Moses Lake upset with fairgrounds proposal

MOSES LAKE — Some Moses Lake City Councilmembers oppose Grant County's attempt to install septic tanks and sewage drain fields at the fairgrounds.

Council discussed the Grant County Fairgrounds State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Determination of Non-Significance related to the installation of a sewer system.

City staff are concerned with the fairgrounds using additional septic systems and creating traffic impacts on city roads when the venue hosts an event, according to the city documents.

The Grant County Planning Department is proposing to replace fairground infrastructure including water and sewer. An environmental checklist acknowledging various concerns with the fairgrounds includes environmental information submitted by the county.

Moses Lake City Council critiqued the checklist during their Tuesday night meeting.

The proposal states there are no probable significant adverse impacts on the environment due to the proposed project, according to the Determination of Non-Significance.

The fairgrounds, located in the Urban Growth Area of Moses Lake, does not appear to be located within 300 feet of any critical or cultural resources, according the city documents.

Staff will direct council concerns to the Grant County Planning Department. The deadline for comment is today by 5 p.m.

The planning department will not act on the proposal until after today.

A SEPA official can reconsider the Determination of Non-Significance based on comments pertaining to the proposal. It can be withdrawn if a significant adverse impact is found.

Councilmember Dick Deane claims people who live on Paxson Drive will be subject to a foul odor permeating from the proposed sewer system. He said the citizens were not considered.

According to the checklist the steepest slope on the fairground site is two percent. Deane speculates it is closer to five or seven percent.

On the Grant County Environmental Checklist for the SEPA application, the county denied the proposed system involves the discharge of waste materials to surface waters.

Councilmember Richard Pearce said the "no" response was preposterous and should have been answered yes.

The county denied ground water would be withdrawn or discharged to ground water, according to the environmental checklist.

Pearce said it should have been answered yes.

Mayor Ron Covey said the city offered to service the fairgrounds with city water and sewer requiring them to annex into the city.

The Grant County commissioners declined. None of the commissioners attended the council meeting.

City Manager Joe Gavinski said the commissioners declined to annex due to an incident in Oregon.

In Oregon, a county fairground was within city limits and the city restricted livestock from being on the property for a period of time because it was near a critical water supply, he said.

Covey said the city offered to create a contract with the fairgrounds to assure livestock would not be restricted.

There was discussion to enforce a large monetary penalty against the city if they wanted to prohibit livestock from the fairgrounds. The penalty would be large enough to discourage future councils to prohibit livestock, Gavinski said.

Deane said there is an impact on traffic on city streets, leading up to the fairgrounds, caused by hauling livestock, moving heavy equipment and from citizens going to the fairgrounds.

According to the checklist there are no traffic impacts.

Councilmember Brent Reese said he is concerned with the installation of septic tanks and drain fields.

"I'd hate to see drain fields go in there," he said.

Covey and Deane said there is not enough information related to the proposed sewer system in the checklist.