Liberty Lake proposal draws fire
Liberty Lake residents continued to voice their opposition to a proposed zoning change Monday night, and one organizer is asking the City Council to examine statements made by the city’s planner.
About 80 people crammed into the city’s meeting hall Monday evening for a Planning Commission discussion on expanding the city’s Urban Growth Area. Every resident that spoke wanted the commission to keep the city’s urban boundaries intact, and especially to leave alone a 2,350-acre site south of the city.
Resident Mike Kennedy, who said he served for 10 years on the city of Spokane’s Planning Commission, said the turnout was exceptional.
“In the period of time I served, I rarely ever saw this many people show up for a meeting,” he said. “I’m not hearing anybody here saying they don’t want any growth out there, they just don’t want the extended growth that’s being proposed.”
Comments ranged from concerns about school crowding to displaced wildlife. Most felt the city could reach its expected population by building within current limits instead of growing out.
Others said developers should have known the zoning requirements when they bought the land. Developer Marshall Chesrown owns much of the land in the proposed expansion areas, which he wants to develop with 1,600 homes and a golf course.
Resident Louise Quirk said when she bought her 5.8-acre parcel, she knew zoning restrictions would not allow her to subdivide.
“Marshall Chesrown knew about that when he bought the property. He knew what he could build on it,” she said. “They knew what those restrictions were but they were thinking they had enough clout to think they could sway you, the City Council and the county. They think their clout is worth more than the rest of the community.”
Residents at times broke into applause after various speakers. One again brought up city Planning and Community Development Director Doug Smith’s ownership of 10.8 acres in the proposed growth area.
Smith’s land is zoned rural conservation, and Smith said he plans to expand his winery operations on the land. If the UGA expansion is approved, Smith could subdivide the land.
Smith said later that having the land become more urban would not benefit his winery.
Earlier Monday, resident Steve Shirley sent an e-mail to members of the Liberty Lake City Council asking them to investigate two statements made by Smith. Shirley said Smith gave false information during two meetings about the manner in which the city determined its population allocation and about whether the county would try to get the land in its own expansion area if the city didn’t act.
City Councilwoman Wendy Van Orman said she hadn’t received the e-mail Monday evening. The council may address the issue at its next meeting, Dec. 5.
The Planning Commission will meet Dec. 13 and decide on the UGA expansion. Spokane County commissioners have the final say on any expansion.