COLFAX  — The Port of Whitman County submitted its rezoning application for the proposed Agriculture Advancement Campus on SW Old Wawawai Road today, March 2. The application requests classifications from the City of Pullman for Industrial Research Park (IRP) and commercial zoning.

The IRP rezoning classification is a change from the Port’s previous proposal to request heavy industrial zoning on a portion of the site that is within Pullman city limits.

“Over the past month we’ve had many conversations with the City of Pullman Planning Department, with community members, and with our engineering consultant to learn more about the best way to approach the Commission’s vision of a campus to support the agricultural industry in Whitman County,” said Port Executive Director Kara Riebold. “The result is a decision to change our request to Industrial Research Park. If approved by the City of Pullman, this zoning would provide more flexibility for the Port and future tenants to support a diversity of businesses and jobs and locate those businesses suitably within the campus.”

The rezoning application includes the public park, residential commercial, and green spaces as in the preliminary plan shared in February; all other zoning is IRP.

IRP zoning would require businesses looking to perform a variety of manufacturing uses, including vegetable oil milling, grain milling, fruit and vegetable canning, and other uses to apply for a conditional use permit to operate at the campus. Learn more about conditional use permits in IRP zones on the City of Pullman’s website.

Rezoning requests go through a public process that includes review, recommendations, and hearings. If the rezoning request is approved by the City of Pullman, the Agriculture Advancement Campus would continue with local and state permitting processes. Both the rezoning and permitting processes include opportunities for public comment. 

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About the Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities.