Business owner protests basalt landscaping on Broadway; city cites water-conservation project

A Moses Lake business owner told the City Council on Aug. 26 that recent city landscaping work replacing grass with large basalt rock outside his laundromat creates a safety hazard, threatens three on-street parking spaces and was installed without direct communication to adjacent businesses.

Roland Hansen said the grass strip in front of his leased laundromat (on East Broadway near Domino's and Les Schwab) has been a practical space for customers and a safe landing area when carrying heavy laundry. "If that plan goes forward, I'll lose that parking," Hansen said, and he described customers stepping directly from their car into the coarse basalt to reach the business.

Hansen recounted a prior incident in which a relative stepped on similar rock and sustained a compound leg fracture and asked the city to consider liability.

City response: Doug Coutts (city staff) said the work is part of a project the council authorized to convert the highest-water-use medians and planter strips to lower-water landscaping. "This is the project that was identified by the process of highest water use of medians and planter strips last year," he said, and confirmed the median outside Harbor Freight had already been cleared and similar work is being done on the opposite side of Broadway. Coutts said the city's water budget has substantially increased and the change is a water-conservation measure.

Coutts and Council member Martinez said staff will post an announcement on the city's social-media channels so nearby businesses are aware of ongoing work. Hansen offered to mow and maintain the grass himself if the city reversed the project at that location; council and staff acknowledged his willingness and said staff would follow up directly.

Outcome: No formal policy action taken; staff agreed to follow up with the business owner and provide public notice about the project.