Projects

North Foothills Center CC-3 Zoning Overlay

This amendment to the Zoning Map was approved and adopted on August 24, 2020.

On May 11, 2020, Spokane City Council passed Resolution 2020-0029 which directed staff to conduct an abbreviated planning process to consider adding a zoning overlay in the North Foothills area. This is in the vicinity of North Foothills and Hamilton Street near Gonzaga Prep. Important dates:

A Request for Comments was circulated to agencies and interested city departments as well as affected neighborhood councils on June 7, 2020;
A SEPA DNS (Determination of Non Significance) was issued on July 13, 2020;
Notice of Application, Notice of Public Hearing and Notice of SEPA Determination was emailed on July 13, 2020; and additionally was mailed to owners, taxpayers, and residents within 400-feet of the proposal on July 13, 2020;
A Plan Commission workshop was held on July 22, 2020;
A virtual open house was held on July 29, 2020;
A Plan Commission public hearing was held on August 12, 2020;
City Council hearing was held on August 24, 2020

Project Description

The City received requests from two groups—Catholic Charities Eastern Washington and Spokane Public Schools - both of whom owned or were in the process of negotiating purchase for properties in the North Foothills Area—to consider expanding the CC-3 Overlay Zone. Property located in a CC-3 Overlay Zone may "opt-in" and use the CC-1 or CC-2 standards (see Spokane Municipal Code 17C.122.020 for a list of allowed uses and development standards).

The North Foothills area (centered at the intersection of North Foothills & Hamilton Streets) is an area designated on the Land Use Plan Map as an Employment Center. Much of the area is zoned CC-1-EC (Centers and Corridors, Type 1, Employment Center). Both applicant groups were aiming to aggregate properties in a mix of zoning categories: primarily a mix of CC-1-EC and LI (Light Industrial), making site design and use considerations problematic.

Applying a CC-3 overlay allowed a unified development approach. Properties to the southwest of the CC-1 center already had a planning overlay zone which allowed property in a different zoning category, such as Light Industrial, to use the standards of the CC-1 zone for development. Expanding the CC-3 overlay to the north and to a portion northeast of the existing CC-1 zoning allowed both proposed projects the option to develop to the CC-1 Standards.

Spokane City Council passed a resolution in early May 2020 directing City staff to undertake an abbreviated subarea planning process to review this change. Following agency comment, SEPA determination, and the Plan Commission Hearing, final approval was needed from City Council.