[Vision2020] Objections to Big-Box Stores Under Review

[Mark Solomon]

For those who may be curious as to the content of my comments, see below.

Mark

Mark Bordsen
Whitman County Planner
Colfax, WA

December 28, 2006

Please accept the following as my comments on the Hawkins Companies 
Mitigated DNS:

I strongly support the M-DNS determination that no building permit(s) 
will be issued until water rights have been secured and approved by 
the WA DOE. However, I urge inclusion of the specific amount of water 
necessary as included in the application - 40 acre feet per year - 
with the provision (as also included in the application) that none of 
that water will be utilized for landscape irrigation.

Leaving aside the issue of whether Whitman County's M-DNS or WA DOE 
must make a determination that pumping groundwater from the 
underlying aquifers at the proposed site would or would not have a 
deleterious effect on the environment, the existing pumping burden on 
the aquifers has been clearly demonstrated to be unsustainable. (PBAC 
2005 Annual report) As such, appropriate mitigation of this 
development must include utilizing groundwater for only the highest 
and best beneficial uses on site. Watering outdoor landscaping does 
not rise to that level.


Sincerely,



Mark Solomon
PO Box 8145
Moscow, ID 83843


At 8:28 AM -0800 1/6/07, Tom Hansen wrote:
>Rom today's (January 6, 2007) Lewiston Tribune with thanks to David Johnson
>of the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow mayor Nancy Chaney -
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Objections to big-box stores under review
>
>By DAVID JOHNSON
>of the Tribune
>Whitman County Planner Mark Bordsen said Friday that he may complete by next
>week his review of comments, including those of Moscow Mayor Nancy Chaney,
>regarding proposed development of a shopping center on the eastern edge of
>the Moscow-Pullman corridor.
>
>The comments, offered in separate letters by Chaney and Latah County
>resident Mark Solomon, raise concerns about Bordsen's earlier decision that
>impacts from the development would not be significant.
>
>Among other things, Chaney wrote that "several issues of concern to the city
>of Moscow have not been adequately addressed." She listed water use,
>groundwater protection, traffic congestion, air quality and the availability
>of emergency services.
>
>Chaney and other Moscow officials have been criticized by people who say
>they're trying to stand in the way of the development when they should be
>tapping into the potential economic boom.
>
>Bordsen said Friday that he's giving all comments serious consideration. "I
>want to be careful and make sure," he said of a pending decision. If Bordsen
>stands by his original mitigated determination of nonsignificance, the
>Hawkins Companies development proposal would go to the county's Board of
>Adjustment for a conditional-use public hearing.
>
>If his affirmation is appealed, both the appeal and the conditional-use
>hearing would be before the board at the same time, Bordsen said.
>
>The Hawkins proposal calls for a shopping center of more than 600,000 square
>feet of retail store space on 110 acres. A Lowe's home improvement center
>and other potential big-box stores could be located at the site that abuts
>Moscow's western edge at the state line.
>
>Last spring, Moscow officials voiced similar concerns in an appeal to the
>Whitman County commissioners. But Bordsen said Hawkins withdrew its original
>request after the county's appeal process was found to be at odds with state
>law. The Board of Adjustment, not the commission, is the proper place for
>appeals to be heard, Bordsen said.
>
>"Urban developments require urban services such as water provision,
>wastewater treatment, public street maintenance, sanitation services, snow
>removal and police, fire and emergency medical services," Chaney wrote, "few
>of which are readily available to the proposed development."
>
>At one point, there was talk of the potential for Moscow to provide water
>across the state line for the development. But it now appears that a well is
>proposed for the development. "The city of Moscow is concerned with this
>proposed well location," Chaney wrote, "due to its proximity" to a planned
>new Moscow well.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Seeya round town, Moscow.
>
>Tom Hansen
>Moscow, Idaho
>
>
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