Sterling Highlands will appear in summer
Published 7:00 am Wednesday, February 28, 2007
HANSVILLE — After a winter laced with frigid temperatures and enough snow to convince construction workers to stay indoors, many projects are starting to get back on track, including the Hansville based Sterling Highlands.
Running about a year behind schedule after construction started in May 2006, the development will start yielding houses this summer, said developer James Laughlin. Though work has been slower than expected, he said many of the roadblocks it faced are typical for such a project.
“It’s going pretty well,” Laughlin said. “All the permits are in, and houses will be going up in early summer.”
After community members raised a number of concerns, from traffic and speeding to the number of new residents the development will bring to the area, things have quieted down a bit, said Greater Hansville Area Traffic Safety Committee member Neal Kellner.
“Basically in this timeframe, the Shorewoods area has no problems with Sterling Highlands,” he said. Concerns that the speed limit wasn’t being followed by construction vehicles were addressed after Kitsap County officials got involved. Now, as residents are waiting for building to begin, many are worried the old issues will crop up again, Kellner said.
“A lot of people are anticipating when the construction starts,” he said.
Another group, however, is pleased with one aspect of the development, a trail connecting Sterling Highlands to the rest of Hansville. The Hansville Greenway Association worked with Laughlin to create the roadside trail, contributing to the area’s substantial trail system, said HGA president Ken Shawcroft. The trail is open and can be used by the public.
“My only real involvement has been the public trail running through the development,” he said. “And it’s there. The developer worked with us, and it was in the original plan, and now it can be used.”
Several people have shown interest in lots and houses within the 205 acres off Twin Spits Road that make up Phase I of the development, Laughlin said. By the end of this construction phase, 43 new homes will be a part of the Hansville area.
“This is just the way it goes,” Laughlin said of the project’s delay. “There are site problems that need to be worked through, and some extra work that needs to be done. But that’s pretty standard.”
“Other than traffic issues, the concerns have been minimal,” Kellner said. He added that residents are waiting to see what the next step of the process will bring.
