By DAVID TELLER
Staff Reporter
A lot has to happen before Spokane County can begin building the new jail, which is scheduled to be completed in 2013 when the Geiger Corrections Center lease expires.
One of the sites being considered is a 97-acre plot southeast of the city on Anderson Road in Cheney.
The proposed site is near a wetland and also has train rails running through.
The project has to go through the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) and Essential Public Facility (EPF) siting process.
The state law provides siting for certain types of large facilities. Also the Growth Management Act (GMA) addresses EPF siting concerns.
Essential public facilities are typically difficult to find a place for because no one wants them in their neighborhood. Facilities like airports, solid waste plants and detention facilities are among those considered essential facilities.
According to the Washington state land use report, the GMA requires all local plans to include a process for identifying and siting of essential public facilities and prohibits local plans or development regulations from precluding the siting of essential public facilities.
The EPF process starts with determining a site for evaluation.
The next step is developing a criteria and weighting process, which consist of evaluating the size of the project, determining environmental protection, public health sand safety concerns, ensuring there is adequate transportation and support from public facilities and services.
There must also be consistency in land use with adjacent areas and compatibility with land use designations.
Monetary factors like taxes, economic impact, operating costs and site costs are also part of the criteria and weighting process.
A complete functional analysis is performed and a complete qualitative analysis is completed. Elements in these parts consist of examining population density, the depth of the labor pool, and the availability of affordable housing.
Within the site design, the county looks into archaeological, cultural, and historic resources.
Other design effects considered are spin-off impacts of the project and whether it has potential for creating associated developments. Mitigating issues are also factored.
All of this analysis will help Department of Corrections officials complete a weighted analysis and ranking of three final sites.
In each of the above steps the county must keep the public informed of progress by publishing a notice of availability and presenting a 30-day public review where they will responding to public and agency comments and concerns.
Upon completion of the EPF process, a SEPA review of selected sites is completed.
The SEPA review identifies the levels of potential environmental impact, provides measures to mitigate environmental impacts, and provide opportunity for public input.
The SEPA also assists regulatory agencies in determining permit requirements or conditions for proposed projects
One of the key points county corrections officials emphasize in the construction is how they are accommodating the projected inmate growth for the next 25 years.
They want to avoid coming back four years after the new jail is opened and realizing they made a mistake.
“What we do today will affect our grandchildren,” Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said at a recent detention services briefing.
While the studies and state policies are being met and the project is being designed, DOC officers said they expect the inmate population to increase by 325 by the time the new jail is built. Currently the inmate capacity is 1,285 and there are almost bookings 34,000 a year.
Of the studies and decision-making processes the county is conducting, the first is scheduled to be complete by mid-December, 2007.
The last is slated for completion in early March 2008. Another public hearing will follow in mid-April, 2008. The final determination, depending upon the outcome of site evaluation will be mid-April to mid-August, 2008.
Spokane County Commissioners will make the final decision of where the jail will be built.
Although the cost of construction is still unknown, the bond for funding will be on the ballot in November 2008.
David Teller can be reached at [email protected]
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