Voice of the Mid-Columbia | Kennewick, Pasco and Richland, Wash. |
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closeTuesday, Nov. 03, 2009
Richland, Benton City get approval to expand
By Drew Foster, Herald staff writer
PROSSER -- Richland and Benton City's urban growth areas are 60 days away from growing by hundreds of acres apiece.
The Benton County commissioners, voting on separate resolutions, gave final approval to growing Benton City's urban growth area by about 500 acres in two sections and Richland's by 179 acres.
Both resolutions, which provided the final OK to approvals made by the commission in late September, passed 2-1. Commissioner Max Benitz Jr. voted no.
Benitz said the cities already have substantial pieces of undeveloped land and should focus on developing those plots before expanding urban growth areas.
"(Richland and Benton City) need to take a look at their current evaluation of where the growth should be," he said Monday.
A 60-day appeal period now goes into effect, which allows groups and individuals to challenge the commission's decision.
"I believe there will be a legal challenge," Benitz said.
Futurewise, a statewide public interest group dedicated to preserving farmland, shorelines and forests has previously said it will appeal the commissioners' decision to expand the urban growth areas.
The Benton County Planning Commission had recommended the county commissioners deny the cities' requests to expand the growth areas because of the large undeveloped pieces of land in each municipality. The county commissioners approved the urban growth area enlargement proposals 2-1 in late September, saying the undeveloped land in Benton City and Richland was not in areas poised for future growth.
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