Liberty lake update: Council discusses arboretum

The Liberty Lake Council heard a presentation during Tuesday’s meeting about the planned arboretum, which has been named Nature’s Place at Meadowwood.

The planned green space will be on 2.8 acres behind City Hall that was donated by the Meadowwood Homeowners Association. “It formerly served as just a drainage area,” said planning and building services manager Amanda Tainio, who has been heading up the project.

Several Washington State University students submitted proposed plans for the area after several public meetings were held requesting input from the public about what features should be included. The city has selected a plan created by student Michelle Berry, which includes raised garden beds, a wetland area, an artwalk, gazebos, trails and a plant education area. The plan calls for 3,665 plants of 195 different species.

“Obviously we’re looking at phasing,” said Tainio. The city has set aside $310,000 in this year’s budget for the project.

The species that will be planted include many that aren’t native to the area. Having a mix of native and non-native species is a good way to cut down on disease, Berry said. “It’s nice to show people that you can have native plants and non-native plants in the same bed,” she said. “It’s really better to mix both of them in.”

Councilman David Crump asked what has been planned in the project to enhance security. Berry said she tried to address that by including plenty of lights, which will be 3 feet high for maximum illumination. “I definitely thought about it when I was designing,” she said. “Part of my plan was that the lights would come on at dusk and stay on until dawn.”

Police chief Brian Asmus said he was pleased with the lighting plan and could add a security camera if needed. “The lighting plan, that’s key,” he said.

Some of the plans had called for a fire pit or barbecue area, which got some opposition. The American Lung Association sent the city a letter objecting to the inclusion of a fire pit because of the smoke health hazards. “That has now become a plant education area with seating and a shade structure,” Tainio said.

The city hopes to have phase one of the project completed by October, she said.

Council members also discussed whether or not to join the Spokane County Urban County Consortium, which would allow them to apply for Community Development Block Grants and Home Investment Partnership Funding. The city has not previously been a member of the consortium. “In the past our opportunity for grant funding has been rather limited,” said Doug Smith, director of community development.

Such funding could be used for infrastructure projects. Crump said it looked like a good idea, but wanted to know if there were strings attached that would cause the city to lose control over how money is allocated. “We’re actually gaining control, I would say,” Smith said.

In the past the city had the option of applying to the state directly for grant funds, which are hard to get, Smith said. “Our lack of participation has excluded us,” he said. “Our opportunity at the state level would be very, very limited.”

Joining the consortium would give the city greater bargaining power and increase the chance of getting grants. “We would stand a pretty good chance,” he said.

The city has until May 23 to decide whether or not to join the consortium or it would have to wait until 2011 to try again. The program only opens to new members every three years.

In other business, the council voted unanimously to approve a contract with the Valley HUB to provide a boxing class. Before the vote Mayor Wendy Van Orman pointed out that the class will be taught by her husband, Darren Van Orman, but said her family won’t benefit financially from the arrangement. Her husband has already spent money to purchase needed equipment for use at the HUB, she said.

Councilman Patrick Jenkins asked if a similar contract would be available to other companies in the area. “It’s the same as pretty much any other contract,” Van Orman said.

City attorney Sean Boutz concurred. The contract is the standard contract used for other service providers, he said.