Planning Commission approves utilities and capital facilities chapter amendments and removes schools, fire protection from impact-fee language

The Liberty Lake Planning Commission on Aug. 13, 2025, recommended that the City Council adopt the revised Chapter 10: Utilities, Public Facilities and Services with an amendment to policy language on growth-related impact fees that struck a reference to schools and fire protection.

Lisa, city planner, summarized the draft chapter as a consolidation of utilities and essential public facilities, an update of utility and capital-facilities goals and policies, and a capacity review done with utility purveyors and public safety providers. She told the commission the chapter leaves a placeholder for city facilities while the city completes a master facilities plan update and does not include parks or the 20-year capital facilities plan, which are separate elements.

Commission discussion focused on several items. One commissioner raised Policy 15 and 16 questions about communications facilities and view sheds, citing an existing communications tower in Legacy Ridge used for emergency broadcasting. Lisa said the city requires conditional-use permits for such…