Construction of ‘Upper Valley Cross’ likely to resume next spring

LEAVENWORTH – The construction, and subsequent evening illumination, of the steel, seventy-foot self-designated ‘Upper Valley Cross’ (UVC) is expected to be completed next spring. The project, which began in June of this year, was suspended in August pending resolution of a Notice and Order to correct Chelan County Code violations (“Notice and Order”) issued by the office of the Chelan County Community Development (CCCD) to the site’s landowner Robert Johnson.

Johnson, a local real estate developer, has provided the location for the partially constructed cross on his 20-acre parcel of designated forest land, landlocked by National Forest, near the summit of Tumwater Mountain just outside of Leavenworth city limits. 

UVC, a self-described “group of Christian men from various denominations,” which, according to UVC, does not include Johnson, submitted a building permit application last month. CCCD is currently reviewing the application for compliance with building and zoning codes.

Compliance issues were initially raised by several members of the public who filed code violation reports regarding the UVC project with CCCD. Thereafter, at a departmental update for an August meeting of the Chelan County Commissioners, CCCD Director Deanna Walter suggested that the UVC cross and the lighted, 110-foot ‘Wenatchee Valley Cross atop Wenatchee Heights did not appear to hold required building permits and were not in compliance with County code that considers the structures signs, which are restricted in height to 35 feet.

While UVC spokesman Harry Hansen, stated that in response to the Notice and Order, UVC, in filing its building permit application, “put in for a monument-cross," CCCD Director Deanna Walter stated on October 11 that construction of the Tumwater Mountain cross is being “viewed [by CCCD] as just a structure, a tower structure.” Walter continued: “Initially, when I looked at it, I thought it fell under the sign code. My change in stance was due to additional information on structures. We knew how high it was and what the structural components of it were, and what it was going to look like – more of a tower.” 

According to Chelan County Code a sign is “a display or device affixed to the ground, attached to a building or other structure using graphics, symbols, and/or written copy designed specifically for the display of a commercial or other advertisement to the public.” And a “‘[s]ign, illuminated’ means a sign lighted by or exposed to artificial lighting either by lights on or in the sign or directed toward the sign.” (Chapters 14.98, Sections 1705 and 1725 of the Chelan County Code, respectively.)

A structure is defined as “that which is built, constructed, erected or any kind or any piece of work artificially built up or composed of parts joined together which requires location on the ground or attached to something having a location on the ground with the exception of retaining walls.” (Chapter 14.98, Section 1825 of the Chelan County Code)

Read under the definition of “structure,” “there may be an opportunity for exemption to height limitation [of the cross] pursuant to our Code provisions. [However,] it is still in the plan review process. So, there is additional information that has been requested from the applicant.” 

Those requests include “structure calculations,” “identifying if [the cross is being constructed] in a critical area,” and approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, all of which Hansen stated that UVC was “resolving” so that construction could resume in the spring.

Walter further explained that the Tumwater Mountain cross would “fall under the definition of a structure,” which could be exempted from height restrictions, as “I would put this structure under ‘other similar projections’” in the “exception to building height limitation” section of the Code (Chapter 11.88, Section 120), which includes, among other structures, aerials, observation towers, and radio, communication and television towers. “A tower is looked at more in line with cell towers, and whatnot.”  

When asked about the “Wenatchee Valley Cross,” which asserts that its “main purpose is to bring Glory (sic) to God the Father and His only Son, Jesus Christ,” and  UVC cites as its inspiration, Walter stated that “they’re in the same place in the process,” as UVC having “submitted their building permit and [is also] being processed” as a structure.

“The property owners and the applicants, the proponents of these two structures at South Wenatchee and the Upper Valley, have done exactly what our department has requested of them. They submitted their applications for a building permit, and we are working through the process. I actually really appreciate their cooperation. It didn’t have to be a difficult process.” 

Walter concluded by expounding that “the building permit process is what we consider a Limited Administrative Review. And that means it goes through the permitting process but there is no comment period for the public. It either meets the code requirements or it doesn’t. So, people will not have a say in whether or not the building permit is approved.” 

Caroline Menna is an intern for Ward Media and a rising senior at Cascade High School. She will serve as Editor-in-Chief of the Cascade High School Publications Group for the 2024-2025 academic year.