Key Points:  

Change would return South Western Avenue to adjoining property owners.  

People who use street say paving, improvements planned but city has never followed through. 

MOSES LAKE — Growth, access, development and city processes were topics of discussion at a public hearing June 24 on a request to vacate a Moses Lake street. Moses Lake City Council members decided to continue the hearing to get more information on the request to vacate South Western Avenue. It’s the continuation of what people who gave testimony said is a long-standing issue. 

“I have been on that road about six times every single day in every season for 20 years,” said Courtney Nelson, owner of AIM Gymnastics. “I have been promised multiple times that something would happen with that road. Hearing (the) back and forth, all these ideas — it's been 20 years just to get to the point of ideas. My request would be to please get past the point of ideas and make something happen. Vacate or not vacate, we have to make something happen.” 

The vacation request came from property owner Howard Homesley. South Western Avenue provides access to businesses bordering the street as well as South Milwaukee Avenue. Both Western and Milwaukee avenues are unpaved.  

If the street were vacated, the property would revert to the landowners on either side of the former street.  

In his application, Homesley stated that vacation would alleviate parking challenges along that street, which has been a recurring issue, and that over time, some buildings have been constructed without considering potential street improvements. 

South Milwaukee provides alternate access to West Ivy Avenue, and Lynette May, a resident of that neighborhood, said she has lived there for 42 years. 

“I was told within 10 years that road would be paved and maintained by the city,” she said. “I’m still there 42 years later and it has not been paved and maintained.” 

May said she would oppose vacating Western Avenue as long as there wasn’t an alternative route for residents on Ivy Avenue and adjoining streets.  

The street does have a water main, sewer line and fire hydrants, said Corey Davisson, the city’s development review manager. The city would either have to move the utilities or work out an agreement to retain access to them, he said. There are also requirements placed on adjoining properties when the street was laid out in 1952, as well as subsequent agreements.  

“The city had design dollars in 2024 to begin design for Western Avenue in its entirety,” he said. 

The proposal to vacate the street put design on hold, Davisson said, and the money was reallocated to 2025. 

“If it is not vacated, (city) staff would love to move forward with the development of the road. There are concerns with the road – it is tough in the wintertime when we have to maintain it in the condition it’s in,” Davisson said. 

In answer to a question from council member Victor Lombardi, Public Works Director Brian Baltzell said building the road would require sidewalks and gutters along with paving.  

Homesley said he’s considering the development of property adjoining Western Avenue, and part of that project would be building a road to connect South Milwaukee with South Broadway Avenue.