A change in the official zoning will bring more housing to South Aberdeen.

The Aberdeen City Council voted unanimously in what was a third reading Wednesday night to approve the rezoning of Grays Harbor College-owned land, which will allow JOPE Development LLC., to build three 12-unit multi-family apartments.

The apartments are intended to serve both Grays Harbor College students as well as other residents in need of housing. Ruth Clemens, Aberdeen’s city administrator, commented on the rezoning.

“Aberdeen has a housing shortage and by rezoning this area to include multi-family housing, it could provide a much needed relief for student and workforce housing,” Clemens said.

The site in question is “primarily flat with trees,” city documents state.

“There are some wetlands on the college site,” the documents state. “However, no development is planned on the lower portion of the college site. The three-block area is undeveloped currently.”

The proposed area for rezoning is approximately 50 acres. The issue of rezoning the land near Griffith and Lewis streets has lasted for more than a year.

The city of Aberdeen hearings examiner held a public hearing on May 25, 2023 about the land in that vicinity. The properties are currently zoned General Commercial and residential single-family, and the city’s proposal is to rezone it for major institutional, according to city documents.

“This zone is a better fit for the surrounding area and adjacent properties,” the documents state.

But the prospect of rezoning has not been a popular one for at least a few residents who live near the area.

Amongst a few comments for that hearing, one resident said they “highly value our quiet neighborhood and the wonderful nature that surrounds us,” and how “one of my greatest joys is taking my six-year-old daughter on a walk and remarking upon the birds, deer and butterflies, among other fauna that we might encounter along the way.”

The problem here is like what Clemens said, that Aberdeen has a housing shortage. A couple weeks back, Stan Sidor, an Aberdeen city councilor, said “the city is in desperate need of some housing.”

“This will bring in, as I understand it, the proposal is to be able to bring in 36 additional housing units, multi-family housing over by the college,” Sidor said.

Right after that, Sidor also pointed out the land in question is not public property.

“It is privately-owned property and the developers want to put it to its best use economically and develop it,” Sidor said then. “And I think we should support that.”

Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.