EPHRATA, Wash. (Dec. 23, 2009)—The Port of Ephrata will hold a meeting the week of Jan. 11 to allow public comment on Colorado Tire Corp.'s proposed OTR tire plant on land the company bought in October 2008 near the Ephrata municipal airport.
Since the plot of land lies adjacent to an airport, the Federal Aviation Administration has a say on land use proposals, officials said, hence the need for a public hearing.
The land in question—96 acres—is part of the port authority, which essentially is an economic development region established by the state of Washington.
Colorado Tire—formerly known as American Tire Corp. and which also does business as Washington Tire Corp.—paid $960,000 for the property in October 2008 and announced plans to build an OTR tire plant there, with production to start by year-end 2009.
The company has not broken ground there as yet, according to the Port of Ephrata.
Colorado Tire officials are scheduled to be on hand to answer questions.