Council sticks with higher development densities
Log inCreate accountNovember 13, 2013
Today headlines Archives
The Spokane Valley City Council won give back the big yards it took from Greenacres residents in a zoning flip flop.
A motion to keep faith with a zone change the council granted in January 2005, and later nullified, died Tuesday in a 3 3 tie.
The motion might have passed except that Councilman Gary Schimmels was absent because of illness.
Schimmels voted March 4 to place the issue on this week agenda. He joined Mayor Rich Munson and council members Rose Dempsey and Bill Gothmann in calling for restoration of the lower development densities the council granted and took
You have viewed 20 free articles or blogs allowed within a 30 day period. FREE registration is now required for uninterrupted access. Contact Customer Service by fitflops email
or call 800 338 8801
The Spokane Valley City Council won give back the big yards it took from Greenacres residents in a zoning flip flop.
A motion to keep faith with a zone change the council granted in January 2005, and later nullified, died Tuesday in a 3 3 tie.
The motion might have passed except that Councilman Gary Schimmels was absent because of illness.
Schimmels voted March 4 to place the issue on this week agenda. He joined Mayor Rich Munson and council members Rose Dempsey and Bill Gothmann in calling for restoration of the lower development densities the council granted and took away.
don think we were honest with those people, and that troubles me more than anything, Schimmels said in March.
Munson, Dempsey and Gothmann voted Tuesday to ask the Planning Commission to recommend a comprehensive plan change that would allow the council to restore lower densities in the northern part of Greenacres in 2009.
Council members Diana Wilhite, Dick Denenny and Steve Taylor opposed the motion. Under council rules, a tie vote is defeated.
Munson pointed out that council members could have delayed the vote until Schimmels could participate, but proponents didn ask and opponents didn offer.
The issue is fitflops rooted in zoning regulations inherited from Spokane County when Spokane Valley was incorporated five years ago. The county had rezoned Greenacres and other areas to allow smaller lot sizes.
After incorporation, the City Council adopted the county zoning on an interim basis and angry Greenacres residents persuaded the council to restore the old zoning in the northern part of Greenacres the area bounded by Mission Avenue, Barker Road and the curving Spokane River.
But the city officials subsequently developed a new code fitflop austrlia that essentially took back the zone change and established development densities similar to those county commissioners had imposed.
Tuesday motion would have asked the Planning Commission to consider a comprehensive plan change that would rezone northern Greenacres from R3, with 7,500 square foot minimum lot sizes, to R2, with a 10,000 square foot minimum.
Munson warned audience members the motion was probably dead on arrival, but residents and developers still gave their views.
have changed, and many home buyers no longer want or can afford the 10,000 square foot minimum lot sizes that residents demanded, real estate salesman Eric House told the council.