Pateros Council approves Public Use zoning for school district property

PATEROS - City Council members approved a zoning designation change from Light Industrial to Public Use for the eight-acre Field of Dreams property the district owns along Industrial Way north of the city.

Before the unanimous vote, City contract planner Kurt Danison reported to the council that despite several meetings with planning agency members the group could not reach an agreement on whether to recommend keeping the current Light Industrial zoning in place or changing it to Public Use.

The former designation would prohibit schools but allow parks including school ball fields that would also be available for scheduled public use. The latter designation would not require the school to allow scheduled public use of its ball fields. Danison the planning group decided to refer the issue, absent a recommendation, to the council.

Council members sided with Public Use.

In other business Okanogan County Community Action Council (OCCAC) Executive Director Lael Duncan updated the council on her agency’s efforts to promote community outreach on affordable housing and low-income issues in the county.

Melinda Posner, Park Planner for the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (WSPRC) address council members on the Classification and Management Planning (CAMP) project directed locally at Alta Lake and Bridgeport state parks. The WSPRC is actively seeking public input from park users to help better plan future development in both parks.

Posner will address Pateros School students from grades 8-11 on Tuesday, May 28, and grades 6-8 at Bridgeport on Wednesday, May 29. Posner has also scheduled public meetings in Bridgeport on June 12, and Pateros on June 13.

Mayor Carlene Anders thanked parks personnel for working with the Pateros school to accommodate its annual week-long sixth grade Outdoor Education camp held in Alta Lake State Park every April.

With only 10 volunteers currently serving on the Pateros Fire Department a public request was issued for more citizens to step forward and participate.

Pateros School Superintendent Greg Goodnight said he is speaking with fire chief Kieth Zweigle about talking with his high students about fire volunteer work.

Goodnight announced that all school positions have been filled for the coming academic year. Goodnight said Pateros will offer a College in the High School program next year in partnership with the University of Washington, Central Washington University and Eastern Washington University and will offer 68 college credits next year.

Two public hearings involving zoning amendments to the comprehensive plan and the six-year street plan proceeded with public comment from Goodnight and Pateros School Board Chairman Grace Larsen who encouraged council members to approve the Public Use zoning.

Danison reviewed amendments to the comp plan with emphasis on expansion of the city’s urban growth boundary. Danison said that in an attempt to facilitate more residential opportunities in the city, some areas were upzoned from residential duplex to residential medium density to high density residential.

“The idea is to create more opportunities for more housing in our city,” Danison said.

Plan amendments also included a provision to allow chickens and small mammals within the city.

Council members voted to adopt the updated 2018 Comprehensive Plan. They also approved the city’s six-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to qualify for state and federal funding. The TIP will run from 2020-2025.