SOAP LAKE — A dispute is unfolding between North Pacific Investments, Inc. and the City of Soap Lake over the proposed Purple Sage Meadows housing development, a project supporters say would deliver 232 affordable homes over the next five years and contribute to the town’s economy. 

NPI, the developer behind the $66 million initiative, has publicly accused Soap Lake Mayor Peter Sharp and the city administration of deliberately stalling the project's final approval. In an Oct. 20 statement, NPI claimed the city is exhibiting "a critical failure to adhere to acceptable review standards," resulting in excessive delays that violate state laws designed to facilitate timely housing development. 

According to NPI, the timeline for the project has been compromised, with milestones being overlooked: 

• A period of 946 days has passed since the review of essential engineering documents commenced at the time of the Oct. 20 statement. 

• A formal Grading Permit Application almost three months ago has not been acknowledged. 

• The final Binding Site Plan submitted in September 2025 remains in limbo due to a lack of authorization from the mayor’s office for further review. 

NPI President Alain de Chantal expressed frustration over what he characterized as political obstruction.  

"The delays we are experiencing are not due to technical deficiencies; we have complied with all conditions from the City. The delays are due to political obstruction coming directly from the top,"  de Chantal said. 

He voiced concerns over new infrastructure demands imposed by the city administration, such as the installation of a costly 100-foot water tower, which NPI argues contradicts previously granted conditional approvals. 

In response to the allegations, Sharp and the city issued a statement citing that any delays are a result of the developer's actions rather than municipal mismanagement. The city disputes the claim from NPI, explaining that multiple ownership changes and design revisions over the last five years have complicated the project.  

Initially proposed as an RV park, the plan transitioned to a mobile home park and further evolved into an "air condo" project before being approved as a Planned Unit Development for a manufactured home development in 2023. 

"The developer has not submitted an amendment to the PUD Ordinance to reflect this new project type," the city’s statement said. "The City's planning department has notified the developer that the current application will be denied due to the failure to provide required information requested by City engineers."  

On the matter of financial obligations, city administration maintains that NPI has failed to pay the requisite matching funds for a State Investment Partnership grant, a condition outlined in the original development agreement, which the city claims is grounds for termination of the agreement. 

Additionally, the city raised concerns regarding the classification of manufactured homes, asserting that the project would result in lower tax revenues since, under current state law, they are considered personal property rather than real estate.  

"Anticipated revenues from construction and property taxes are expected to be significantly lower than suggested," the statement said. 

NPI countered the city’s claims with specific arguments, insisting that the project is legally sound and that the city’s attempts to impose extraneous demands are hindering progress. In a rebuttal, de Chantal emphasized that the Binding Site Plan application was complete and deemed so by the expiration of the city’s review deadline.  

"The City's procedural failures are actively harming the local economy, denying citizens access to affordable housing," he said. 

As tensions escalate, NPI said if the city does not rectify these issues and resume administrative review immediately, they may pursue legal remedies, including a Writ of Mandamus that would compel the city to act.