Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope came out publicly against the City of Centralia’s warehouse and distribution center moratorium earlier this week.
In a statement, speaking only for himself and not the Lewis County Board of Commissioners as a whole, Swope accused the City of Centralia of holding up economic development that would support development of critical local infrastructure.
Swope provided the statement Monday afternoon after a Lewis County commissioners budget update meeting. In the statement, he aired frustration with the moratorium put in place by the Centralia City Council in early September and said the city wasn't justified in delaying permitting for large-scale warehouses in the area.
“From the county standpoint, we control the zoning and the land use, and so if a company came in and wanted to cite something over (250,000 square feet), they still would be allowed to do that,” Swope said. “I think we have not been vocal about this in hopes of just getting people to the table.”
While the City of Centralia, the Port of Centralia and Lewis County agreed to begin a mediation process for establishing a development agreement back in October, the parties have yet to arrive at the negotiating table.
The local governments have recently failed to agree on terms for the mediation process. The county has advocated for an elected member of each government to represent each party. The city has instead said they would like the city manager, county manager and the executive director of the port to represent the three parties instead.
Most recently, during the Centralia City Council’s meeting on Tuesday Oct. 28, Centralia Mayor Kelly Smith Johnston and Deputy Mayor Chris Brewer advocated for a “pre-mediation” meeting with an elected official and head administrator from each of the three parties to iron out the mediation terms.
City staff has cited concerns that proposals from the county for a mediation agreement make too many assumptions or declarations that should be part of the mediation and not established beforehand.
Swope, in his statement, said he believes concerns that the mediation agreement will determine the outcome before negotiations even start have prevented the parties from coming to an agreement.
“We just need to get the right people in the room,” Swope said. “Sit down with a mediator and come to a conclusion that's going to be good for Lewis County and Centralia.”
In the same breath, Swope chimed in on the city's recent rejection of a development agreement proposed by Logistics Property Company (LPC), which is developing a 38-acre plot of land in the Port of Centralia’s Park I development.
Swope voiced support for the facility and other proposals for developments, including distribution centers and warehouses, arguing that property tax revenue, impact fees and direct investment from developers will speed along important infrastructure developments in the area. The commissioner admitted to problems with traffic and congestion on Harrison Avenue, which have often been cited as a reason for delaying development in the area. He argued, however, that money from developers and possibly from the federal government is the best way to address the issues.
“Major developments like this is what actually pays for the infrastructure that a city needs to be able to grow things out the way that they need it,” Swope said.
Swope added he believes if county zoning laws approve of the development that construction should move forward.
“If the zoning allows it, then they should be able to do what they see fit with their land as long as everything is zoned and done properly, and we should not be using government to stop private industry,” he said.
The City of Centralia shot down a development agreement proposal from LPC earlier this month. City Manager Michael Thomas said at a city council meeting he believed the proposal was made in good faith, but asked for too much financial support from the city to build out the needed infrastructure. Thomas added that the city is still looking to come to an agreement with the developer.
For the most recent reporting on the mediation process between the City of Centralia, the Port of Centralia and Lewis County, visit https://tinyurl.com/3mvbx4dw.
For more specifics on the development agreement recently rejected by the City of Centralia, visit https://tinyurl.com/53mjdu4h.
