Developer Receives County Approval For Argonne Sewer Line

It’s likely that 1,500 homes in the Northwood and Pasadena Park areas will be connected to public sewer before the year is out.

Developer Ted Gunning received permission from Spokane County commissioners Tuesday to attach a sewer pipe to the Argonne Road bridge across the Spokane River.

Permission from the town of Millwood, which also must sign off on the plan, appears likely as well.

If all goes as it seems it will, installation of the pipes could begin this summer.

The project would allow Gunning to pump sewage from his massive Northwood development down the Argonne hill, across the bridge and into the North Valley Interceptor, which connects with the regional sewage treatment plant near Riverside State Park.

County officials approved much of Northwood on the condition that Gunning connect the development to the sewer.

He has been working for more than two years to get the necessary permission for the plan.

Tom Mosher of the county planning department told commissioners Tuesday night that Gunning’s plan to run a 12-inch pipe under the east side of the bridge was a good one.

“From our standpoint, it’s a very straight permit,” Mosher said.

Commissioners agreed and voted unanimously to accept the plan after no one showed up to oppose it at a public hearing.

The town of Millwood appears likely to follow suit despite a recent controversy involving traffic from Northwood.

Mayor Jeanne Batson has complained to county commissioners that cars from the neighborhood have contributed to traffic woes in her town.

Batson has asked commissioners to temporarily stop development in the Northwood area until her traffic concerns are addressed.

Commissioners have refused.

The Millwood town council could stall further development in the area by rejecting Gunning’s sewer project and forcing him to appeal the decision to the state.

The county wouldn’t be likely to approve more development north of Millwood if sewer service was not available.

But town planner Beth Zembal said that’s unlikely.

Zembal said she’s confident the town council will follow her recommendation to approve the project.

Zembal called it a sound plan and said it fits with the county’s comprehensive waste water management plans.

The city council held its own hearing on the proposal Feb. 21 and is scheduled to vote on the plan at its April 3 meeting, she said.