Rv Park Approved At Blackwell Island Critics Fear The Move Will Spark City’s Massive Expansion South Of The Spokane River

A controversial recreational vehicle park will be built on Blackwell Island - a move many fear will trigger massive expansion of the city south of the Spokane River.

The City Council voted 4-2 late Tuesday to annex the 40-acre site despite overwhelming opposition from people who testified in a lengthy public hearing. Only councilmen Ron Edinger and Dan English opposed the measure.

The vote clears the way for extending city water and sewer lines across the river, which opponents say gives other real estate interests the needed utilities to expand. The development and annexation has been defeated in two previous appearances before the council in tie-breakers decided by Mayor Al Hassell.

But opponents indicated before the meeting that they will take the matter to court.

Only one of 30 test pits dug on the island actually reached the garbage buried in an old dump that opponents said should derail the proposed 291-slot recreational vehicle park. Chuck Sheroke, an attorney for project opponents, said the site has not been adequately tested.

Engineers for the Hall family, which proposes the development, insisted the testing was adequate.

Opponents called for the city to hire an outside firm to evaluate the study of the old dump and the island. They also were were quite critical of the developer’s refusal to allow an expert, hired by the opposition, to participate in the analysis of the old landfill.

An attorney for the Halls said the family felt that hiring four engineers to probe the site fulfilled their obligation.

The island’s location below the 100-year flood plain, an increase in traffic from the RV’s, and questions about the liability to the city if there are problems with the development permeated the opposition testimony. One man questioned whether the city had considered the fact that RV sewage is six times more concentrated than regular municipal sewage, because there is less water involved in the RV systems.

That will pose a significant problem if the Blackwell Island sewer lines rupture and dump effluent into the Spokane River, he said.

The Halls and their engineers argued that their project makes good environmental sense. Building the RV park will cap the landfill and will prevent rainwater from penetrating it and leaching chemicals into the river.

, DataTimes