Council defers View Acres final plat

CHENEY – The City Council gave its go-ahead to two construction projects while putting a third briefly on ice at its July 14 meeting.

The council elected to delay giving final plat approval to Phase 1 of the View Acres 5th Addition, postponing the decision until its July 28 meeting.

Phase 1 would allow construction of 16 of 28 proposed homes on the 14.2-acre parcel at the end of Ridgeview Drive near Salnave Elementary School.

The decision to defer final approval, which is contingent on three conditions developer Gary Geschke must meet, was proposed by Councilman Paul Schmidt and “strongly” seconded by Councilwoman Teresa Overhauser.

Schmidt said he hopes the council would be able to conduct further deliberations on proposed changes to general facility charges for water connections before approving more development.

Those changes are still being researched by city staff and an outside consultant.

The city is evaluating its water charges to make sure it able to keep up financially with growth and its impacts on Cheney’s water supply.

City Administrator Mark Schuller said they had the GFC resolution “cued up and ready to go” and could bring it forward at the July 28 meeting. Schmidt that would be fine, but, while not wanting to delay the project, felt the council needed to discuss the water charges and perhaps have them in place before proceeding.

“I know legally it probably wouldn’t carry muster, but still don’t want to give the impression that you’re investing rights in front of the GFC resolution,” Schmidt added.

City Attorney Stanley Schwartz asked Schmidt if his motion was related to a condition in the preliminary plat approval requiring the developer to submit a preliminary utility plan before any permits were issued showing how the project would be serviced. Schmidt said it could, but was directed more at having the proposed water charges resolution before council to either approve or at least debate before allowing development to move forward.

Council did approve a pair of resolutions that will allow the Cheney High and Betz Elementary Pedestrian and Bicycle Route Safety Project to proceed. The city has received a $598,619 in Safe Routes to Schools grant from the state for the project, which according to information presented at the meeting is estimated to cost $635,707.

The project will install pedestrian safety improvements such as new sidewalks, multi-use paths, curb ramps, crosswalk markings and flashing signals, speed feedback signs, illumination and extend the existing bike lane along North 6th and North 8th streets from Cedar Street to Golden Hills Drive.

Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the proposal stemmed from the school district’s high school expansion and modernization project, which also included work at nearby Betz Elementary School. The school district applied for the grant, and was successful, but the grant funding can only be awarded to a city.

“This is state funding, not federal funding, but the state does want to use this as a federal funding prospectus,” Ableman said, adding there were fewer requirements to go through the state process.

Ableman said the money was just for construction, and that the city “did not spend any money on it.” As a match, the school district utilized their own engineer to produce design and plans.

Finally, the council approved an increase in funding from $14,700 to $20,000 for additional asphalt patching by Inland Asphalt at various locations throughout Cheney. The work was originally approved in April, but new locations requiring work have since been discovered.

Ableman said Inland Asphalt would honor their original pricing for the new work.

— John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].