Welcome to CIVICS, where we break down the week’s municipal meetings throughout the Inland Northwest, so you can get involved and speak out about the issues you care about.
Some things that stick out to us this week include:
- Spokane City Council is taking a look at a spread of affordable housing legislation tonight, including approving a tax exemption to turn a parking lot into housing and a law to waive some fees for new “streateries” and “parklets.”
- The Urban Experience Committee will discuss an update on the city’s most recent comprehensive homelessness analysis, plus a slate of new affordable housing projects recommended for funding.
- Spokane Valley is setting a public hearing to discuss its emergency ordinance codified in February that bans battery energy storage facilities from the city.
- Spokane County voters may get a chance to approve a protection district for the contaminated aquifers that run under the West Plains.
Important meetings this week:
- Spokane City Council (and Study Session)
- Urban Experience Committee
- Bicycle Advisory Board
- Board of County Commissioners – Briefing Session and Legislative Session
- Spokane School District Board of Directors
- Spokane Valley City Council
- Liberty Lake City Council
Spokane City Council
🌶️🌶️🫑/5 peppers
Parking 2 People
In 2023, Spokane became the first city in Washington to adopt a tax incentive approved by the Washington State Legislature that would allow developers to turn parking lots or other underdeveloped lots into residential housing without having to pay sales or use taxes on the construction of residential improvements — on the condition that at least 50% of the units in the new construction are reserved for affordable multifamily housing.
Tonight, council could approve the tax deferral for the Northeast Public Development Authority to create a mixed-use building with at least 25 housing units at 3011 E. Wellesley Avenue in Hillyard. There would also be commercial units on the ground floor. In order to be eligible for the tax credit, work must be completed on this project within three years.
Safe Streets funding spend
Council could also approve an expansion of an existing contract with DOWL Consulting Services to spend $163,838 from the Safe Streets For All Fund. If approved, DOWL consulting would use $75,000 of that to conduct a speed control pilot study on Maple and Ash, and work on amendments to the traffic control plans for 2026 and 2027.
Affordable housing funding priorities
Previously known as the 1590 fund — in reference to the state law that allowed the city to collect the sales tax to seed it — the HEART fund spending priorities are set to be approved today. In general, the rules governing the fund state that 70% must be spent on things like building affordable housing, supporting or acquiring behavioral health facilities and funding operation of these facilities. The other 30% can be spent on the “Legal Services and Relocation Fund,” — which helps tenants relocate if landlords violate habitability requirements — and costs related to operating behavioral health and housing-related services and programs…