Boards & Commissions

The Design Review Board is comprised of citizens and practicing professionals who represent community interests including a diversity of design and technical professions. Board members are nominated by the Mayor, appointed by City Council, and serve without compensation. The Board was established to:

• Improve communication and participation among developers, neighbors, and the City early in the design and siting of new development subject to design review under the Spokane Municipal Code;
• Ensure that projects subject to design review under the Spokane Municipal Code are consistent with adopted design guidelines and help implement the City’s comprehensive plan;
• Advocate for the aesthetic quality of Spokane’s public realm;
• Encourage design and site planning that responds to context, enhances pedestrian characteristics, considers sustainable design practices, and helps make Spokane a desirable place to live, work, and visit;
• Provide flexibility in the application of development standards as allowed through development standard departures; and
• Ensure that public facilities and projects within the City’s right-of-way:
  1. Wisely allocate the City’s resources,
  2. Serve as models of design quality.

Meeting Information: The Design Review Board meets the Second and Fourth Wednesdays of the month at 5:30 p.m. in the Tribal Conference Room, Main Lobby, City Hall.

The Design Review Board is currently accepting applications online.

The Human Rights Commission advises and makes recommendations to the City Council regarding issues related to human rights and unjust discrimination and the implementation of programs consistent with the needs of all residents of the City of Spokane.

Meeting Information: The Spokane Human Rights Commission meets the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m.

The Human Rights Commission is currently accepting applications online.

The Spokane Park Board was created in 1910 and granted power by Article V of the City Charter to layout, establish, purchase, procure, accept and have the care, management, control, and improvement of all parks grounds and parkways controlled by the City of Spokane and used for park purposes.

Meeting Information: The Park Board meets at 3:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month in person in the Council Chambers, lower level City Hall and virtually via WebEx. Study sessions are held on an as-needed basis and are held at City Hall.

The Park Board is currently accepting applications online.

It is the policy of the City of Spokane to uphold, promote and demand the highest standards of ethics from all of its employees and City officers, whether elected, appointed or hired. The Code of Ethics sets forth requirements that are applicable to employees of the City of Spokane, and it is the duty of the members of the Ethics Commission to receive complaints and other requests, judge their merit based upon evidence submitted and move through a defined process to determine what, if any, sanctions should be made against an employee found to be in violation of the Code of Ethics.

Applicants who wish to serve on the Ethics Commission should review the full Ethics Commission Policy and Procedures, as well as the Ethics Commission Handbook.

Individuals from the following segments are encouraged to apply: Professional or academic background in the legal profession, OR experience in human resources, OR possessing familiarity with government and the political process, OR experience in ethics.

Meeting Information: Meetings are generally held quarterly, or when an ethics complaint has been submitted for consideration.

The Ethics Commission is currently accepting applications online.