the 2002 EIS, pursuant to WAC 197-11-600(4)(c), to document its further consideration of impacts and mitigation measures (2025 EIS Addendum). The Addendum updates the existing environmental analysis to address proposed changes to the project and to background conditions, and it does not identify new or different significant impacts.
An expanded version of this combined notice of adoption and availability may be viewed on the City’s website, https://cleelum.gov/city-services/planning/bullfrog-flats-development/, and has been emailed to interested agencies, tribes and individuals and to recipients of the adopted SEPA documents. The 3 adopted environmental documents and the 2025 EIS Addendum may be viewed on the City’s website at https://cleelum.gov/city-services/planning/bullfrog-flats-development/, purchased in printed form, or reviewed by appointment at City Hall.
1/9/2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING – Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program Amendment
12/5/2024
NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW – 4240 Bullfrog Apartments
11/7/2024
PUBLIC NOTICE – 2024 Draft Construction Standards Update
11/21/2024
NOTICE OF APPLICATION – WILDWOOD RANCH
10/17/2024
NOTICE OF APPLICATION AND PUBLIC HEARING – SNOWY RIVER EQUIPMENT SALES
Bullfrog Flats Development: Combined Notice of Application, Boundary Line Adjustment, Master Plat and Preliminary Plats Phase S-1, S-2 and J
Upper Kittitas County Recreation Center: Notice of Application and Environmental Review Notice Agencies, tribes, and the public are encouraged to review and comment on the proposed project and its probable environmental impacts. There is a 15-day comment period for this review. All written comments received by 4:30 p.m. on May 1, 2024 will be considered prior to issuing the final SEPA determination. This proposal requires a Public Hearing which will be scheduled at a later date. Please reference file numbers (SEPA-2024-001) and applicant’s project name (Upper Kittitas County Recreation Center) in any correspondence you submit. You can mail or submit your comments to: City of Cle Elum
REQUEST FOR WRITTEN COMMENTS: 
The City of Cle Elum is requesting comments on the following Planned Mixed Use Application. Documents are attached for your review and consideration:
Narrative & Project Description
SEPA
Site Plan
Attention: Planning Department/Upper Kittitas County Recreation Center
119 West First Street
Cle Elum, WA 98922
__________________________________________________________________
***END CURRENT PUBLIC NOTICES***
For project updates, please see the Planning Department page or individual department pages.