City Delays BNSF Land Purchase

A city of Coeur d’Alene plan to purchase land owned by BNSF Railway Co. in the Spokane River corridor has been postponed until May. City Attorney Mike Gridley told The Press Monday that the purchase, originally scheduled for completion on March 5, is being delayed while the Department of Environmental Quality completes an analysis of the property. The 20-acre piece of land is a critical part of the city’s plan to further develop the corridor - which runs from Riverstone to Huetter Road - into a community centered around the Spokane River. “There’s no harm in delaying it and the railroad is committed to the sale,” Gridley said. “Since the city is buying the land and much of it will likely be used by the public, we want to make sure that we know exactly what we are getting and that it’s as safe as possible.” The assessment is part of a DEQ program that assists various agencies in handling “brownfields”/ Keith Cousins , Coeur d’Alene Press. More here.

Question: Do you support this purchase?