Jan 21, 2025, 11:02 AM CST
The Town of Washington Orchard Hills Development is now accepting reservations for potential tenants with construction work expected soon.
The controversial housing development has been the subject of two lawsuits filed by the Town of Washington against the City of Eau Claire. The city annexed the land for the development, with officials saying they need to expand their land and utility services with a growing population.
Residents of the town have expressed concerns over increased traffic in the area and changes to the fabric of their neighborhoods with the introduction of higher density housing. The town is also pursuing the possibility of becoming a village to prevent further annexations like the Orchard Hills Development land and the City of Altoona’s annexation for the Whitetail Woods Development.
Over 600 residents of the proposed village area signed a petition to support the potential change in September. Even with eager support from the community, the review process will take years and the measure would be put to a referendum vote if it does eventually clear the necessary hurdles. Part of that review process will include consideration of a resolution passed by the Eau Claire City Council, stating that it expects to annex more land for utility expansion.
The municipalities eventually came to an agreement requiring the developers to pay $100,000 to the Town of Washington over three years for road expenses. In recent months, the project received the needed approvals for rezoning and its preliminary plat.
With those legal battles settled, the developers of the housing project are prepared to begin construction this year. According to a WQOW report, officials expect construction to begin over the summer and they are now accepting reservations for tenants upon its completion. The Orchard Hills Development could be officially opened as soon as the spring of 2026.
