Planning commission adds policy to explore reclaimed water use in utilities chapter

The Liberty Lake Planning Commission voted July 23 to add a new policy to the utilities and essential public facilities chapter of the city's comprehensive plan that directs the city to "explore and encourage opportunities for the use of reclaimed water." Staff presented the revised chapter, which combines utilities, essential public facilities and capital facilities goals and policies and adds a capacity-review approach for utilities, schools, emergency services and city facilities.

Why it matters: The change directs future planning and conversations with utility providers about alternative water sources and appears designed to inform the city's 20-year capital facilities planning and the transportation and parks elements that feed into it.

Staff described the chapter as an update and consolidation of previously separate elements and said planners met with local providers, including Avista (electric and gas), Reed Lake Sewer and Water District (water and sewer), consolidated irrigation providers and Spokane County Environmental Services on sewer capacity. Staff also said they consulted Spokane Valley Fire District and Liberty Lake Police Department to assess service needs and that the city is preparing a separate master facilities plan to feed into the capital facilities analysis. The staff presentation included a placeholder for the master facilities plan and a proposed capacity-review methodology based on projected population growth.

The chapter, as presented, also explains how the state defines essential public facilities (examples cited in the staff presentation included airports and inpatient behavioral health or substance-abuse facilities) and describes three scales of essential facilities: statewide, county/regional and local. Staff noted that Liberty Lake is unlikely to host many facilities that require the county's formal siting process because the city's sewage treatment facility has capacity and was designed for expansion. Staff recommended including the county's 2001 regional siting process as an appendix to the comprehensive plan for transparency.

Commissioners asked whether reclaimed-water policies appear in neighboring jurisdictions. Staff replied that some Eastern Washington jurisdictions have considered reclaimed-water use but that Liberty Lake does not control regional reclaimed-water systems; the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District and Spokane County are the primary decisionmakers. Staff recommended adding an encouragement policy so the city can signal support without assuming authority the city does not have.

Motion and outcome: A commissioner moved to add the policy language, "Explore and encourage opportunities for the use of reclaimed water." The motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote; the transcript records the motion as adopted ("All in favor? Aye."). The commission did not record a roll-call vote with individual member positions in the public transcript.

Discussion vs. decision: The record shows extensive discussion and technical briefing by staff about utilities, essential public facilities, and capacity; the single formal action recorded was the addition of the reclaimed-water policy. No code amendments or binding commitments of city resources were adopted at the meeting; staff said the city will circulate the revised chapter to utility and service providers for review.

What was referenced: Staff noted existing city development code language (cited in the presentation as "city development code 10 3 6 a") on undergrounding utilities and described an existing county-wide siting process adopted in February 2001 by the Board of County Commissioners and memorialized through interlocal agreements with incorporated jurisdictions. Staff also referenced the Washington Department of Ecology and WSDOT stormwater manuals in the context of allowing alternative stormwater design methodologies with city approval.

Next steps: Staff will update the chapter text to reflect the commission's edits, send the chapter and supporting notes to utility and service providers for verification, and fold the material into the city's capital facilities plan and other plan elements as those documents are developed and finalized.