A small plot of land that was recently annexed by the city of Oak Harbor has drawn concerns from nearby residents due to its proposed zoning that would allow for multi-family dwellings.

The annexation of the parcel, which is near Maple Leaf Cemetery, was submitted to the city by Raymond Sullivan of Sullivan Home Builders, an Oak Harbor business.

At Tuesday’s city council meeting, Oak Harbor Senior Planner Dennis Lefevre said there have not yet been any development proposals for the property.

The L-shaped parcel of land is 6.6 acres in size and is adjacent to Northeast 16th Avenue and east of Highway 20. The proposed zoning for the parcel is R-3 which allows for nine to 16 dwelling units per acre. Lefevre said the dwellings can be either multi-family or single family homes. The parcel is surrounded by lots with different zones, such as R-4, which is higher density and R-1, which is lower density.

The annexation was approved at a November council meeting with little fanfare or feedback from the community. The item again appeared on the agenda last week for a public hearing and approval to move forward with the state certification process. This time, seven people spoke in-person and two online comments on the subject were received.

Ed Fry spoke on behalf of Uplands West Homeowners’ Association and said that not all of the 45 homeowners in the association received a letter of notice of the annexation. Lefevre said that public notices were sent out to people who live within 300 feet of the perimeter of the property.

“Our concerns are an increase in vehicle traffic, an increase in foot traffic in our neighborhood,” Fry said, adding that he thought an increase in population in the neighborhood would lead to an increase in crime.

He said himself and the other homeowners in the association bought their properties because the land was on the outskirts of town and surrounded by trees.

“Our view will become the backside of apartments and townhomes instead of trees,” he said.

Fry said that the association was not asking council to reject the annexation but to have the zoning set as R-1 to only allow for single family dwellings.

Bill Tolson, who lives close to the parcel, said he was concerned about construction affecting owls’ habitat in the woods on the property. Gazel Campbell said the trees provide a buffer for jet noise and she was concerned about safety issues due to an increase in traffic.

Councilmember Bryan Stucky said it wasn’t appropriate for him to vote on the ordinance because his business, Wallin-Stucky Funeral Home, is next to the property. He also said he was fairly sure he did not receive a notice of the annexation.

“I don’t blame anyone here not wanting apartments coming up right next to them,” Stucky said. “I can’t say I love the idea.”

Lefevre said staff would be more diligent in sending out notices in the future and that the public will have the opportunity to comment on any future development proposal for the land, which could be either single or multi-family housing.

“We do need housing, desperately, all kinds and all prices,” Councilmember Beth Munns said. “But maybe there is a solution in the middle.”

The vote to approve the ordinance passed unanimously, with Stucky abstaining.