Spokane Valley City Council Regular Meeting – May 12, 2026
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Spokane Valley City Council Regular Meeting – May 12, 2026
The Spokane Valley City Council met on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting included a proclamation for National Police Week, a public hearing and first reading of the 2026 budget amendment, a resolution authorizing an opportunity zone application, and presentations on the Parks & Recreation Master Plan and the Affordable Housing Sales Tax RFP. Public comments addressed procedural concerns about the comprehensive plan update, safety issues on North Hoke Road, and appreciation for code enforcement. The budget amendment failed to advance due to a 4-3 vote (needing a supermajority of 5), but was later resubmitted for a future meeting. The opportunity zone resolution passed unanimously.
Proclamation: National Police Week
- Mayor Laura Paddon proclaimed May 10–16, 2026, as National Police Week in Spokane Valley, honoring fallen officers including Sergeant Kenneth Salais and Trooper Marissa Gooding. Police Chief Ellis accepted the proclamation, noting the significance of the week.
Consent Calendar
- The consent agenda, including claim vouchers of $1,368,246.63 and payroll of $801,089.96, was approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Sue Delucie expressed concern about the expedited process for updating the comprehensive plan, citing a lack of public meetings on draft components and insufficient time for comment (100 pages of information at 6 seconds per page). She also requested an update on the stormwater lake in her area.
- Linda Klush criticized the city’s process, stating that official public boards (capital facilities, parks, transportation) should be established for public input, and that the comprehensive plan is being weakened by insufficient public engagement.
- Eric Pittman (Secretary, Heatherwood HOA) acknowledged improvements in clearing campsites and drug activity at the Dream Center, but noted that criminal activity has migrated to North Hoke Road, affecting children’s bus stops. He requested street lighting and mobile surveillance units to deter ongoing drug trafficking, prostitution, and health hazards.
- Ben Lund (local business owner, 34-year resident) praised the code enforcement team for going above and beyond, and presented a plaque of appreciation. He recommended approving vehicle upgrades for code enforcement.
Discussion Items
2026 Budget Amendment (Public Hearing & First Reading)
- Finance Director Chelsie Walls presented the proposed amendment, which affects nine funds with revenue increases of about $5.3 million and expenditure increases of about $7 million. Highlights include:
- General Fund: $787,000 increase for one-time costs (parking analysis, $75,000 for comprehensive plan updates, $95,000 for SharePoint consulting, $670,000 for ARPA-related contracts, $47,000 for vehicle replacements).
- Street Fund: $750,000 revenue increase from automated traffic safety cameras (expected operational by September 2026), with $162,000 for a new engineer FTE.
- Hotel/Motel Tax Fund: $1 million transfer for Sullivan Road improvements related to the ice rink facility.
- Affordable and Supportive Housing Fund: $2.3 million increase for CHIP grants for Habitat for Humanity and SNAP.
- Other funds: adjustments for homeless outreach, capital projects, and equipment replacement.
- Councilmember Kelly moved to segregate and vote on each line item individually; that motion failed. The main motion to advance Ordinance 26-007 to a second reading failed 4-3 (needed supermajority of 5).
- Later, Councilmember Kelly moved to amend the agenda to resubmit the budget amendment for a future first reading; that motion passed. The resubmission motion also passed, allowing the item to return at a later meeting.
Resolution 26-006: Opportunity Zone Application Authorization
- Teri Stripes presented the resolution to authorize an application for an opportunity zone designation for Census Tract 123. She answered prior questions: there are 84,000 census tracts nationally, 1,700 in Washington, 143 in Spokane County, and 30 in Spokane Valley (shared with county and Millwood). Tract 123 was selected as the poorest and a USDA-designated food desert; it aligns with previous city investments and goals. More than 50% of opportunity zone investments nationwide are in housing. The resolution passed unanimously.
Draft Parks & Recreation Master Plan 2026 Update
- Parks Director John Bottelli and Nick Chen (Kimley Horn) presented the draft plan, required for grant eligibility. The plan covers 373+ acres of park space, 15 miles of trails, three pools, and 12 parks. Extensive community outreach was conducted. Key themes: affordable recreation programs, aquatic opportunities, nature and open space, family-oriented amenities, and facilities supporting active lifestyles. Capital improvement recommendations are categorized as lifecycle replacement (no expected increase in O&M) and visionary investments (new facilities, likely increasing O&M). Short-term (0-4 years), mid-term (5-9 years), and long-term (10-20 years) priorities are outlined, with total estimated costs not yet finalized. The public comment period runs May 5–26, 2026. Councilmembers discussed the importance of maintenance costs, accessibility, and the need for a pool condition assessment (expected by end of June). No action taken; plan will return for adoption.
Affordable Housing Sales Tax RFP Discussion
- City staff (Eric Robison, Sarah Farr) presented the recommendation from the Housing and Homeless Task Force to issue an RFP for the 1406 fund (affordable and supportive housing sales tax). The fund has collected about $200,000 per year since 2020, with a current balance over $1.2 million. Eligible uses include affordable housing construction, homeownership (up to 80% AMI), rental assistance (up to 60% AMI), operations/maintenance of new units, and administrative costs. Four providers (Family Promise, SNAP, Habitat for Humanity, Community Frameworks) presented to the task force. Council consensus was reached to move forward with an RFP, with suggestions to include: scalable project options, 10% cost share, case management requirements, and potential alignment with the opportunity zone. The RFP is expected to be issued by June 2026 with a 60-day response period.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda approved unanimously.
- 2026 Budget Amendment (Ordinance 26-007): Failed to advance to second reading (4-3 vote; needed 5). Resubmitted for a future meeting.
- Resolution 26-006 (Opportunity Zone Application): Passed unanimously.
- Affordable Housing Sales Tax RFP: Council consensus to proceed; RFP development to begin.
- Advance Agenda: Added discussion on data centers and requested a presentation on the GSI survey data specific to Spokane Valley.
- City Manager: Noted that a revised fireworks code draft will be brought before July 4, and a wildfire safety fair is scheduled for May 16 in Deer Park.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, let me get my glasses on. All right, thank you. The Spokane Valley City City Council regular meeting format A of Tuesday, May 12th, 2026 is now called to order. Um can we have the invitation from Pastor Andrea Clark from Valley Assembly Church. Would you join me in prayer? Heavenly Father, we come before you tonight grateful for your never-ending goodness and mercy. Thank you for the privilege of living in a beautiful community where we are able to gather, gather freely, speak openly, and work together for the good of our city. So today we lift up our mayor, council members, city staff, and all who serve this community, and we are very grateful for them. Give them wisdom beyond their own understanding, integrity in every decision, and humility to seek what is right and just for the people of Spokane Valley. Give this city council the wisdom to choose the best path when many voices compete for their attention. Grant them divine wisdom to uphold justice without partiality and to lead in ways that cultivate peace, order, and the flourishing of this community. May their decisions be guided not by pressure, pride, or political gain, but by truth, righteousness, and a sincere desire to serve the people of the Spokane Valley. Help this city council to lead with courage, compassion, and discernment. Lord, I also pray over the people of this valley, strengthen families, protect our children, comfort those who are struggling, and help us to truly care for one another. May the city be marked by peace, kindness, and a genuine desire to see the welfare of others. Father, we acknowledge that our ultimate hope is not found in government or human ability, but in you alone. We thank you for your grace, and we ask that your hand would be upon this meeting tonight, and everyone who has given their time. Join me in the pledge. Councilmember Wick. Here. Aye. Aye. Opposed. It is unanimous. There are no special guests, but we do have a proclamation for National Police Week. So whereas in 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15th falls National Police Week. And whereas there are more than 800,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United States, including the dedicated officers and canines of the Spokane Valley Police Department. And whereas public safety is the Spokane Valley City Council's highest priority. And whereas law enforcement officers work to protect the residents of Spokane Valley from criminals who seek to perpetrate violence and harm innocent lives. And whereas, almost daily, law enforcement officers face dangerous circumstances and the threat of serious serious bodily injury or death to ensure the safety of all Spokane Valley residents. And whereas the Spokane area is home to the law enforcement officers memorial project, the first dedicated in the state of Washington to honor all law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. And whereas in 2025, Spokane County Sheriff Sergeant Kenneth Salais and Washington State Patrol Trooper, Tara Marissa Gooding gave the ultimate sacrifice. And whereas May 15th is designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day in honor of all fallen officers and their families, and U.S. flags should be flown at half-mast. And now therefore, I, Laura Paddon, Mayor of the City of Spokane Valley, on behalf of the Spokane Valley City Council and the citizens of Spokane Valley do hereby proclaim May 10th to 16, 2026 as National Police Week in the City of Spokane Valley, and I urge citizens to join in our appreciation to all our officers and canines who serve and protect our community dated this 12th day of May 2026. And we have Chief Ellis. Good evening, Mayor, members of council. I appreciate this proclamation. This is always a powerful week for law enforcement across the country. This year it's even more powerful as we reflect back on the loss of Sergeant Ken Salais, a member of the Spokane County Sheriff's Office who served 34 years and spending including many years serving members and citizens of the Spokane Valley. He was a month away from his retirement, and he was just an excellent uh law enforcement officer. Um, on behalf of the men and women who are spoken by the police department, thank you for this proclamation. Thank you. Okay. Do you present the proclamation to him? Joe, you thank you. That brings us to our first general public comment opportunity. This is an opportunity for the public to speak on any subject except agenda action items, as public comments will be taken on those items where indicated. Please keep your comments to matters within the jurisdiction of the city government.
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