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County airport seeks approval to buy 5.39‑acre West Plains parcel for roughly $460,000
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Summary
Airport staff asked commissioners to approve purchase of a 5.39‑acre parcel near West 59th Avenue in an Airport Compatibility Zone 2 and within the 65 dB DNL noise contour; staff negotiated conveying a water well to an adjoining owner and a right of first refusal on that neighbor’s parcel and noted a small remediation cost reduced the price.
Airport staff briefed Spokane County commissioners on a proposed acquisition of a roughly 5.39‑acre parcel near West 59th Avenue intended to reduce residential exposure within the airport’s compatibility area.
Rob (airport staff) said the parcel falls in Airport Compatibility Zone 2 and is inside the county’s 65 dB day‑night noise contour; the parcel is adjacent to existing airport property at West Plains. “The purchase price that we are seeking approval for is $460,000,” Rob said, noting the figure came from an appraisal and had been modestly reduced to reflect minor environmental remediation related to a small fuel spill.
Staff described a water‑well easement and joint water‑use agreement with an adjoining landowner discovered partway through the process. To address that obligation, staff said the airport negotiated conveying the well and a small portion of property to the neighbor and secured a right of first refusal on the neighbor’s parcel so that, if it is offered in future, the airport could match an offer and maintain compatibility with flight paths.
Why it matters: acquiring and holding parcels in airport compatibility zones can limit residential development near runways and reduce future noise‑compatibility conflicts. The county argued the acquisition is consistent with existing airport property and long‑term planning for West Plains operations.
Next steps: staff sought board approval to proceed with the acquisition and said they would return with formal documents; the briefing recorded questions and discussion but no recorded roll-call vote on a purchase on the morning agenda.
