Liberty Lake 2000 Relaunches

Sat., Feb. 26, 2000

By Lorie Hutson lorieh@spokesman.com (509) 459-5446

Liberty Lake 2000 officially launched its second effort to create a new city this week, filing a notice of intent to incorporate with Spokane County commissioners.

The county Boundary Review Board has tentatively scheduled an informational meeting to discuss Liberty Lake incorporation March 20 at the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District Building, 22510 E. Mission. The meeting date and time will be confirmed next week.

After that meeting, incorporation backers can begin circulating petitions to gather signatures in favor of forming the new city. Ten percent of the registered voters in the proposed city must sign the petition within six months to bring it to a vote.

In the newest incorporation proposal, Liberty Lake 2000 calls for the city limits to be identical to the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District boundaries and a strong mayor/city council form of government.

However, the proponents still have time to refine boundaries and consider other government options.

They are researching whether Liberty Lake itself can be included in the new city without designating the shores urban.

Liberty Lake 2000’s first incorporation effort last summer stalled over concerns about the proposed boundaries.

Residents were split on whether the rural land around the lake should be included in the proposal.

That area cannot be incorporated unless it is designated urban, which could expose the sensitive lake to dense development. Others opposed incorporating the city without the actual lake and nearby residents inside its boundaries.

“We wanted to bring everyone into the process of making decisions for the community,” said Wendy Van Orman, Liberty Lake 2000 member.

The boundaries and government of the proposed city have to be decided before proponents can start circulating incoporation petitions.

This sidebar appeared with the story: MEETING

Liberty Lake 2000 will hold a community meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District Building, 22510 E. Mission, to seek comments from Liberty Lake residents about plans to form a new city.

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