The Battle Ground City Council voted Monday, Oct. 20, to advance two ordinances tied to the proposed Eaton Park apartment complex, a development that could add 95 housing units, including 19 affordable ones, to the city’s growing east side.
The council approved both measures after extended discussion, moving the long-delayed proposed project closer to construction. The first ordinance, designating the project site as part of the city’s Residential Target Area (RTA), passed 5-2. The property will be designated as part of the city’s Residential Target Area, thereby making it eligible for the Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program. The second, amending the municipal code to allow a 12-year property tax exemption for qualifying projects, passed 4-3.
The MFTE program is designed to encourage developers to build housing in designated areas of a city by offering property tax exemptions in exchange for affordability requirements. By adding Eaton Park’s parcel into a Residential Target Area, the city is creating a pathway for the project to access those exemptions.
Councilors Tricia Davis and Eric Overholser opposed both measures. Councilor Victoria Ferrer joined them in opposing the tax exemption municipal code amendment.
During deliberation, Davis said she supported affordable housing but objected to the specific site being designated under the city’s Multi-Family Tax Exemption program.
“I am not in favor of this particular parcel being designated,” Davis said. “One of the options that was brought to us was [the] downtown Main Street area for revitalization. I think that is an excellent use for this concept … however, I just don’t believe just because you can, you should.”
The votes mark the end of a long and at times contentious process for the Eaton Park proposal. The project has undergone multiple iterations since 2023, each receiving mixed reactions from the council.
In its earliest form, the development sought an eight-year tax exemption under the city’s existing Multi-Family Tax Exemption (MFTE) program. That version was rejected over concerns it could reduce revenue for essential city services such as police and fire. Even after the developer, Principal Properties LLC, offered to cover local fire levies in full, councilors remained divided.
In 2024, the project returned in partnership with the Vancouver Housing Authority, which would have ensured a greater share of affordable units. That proposal also failed amid concerns about the city’s growing reliance on tax incentives to attract housing projects. Afterward, Principal Properties chose to move forward independently, revising the plan to include 20% affordable housing units.
Monday’s approval clears the final procedural steps for the development to qualify for the expanded 12-year tax exemption, making construction feasible after years of delays. Supporters on the council have said the change is necessary to spur development in a market where housing costs continue to rise and affordable options remain scarce.
