Selah council, Matson agree on expansion

SELAH -- Almost 21/2 years in the making, Matson Fruit has finally reached a compromise with city officials over the company's expansion plan.

After hearing from a number of influential Matson supporters, the City Council unanimously approved a development agreement Tuesday that lets the company expand onto land once zoned for commercial use only.

Officials on both sides described the development agreement as a compromise that balances the livability interests of the city with Matson's need to stay competitive in the fruit industry.

"I'm glad to see the end is in sight," the company's relieved attorney, Mike Shinn, said after the meeting, noting the rezone request began in September 2007.

Seven weeks ago, Shinn was in a very different mood after he appeared alone before the City Council and found himself the focus of Mayor Bob Jones' criticism over hiccups in negotiations.

At issue was Matson's request to rezone a little more than half of a 14.83-acre parcel on North Railroad Avenue from commercial to industrial.

The company bought the land with the intent of expanding its fruit-packing and cold-storage operation. The company has been in Selah since the 1930s and, with 300 employees, has one of the city's biggest payrolls.

In a surprise move, the City Council rejected the rezone in December 2007, saying it feared an erosion of the city's limited commercial and retail growth opportunities.

Matson sued and won a fresh start on a technicality, which only ensured that both sides were still far apart on sticking points like truck traffic and the company's request for 40 years to build out the property.

Stung by the aggressive attitude of Jones and other city officials at Christmas, Shinn showed up Tuesday with a newly reworked agreement and something else just as important -- friends.

Leading off was current company patriarch Rod Matson and his son, Jordan, who asked the council to give the company more time to expand. Instead of 40 years, the city wanted to give Matson just 10 years to build a 10,000-square-foot office and 20 years to build a new warehouse.

"To be honest with you, we don't know where we're going to be in 20 years or 40 years, but I guarantee you we want to be in the city of Selah," Jordan Matson told the council.

With the company agreeing to truck traffic restrictions around the site and street improvements, supporters with well known names like real estate leader Bill Almon and Tree Top CEO Tom Stokes also urged the council compromise and give Matson more time to build.

The council ultimately agreed to give the company 15 years to build the new office building and another five years, from 20 to 25, to build the warehouse.

"This process itself has taken five years," Councilman Paul Overby joked.

* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or cbristol@yakimaherald.com.