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Neighbors urge Spokane County to enforce Fish Lake no‑access order after alleged illegal development
Summary
Residents told commissioners that a landowner, identified as Mr. Morrow, has continued attempts to access a Parks and Recreation parcel at Fish Lake despite a recent county denial; neighbors say trespassing signs were removed and want clearer enforcement guidance for the county ranger and deputies.
Heidi Miele and Kathy Kraus, neighbors who said they live above a disputed parcel on Fish Lake, told Spokane County commissioners on Feb. 25 that the county must enforce a recent denial of access granted to a nearby landowner identified in testimony as Mr. Morrow.
“He told us he intends to develop a graveled area … and intends to park a non permitted park style home near the shoreline,” Miele said, describing a letter Mr. Morrow sent to neighbors and urging the county to prevent vehicles and a park model home from being driven down to the shoreline.
Miele said Spokane County Parks and Recreation ranger (identified in testimony with two similar names) had posted no-trespassing signs Feb. 20 but that some signs disappeared the same night. She said the ranger told neighbors he might be “reluctant to cite” Mr. Morrow without clearer, specific language about enforcement and that there appeared to be “gray areas” in how an officer would apply the denial.
Kathy Kraus, whose property is directly above the parcel, said county code-enforcement staff told neighbors they planned to install a jersey barrier to block vehicle access and that remediation orders for unpermitted development must coincide with preventing vehicles from driving onto the Parks and Recreation parcel.
“Please let us know how we can facilitate getting more clear definitions to Ranger Robinson and deputies on Mr. Morrow's restrictions, especially any ambiguous wiggle room and gray area where Mr. Morrow could manipulate an officer's understanding,” Kraus told the commissioners.
Commissioner French asked county staff to “close the loop” and make sure enforcement is actually happening on the ground, saying that without enforcement the board’s denial of access would be ineffectual. The commissioners did not take a new vote or issue new enforcement orders during the meeting.
Neighbors also said Mr. Morrow offered to sell his partially submerged parcel and that they believed a county appraisal figure cited in correspondence was inconsistent with the value they expected; neighbors asked the county to consider buying the parcel but no purchase action was recorded.
The public comment period included five speakers; following the testimony, commissioners approved the consent agenda and closed the meeting.
