Moses Lake annexes SGL Automotive Group

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake City Council unanimously approved a 1,098 acre annexation along Randolph Road.

The property annexation came at the request of the SGL Automotive Group. It is where the carbon fiber manufacturing plant is being constructed. It plant is to supply BMW with material for parts for a future electric car line.

The Randolph Road annexation includes six other development groups in the area as well.

The annexed area is worth about $40 million, according to finance director Ron Cone.

The city receives about $118,000 in property tax from the annexation, said Cone.

Moses Lake plans to provide fire, police and city services such as water and sewage as part of the annexation.

The area is zoned for heavy industrial use, stated Gilbert Alvarado, community development director.

A public hearing was opened during the meeting for comments about annexation.

Grant County Fire District 5 volunteer firefighter Brian McGowan expressed his concern about the city’s ability to provide adequate fire protection to the annexed area.

He suggested city council table the annexation until the city fire department can develop a reasonable emergency response time of around four minutes.

Moses Lake Fire Chief Tom Taylor said it takes his fire department roughly 13 minutes to travel to the annexed area under normal traffic conditions.

City manager Joe Gavinski added many of the companies on the annexed property have emergency plans and prefer to deal with their own fire brigades during emergencies.

The city fire chief has been in contact with most of the companies to discuss ways the fire department can assist the companies in cases of emergencies, said Gavinski.

“Our history has been to provide fire service when we are called upon. We’ve done it before and we’ll do it again if called upon,” said councilman Richard Pearce.

Moses Lake Mayor Jon Lane said the city understands it is growing and plans to extend adequate services to annexed area.