Residents oppose Priest Rapids Park

EPHRATA — A petition with 106 signatures was submitted to Grant County PUD commissioners asking they halt work on the Priest Rapids Park near Desert Aire.

The petition follows an e-mail sent to commissioners by property owners alleging problems connected to shoreline use at Desert Aire and Cox Landing.

The problems reportedly include: fire, garbage, sewage, trespassing, vandalism, burglary, noise, gang violence, personal injury, destruction of ecology, blowing dust, increased traffic and the decline of property values, according to the e-mail from property owners David and Kathleen Silvernail to Grant PUD commissioners.

“The single-family residential owners are here, we do exist and we are not just a blank space on a map!” they wrote.

Kathleen Silvernail also signed the petition, utility spokesperson Sarah Morford said Monday.

The district is continuing to meet with landowners and working toward a Sept. 14 public hearing, she said.

“We’re trying to address residents’ concerns,” Morford commented.

Kelly Larimer, Grant PUD’s lands and recreation  manager, said it would be “near impossible” to stop the project earlier this month.

The park is part of the PUD’s new federal licensing requirements for its Columbia River dams. The PUD spoke to the Federal Energy Regulator Commission (FERC), which issued the district’s license for its dams, and conducted a legal review of their relicensing requirements, Larimer said.

During Monday’s commission meeting, Grant PUD Commissioner Randy Allred said the petition also asked the PUD to correct a land-use classification, he explained.

PUD lands near Desert Aire and Cox Landing are shown as planned development, public recreation general development and public recreation dispersed, according to the Silvernails’ e-mail.

The Silvernails asked the land be classified as single-family residential because of alleged issues from people using the shoreline.

They claim the PUD is working from a map established before 1994 and doesn’t reflect new homes.

They also allege a public meeting occurred in 2007 about the improvements. Residents were reportedly told “not to get too excited yet,” as the map wasn’t up to date, but would be changed to reflect new homes, according to the Silvernails’ e-mail. The e-mail doesn’t say who made the alleged statement.

Larimer explained many people recently moved to the area and weren’t aware of the extensive relicensing process that occurred before they came to Grant County.

“Now we have this license that has these requirements in it,” Larimer explained.

The PUD and residents are working on alternatives to the project, which include having a smaller parking area with a trail access, she said.

A choice also needs to be made on extending the boat launch, she said.

Larimer explained there is flexibility on how the park can be done.

Based on residents’ input, the information will be presented back to the groups and a general public input meeting will be held, she said.

“Ideally, we’d love to be able to come up with something in the next couple of months,” Larimer added.