First meeting scheduled for May 12
Brian Coddington, Communications Director, 509.625.6740
Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at 1:25 p.m.
The City of Spokane and Spokane County announced today the first in a series of collaborative meetings to establish parameters on how each plans for growth and regional development.
Topics of the Joint Development Agreement will include development regulations, utility service, transportation infrastructure, revenue sharing, joint service areas and related federal, state and local policy considerations. The first meeting is scheduled for May 12 as an information sharing session. Discussions will focus only on the City's utility service area, and meetings are open to the public.
“The city and county must coordinate growth better to deliver better outcomes,” Spokane Mayor David Condon said. “This is only going to work if we all acknowledge that what we are doing today can be done even better.”
In that spirit, the City Council has put on hold pursuing further an ordinance to tighten down extension of city sewer and water services outside city limits. Spokane County has likewise suspended its public records request while the conversation is ongoing. The City has also agreed to stand down on annexation during this conversation, while the County has agreed to stand down on extending urban growth areas within the City’s utility service area.
“Over the next several months, we will educate the public about costs and impacts while driving toward better regional outcomes,” said County Commissioner Al French.
The City and County have shared several recent collaborations on common community interests. The approach has served both well with animal control, solid waste and is proceeding positively in evolving the criminal justice system.
