Small Town News

Airway Heights to fall forward

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City's wastewater treatment plant, crosswalk, parks will advance this October

The Airway Heights City Council set the ball rolling last week on the second-phase of the new wastewater treatment plant and a safer pedestrian crossing on US Highway 2, both to begin construction in October.

City manager Albert Tripp said the council rewarded a $26.8 million contract to AMCO General Contracting for Phase 1 B of the wastewater treatment project. Public works director Brian St. Clair said Phase 1 A of the project includes construction of sewer lines, tanks and a 2 million gallon reclaimed water storage tower, and should be wrapped up by early April.

Despite damage from wind gusts that knocked down some form panels early this month, St. Clair said, "We're on schedule and on budget. We're very happy with the contractor and how things are proceeding."

The second and final phase of the plant will consist mainly of installing water lines that will carry treated water to commercial and industrial customers across the West Plains. St. Clair said the plant will serve thousands of customers and will be able to treat up to 1 million gallons of wastewater a day once it's complete in 2012.

St. Clair said some of the potential customers include Spokane

County Raceway, the Kalispell Tribe, Department of Corrections and possibly Fairchild AFB. Whatever treated water doesn't go toward industrial or irrigation use will go backinto the ground. "It will be a great way to offset the use of potable water," he said.

Tripp said the crosswalks between Russell and Zeigler Streets on US-2 will be outfitted with overhead signal poles and flashing beacon lights in order to increase visibility of those on foot. While the original plan also called for digital speed indicator signs, Tripp said their omission would save $25,850 for a revised price tag of roughly $203,600.

In 2001, midblock crossings were established near three of the highway's intersections. A year later pedestrian-activated flashing amber lights were embedded in the roadway and in 2003 additional signage was added.

Administrators say the newest improvements should lead to fewer close calls on the busy thoroughfare.

The City Council also voted to approve an update to the city's park impact mitigation fees. Developers are already allowed to offset a portion of the fees by dedicating parkland or creating a park facility that is accessible and open to the public. Tripp said the update allows developers to pay down some of the fee by building onsite amenities such as basketball courts or swimming pools into multiple-family dwellings.

The fee structure calls for $1,480 in charges per construction of a one-person apartment or duplex, increasing to $3,700 for a single-family residence.

Sara Orrange, government affairs director with the Spokane Association of Realtors (SAR), spoke in favor of the changes during the public hearing portion of last Monday's council meeting. In a telephone conversation Friday she said while the SAR has taken no formal position on impact fees, she feels "the more flexibility the better" for developers and home-buyers alike.

"Parks are needed, especially in Airway Heights, but the costs need to be weighed against the benefits. A couple thousand dollars can make or break some people," she said, adding that cost is usually passed to the homebuyer.

Last month city administrators dedicated a one-acre mini-park near the Traditions subdivision that was constructed by Viking Homes in order to reduce impact fees. Viking was the first company to take advantage of a mitigation agreement, approved by the City Council last fall.

A park associated with the Sunset Crossing development is also being built by Hay den Homes through a fee-reduction agreement and should be open by the end of October, according to parks and recreation director J.C Kennedy.

Ryan Lancaster can be reached at Ryan@cheneyfreepress.com.



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© 2009 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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