Spokane Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting – May 28, 2026
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Spokane Valley Planning Commission Regular Meeting – May 28, 2026
The Spokane Valley Planning Commission met on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in City Hall to conduct routine business and hold a study session on the adoption schedule for the Comprehensive Plan and Development Regulations. The meeting included approval of the agenda and minutes, a public comment period, and a detailed presentation from Planning Manager Steve on the remaining timeline and public participation efforts.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Agenda: Motion made and seconded; approved unanimously (6-0).
- Approval of Minutes (May 14, 2026): An amendment was introduced to add the title of a book recommended during public comment (How to Kill a City) and the list of boards recommended (parks, transportation, capital facilities). The amendment was approved (6-0), followed by approval of the minutes as amended (6-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mr. Luki (via Zoom): Thanked the commission for their dedication, invited them to the launch of a new community group called "Valley Visionaries" on Saturday, May 30, at the library/Balfour Park. He cited a national blogger who described Spokane Valley as a "gigantic six-lane strood" with minimal pedestrian crossings and one of the worst examples of suburbia in the Pacific Northwest. He expressed a desire to change that perception and work collaboratively with the commission.
Discussion Items
- Study Session: Comprehensive Plan & Development Regulations Adoption Schedule
- Planning Manager Steve presented an overview of the remaining schedule:
- Draft comp plan expected by June 18, 2026; review with the commission on June 25.
- Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to be issued in early-to-mid July.
- Public hearing on July 23 for both the draft comp plan and the draft EIS.
- Development regulations (zoning code) will be presented later (likely July/August).
- Final EIS and final public hearing in October/November, with city council adoption targeted for November/December.
- Steve noted that the council packet for the June 2 meeting includes completed elements with gaps filled from the parks master plan and active transportation plan.
- A summary of public participation numbers will be provided to the commission after June 12.
- Commissioners raised questions on:
- The scope of the EIS (addresses environmental impacts like traffic and density).
- Possibility of receiving the draft comp plan before June 18 (goal is June 12, but June 18 is a buffer).
- Whether additional surveys are planned (not at this time, but more outreach will occur).
- The need for elasticity in the comp plan to address potential population decline, given business relocations to Idaho and state tax impacts. Steve noted a five-year check-in and annual amendments allow adjustments.
- Tracking homeownership rates, rental ratios, and demographic data (data from American Community Survey; more detailed tracking may be discussed by the steering committee of elected officials).
- Planning Manager Steve presented an overview of the remaining schedule:
Key Outcomes
- The agenda and minutes were approved unanimously.
- The June 11 scheduled meeting will likely be cancelled due to lack of pressing business.
- Two commissioners (Dingus and Weatherman) will be absent from the June 25 meeting; Weatherman will attend via Zoom, but Zoom attendance does not count toward a quorum for voting purposes.
- The commission discussed revisiting rules regarding virtual attendance and quorum; this will be addressed when rules are updated (likely January).
- Commissioner Pockell emphasized the need to carefully address ADU regulations in the upcoming zoning code updates.
- Chairman Robertson offered a closing reflection comparing municipal practices to the metaphor in Little Shop of Horrors about predatory capitalism, encouraging a different approach to governance.
- Motion to adjourn was made, seconded, and passed.
Meeting Transcript
Building and planning commission to order at if I wait wait 20 seconds, it'll be straight up six o'clock. Um Thursday, May 28th, 2026. This is the building Spokane Valley Building and Planning Commission meeting. And I'd like to welcome everybody here. If uh we could have a roll call, Mrs. McClain. Can I do the pledge of allegiance first? Oh, I can do that first. I know. Seems to feel right. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God individual with the liberty and justice for all the questions. I guess now we can do a roll call. Sounded like everybody was here. Chairman Robertson. Present. Commissioner McKinley. Present. Commissioner Dingus? Present. Commissioner Pokell? Here. Commissioner Weatherman. Here. Commissioner Winkler. Here. The first item I have on the agenda is to approve the minute or approve the agenda for this meeting. Have a motion. Move to approve the agenda. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor of the agenda? Say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. I believe that is five, six, six, zero. Six. Um do I have a motion to approve the minutes for May 14th, 2026? I would like to propose a change to the minutes. Um public comment. Uh when Linda Clech was speaking, she recommended a book, and I thought it would be helpful to name the book that she recommended. Uh which unfortunately is called How to Kill a City. Um she also recommended public boards, and I thought it would be helpful to list the boards she recommended, which were parks, transportation, and capital facilities. That's the extent of my proposed additions. Any other additions? All those in favor of accepting the revision, say aye. Aye.
openpublica.com