Projects

New Design Guidelines

The New Design Guidelines Project was completed in May 2022 with an effective date of June 19, 2022. Please visit the Design Review Board web page to view previous and upcoming projects.

Project Description

This project entails crafting new design guidelines for Public Projects and Structures, Skywalks over Public Rights-of-Way, and City-Wide (or Base) Guidelines. Additionally, the City also needs to evaluate the worth of continuing with design review of Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). If it is determined that there is significant value in continuing design review for PUDs then the City will need Design Guidelines (and possible project review process improvements) for this project type.

Project Purpose

The purpose of Design Review is contained in SMC 04.13.015 Design Review Purpose.

The key instrument used to provide this level of communication, flexibility, and aesthetic achievement is the set of adopted Design Guidelines. This purpose of this project is to work with the key stakeholders and the public to craft and adopt new Design Guidelines for the following project types subject to design review: Public Projects and Structures, Skywalks over Public Rights-of-Way, and City-Wide (or Base) Guidelines, and possibly Planned Unit Developments.

Benefit

These new Design guidelines will limit the degree of frustration experienced by the community, applicants, and the Design Review Board when reviewing the aforementioned project types, as these project types do not yet have any adopted design guidelines.

Project Priorities

• Provide clarity on design objectives for all project types subject to design review.
• Provide similar review criteria and threshold structures for all project types subject to design review.
• Identify improvements to the design review process for the aforementioned project types.

Project Deliverables / High-Level Outcomes

• New Design Guidelines for:
  • Public Projects and Structures (with design review thresholds),
  • Skywalks over Public Rights-of-Way,
  • Planned Unit Developments, and process improvements (if required), and
  • City-wide/Base Design Guidelines
  • Code revision to support the New Design Guidelines

Consultant Team will be responsible for:

• Phase I – Research and Engagement
  • Task 1: Research + Preparation
    Duration: One month
  • Task 2: Preparation for Workshop #1
    Duration: One month
  • Task 3: Workshop #1
    Duration: One month
  • Deliver Memo #1: Will cover the existing conditions and work to-date on design review, and an assessment of best practices for design review conducted by board- or committee-level groups from at least three cities with a similar regulatory framework as the City of Spokane.
• Phase II – Recommendations
  • Task 4: Summary of Workshop Results
    Duration: One month
  • Task 5: Preparation for Workshop #2
    Duration: One month
  • Task 6: Workshop #2
    Duration: One month
  • Deliver Memo #2: Will cover outlines for proposed guidelines (including recommendations for PUDs), and any necessary amendments to streamline the review process.

City Project Team will be responsible for:

• Phase I & II
  • Providing background material for consultant team, and review of deliverables.
  • Providing public engagement venues (social media, etc.).
  • Providing stakeholder contacts.
  • Coordinating meetings with Stakeholders and members of the Public.
• Phase III
  • Writing the New Design Guidelines and supporting Code Revisions, using research and feedback from Phases I & II.
  • Taking the New Design Guidelines and Code Revisions through the formal adoption process.

Project Timeline

Project Team

• Dean Gunderson (Project Manager)
  Sr. Urban Designer, Planning and Economic Development Services
• Taylor Berberich
  Urban Designer, Planning and Economic Development Services
• Spencer Gardner
  Planning Director, Planning and Economic Development Services

Technical Working Group

The technical working group’s composition may shift depending on the project type being discussed, but the intent of the working group is to support the development and review of materials and provide guidance on regulatory, technical, and policy discussions. Proposed representatives include:

• City of Spokane, Business and Development Services
• City of Spokane, Integrated Capital Management
• City of Spokane, Parks & Recreation Department
• City of Spokane, Public Works
• City of Spokane, Legal Department
• Allied Professionals (AIA, ASLA, APA)
• Joint DRB/PC Subcommittee

Stakeholders

The following is a list of stakeholders for the project (broken down by project type), not an exhaustive list:

• All Design Guidelines
  • Spokane Design Review Board
• Public Projects and Structures
  • Public Schools District #81
  • Spokane Transit Authority
  • Washington Public Universities (EWU, WSU)
  • Spokane Community College System (SCC, SFCC)
  • Spokane Transit Authority
  • Spokane Public Libraries
• Skywalks over Public Rights-of-Way
  • Downtown Spokane Partnership
  • Business and Property Owners in the Downtown
• City-wide/Base
  • AIA Spokane
  • WASLA
  • WAPA (Inland Empire Section)
  • Spokane Public Works/Environmental Programs
• Planned Unit Developments
  • Neighborhood Councils
  • Greenstone
  • Home Builders Association

Documents

Previous Events