Re: Corridor: Act Now

[Tom Lamar <lamar@pcei.org>]

MV2020,

Now is the time to do something if you care about the corridor between
Pullman and Moscow.  Below is a quick list of the people that need to hear
your thoughts, ideas and concerns about the corridor.  At issue is
transportation, water use and quality, economic flight out of cities and
into the county, aesthetics, safety, and quality of life. For a complete
electronic copy of the corridor zone plan, email me and ask for it, or
visit our website for a posting.

The Whitman County Planning Commission  public hearing is Wed., May 19 at
8:00pm (following 7pm commissioner meeting) in the Public Services Building
in Colfax. If you can't come, send a letter to: Whitman County Planning
Commission, Whitman County Public Service Building, Colfax WA 99111 or
<markb@co.whitman.wa.us>.  Also send your comments to your city council
members.

You can send a personal email to any of the following Moscow Council, Mayor
or City Supervisor.  Moscow residents can have an impact.  Whitman County
is looking to Moscow as a source of sewer and water service across the
state line.

Moscow Mayor:
	Marshall Comstock<comstock@moscow.com>

Moscow City Council:
	Linda Pall <lpall@moscow.com>
        	Pam Palmer <ppalmer@moscow.com>
       	Peg Hamlett  <haml8911@uidaho.edu>
        	Steve Busch  <steveb@moscow.com>
	Tom LeClaire <bri-tom@moscow.com>
        	Tony Johnson <tonyj@moscow.com>

Moscow City Supervisor (chief staff person):
	Gary Riedner <griedner@moscow.com>


Your message to Pullman <admin@pullman-gov.com> will be distributed to the
mayor and all members of the Council.  You may also contact Pullman members
using their address or phone numbers.  Pullman Council members need to know
how far east their constituents want Pullman to sprawl.

Pullman Mayor:
	Mitch Chandler

Pullman City Council:
	Matt Carey, 1110 SE Spring, 334-2631
	Richard Dougherty, 730 SW Mies, 332-2947
	Sue Hinz, 1445 NW Kenny, 332-1168
	Floyd Larson, 730 NW Charlotte, 332-3106
	Alison McLeod, 1153 NE Lake #3, 332-3139
	Thomas Sanders, 1250 SE Earthtone, 334-1250
	Helen Stiller, 935 SE Glen Echo, 334-7868  stiller@pullman.com

Pullman City Supervisor:
	John Sherman



THE CORRIDOR ENTERPRISE ZONE......A Creek Runs Through It
by Denise Ortiz & Tom Lamar

Every day between 12,000 and 14,000 vehicles travel between Moscow and
Pullman on their way to or from work, school, shopping, or playing.  During
this past year , people have been including the new Chipman Trail in their
travel and recreation plans.  Paradise Creek also flows through this
corridor, supporting wildlife and recharging our aquifer.  Clearly,
transportation, habitat protection and now recreation are the chief uses of
those eight miles between Pullman and Moscow.

Now the Whitman County Commissioners want to change that by pushing for new
development in the corridor.  They have asked the County Planning
Commission to put this effort on the "fast track" by adopting new language
in the zoning ordinance that would allow for new businesses to be developed
outside of city limits.  Their reasoning is that property tax revenue
generated outside the City of Pullman, but within Whitman County, is money
that doesn't need to be shared with the City. This approach encourages
sprawl, discourages community development, and increases our dependency on
the automobile.

An outpouring of public disapproval in 1995 cut short the effort (and the
careers) of some county commissioners at that time.  The immediate focus of
the County Commission is to accomodate a recent request by a Pullman car
dealer to move its car lots to the corridor.  Such a move would mean more
cars on Highway 270 and a change in the nature of the traffic to one
resembling a retail strip scenario.

The Planning Commission has been meeting in March and April to reconsider
the ordinance defeated in 1995.    The  current suggestion is to allow
every manner of commercial enterprise and "light industrial" development
from doctor's offices and professional malls to jails, hospitals,
warehouses, banks, communication towers, car lots, churches, movie
theaters, and schools.

At their March 17 meeting, concerned local citizens including PCEI,
corridor landowners, and the Pullman Civic Trust, presented the commission
with letters. Some wanted no more development in the corridor; others
suggested careful landscaping and no development on the trail side of the
road. Commission members routinely talk of offering  "incentives" to Moscow
to entice the City to extend water and sewer lines over the state line.  At
one meeting, Mark Bordsen, County Planner, said, "Maybe we're interested in
sacrificing some of the aesthetic stuff  to entice Moscow to send out
development...if urban services become available, the 50% open space
requirement could be reduced and density limits could be lifted..."

Some officials and citizens on both sides of the state line want to put
together a task force made up of officials from both cities, counties, and
universities to look at the corridor and its issues, but they will probably
not be able to make any difference before the County Commissioners make a
decision. The commissioners' "fast track" means a decision by May, or June
at the latest. The Planning Commission is bending over backwards to meet
that goal.

The Whitman County Planning Commission  public hearing is Wed., May 19 at
7:00pm in the Public Services Building  in Colfax. If you can't come, send
a letter to: Whitman County Planning Commission, Whitman County Public
Service Building, Colfax WA 99111 or <markb@co.whitman.wa.us>.

Pullman resident Denise Ortiz is the vice-president of the PCEI Board of
Directors, and commutes daily on her bike to work in Moscow. Tom is PCEI's
executive Director.

Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director

===================================================================
Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute
P O Box 8596; 112 West 4th St; Suite #1
Moscow ID 83843-1096
Phone (208)882-1444; Fax (208)882-8029
url:  http://www.moscow.com/pcei

Please Note our individual staff email addresses below:

Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director: lamar@pcei.org
Kathleen Lester, Office Manager/Environmental Education: lester@pcei.org
Laurie Gardes, Financial Manager:  gardes@turbonet.com
Anita Grover, Watersheds: grover@pcei.org
Peggy Adams, Watersheds/Food Systems: peggy931@uidaho.edu
Jon Barrett, Idaho Smart Growth:  smartgro@micron.net
Elaine Clegg, Idaho Smart Growth:  eclegg@micron.net

Celebrating thirteen years of connecting people, place and community.
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