Liberty Lake Village proposal approved

A proposal to subdivide 100 acres in the northeast corner of Liberty Lake into mixed-use housing and businesses was approved by the City Council Tuesday night.

At its regular meeting, the council voted unanimously to approve the Liberty Lake Village preliminary plat with two council members absent, said city Finance Director Arlene Fisher.

According to findings from the Liberty Lake hearings examiner, the plans call for 506 single-family lots, eight multifamily lots and 44 commercial lots south of Appleway Avenue and east of Simpson Road.

It’s estimated that the new housing would accommodate about 2,000 residents in varying housing types.

Hearings on the project did not generate as many comments from people concerned with growth in Liberty Lake as other land-use proposals of late.

“That’s kind of what urban development is supposed to look like,” said Steve Shirley, who is the president of an anti-sprawl group in Liberty Lake.

The Central Valley School District warned, though, that it will reach its capacity in 2008.

Shirley called the developer’s assumption that the nature of the new housing wouldn’t attract people with school-aged children preposterous.

“It’s very reasonable to expect your elected officials to make sure school services are in place,” he said.

While the hearing examiner recommended the project go forward, he noted that the city and the school district should work toward implementing impact fees or other measures to offset the impact of growth in the city.

Conditions placed on the project include a storm-water collection system that is maintained by the future owners rather than the city, a fence to separate the eastern property line from rural land beyond it and future study of the traffic impact that it will have on nearby roads.

The land is being developed by Whitewater Creek Inc. and Sullivan Homes which plan to build the project in phases over the next six to eight years, according to city documents.