Rita Osborne reappointed to Planning Commission

Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing had a couple of big announcements at the March 4 City Council meeting.

Rushing said he attended the Feb. 24 Spokane City Council meeting, where he gave a three-minute presentation on the Airway Heights Joint Land Use Study and what the city has been doing to protect Fairchild Air Force Base. He told the Airway Heights the Spokane council voted 4-3 to reverse a previous resolution opposing the Spokane Tribe Economic Project. Spokane will now have a neutral stance on the project.

“We think that Spokane has finally realized that other information has come out since their (previous) resolution and I applaud their decision,” Rushing said.

Rushing said he attended a meeting in Fairfield, where Spokane County Commissioners Shelly O’Quinn gave a presentation on waste management. He also went to a meeting in Spokane Valley regarding solid waste management.

Rushing said there would be opportunities and challenges as Airway Heights moves forward with its own request for a proposal for solid waste management.

“I think we are on the right track,” Rushing said.

Rushing said he will meet with other city officials, March 13, at 6 p.m., in Medical Lake and invited the council to attend.

Following the mayor’s announcements, Development Services Director Derrick Braaten brought a staff request to re-appoint Rita Osborne to the chair of the Planning Commission. Braaten explained that Osborne has finished her term and offered her services to continue serving as chair.

The council unanimously approved Osborne’s re-appointment. Braaten said there are still three vacant positions on the commission.

The council approved the second reading of ordinance C-825, which concerns the rezone of Steve Mathers’ mother’s property, located between the 1700 and 1800 block of South Lawson Street, from a Light Commercial (C-1) to General Commercial (C-2) property.

Braaten said some people have asked, “Why don’t you do the whole area?” He said the city would be looking into rezoning the area in the summer or the fall.

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.