Council grants waiver for Fortuna Avenue frontage improvements; city retains right‑of‑way

Moscow City — Moscow City Council on April 21 approved a waiver request that releases a property owner from the city’s usual requirement to construct frontage improvements along an unimproved section of Fortuna Avenue near Mountain View Road.

Bob Veil, a city staff member who presented the application, said the unimproved Fortuna segment sits on a steep slope with a roughly 14‑foot elevation difference at the most extreme point and that building a collector‑standard street within the existing 60‑foot right‑of‑way would likely require retaining walls or additional slope easements. Staff updated a 2011 cost estimate and said construction of the full Fortuna segment from Ponderosa to Mountain View would cost roughly $1.5 million; the applicant’s share, based on frontage width and the typical 50% cost‑share formula applied to a single lot, would be roughly $255,000. The applicant’s submission estimated about $107,000 but staff said that figure did not account for retaining walls and certain utility relocations.

Veil reminded council that a waiver does not vacate the right‑of‑way. If the city obtains funding in the future it could still build the roadway as a fully city‑funded project. He also noted that public utilities — including a water main and several sewer services — already exist in the corridor. Public Works Finance had reviewed the request April 14 and forwarded it to council with no recommendation.

Council members asked clarifying questions about long‑term implications. One councilor asked whether standard setbacks would still apply; staff said setbacks and parcel grading would still be governed by the city’s development standards and that a future road could result in a retaining wall adjacent to the house but would not automatically require the applicant to redesign the home now. Councilors also asked about the thoroughfare plan: staff said the thoroughfare map is part of the comprehensive plan and generally is reviewed on a five‑ to ten‑year cycle, with the last update in 2019.

Council discussion noted the city does not currently have the roughly $1.2 million needed to build the remainder of the road if the applicant did not pay their frontage share; Veil said the necessary city funding was not included in the current five‑year capital plan. Several members said the waiver helps enable infill on a difficult lot without imposing a disproportionate financial burden on a single property owner.

A motion to approve the waiver was moved and seconded and passed on a roll call vote with councilors recorded as voting aye: Hailey; Drew; Gina; Sandra; Bryce; Julia. The waiver relieves the property owner from the frontage construction requirement necessary to obtain building permits for a principal structure, but preserves the city’s right to construct the roadway later with city funds.