Possible grading project to Port property in Pullman

Debbie Snell, port properties development manager, shared with the port commissioners the possibility of developing a grading plan on the port retained lots at Pullman Industrial Park West.

The retained lots are what remained after the port commissioner approved two resolutions to allow the sale of 25 acres at Pullman Industrial Park West to Aspen Heights, a Texas-based company which develops student housing units.

Lots 15-18 and 22-25 were approved to be rezoned from light industrial to multi-family residential and the port retained lots are to be kept at light industrial.

With those retained lots port staff has been working with Syntier Engineering in Pullman to develop a grading plan and budget.

The grading plan would include site clearing, a sediment pond, seeding of the lot once it's graded, earthwork, stockpile of topsoils and topsoil export, creating a rock access road, drainage systems, etc.

The estimated total cost including tax would be approximately $497,696.

"This would be in the budget under a capital project," Snell said.

Snell did remind those at the meeting that the Port to York Acquisition has not yet closed.

"We are still in the diligence period," Snell said. "This is just something we want the commissioners to look at and think about. The timeline for Port to York is approximately another month or longer."

Joe Poire, port executive director, said the port staff wanted to get this in front of the commissioners quickly because he knows the engineering firm is continually working and they are ready to go and he wants to be sure this project would be ready to go as well.

The estimated amount of the port retained property has approximately 6.3 acres of buildable ground. This does not include cuts, fills or slopes.

"We received a grant back in the day and we used that money to buy the land so we have zero costs right now in that," Poire said.

The next steps on the grading proposal, from port staff, would be to refine the grading plane with Syntier Engineering in preparation for an eventual public bid down the line.