Liberty Lake Developer Wins Some, Loses Some
A development company that plans a project near Liberty Lake won partial approval for its proposal this week.
Liberty Lake Village Limited received permission to divide almost 16 acres near the corner of Sprague Avenue and Liberty Lake Road into lots for eight houses.
“We said OK to that,” said Steve Hasson, who along with his fellow commissioners voted Tuesday to approve that part of the project.
But commissioners decided against the other part of the plan - a change of zoning that would have allowed the company to put an apartment building, a rest home or other high intensity use on an adjoining 2.5 acres.
The county’s hearing examiner committee, which makes initial decisions on land uses in the unincorporated area, also had denied that part of the project.
The committee decided that the plans for the 2.5 acres were too vague.
Liberty Lake Village appealed that decision to the commissioners but found no relief.
Commissioners Hasson, Phil Harris and George Marlton agreed that plans for the smaller portion of land were too ambiguous for a zone change to be approved.
Traffic is already a problem at the intersection of Sprague and Liberty Lake Road, Hasson said, and commissioners couldn’t justify giving permission for a project that may wind up contributing to the problem.
“We simply need to have some better knowledge before we can approve something like that,” Hasson said.
Moab extension hearing
The Moab Irrigation District will hold a meeting Saturday to discuss the possible extension of water lines to the east shore of Newman Lake.
The meeting will be held at 2 p.m. at the Tri-Community Grange on Starr Road.
Some property owners in and around the 14-home Hood’s Park subdivision have asked the district about the possibility of extending public water to their neighborhood.
Moab officials are considering that request and are seeking public input on it.
Newman Lake treatment
County commissioners will hold a public hearing Nov. 21 to gather input on a proposal to treat Newman Lake with the aluminum sulfate.
The Newman Lake Flood Control District wants to pump the chemical into the lake to help remove phosphorous from the water.
Phosphorous is know to contribute to the growth of algae, which can overcome a lake if left unchecked, killing fish and aquatic plants.
The hearing will be part of the commissioners’ regular Tuesday night meeting, which begins at 5 p.m. in the downstairs meeting room of the Public Works Building, 1026 W. Broadway.
Valley Fire needs commissioner
Valley Fire District commissioners are searching for someone to replace the late Bill Allen on the board of commissioners.
Allen, who died Oct. 26, served on the board for nine years.
People interested in the position may drop their resumes at the district’s administrative offices, which are located at Fire Station 1, 10319 E. Sprague.
The deadline is 5 p.m. Dec. 15. The board hopes to choose a candidate by Jan. 26.
Fire station architects hired
Also, fire commissioners voted Wednesday to hire the Spokane architect firm of Tan/Heyamoto to supervise design and construction of the district’s new station at Liberty Lake.
Terms of the district’s contract with Tan/Heyamoto have not been finalized.
Cochrane Associates of Bellevue, Wash., will design the $750,000 building under Tan/Heyamoto’s guidance.
, DataTimes