Port land sale goes to city

Pullman Planning Commission conducted the continuation hearing for the potential rezone of Port of Whitman property south of the Pullman-Albion Road and west of Highway 27 on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

At the previous hearing on Nov. 20, the planning commission couldn’t reach a decision on the rezoning. The previous recommendation for the rezone by Pete Dickinson, Pullman planning director, was not in favor of the change.

After the Nov. 20 meeting the planning commission asked Dickinson to draft a new recommendation.

Dickinson said that under the planning commission’s request, the staff put together a resolution in approval of the zone change as well as a revised resolution which is set up for denial of the zone change if the planning commission went in that direction.

The proposal is to rezone port property, lots 15-18 and 22-25, from light industrial to multi-family residential.

The lots are being sought for purchase from Aspen Heights, a housing developer based out of Austin, Texas. Aspen offered the port $1.258 million for the property.

Presented at the hearing were two proposals, one in favor of the rezone and one against. The board members unanimously voted to approve the zone change. With this approval, the planning commission will pass the recommendation on to the Pullman City Council for the final vote. The city council vote will take place Jan. 14.

“That will be the next step; we are about 98 percent of the way there,” said Debbie Snell, port properties and development manager to the port commissioners at Thursday’s meeting.

“There is a very slim possibility that the city council may not approve it, but generally, in most cases, the city council approves the recommendations of the planning commission.”

While lots 15-18 and 22-25 are up for zone change, the port would retain lots 19-21, approximately eight acres, and will keep these lots as light industrial.

If the sale goes through, the port plans to put the $1.16 million from the sale into the retained port property to possibly develop a value-added ag center. This could be space for a possible farmers market, brewery or a way to bring other small businesses together.