Envisioning a Transit-Oriented Future for South Logan and Beyond
KayCee Downey, Planner II, 509.625.6500
Monday, July 15, 2024 at 4:37 p.m.
The area-specific and citywide Spokane Municipal Code amendments proposed as part of South Logan TOD Implementation will be before City Council for a public hearing on Aug. 12, 2024. The meeting is scheduled after the Spokane Plan Commission unanimously recommended approval of the code package at its June 26, 2024, public hearing (watch hearing recording).
After a 20-month planning process that included extensive community outreach and engagement, the South Logan TOD Plan was adopted by resolution on Jan. 29, 2024. The adopted Plan includes policy recommendations to make reality the envisioned future for the South Logan area.
To implement those recommendations, area-specific and citywide amendments to the Spokane Municipal Code have been proposed. The proposed area-specific text amendments affect future development within the South Logan Project Area only, while the proposed citywide text amendments affect development citywide, in order to ensure consistency and the same development benefits throughout Spokane.
For a summary of the proposed code amendments, read the Text Amendment Tracking sheet.
Area-Specific Code Proposals
- Planned Action Ordinance (ORD C36554). Planned Actions allow local governments to review potential impacts of development in a defined geographic area during the planning stage, rather than the development review stage. The Planned Action Ordinance will allow development approved under the adopted Subarea Plan to use the existing Final Environmental Impact Statement and not have an additional SEPA review, streamlining the permit review process while ensuring potential impacts were appropriately evaluated.
- Hamilton Form-Based Code (ORD C36553). An update to the Hamilton Form-Based Code (FBC) will ensure design and use requirements allow for the built environment envisioned by the South Logan TOD Plan. The code itself will also be reorganized and simplified for a better user experience.
Citywide Code Proposals
- Centers and Corridors Code (ORD C36556). The proposed Center and Corridor text amendments primarily make permanent the current interim ordinance, with modifications, and include removing parking requirements for all Center and Corridor and Downtown zones, modifying FAR (floor area ratio) requirements, allowing for increased heights, adding drive-thru restrictions, and general reorganization for better usability.
- Height and Height Transitions (ORD C36555). To comply with recommendations in the South Logan TOD Plan, the allowed height of 70 feet is being changed to 75 feet. Additionally, in recognition of the different built forms of the higher intensity residential zones, which currently have the same base height as the lower intensity residential zones, the proposal increased the base height allowed in RMF (residential multi-family) to 55 feet and in RHD (residential high-density) to 75 feet.
- RMF/RHD Open Space Requirements (ORD C36552). Due to recent housing code changes, a significant modification of the design standards is not proposed at this time. However, feedback received about existing open space requirements has indicated a potential barrier to project feasibility. As such, amendments to the required size and general regulations of open space for multi-unit projects in the RMF and RHD zones are proposed to support housing development in the South Logan area and beyond.
Members of the public wishing to provide comments on the proposed code amendments can email SouthLoganTOD@spokanecity.org or sign up to testify at the City Council hearing.
Learn more about the South Logan TOD Project by visiting the project webpage.
Sign up for the South Logan TOD Project newsletter to be kept up to date on the implementation project.
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