Spokane Valley Planning Commission Meeting - November 13, 2025

The Spokane Valley Planning Commission met on November 13, 2025, at 6:02 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included presentations on land use scenarios for the comprehensive plan update, public comments on shipping containers and housing cooperatives, and a reconsideration of a code text amendment regarding wireless communication tower height. The commission voted 4-2 to forward a recommendation to deny the height increase, and heard the announcement of senior planner Lori Barlow's retirement.

Consent Calendar

• Agenda approved unanimously.
• Minutes of October 23, 2025, approved with a minor correction (word change on page 3).
• Excused absence granted to Commissioner Wilson unanimously.

Commission Reports

• Commissioners reported no items, but several praised the open house held earlier that evening.

Administrative Report: Land Use Scenarios for Comprehensive Plan Update

• Presenter: Elliot Weiss, Senior Planner, Community Attributes Inc. (CAI), along with Clara (CAI).
• Context: The city must update its comprehensive plan to comply with state laws (HB 1110, HB 1220, HB 1337), which require planning for over 16,000 housing units at various income levels and allowance of middle housing and ADUs by right.
• Three Scenarios Presented:
  1. Scenario 1 (Limited Rezone + Upzone): Rezone R4 land west of Sullivan Road between Sprague and Valleyway to multifamily; increase density in MFR, CMU, MU zones to 32 dwelling units per acre; allow middle housing and ADUs by right in R1-R4; expand UGA for commercial/industrial but not residential.
  2. Scenario 2 (UGA Expansion): No rezone of R4; instead shift residential capacity (∼500 units) to currently unincorporated county land outside city limits, which complicates HB 1220 compliance.
  3. Scenario 3 (No Rezone, Stronger Upzone): Keep existing zoning but increase multifamily density to 40 dwelling units per acre in MFR, CMU, MU zones to make up the ∼500-unit gap; expand UGA only for commercial/industrial.
• Discussion: Commissioners asked about the source of the 500-unit gap, the meaning of “by right,” and how UGA areas factor into calculations (they do not count toward housing capacity until annexed). Commissioner Weatherman and others requested a future work session to delve deeper into the scenarios. Staff agreed to bring the item back as a regular discussion item.
• No vote was taken on the scenarios.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mike Dole (Spokane Valley resident): Requested the commission consider allowing shipping containers for outside storage, noting current code prohibits them and enforcement is insufficient. He clarified he is not seeking to build houses from containers.
• Joseph Godsey (Spokane Valley resident): Suggested housing cooperatives as a legal workaround for converting apartments into condos, enabling more homeownership. He had previously discussed condo conversion difficulties with Commissioner Meyer.

Commission Business: CTA-2025-0002 – Reconsideration and Findings of Fact for Wireless Communication Tower Height

• Presenters: Senior Planner Lori Barlow and Associate Planner Adam Knight.
• Background: A city-initiated code text amendment would allow towers up to 100 feet plus 20 feet antenna (120 feet total) only for regional emergency communication providers. The commission voted 5-0 on October 23 to recommend denial, believing the urgent need (SREC’s relocation) had been addressed via an emergency ordinance. Staff later identified two scenarios where SREC could lose vested rights (if building permit must be resubmitted after temporary ordinance expires, or if a tower is damaged >80%), potentially causing loss of emergency services.
• Staff Recommendation: The commission reconsider its denial and approve the amendment, arguing that the code change is good policy for essential government services and avoids relying on emergency ordinances.
• Discussion:
  • Commissioner Winkler questioned whether an emergency ordinance could be used again if needed; staff noted emergency ordinances are time-consuming and not best practice for planning.
  • Commissioner Kelly emphasized that the amendment still requires a conditional use permit (CUP) in residential zones, providing additional oversight.
  • Commissioner Meyer expressed concern about a “broad stroke” allowing 120-foot towers citywide, but Commissioner Winkler countered that governing through emergency ordinances is unsustainable.
• Motion to Reconsider: Commissioner Winkler moved to reconsider the previous findings of fact; no second was offered, so the motion died.
• Vote on Findings of Fact: The commission then voted on the original findings of fact (recommending denial). The motion carried 4-2 (Ayes: 4, Nays: 2). The recommendation to deny the code text amendment will be forwarded to the Spokane Valley City Council.

Key Outcomes

• Land Use Scenarios: No action taken; staff will schedule a future work session for deeper discussion.
• CTA-2025-0002: Motion to reconsider failed; commission adopted findings of fact recommending denial by a 4-2 vote. The city council will have final authority.
• Personnel Announcement: Senior Planner Lori Barlow announced her retirement at the end of November; this was her last Planning Commission meeting. Commissioners expressed gratitude for her service.
• Next Meeting: December 11, 2025 (noted as the last meeting of the year).