ML City Council backs Sinkiuse change
MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake City Council has voted to generally endorse a concept to revamp Sinkiuse Square, but with a few minor changes.
The City of Moses Lake has been discussing a revamp of the Square next to the Moses Lake Post Office for several months, and unanimously voted at Tuesday's city council meeting to generally endorse the concept and come back with precise ideas.
Their vote however, came with a request to make tweaks to proposed bathrooms and a performance stage on the square proposal. Several council members voiced their concerns about moving the bathrooms from a location near the stage, also proposing to create a panoramic, 360 degree view of the stage.
Councilman Dick Deane first brought up the proposal of moving the bathrooms during Tuesday's meeting, asking architect Steve Mallory if the current design would allow the facilities to be moved closer to the post office.
Mallory, with ALSC Architects of the Tri-Cities,. has been working with the city on the project and did some pro bono work for the city to help create a 3-D picture of the plan based on downtown design meetings and city plans. Mallory said the move of bathrooms would be doable, but acknowledged reasons why designers placed them where they did.
"One of the reasons we left the rest rooms in the middle," Mallory said, "was kind of to keep the utilities all in one place."
A conceptual drawing currently shows the bathrooms on either side of the stage. The current design also features a roundabout in the adjacent Third Avenue; as well as water features, basalt columns and greenery.
Council members seemed in a consensus to have a better view of the stage by moving the bathrooms out of the performance area, and into a location closer to the post office.
"I really feel the stage should really be seen from 360 degrees, the restrooms tend to really block it," said councilman Steve Shinn.
A discussion about bathroom placement also centered around an inability to view a mural of Chief Moses on the opposite side of the square. Mayor Ron Covey said during the discussion that it is already difficult to get a good look at the mural from Third Avenue, because of cars in the current parking lot. Trees in the proposed concept would also hinder the view of the mural from Third Avenue, Covey said.
"The design that we finally choose should be one that meets the needs of all aspects of the project," Covey said.
Covey also thanked Mallory for his work, adding that the city would not be in this point in the downtown discussion without his work. Before voting on the plan, council members applauded Mallory.
City Municipal Services Director Gary Harer said city staff would be working with Mallory in the next few weeks to bring the concept back with changes to the rest rooms, also looking at bringing a 360 degree view to the stage.
Harer said tweaks to the design would likely go before the council at its second meeting in August.
Also at Tuesday's meeting the council:
? Unanimously approved making increases to the fees the city charges for solicitors, taxicabs, pawnbrokers and second hand dealers.
? Approved a plan 6-1 to officially amend the third phase of the city's zoning map for consistency with the comprehensive plan. Councilman Shinn voted no.
? Unanimously scheduled a public hearing over the proposed annexation of 5.7 acres south of Interstate 90 and east of Potato Hill Road. A second reading and public hearing on the proposed annexation has been scheduled for Aug. 23.
? Unanimously ratified the purchase of two new vehicles to be used by the Moses Lake Police Department.