Capital facilities plan approved

Liberty Lake City Council approved its capital facilities plan on Tuesday, amid sewer district protests.

Sewer Commissioner Tom Agnew contested wording in the document, which details how the city will provide police, fire, education, sewer and water and other services in the future.

Agnew gave the council a personal letter, which said fuzzy wording in the capital facilities plan leads people to falsely conclude that utility taxes wouldn’t be raised above 6 percent unless the city holds a public vote. Washington already has a 6 percent ceiling on most utility taxes, he said, and no vote can raise that limit.

The document implies that the city owns the sewer system, he further stated, and says the utility wouldn’t be taxed over 6 percent without a vote. There’s no limit on the amount of taxes a city can charge if it owns a sewer and water utility, Agnew said.

“This information is not only inaccurate, it’s misleading in a way that appears suspect.”

Councilman Patrick Jenkins responded to Agnew’s charges by saying, “There’s a higher probability of this community being subjected to rate increases than utility taxes.”

Utility ownership is at the heart of the debate because the city tried to take over the district in November 2003. Mutual lawsuits resulted in a Superior Court ruling that found the city failed to meet “assumption” criteria, including producing a required environmental study and taking a public vote.

Last fall, the district joined Spokane Valley and Spokane County in legal appeals against Liberty Lake’s comprehensive plan, a 20-year blueprint for community growth that’s mandated by state law.

After the Growth Management Hearings Board for Eastern Washington ruled the plan had deficiencies, the city spent nearly a year holding public meetings and revising the document.

Liberty Lake’s revised plan received preliminary approval from Washington Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

City attorney Stanley Schwartz said Spokane Valley has received a copy of the plan and hasn’t submitted any comments. A meeting with the Growth Management Hearings Board is scheduled for September.

In other actions, the City Council approved the second phase of Legacy Ridge, which will add more than 100 homes that eventually will become part of an upscale development with more than 500 homes.

Council members declined to have the city build a concession stand at Pavillion Park. Liberty Lake Kiwanis operate a concession trailer at the park and would likely lose out on any competitive bid to run the stand.

The council also approved the mayor’s reappointment of two members of the planning commission, Jeff Hoover and Steve McElvain.