Palouse asks for transfer of county land parcel

A small parcel of county owned land in the city of Palouse may soon be transferred from the county to the city of Palouse. Palouse city council at its March 9 council meeting approved a motion authorizing Mayor Michael Echanove to send a letter of interest to the county.

The land parcel is near the intersection of Highway 272 and the North River Road east of downtown Palouse.

With an eye on extending sewer and water lines to a future housing development in the Breedings Addition neighborhood, Jim Farr and John Eastburn of Palouse had asked the county to put the land up for sale in December. The parcel is located next to the Breedings Addition.

Kathy Lemon, revenue officer in the treasurer’s office said this particular parcel was acquired by the county through tax foreclosue in the 1930s. The county has used it as a rock quarry at different times.

The February action date was called off after the county realized a road which now crosses the parcel was not included in the legal description. In effect, the county’s description of the property fell short of correctly describing it to would-be bidders.

Since then Eastburn asked the Palouse city council to seek a transfer of the parcel from the county to the city and then grant Farr an easement for any eventual development, according to Echanove.

The city council agreed on the condition that the men pay for any sewer lines which would be installed across the property. Farr at first refused but later changed his mind.

Lemon said she didn’t know if and when the county would transfer the land to Palouse.

Commissioner Greg Partch said the county must charge the city costs of the transfer, estimated at approximately $150.