Last Friday Spokane County Hearing Examiner Mike Dempsey granted a conditional use permit for a master planned resort on 16 acres of previously designated Rural-5 (R-5) and Rural Conservation (RCV) zones near Stateline. His decision still fails to answer our chief concerns – paramount is how this proposed project, specifically the trails, effect riparian habitat and how damaging they are to public access.
As reported in the Spokesman-Review, the 16-acre resort is to have three hotels, a restaurant that seats up to 125, a fast-food restaurant, a gasoline convenience store, an 860-square-foot espresso stand and four commercial lots. The landowners and developers are Coeur d’Alene resident Alan Johnson, doing business as RiverView Stateline LLP, and Southern California resident Fernando Dutra, doing business as Border Investments.
Most concerning to me is the section of the application that alludes to private trails within the riparian buffer zone. According to plans for this resort, private trials for resort guests will run parallel to the Spokane River. Two things should jump out to your here. First, private trails for guests only, making what is a wonderful stretch of the Spokane River off limits for those of us not interested in spending a weekend getaway shopping at Cabellas. And second, trails of any kind within the riparian buffer zone.
Image by Roger Lynn via Flickr
In comments submitted to the Spokane County Hearing Examiner recommending he deny this application, we made clear that these trails shouldn’t be allowed to be called private (thus giving them the exemption to be within the riparian buffer zone). Because how private can a trail be when the developers envision 348 hotel rooms, restaurants, a convenience store and an espresso stand? We stated that the extensive nature of the use and the connection to public shoreline render these trails public in nature and due to the fact that the proposed uses could generate a number of customers who may potentially access the trail system it would be difficult to recognize these trails as being for private use.
We asked in our comments that this project comply with the existing Critical Areas Ordinance by designating the proposed trails as public trails, meaning the trails must be restricted to within the outer 25% of the Spokane River riparian buffer area, utilize pervious materials, and avoid removal of vegetation.
To no avail as the application was approved with this being the only condition regarding the trails:
” Prior to issuance of a building permit, the applicant shall identify measures that confine use of the private recreational trail installed in the riparian buffer area to the private patrons of the MPR (Master Planned Resort), and substantially prevent access to the trail system by the general public. The applicant shall implement such measures.”
Clearly this is something to watch for in future development applications. In the meantime, the gateway to the state of Washington appears to be going from public to private. Welcome visitors….
Click HERE to read the Hearing Examiner’s decision in its entirety.
