The Washington City Council approved a development agreement to sell nine lots of the NLW Subdivision during their meeting Tuesday.

A public hearing was held on the proposal to sell lots one through nine to Matt Lepic of Matnic, LLC. for $207,580, with the goal of having all of the lots full within 36 months of the agreement. Some council members expressed a concern at a previous meeting of selling these to a developer over a local builder. City Administrator Brent Hinson said during the meeting that since the city has had the lots for sale since August, they have contacted 50 builders, area real estate agents, and other interested parties, and have received no offers. Hinson believes this is a good deal for the city, and that anyone interested in building on those lots can purchase them through Matnic, “I would say that housing over the last decade has been the issue that I have worked hardest on in Washington, and it’s the issue we’ve had the least success. We’ve now got a chance to have some outside money. I think we need to work with that as much as we possibly can, also in the interest we want local builders as well.”

The agreement also mentions that Matnic may submit a separate offer to the city for plat two of the subdivision once at least four of the initial nine lots are sold and
are at least in the process of home construction. The city expects the infrastructure for plat two to be completed by June 30th, 2022.