Shaping Spokane

About Shaping Spokane

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The Growth Management Act has numerous requirements the City must satisfy during the periodic update process. One of those requirements is to adopt a public participation program that provides for early and continuous public participation; a link to the City's adopted public participation program can be found below.

Updated Public Participation Program (PDF 150 KB)

Another requirement of the GMA is that the Plan must be designed to accommodate the next 20 years of population growth as projected by the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). Below is a report addressing the projected population growth for Spokane County and estimates of how that growth will be distributed among the 14 jurisdictions.

Population forecast and allocation (PDF 131 KB)

The GMA also requires Cities to review and, if needed, update their development regulations at the same time they update their Comprehensive Plans, this includes regulations that protect critical areas within out boundaries. For this update the only development regulations that need to be revised are those related to our wetlands protection. The changes are minor in nature and reflect new best available science.

A special project page has been created to provide more information and detail about the changes to SMC 17E.070 – Wetlands Protection.

During City Council review of the update to the Comprehensive Plan, Council requested the addition of two new suggested District Centers – one centered on the NorthTown Mall in the Nevada Heights neighborhood and one near Ash and Francis in the Five Mile Neighborhood. Additionally, moving the Neighborhood Center near the Spokane Falls Community College in the West Hills Neighborhood in line with the recently adopted neighborhood planning for that area was discussed. The City is currently undertaking a public outreach process in order to inform the public, local stakeholders, and decision makers about the effects of such a change. Furthermore, per Council request, policies in Chapter 3, Land Use, are being addressed where they call for the planning of these Centers and the need for any such process to include the Neighborhood Councils and the residents they affect.

NorthTown Suggested Center Map (PDF 7.5 MB)
Five Mile Suggested Center Map (PDF 7.8 MB)
West Hills Neighborhood Center Adjustment (PDF 9.8 MB)

The City of Spokane updated the 2001 Draft Comprehensive Plan in 2006, and has again undertaken the required periodic update of the Comprehensive Plan as required under the Washington State Growth Management Act. An EIS was issued for the 2001 Draft Comprehensive Plan, an integrated GMA and SEPA Document; and a SEPA checklist was prepared for the 2006 Comprehensive Plan Update. The 2017 SEPA Addendum is an addendum to the March 23, 2001 Environmental Impact Statement, and was issued on February 21, 2017. The Addendum is available for review at the link below. No comment period is required for the Comprehensive Plan SEPA Addendum pursuant to WAC 197-11-625.

Notice of Public Hearing and SEPA Determination - 2017 Comprehensive Plan EIS Updates (PDF 172 KB)
2017 Comprehensive Plan EIS Addendum (PDF 784 KB)

The existing Comprehensive Plan is available online.

The Attorney General for the state of Washington issued a memorandum providing guidance for evaluating proposed regulations in order to avoid unconstitutional "takings." That memorandum is provided here to provide insight into the comprehensive plan update process and its relationship to private property.