AIRWAY HEIGHTS — Council blitzed through its agenda items in 30 minutes at its Oct. 27 study session, among which was the introduction of the 2021 property tax and emergency services (EMS) levies.
The property tax and EMS levies will be raised 1% from 2020, if the process goes through the required two council meetings and two public hearings.
The property tax’s raise of 1% will result in a $13,344.86 amount increase. The 2020 levy amount was $1,293,764.02, so the addition would make the 2021 levy $1,307,108.88.
The EMS levy was $148,225.78 in 2020. The 1% increase would give a $1,487.45 amount raise for a total amount of $149,713.23 in 2021.
Required public hearings will occur Nov. 2 and 16.
Council allowed the advancement of a proposed amendment to the city’s environmental services agreement with the Air Force. The amendment was originally agreed to in 2017 and allows the Air Force to compensate the city for “incremental costs” associated with Spokane water purchases to pump water from City wells.
The city public works staff and Air Force wants to extend the agreement another year, public works director Kevin Anderson informed council.
Total volume (66.845 million cubic feet), rate ($1.352 per 100 cubic feet) and not-to-exceed cost ($878,343) were increased “based on historical amounts purchased over the past year as well as an increase in City of Spokane wholesale water rates,” according to meeting documentation.
Per council’s request, draft language in a developer agreement for the Hunter’s Crossing development was given more specific language in section 2.1.5: “The development of the property to include development patterns that are suitable scaled and provide service needs within ¼ mile of residential areas.”
The new language says the development pattern of the property includes service needs within ¼ mile of residential areas when allowed by zoning, block lengths not to exceed 350 feet and buildings no taller than 30 feet or two stories.
Attached or zero lot line housing of no more than eight units with no street or open space of a minimum width of 50 feet between building envelopes is required. New buildings proposed adjacent to existing neighborhoods must have an architectural scale compatible with existing buildings within 300 feet.
Fire Chief Mitch Metzger introduced the renewal of the county-wide interlocal agreement for services from the county Department of Emergency Management and other signatory parties, which has been in place since 2005. Council’s role will be to authorize city manager Albert Tripp to sign the agreement, an approval that will be voted on at council’s Nov. 2 legislative session.
Each municipality served in the interlocal agreement will receive an estimated $0.74 provisional per capita rate, which equates to a predicted $7,411.02 for Airway Heights. That amount is most comparable to Liberty Lake’s figure ($8,514.16) and Cheney’s predicted allotment ($9,358.18).
The study session included a proposal to adopt Ordinance C-951 for the industrial subarea plan for the 300-acre area south of Highway 2. The ordinance moved to council Nov. 2 before a public hearing and second council Dec. 7.
Drew Lawson can be reached at drew@cheneyfreepress.com.
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