Developer Must Assess Landfill

The City Council wants to know what’s in an old city landfill before allowing developers to build a city sewer line through it.

The council late Tuesday voted 4 to 2 to require Spokane developer Mark Hall to do a “level two environmental assessment” on the Blackwell Island site. That includes taking core samples of the 40-yearold landfill to check for hazardous substances.

Hall wants to put 220 RV pads on 30 acres, plus a store and convention center on another 10 acres. About 30 opponents of the project turned out Tuesday for the four-hour hearing.

Shortly before midnight, Councilman Ron Edinger made a motion to deny the project for at least a year. Council members Dan English and Dixie Reid voted yes. Mike McDowell, Kevin Packard and Nancy Sue Wallace voted no. Mayor Al Hassell, voting no, broke the tie.

The council then voted to table the issue until Aug. 15 to give developers time to test the landfill. Councilmen Edinger and Packard opposed tabling the issue.

, DataTimes