SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane City Council will soon vote on whether or not to move forward with the sale of a large piece of land in Latah Valley.
City councilmembers are working to pass a resolution to pause the sale of 200 acres near Thorpe Road to be used for development.
The Thorpe property, also known as the ‘Westwood Area,’ is being considered by a property developer for housing developments.
Many local conservationists are against the sale and hope City Council will preserve the land’s natural habitat.
“It’s a pretty phenomenal spot in town. You can see why. You can see why they First Peoples gravitated to this area. I think a lot of that affinity still exists today,” said Kai Huschke, a Latah Valley resident.
Huschke is concerned about preserving the space, as well as the repercussions of a mass influx of people moving to the area.
“We’re in an area that’s considered to be a wildland urban-interface. So, it’s very, very prone to potential wildfire. Yet, the fire services are inadequate. Now, you want to put more people in an area that is already stressed. In reality, it’s going to put more people’s lives in danger,” he said.