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Words from the Web
8/11/2010 10:22:19 AM
Commissioner Richard: I have been and will always be a friend of Liberty Lake and an advocate for its protection, taking decisive action when residents brought shoreline violations to my attention, fully supporting the expansion of county public ownership of lands on the east side of the lake to protect this fragile watershed from development, and playing an active role (regardless how one person wishes to rewrite history) in preventing the entire south end of Holiday Hills from entering into Liberty Lake's Urban Growth Area, which would have led to urban densities of development.
At the time, I received thanks from those on this page who now slander me, for calling a town hall meeting in Liberty Lake (at significant political risk to myself) where I stood in front of the former council, staff and dozens of citizens to advise the city that Spokane County had no intentions of including this area in its future growth boundary (something city staff was purporting at the time) and that as the authority over regional land use, Spokane County would require Liberty Lake to validate what citizens had pointed out was a hastily formulated environmental document. We were also going to require the city demonstrate its ability to serve this area with all public services.
Now, I never said I alone did anything! To the contrary; citizens called on me, I studied the issues and I took the appropriate steps to support what I thought was a valid concern, which undeniably assisted in residents of the lake protecting Holiday Hills from urban-level development. The final buck stopped at my desk, and I made it abundantly clear at that meeting I was not going to accept Liberty Lake's request unless they had met every test of the law and I was left with no choice, which we knew was not possible. The result: some morning when you are sipping on your coffee or tooling the lake, look toward the eastern and western skyline. Those hundreds of acres, under Spokane County's jurisdiction, remain undisturbed by urban density development to this day. As you look to the eastern mountain range, we, your Spokane County Commissioners have directed staff to work with property owners on a land exchange that will add over 100 acres of additional land to county ownership, protecting this fragile watershed from development forever. A few politically motivated opponents again will scoff, but the only reason Spokane County is partnering on this project is to protect the lake and we could back away from these negotiations and the liability and expense that come with it at any time.
Now, to characterize my support of a 50-year residents' request to create four oversized residential parcels surrounded by more densely developed area (with strict one-story height restrictions I added, and all within the protections of our shoreline and stormwater regulations) as somehow demonstrative of a lack of concern for Liberty Lake or her residents is nothing short of being intentionally misleading. Their using the mandatory open space of the Liberty Lake Villas and the Zephyr Lodge property as the primary examples of properties that will now fall to development thanks to my vote illustrates just how silly yet intentional this "conversation" has gotten. My actions to protect Liberty Lake have cost me substantial, long-time supporters, and I would do it all again because it was the right thing to do. If the majority of citizens feel they will be more protected by entering the city of Liberty Lake as CAUSE suggests, then I will support you.
Mayor Van Orman: "It is important for both the county and the city of Liberty Lake to work hand-in-hand in protecting our watershed as well as the beautiful mountainsides. This community is beautiful because the residents care. It will be up to each of us to help protect what we hold dear. I believe you have a listening ear at both the county and city, and I appreciate the voicing of your opinions. Together, let us figure out a way to best get protections in place, then educate in that direction.
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More online: New survey
Weigh in on the new survey question at www.libertylakesplash.com: Do you believe that, in the next 10 years, the unincorporated area surrounding Liberty Lake should be annexed into the city?