County Pools for City Kids
The children and other summer revelers of Spokane want another aquatic facility, but the placement of the pool is shaping up to be another interesting GMA application.
The Spokesman-Review reports that the city and county of Spokane are in talks to place the facility:
Spokane County is asking the city of Spokane to extend city water and sewer lines to the aquatic facility, which is adjacent to the outer boundary of the city’s urban growth area on Moran Prairie. . . . It’s a county project, but city kids live within blocks of the proposed site at 61st and Freya, and they will use it, big time.
In return for the extension of city services, the city is asking “the county to help the city collect fees from developers to mitigate harmful effects of any projects in the urban growth area – where city and county officials share planning responsibilities.”
This is an interesting project because it doesn’t fall easily into the urban / rural categories. Is a $5 million dollar public water park with “lazy rivers, slides, and geysers” an urban development? If so, the development should be within the UGA or within a LAMRID. Tellingly, the governments are also negotiating an annexation clause. Only areas within a UGA may be annexed by a city.
The situation reminds me of:
This [LAMIRD] is located within 360 feet of the UGA, which is the present city limits for the City of Tacoma. Designation of a [LAMIRD] in this location fosters the low-density sprawl that [LAMIRDs] are required to avoid. [Tacoma II, 9323c, FDO, at 8.] – Central Puget Sound Growth Management Hearings Board
Of course:
The fact that water and sewer services are or could be made available to an area does not mean the area is required to be included in an UGA. Achen v. Clark County 95-2-0067 (Final Decision and Order, 9-20-95) – Eastern Washington Growth Management Hearings Board
Sources:
- Pool trumps politics; Our View: City, county wise to work through differences; Spokesman Review (Spokane, WA) March 23, 2007 Page B4
- Dispute delays South Side pool proposal; Commission miffed at city’s demands; Spokesman Review (Spokane, WA) March 21, 2007 Page B1
- The digests produced by the respective Hearings Boards
- Photo by Terry Bain
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