Group Joins Fight Against New Bridge Friends Of The Falls Seeks National Monument Status For Lower Falls

A grass-roots organization that wants to preserve the lower Spokane Falls as a national monument is trying to intervene in a city-state dispute over the proposed Lincoln Street bridge.

The nonprofit group Friends of the Falls filed a motion Tuesday to intervene in the city’s appeal of the state’s denial of a shoreline permit for the bridge. If the state Shorelines Hearings Board approves, the group would be allowed to present its reasons why the permit should be denied.

The state Department of Ecology turned down a shoreline permit for the project in January, saying the bridge proposal violates the city’s shoreline management plan.

The city has appealed the decision to the Hearings Board. City and Ecology Department officials agreed last week to attempt to reach a settlement on the shoreline issue.

Three members of Friends of the Falls - former state Sen. John Moyer, architect Rick Hastings and attorney Doug Siddoway - stood beside the lower falls Wednesday to announce their plans.

In its motion to the state, the group argues the project would add a bridge across the river without removing one, and would destroy the river’s natural features - both violations of the shoreline management plan.

Assistant City Attorney Stan Schwartz disagreed.

“This is an allegation and an opinion that’s different than the city’s view of the project,” Schwartz said.

Siddoway said the Ecology Department “faced tremendous political pressure because of its decision. We want to be there to carry the ball.”

Jani Gilbert, spokesperson for the Ecology Department, said the group’s intervention could make settling the permit issue more complicated.

“They’ll be part of the settlement negotiations that are going on,” Gilbert said. “Things get more complex with more parties.”

Moyer said the group is pursuing its plans to turn the area into a national monument.

“This kind of spectacular river running through … belongs to all of us, every generation,” Moyer said. “We can’t usurp it for our generation.”

, DataTimes