Vocal Point : Community’s projected growth doesn’t reflect planning
Looking for a place to live with overcrowded schools, a rapidly growing crime rate and an ever increasing traffic problem? If so, move to Liberty Lake where the city will welcome you with open arms.
In 2005, the city of Liberty Lake flew past both Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene as the most rapidly growing city in the Inland Northwest. Eleven percent of the recent population growth within Spokane County has been people moving to Liberty Lake. But apparently this isn’t enough growth for Mayor Steve Peterson and City Planner Doug Smith of the city of Liberty Lake.
Early this year, Spokane County projected the county’s 20-year population at a relatively high level, with the pro-development county commissioners encouraging planning for a relatively large number of new people moving to our area. They then allowed each city in the county to choose how big a piece of pie it could have. When Mayor Peterson and Planner Doug Smith sat down at the county’s table, they had a big appetite, because they chose a huge piece of pie.
With no discussion of this issue with the Liberty Lake community, the city chose to increase its 20-year population allocation from 15,861 people to 22,511. And this is in an area where kindergartners no longer can go to the neighborhood elementary school. Could the city of Liberty Lake have chosen to absorb a smaller portion of the county’s projected growth? Absolutely. But this would be akin to going on a diet. That’s not easy if you like eating.
Why are they so hungry? One reason Doug Smith has offered is that since the city grew at 10 percent in 2005, reaching 6,550 in population this year, it has to plan for future growth at this rate. What he neglects to say is that this rate is a result of developments his department approved and exceeds the amount of growth that was projected by the city just several years ago.
At this rate, the city will have more than 40,000 people in 20 years. I’m getting heartburn just thinking about it.
“Planning” and “development” are not synonymous, but they apparently are for the city Planning Department. Planning should precede development and be based on a vision of the community where there is balance between quality of life and development decisions. Preservation of open spaces and critical areas needs to be encouraged while directing development within existing communities.
It is entirely within the power of the city to create a vision for a leaner, more fit city of Liberty Lake. Will it become the next Santa Barbara, with its scenic beauty and small town charm, or will it become fat like Issaquah or Lake Sammamish?
The choice is ours and the time to make that decision is now. The health of our community depends upon it.