KayCee Downey, Planner II, 509.625.6500, No Phone Number Available
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 11 a.m.
Since December 2024, the City of Spokane Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board (CRSB) has worked with staff to understand local climate risks and community needs to foster a more resilient future for the city. That effort reached its completion with a unanimous vote on February 12, 2026, to recommend a policy package to the Spokane Plan Commission for integration into the City’s Comprehensive Plan.
The first phase of the Climate Planning effort focused on identifying the risks and hazards already affecting our city and projected to worsen over time, while simultaneously understanding the community’s lived experiences. That work culminated in the Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment in June 2025, identifying both how the City of Spokane is impacted and who is most affected.
Building off that work, the second phase focused on identifying policies to address those impacts. The resulting policy package addresses the 11 sectors required by the Washington State Department of Commerce in alignment with HB 1181 to plan for climate impacts as part of the City’s comprehensive plan, while also bringing forward themes heard from community feedback.
The breadth of themes found in the recommended policy package highlights the interconnectedness of resiliency with Spokane’s future growth, including: urban tree canopy, local economy, emergency management and wildfire risk, water conservation, cost reduction, active transportation, collaboration with local Tribes and urban Native organizations, green building, greenhouse gas emissions, community education and connectedness, community gardens and food access, waste management and reduction, access to open spaces, natural habits, and much more!
A select number of these themes are highlighted below, connecting the community engagement heard to policy language under consideration for the Comprehensive Plan.
“Promote natural tree cover, built shade, and cooling infrastructure along new and existing sidewalks, streets, transit stops, and public spaces to enhance resilience to extreme heat, prioritizing urban heat islands and locations where populations susceptible to health impacts gather.”
“Collaborate with colleges, schools, technical programs, labor organizations, and other agencies to encourage the development of an environmentally focused jobs pipeline that benefits overburdened communities and supports a circular economy.”
“Ensure timely emergency notifications for wildfire, smoke, flooding, and other extreme events that provide both digital and non-digital outreach materials in multiple languages.”
“Enhance and maintain sidewalks, trails, and low traffic stress bicycle facilities to prioritize the safety of the most vulnerable road users traveling by foot, bicycle, and other adaptive or assistive devices.”
“Protect, enhance, and restore ecosystems in order to support Tribal rights and conserve culturally important consumptive and nonconsumptive resources including foods, medicinal plants, and materials that could be adversely impacted by climate change.”
“Provide educational resources and volunteer opportunities for environmental stewardship on City-owned property, including with clean-up events for trails, parks, and swales, and the planting of street and park trees.”
“Support farmers or public markets, fruit and vegetable stands, food production services, small-scale farms, and other avenues for local food production and access such as with simpler permitting processes or financial incentives, as a means of local food security and diversity in business opportunities.”
The policies recommended by the CRSB to the Plan Commission will be considered and integrated throughout the Comprehensive Plan, highlighting the co-benefits of climate and resiliency when directing the City of Spokane’s future as we move forward to 2046.
Updated draft Chapters of the Comprehensive Plan are expected to be available for public review later this spring. Drafts will be available on the Chapter Review webpage at that time. The Spokane Plan Commission will hold a hearing later in 2026 making a recommendation on the Comprehensive Plan, with the City Council making the final decision in the Fall.
Stay informed about the PlanSpokane project by signing up for the PlanSpokane newsletter.
Have questions for the Climate Planning team? Contact us at climateplanning@spokanecity.org.
Learn more about PlanSpokane 2046 and the Climate Planning efforts at PlanSpokane.org.
The City of Spokane Climate Planning project is funded by a state grant. The WA Department of Commerce climate planning grant is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available on their website.
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