Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Airport Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Airport officials seek easement for rail-reader and propose purchase of Phelps Field parcel
Summary
Spokane International Airport staff sought council authorization for a nonexclusive access easement with Inland Power to power an Automatic Equipment Identification reader at a new rail‑truck transload facility and proposed buying a residential parcel (7102 E Bridgeport) inside the runway protection zone for $330,000 to protect airport approaches.
Spokane International Airport officials briefed the Finance and Administration Committee on infrastructure tied to a new west‑side rail‑truck transload facility and on a property purchase near Phelps Field.
Dave Herring said June was the first month in airport history to exceed 200,000 enplanements and flagged continued growth as the driver for infrastructure work. Rob, an airport representative, described a proposed nonexclusive access easement with Inland Power to provide electricity for an Automatic Equipment Identification (AEI) reader that will read barcodes on railcars and capture bill‑of‑lading information. "It's going to read that barcode, provide us that information, for that that will have an activity in terms of the the number of rail cars coming in," Rob said, explaining the operational value for tracking transload activity.
Rob also described a proposed acquisition at 7102 East Bridgeport, a residential parcel that falls inside Airport Compatibility Zone 1 and within the runway protection zone. He said the parcel had a clear title, was identified in the 2014 master plan as a desirable acquisition, and that the city agreed to a purchase price of $330,000—about 10% above a $300,000 fair‑market appraisal. "We did agree to a price of 330,000 or 10% over that number," Rob said, noting FAA appraisal guidance and the property's proximity to runway approach/departure areas as the rationale for acquisition.
Council members asked operational questions about the transload operator and schedule. Rob said Jaguar (via a Washington Eastern Railroad subsidiary) will operate the transload facility and that initial activity is expected in August. Staff indicated the easement and acquisition are being brought forward because the seller approached the airport and because protecting the runway approach area aligns with the airport master plan.
Next steps: staff will return with ordinances and any necessary contract documents for council consideration; the airport noted the purchase uses standard appraisal and title review processes and that the easement would support near‑term transload operations.
