Newman Lake Boat Dock Expansion Slips Through Commissioners Reverse 1990 Decision

Spokane County commissioners on Tuesday approved a dock expansion in a Newman Lake bay considered too crowded for the work in 1990.

Five years ago, the Honeymoon Bay Property Owners Association sought approval to add 20 boat slips to the association’s horseshoeshaped dock. The dock, which is more than 50 years old, already had 18 slips.

County planner Wally Hubbard told commissioners during the 1990 hearing that 20 new slips would make the bay too congested and cause shoreline erosion.

“There are not that many homeowners in Honeymoon Bay that they need that many new docks,” said Hubbard.

Commissioners granted approval for 12 of the slips, saying there ought to be at least 140 feet between the association’s dock and a smaller one owned by one of its neighbors.

Now, 10 Honeymoon Bay property owners are requesting slips. The association went back to commissioners Tuesday for approval to build the eight slips removed from the 1990 request.

County planner Tom Mosher, who oversees shoreline regulations, presented commissioners with a letter from county marine patrol deputies, who noted that 100 feet between docks ought to be plenty of space. Mosher recommended approval of the new slips.

Allan McEachern, whose father has a cabin on the bay, argued against the slips, saying the arguments used to scale back the 1990 proposal still are valid.

“The hearing was heard, a decision was made, but now we’re reconvening the same hearing and saying all the rules are changed,” he said.

McEachern accused association board members of pushing the proposal against the wishes of rank and file members.

The slips, which are built and owned by individual members, not the association itself, would benefit only a few at the expense of the community, McEachern said.

“The area is overbuilt, property is difficult to find,” he said. “Therefore, a slip is a valuable item.”

Commissioners approved the expansion on the condition that association members give their approval within 30 days and that the dock reach no closer than 100 feet to neighboring docks.

“I don’t see anything legally wrong with issuing the permit,” said Commissioner Steve Hasson, the only one of the three commissioners who was on the board that made the 1990 decision.

Commissioners said they don’t think the dock should be allowed to grow much larger, but noted that they can’t restrict the decisions of future commissioners.

Noting that eight slips is not enough to meet current demand, Commissioner Skip Chilberg wondered whether the association ever could meet the desire for slips on the increasingly popular lake.

“Where does this end?” he asked. “Is this the last request or are we going to be hearing more requests for docks?”

“I can’t say that you won’t be hearing more in the next 10 years,” said Neil Thompson, association president.