Moses Lake helps residents with streets

City putting together payment plan for improvements

MOSES LAKE - A Moses Lake woman asked Moses Lake City Council to help improve two residential streets during a Tuesday night meeting.

Judy Davis asked the city council for help to pave and build Luta Street and Virginia Street to city standards including sidewalks, curbs, gutters and streetlights.

She said the streets are dirt roads and need to be graded regularly. Davis said she was unsure if they are grated as often as they should be.

She said they are not safe for pedestrian traffic and parking along the street is a struggle.

Many people living on the unpaved streets attended the council meeting supporting Davis but did not comment. She said everyone she speaks to about improving the streets wants them to be paved and she is in the process of drafting a letter indicating those who support the action.

Davis asked the city council how the improvements could be funded.

Councilmember Richard Pearce asked if she and fellow neighbors have considered creating a Local Improvement District (LID) to fund the project. An LID allows a group of citizens to borrow money from the city to pay for improving the roadways themselves.

Davis said she was unaware of the option to do an LID. She said she was hoping there might be grants or other funding available for the project.

Pearce asked if the project is included in the six-year road improvement plan.

Municipal Services Director Gary Harer said it's not and generally there isn't grant funding available for residential streets.

Councilmember Jon Lane asked how much it would cost each property owner to participate in an LID.

City Manager Joe Gavinski said it will cost between $5,000 and $6,000 for each property owner living on one of the streets and the cost doubles for lots located between the two streets.

He said the property owners could borrow money from the city and pay it back over a period of 20 years with a 5 percent interest rate.

The payments would be approximately $325 per year for property owners who live on one street and approximately $650 per year for property owners who have both streets on either side of their property.

Councilmember Brent Reese asked city staff to put together an LID plan for the property owners to consider.

Harer was designated as the city contact person for residents living on Luta Street and Virginia Street to begin the LID process.

Lane said generally when someone purchases a lot, the cost of street improvements is included in the sale price because it's a cost to the developer.

The developer is usually required to develop the streets to city standards when building.