Liberty Lake considers no-idle rule
Liberty Lake officials are considering making the entire city a “no-idle” zone to reduce emissions from car exhaust.
City Council members last week agreed to consider passing a “no-idle” resolution after Tom Brattebo, with Spokane Regional Clean Air, told them about the health risks of exhaust when cars idle for more than 30 seconds.
“It’s just a reminder that you’re putting out carbon monoxide,” said Mayor Wendy Van Orman. “So when you’re waiting to pick up your kids, turn your car off.”
“No-idle” zones are popular at schools where parents often wait in cars to pick up children, but council members are considering the idea for the whole city. If approved, their resolution would be a recommendation – not a law that would be enforced by the Police Department.
“It’s basically more of an awareness factor,” Van Orman said. “We’re not talking about in traffic. We’re talking about when you’re doing day-to-day activities.”
Council also held a public hearing on the Crime Check/communications tax sought by Spokane County, with representatives from the county and the Spokane Fire Department in attendance. “We didn’t have anyone there in opposition,” Van Orman said.
The final design is complete for the first phase of Rocky Hill Park at Mission and Winrock, and the project is going out to bid. Phase I will include two play areas, a basketball court, a parking lot, about five acres of open space and a hilltop lookout.
Design specifications call for the project to be as environmentally friendly as possible, Van Orman said, including putting sensors on the sprinkler systems. “If it rains the sprinkler systems will not be coming on,” she said. “That’s part of the bidding process.”
The parklike area in front of the proposed library/community center at Mission and Signal Road is also going out to bid, Van Orman said. It includes an ampitheater, walking paths, restrooms, parking and an area for the farmers’ market. The city has set aside $500,000 for that project and $200,000 for the first part of Rocky Hill Park.
“These are all the things we’ve saved up for that we’re finally getting going for this year,” Van Orman said.
The council also discussed the final cost of putting utilities underground on a two-block stretch of Liberty Lake Road near the new Walgreens. The cost is being split with the builder, Vandervert Construction. The city had set aside $50,000 for its half, but the city’s actual cost will be $74,000, Van Orman said. “This is the first phase,” she said. “The rest of the phase will be ours.”
The city long ago decided to put utilities underground to keep the skyline uncluttered and reduce the chance of power outages during extreme weather, she said.
In other business, the council voted to join the Spokane County Urban County Consortium so the city can apply for Community Development Block Grants and Home Investment Partnership funding.