Differences subtle in Moscow candidate forum

The six candidates for this fall’s Moscow City Council election shared largely similar views on the issues of housing, growth and water use during a Wednesday candidate forum.

A crowd of approximately 100 people attended the forum organized by the League of Women Voters of Moscow to hear from candidates Bryce Blankenship, Joe Campbell, Drew Davis, Evan Holmes, Sandra Kelly and Nathan Tupper. On Nov. 7, residents must vote for three candidates to fill the open seats.

The three key topics the moderator asked about were the issues of affordable housing, the city’s increasing population and the future of water resources in the city.

Holmes said he would like to work with the city’s zoning ordinances to encourage smaller lot lines, more accessory dwelling units, manufactured homes and higher density housing.

Kelly said the city is limited on what it can require developers to do, but it can talk to Idaho Legislators about changing state zoning laws. The city can also encourage developers to build affordable housing.

Blankenship specifically brought up rent increases residents are facing in mobile home parks that were bought by Hurst and Son. He wants the city to pass ordinances that encourage companies like Hurst and Son to give residents greater notice so they have more time to prepare for rent increases.

Tupper said the rate of housing development needs to match the rate of the city’s growth and he wants to make sure people who need housing are not stuck with few options.

Davis spoke about the need for more infill, and more accessory dwelling units. He also highlighted the University of Idaho’s partnership with the Moscow Affordable Housing Trust to design and build affordable homes in Moscow.

Campbell said he would like to see UI build more townhomes and apartments on its land, and he said the city could offer incentives for builders to develop affordable homes.

None of the candidates believe that the city’s growth is bad for Moscow, but they did note its effect on water and traffic.

Kelly said the city is growing at a rate of 1 to 1.5 percent per year. Growth, she said, can be scary “but the even scarier thing is to not have growth because your town dies.”

Tupper said he wants to meet with the public and possibly conduct polls to understand their concerns with this growth. Both Davis and Campbell brought up the need to bolster the city’s public transportation to lessen traffic on the roadways.

Holmes said the key is knowing when the development of subdivisions is happening ahead of time, so the city can plan solutions to traffic and water issues. Blankenship said he is looking forward to listening to a variety of viewpoints on this topic.

There was some disagreement about the future of water in the city, particularly with the alternative water source that is needed to supplement the Palouse Groundwater Basin.

They were asked to share their opinions on the possible alternative of pumping water from the Snake River through Washington and into Idaho. Tupper and Holmes said this could put Moscow at a disadvantage because of complications of water rights between states. But Holmes said he is willing to entertain any solution that works that Moscow can afford.

Kelly said Moscow will likely run into water rights issues no matter what water alternative it chooses and is more open to the idea of pumping water from the Snake River.

Davis said he is in favor of capturing runoff from Moscow Mountain and creating a reservoir. Blankenship and Campbell said the city should explore all water alternatives while continuing to encourage water conservation that has slowed the decline of the aquifer the past three decades.

The moderator also asked the candidates if they supported Moscow’s Climate Action Plan, a guiding document to help city government operations reach net zero emissions by 2035. All candidates supported the plan.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.