Two new but small parks under development in Ephrata

EPHRATA — Two new but small parks are being developed by Ephrata city officials.

City manager Wes Crago called them “pocket parks,” each about one-half acre, at a proposed housing development on Northeast Second Avenue. The city received the land as part of the development deal, but the development was never finished.

The city eventually claimed the developer’s bond, about $38,000, Crago said, and the money is being used to develop the property. The land is “notoriously rocky – some pretty tough digging,” he said. City crews cleared the property, installed the sprinkler system and added topsoil. Grass has been planted, and city employees eventually will install park benches and plant a few trees.

Mayor Bruce Reim asked if it would be fenced, citing concerns about vandalism. Crago said fencing wasn’t planned, and public works director Bill Sangster said the park would not, at least right now, have many, if any, targets for vandals.

In other business at the regular Ephrata City Council meeting Wednesday, council members reviewed proposed changes to the city’s nuisance abatement policy.

The revised ordinance would allow the city to recover its costs more easily when it did have to clean up property, Crago said. The city’s costs would be considered the same as property taxes.

Crago said he liked the proposed change because it would be transparent and easy for people involved in the process to understand.

Property owners would receive a notice, which would be followed by a meeting with city officials. Property owners would have the option to sign an agreement to clean up the problem within a specified time. If the landowners declined the agreement or didn’t comply with it, the city could file a complaint, which would be reviewed by city building officials, with the landowner retaining the right to appeal.

The appeal would be made to a hearings examiner, and “they just look at the lot,” Crago said. “Very fact-based process.” The landowner retains the right to appeal that decision to Grant County Superior Court.

There’s usually more than one lien on a property by the time it gets to the condition where the city must step in, said council member Stephanie Knitter. “Whichever lien is on first, has priority on the money when the property does sell?” she asked,

Katherine Kenison, the city’s attorney, said liens are prioritized and the city would be in a position to get restitution.

Council member Kathleen Allstot asked about the requirements for tearing down a building, which she thought were too severe. Crago said the definitions came from the city’s building code, which is based on international building codes.

Council member Mark Wanke asked about time frames; Crago said it’s about 30 days at each step of the process. But he cautioned the city would have to pay for the cleanups up front, and depending on the size of the project the city might have to set money aside.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.