Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Palouse sells Brownfields cleanup site
The Palouse city council has approved the sale of its riverfront Brownfields site, the Main Street lot which was the subject of a state and federal environmental cleanup of a former gas station.
A group of six residents, three couples, got together two months ago to plan a proposal to include a new building for TLC Animal Care, office and living space for rent and a brewery.
“I think the proposal met the spirit of the cleanup,” said Michael Echanove, Palouse mayor. “Integrating that site back into the community.”
The group turned in their plan for review by the city's volunteer Brownfields committee in early November, and then made a presentation to them Nov. 25. The next night, the committee gave their recommendation to the city council.
“We're local residents who want to see the property developed into a sustainable project for the city,” said Joe Handley, one of the six. The group consists of Handley, his wife Rachel, Wil and Andi Edwards and Jessica and Delaun Smith.
Andi runs TLC Animal Care, located three miles outside of town. They will have a 36 X 60 foot building built at the Brownfields site.
Next, Handley indicated, they intend to build a second building for rental office spaces. Third will be two tiny home-type buildings for rent.
The final piece would be to build a metal-sided building to house Palouse Brewing Company. The name will be taken from the former brewery housed in the old brick building across the street.
Handley and the five partners bought the lapsed trademark rights to the name.
For construction of the TLC building, group members met with electricians Monday, gathering quotes, with an intention to break ground in 90 days.
In preparation, an elevation survey will be conducted to determine how much dirt may be needed to be added to the site to counter its location on a flood plain.
Handley said members of the six would initially run the brewery and then turn it over to employees.
“We're excited for the offerings that we'll be bringing to the citizens,” Handley said.
City part
For the city's part, the proposal fits its parameters.
“The ideal was not to get the maximum market value but the best use going forward,” said Kyle Dixon, city administrator. “The overall proposal was taken more into account.”
The $3,000 sale will grant the six ownership of the property.
As far as the extent of their plan, only the veterinary clinic is essential to the agreement with the city.
“It's the only thing we want to hold them to,” said Dixon.
The low lot price reflects the flood plain matter and its history as a cleanup site, which can put a strain on finding financing.
“You're starting at a major disadvantage,” said Dixon.
As for remaining groundwater testing on the lot, the Washington Department of Ecology conducted the most recent test at a cost of $1,300 for laboratory analysis. For the next one, the DOE is teaching Dixon to collect samples to send.
The city received no response in its initial 2018 requests for proposals on the Brownsfield site then two in its spring 2019 effort, both deemed unsatisfactory, for the approximately 100 X 200-foot long riverfront site, which was a former welding shop, gas station and fuel storage facility, torn down in 2012. Another building on the site was also dismantled.
Water and sewer access is already in place on the site.
Since the building tear-down and initial cleanup, the site has since been tested for petroleum and manganese as part of the DOE Brownfields program.
The approximate $1 million cleanup left three test wells to be monitored. Of the three, two have reached the state-mandated cleanup level. Once the third one meets the standard, the project will be taken off the state's Brownsfield list.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
Reader Comments(0)