Surplus land could go to park neighbors

Neighbors near Rocky Hill Park could receive a bigger backyard later this year if the city of Liberty Lake is able to declare as surplus land donated in 2010.

The stretch of park land is located behind a block of homes along North Forest Ridge Street and is part of the deed of right for Rocky Hill Park, according to city documents.

Although the city hoped to build a trail on the land when the park was built, city administrator Katy Allen said the property is too expensive to maintain and is a security issue for neighbors.

Allen hopes to know by March if the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office will greenlight the property surplus transfer to adjacent homeowners. That approval is needed because the city built a $15,000 fence with public funds on the property.

The transaction requires 100 percent approval from the adjacent homeowners and if that happens, Allen said those homeowners will pick up the expense through a required land survey and additional property taxes.