Jumping Through Hoops Jerry, Donna Allen Realize Dream Despite $1.1 Million Bill

While some north Spokane County residents complain that county building and planning regulations are too lax, Donna and Jerry Allen said they are way over the top .

Especially in their case.

“It was a nightmare,” Donna Allen said of the more-than-two-year project to build a Shell gas station and minimart on U.S Highway 395.

The station, seven miles north of Wandermere shopping center and seven miles south of Deer Park, opened last week.

The Allens jumped through hoops, burrowed through paperwork and mortgaged the family farm to pay for the new business, which is surrounded by agricultural land.

They said county regulations, including road improvements, a massive storm water runoff pond, a 40,000-gallon concrete water tank and pump station next to the fireproof building, were excessive.

When it was all done, they had spent $1.1 million.

“You don’t see any other stations with these things,” said Jerry Allen. “Someone really made it difficult for us.”

But county building officials said it’s all standard procedure. Most of the requirements were in place 10 years ago when a previous owner was planning a similar project on the property.

“Normally we don’t see this type of building, without the supporting services all around it,” said Jeff Forry, the county’s senior building technician.

The Allens live on a 40-acre horse ranch near Wandermere. While training horses and traveling to shows, they frequented similar stations and minimarts, refueling the truck, parking their trailer, grabbing lunch and stretching their cramped legs.

They always talked about opening a station of their own.

When they found the double lot for sale on Highway 395, just a few miles from their house, they jumped at the chance.

The original plan was to open the station and minimart on one lot, and use the rest for parking, picnic tables and turn-arounds.

Then the red tape started to unfurl.

No construction was allowed within a 100-foot radius of the on-site well, because of the contamination risk.

Ironically, the ground percolation is slow, so with the added concrete for the gas pumps and building, the Allens had to build a storm runoff pond about the same size, taking up the entire second lot.

Then came the $110,000 road improvements to add left and right turn lanes off Highway 395.

Soon after, they learned the state Department of Transportation is just starting a widening project on that length of road and could have incorporated the improvements into the project.

Next came a bill for $45,800 to build the water tank, which was necessary, Forry said, because there are no fire hydrants in the area.

Officials were concerned that in case of a fire at the gas station, served by Fire District 4, there wouldn’t be enough water available unless it was provided on site.

“When you add fuel to the mix, it becomes a higher risk,” he said.

As for the other requirements, Forry said they are all typical of county building requirements.

He said the amount of impervious surface (such as concrete and buildings) determines the size of the storm water ponds. In this case, the soil percolates especially slowly, requiring a somewhat larger pond.

Despite the hurdles and frustrations, Donna Allen said they never gave up.

“We just followed our dream,” she said.

“We are doing this to make a living. We know a lot of people in the area, we live here and we want to offer a service,” she said.

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