Airway Heights advances rezone request

At its regular monthly meeting last Wednesday, Oct. 14, the Airway Heights Planning Commission unanimously approved moving a rezone request to the city’s comprehensive plan docket for consideration. Under state law the city can only amend the plan once a year, and can do so at the request of the city or of a private citizen.

The request submitted by Nine Mile Falls’ residents Danny and Judi Lee asks that two parcels, roughly one acre of land the couple owns at the southeast corner of the intersection of Russel Street and 10th Avenue, be changed from Industrial (I-1) to multifamily residential (R-3).

In their application to the city, the Lees wrote they have been marketing the property for the past four years. They have received no interest in its industrial development capabilities, but “substantial interest in residential use.”

Development Services Director Derrick Braaten told the commission the two parcels wouldn’t conflict with Fairchild Air Force Base zoning issues as they both were outside the JLUS/APZ zone and the 65-decibel contours.

“Barely outside, but it is outside,” Braaten said.

Braaten said the rezone request was a reasonable one, given a lack of multifamily housing in the city. The recently completed Copper Landing development is open and almost full, and the city is currently running at about a 97 percent occupancy rate for multifamily.

Braaten added the parcels are fully serviced by utilities, and in fact have access to a reclaimed water transmission pipe running along Russell Street from the city’s water reclamation plant.

The commission’s decision was merely to advance the Lee’s request to the planning process, which includes public notification and an upcoming public hearing before heading to City Council for final approval. Braaten said it was the only comprehensive plan change requested this year.

“If it changes a color on the map, it’s a comp plan change,” Braaten said. “If it’s a shape change, it’s not comp plan.”

Later in the meeting, the commissioners approved a resolution recommending the City Council approve the 2015 Comprehensive Plan Amendment Docket as presented with the rezone request.

The commission also approved a resolution that asks the City Council to “actively engage” in recruiting more community members to serve on the commission, and create a planning commission candidates list. Braaten said the request came forward a couple council meetings ago, and since then several candidates have been identified, with one, James F. “Sonny” Weathers, appointed at the council’s Oct. 19 meeting and another “in the wings.”

Commissioner Matthew Pederson noted new Mayor Kevin Richey has been very active in recruiting people for the commission and was appreciative of his efforts. Pederson added there are good, qualified people in the community capable of serving.

“Sometimes, people need to be asked,” he added.

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.