Agriculture Advancement Campus proceeds

PULLMAN — The Port of Whitman County will continue with the process to rezone 88 acres on SW old Wawawai Road in Pullman for an Industrial Research Park, according to a press release from March 22, 2023.

A private partner in the process, AgTech OS, announced Tuesday, March 21 that they are seeking an alternate location for their biofuel facility.

“We respect businesses’ decisions to locate and grow in ways that make sense for them and their employees,” said Port Executive Director Kara Riebold, noting that the Port was granted by the State of Washington and Whitman County the role of supporting the economic vitality of county communities.

Riebold stated there is a need for an industrial space like this in the county and that the Port has had two other businesses approach them interested in locating at the campus.

Riebold noted that they would continue to work with the City of Pullman and the county’s residents to evaluate the property as a proposed future campus site.

The Port of Whitman County submitted the rezoning application for the proposed campus Thursday, March 2. which requests classifications from the City of Pullman for Industrial Research Park and commercial zoning.

The press release states that the rezoning is consistent with the City of Pullman’s Comprehensive Plan, which includes goals for land use, housing infrastructure and walkability, transportation, and parks and open space.

The City of Pullman website says that the City Council designed the Plan to serve as the blueprint to guide growth and development, fulfill planning responsibilities under laws that require the creation of a land use element, provide a framework for other planning requirements, which include critical areas regulation which include areas such as wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat conservation, flood hazard, geologic hazard, and necessary aquifer recharge areas.

Those who want to learn more about the Comprehensive Plan can find it on the City’s website.

The Port hosted a special meeting Tuesday, March 28, 2023, to discuss the proposed campus.

The meeting began with an outcry from the residential locals in Pullman who voiced their grievances with building an industrial site near their homes.

Commissioners on the board claimed that the smaller towns are dying, unlike Pullman, because they don't practice economic development. The Port reports that the economic development will not only create jobs but is a great opportunity for the county.

Commissioners discussed developmental stagnation and how turning Whitman County into a metropolitan was not the solution, however, there are efforts in finding a middle ground to preserve Whitman County’s agricultural status without converting the small towns into more urban areas.

The Port reports that the ultimate decision will fall into the hands of 18 commissioners following the votes of the three commissioners that oversee the current status.

The plan proposed at the meeting was to take over 148 acres along the roadway. And hills of Old Wawawai Rd.

Protests have formed in Pullman opposing the campus and a new petition has come out from those who do not want the campus built.

There were several issues voiced regarding zoning from the public comment portion of the meeting.

Despite all the negative comments about how affordable housing is not available in Pullman, the zoning issues with the cities intention to make the area strictly residential, and the concern for health with building an industrial campus very close to homes and pipelines, the community did give its support to the project just at another time and somewhere else.