River Project Draws Strong Criticism

A slew of public agencies have come out against a proposal to build a retail center within 200 feet of the Spokane River.

Opponents of the controversial Valley project, located just east of the Spokane Valley Mall, include the state Department of Ecology, state Department of Fish and Wildlife and Spokane County Conservation District, among others. They’ve criticized a county shoreline administrator for saying the project will be good for wildlife, habitat and the protected shoreline.

“We wholeheartedly reject your conclusion…” wrote Fish and Wildlife habitat biologist Kevin Robinette in a letter responding to the proposal. “In fact, we find it to be completely absurd.”

Several agencies, such as the Spokane County Conservation District, accused Spokane County Shoreline Administrator John Nunnery of working “in the best interests of the developer, not the resource…”

“This project reminds me of trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. It simply doesn’t fit,” said Walter Edelen, water resources program manager with the conservation district.

The subject of the controversy is developer Raymond Hanson’s plan to build a retail development within 200 feet of a protected “shoreline of statewide significance.”

The proposed Market Pointe II development would sit between the Spokane River and Indiana Avenue, just east of the Spokane Valley Mall.

Drawings filed with the county show the development would include a hotel, restaurant and at least seven other retail establishments.

To proceed with the plan, the developer needs the county to change the designation of a one-acre strip of land from pastoral to urban.

The Spokane County Planning Commission held a public hearing Thursday to take testimony on this proposed land designation change. The commission also took comments on the Building and Planning Department’s determination that the land designation change, and the commercial development itself, will not have a probable significant adverse impact on the environment.

Nunnery defended his support of the Market Pointe II development plans. The shoreline amendment being sought by the developer, he said, is “in the interest of and does not harm the public health, safety and general welfare.” It sacrifices poor habitat, he said, but improves more crucial habitat areas nearby.

Much of the opposition is premature, Nunnery said Thursday.

“Many of the comments,” he said, “had nothing to do with this (particular) hearing.”

The project has gone through several alterations. The hotel and restaurant have been moved back from the river and out of the shoreline buffer zone, but the project’s most updated preliminary site plan shows a road and several retail buildings still intruding into the protected area.

Hanson Industries has agreed to make up for habitat that will be lost by planting hundreds of native trees in the area and improving the condition of nearby habitat areas.

Nunnery believes the project is environmentally sensitive, considering the nearby shoreline has a limited number of birds and mammals, and already is impacted by the Centennial Trail.

“Many of the concerns have to do with aesthetics, not wildlife,” said Larry Dawes, a biologist hired by Hanson Industries.

But Robinette, the Fish and Wildlife biologist, passionately disagreed. He told the Planning Commission that he enjoys walking the trail in that area, and watching the wildlife with his family.

“I continue to question the conclusion that parking lots and a building with trees painted on the back will be a significant improvement for wildlife habitat and wildlife using the water,” he said.

Hanson plans to paint the buildings near the trail and shoreline with neutral colors and silhouettes of trees.

Bonnie Mager, of the Washington Environmental Council, wondered why Hanson couldn’t simply move the proposed buildings 75 or 100 feet to the south, and avoid this whole controversy.

“There seems to be enough land in Mr. Hanson’s possession,” Mager said. “He could redesign this and not intrude upon the buffer.”

Officials with Hanson Industries said they’ve already scaled back their request significantly.

TESTIMONY Market Pointe II The Spokane County Planning Commission on Thursday closed public testimony on the shoreline designation change sought by the developer of the Market Pointe II project. It will discuss the proposed land designation changes and the project’s environmental determination of nonsignificance at its Aug. 26 meeting. It will then pass its recommendations on to county commissioners.