Adventure Park Hearing Makes Its Way to Chelan County Superior Court This Week

The subject of intense controversy, Leavenworth Adventure Park, has made its way to the Chelan County Superior Court and the hearing will unfold before Judge Travis Brandt at 1 on Wednesday.  There will be no public testimony and the Friends of Leavenworth, the park developers and the city of Leavenworth will have attorneys presenting oral arguments during the hearing.

"This is the appeal of the decision made at the hearing examiner level," said Kirvil Skinnarland, board member. After a lengthy public hearing, hearing examiner Andrew Kottkamp, approved the park's environmental analysis in May with a revision of closing time being 8 p.m. versus 10 p.m. "We feel that many mistakes were made during the processing of this application for the project."

According to Skinnarland, the locals behind the grassroots organization believe that the project doesn't comply with city's comprehensive plan, interpretations of the zoning code were inaccurate and that there should've been an environmental impact statement conducted rather than a mitigated determination of non-significance.

"One of the possible outcomes is that the project will be sent back to the beginning to do a more comprehensive environmental assessment. We feel there were a number of shortcuts," said Skinnarland.

A noise analysis, effects on nearby wetlands, traffic and lights are all elements that the group feels were overlooked.