SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council passed a resolution Monday night that shows their support to delay the purchase of state-owned land in Latah Valley to a housing developer.
The resolution the City Council voted on asked the Department of Natural Resources to wait 180 days before selling the land to Blue Fern Development out of Redmond for millions of dollars.
Many who spoke Monday night said the decision threatens wildlife and needs more time before anything new is done to it.
Jeff Lambert is an environmental scientist consulting on conservation issues within Latah Valley, and it is also something Spokane City Council is passionate about.
"The city council appreciates the value of the Thorpe property," Lambert said.
If the purchase goes through, Blue Fern Development plans to build nearly 1,000 homes there, with land aside for parks, fire stations and civic centers.
"We've heard from our process on our other project that a lot of these things are needed in Latah Valley," Benjamin Paulus, CEO of Blue Fern Development, said.
Paulus advocates the purchase, calling it a good resource for the community.
However, several people, including Lambert and some Spokane City Councilmembers, said the land shouldn't be used for the project.
"The natural characteristics make it perfect for nature education," Lambert said.
Spokane City Council voted 5-2 in support of the delay, saying more time should be spent figuring out the best way to use the land.
A public comment meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday, December 4, at the Spokane Central Library. At the meeting, people can directly tell DNR their opinions on the matter.