Union Gap - Union Gap could become the Valley's next boomtown. Local developers have set their sights on the city and a 200 acre annexation. And if their plans go through, they could lift a huge burden off every taxpayer in town.

"You're either growing, or you're dying."

That's Mark Reynolds' motto. He's the new development coordinator for the city of Union Gap. And with just a few days on the job, he's working to get caught up on a project that could expand the city limits.

" The city is very interested in improving our baseline economy and providing high quality housing," said Reynolds.

Developers with a company called Ahtanum Village are petitioning the city to annex 200 acres of land South of Ahtanum road between 16th and 32nd avenues.

The fields are empty now, but in less than 2 years it could have dozens of new houses on this property, bringing in more tax revenue for the city and more money for Union Gap Schools."

More families move in, more students for the school district. And that brings in state money. As well as more funding for current levies. The developers spent months getting signatures on the petition to annex and bring city utilities that far out. But the work isn't over yet.

" The next step is for city council to accept our petition as valid, meaning everything is correct, then accept it for annexation," said Steve Strosahl, Village Ahtanum, LLC.

And like most developments this size. Approval could take a few more months, groundbreaking a couple years and completion perhaps a decade. But satisfaction for this cash strapped community, that's much more immediate.

The developers with Ahtanum Village say their homes would appeal to people who work at Valley Mall or Costco. They say house prices will start in the low 100's.
"You're either growing, or you're dying."

That's Mark Reynolds' motto. He's the new development coordinator for the city of Union Gap. And with just a few days on the job, he's working to get caught up on a project that could expand the city limits.

" The city is very interested in improving our baseline economy and providing high quality housing," said Reynolds.

Developers with a company called Ahtanum Village are petitioning the city to annex 200 acres of land South of Ahtanum road between 16th and 32nd avenues.

The fields are empty now, but in less than 2 years it could have dozens of new houses on this property, bringing in more tax revenue for the city and more money for Union Gap Schools."

More families move in, more students for the school district. And that brings in state money. As well as more funding for current levies. The developers spent months getting signatures on the petition to annex and bring city utilities that far out. But the work isn't over yet.

" The next step is for city council to accept our petition as valid, meaning everything is correct, then accept it for annexation," said Steve Strosahl, Village Ahtanum, LLC.

And like most developments this size. Approval could take a few more months, groundbreaking a couple years and completion perhaps a decade. But satisfaction for this cash strapped community, that's much more immediate.

The developers with Ahtanum Village say their homes would appeal to people who work at Valley Mall or Costco. They say house prices will start in the low 100's.