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Dirtbike track site neighbors voice concerns to port

A Whitman County board earlier this month gave Eric Christiansen of Lewiston permission to build a dirtbike track near the Port of Wilma across the Snake River from Clarkston. The track would be developed on Port of Whitman land.

Neighbors of the proposed site were concerned about the impacts a motorcycle track could have on their land. Those neighbors brought their concerns to Port of Whitman officials at the commissioners’ regular meeting last Thursday, April 15.

Cara Snyder, whose family grazes cattle near the proposed track site, said her impression following the board of adjustment’s decision was the track was ready to go.

“Our impression from the board of adjustment was that was the final okay,” Snyder told port officials.

The county board approved a conditional use permit that required Christiansen to control the level of noise, have water available for dust and fire control, and build a 20-foot fire break around the track.

Port Executive Director Joe Poire Thursday stressed the county board of adjustment simply set baseline minimum requirements.

“The port commissioners have seen nothing on this project,” said Poire. “We haven’t even seen a conceptual drawing of the track from Mr. Christiansen yet.”

Christiansen proposes to lease land on the north side of Highway 193, across the road from Wilma. The track would occupy about 30 acres of the 50-acre site.

The port acquired the land as part of a land swap with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the late-1980s.

The ground was part of a wildlife mitigation area set up by the corps. However, as the port of Wilma expanded, Port of Whitman officials swapped ground on the Garfield County water front it had acquired downstream from Wilma in exchange for the land at Wilma.

It has sat unused and undeveloped since that time.

“We’d like to do something to develop that land down there,” said Port Commissioner John Love. “But we have to make sure that it’s a mutually advantageous development.”

Christiansen got the okay on his environmental plan from Debbie Snell, port properties and development manager, but Poire said that was just a preliminary step in the process.

“We sent him through that process just to see if it could be done,” said Poire. “There’s no sense in him starting the process if the county wouldn’t even allow it.”

Now that the county has allowed the track, Christiansen’s plans must meet the port’s more stringent requirements, said Poire.

He specifically said the track would need an engineered fire protection plan before the port would agree to a lease.

“Why would we want to increase the liability for Granger or our other tenants across the road?” Poire asked.

After speaking with Poire, Port Commissioners Love and Dan Boone and Port Attorney Bruce Ensley, the concerns of the landowners appeared to be alleviated.

“I think we’re all kind of relieved that you all are going to make the final decision,” said Mike McCann, who owns land to the west of the proposed track site.

 

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