[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6334793,"mediaKeyId","2294185-ec1cc47f2ce86864c100be11a8afb82f","parentId",2294185,"title","Residents press Spokane County on West Plains flooding, aquifer protection and PFAS in workshop","audioSeconds",1188,"startMs",2632000,"endMs",3820000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2294185-ec1cc47f2ce86864c100be11a8afb82f&start=2632&end=3820","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2294185-ec1cc47f2ce86864c100be11a8afb82f/thumbnail_2632000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6334793/Spokane-County/Washington/Residents-press-Spokane-County-on-West-Plains-flooding-aquifer-protection-and-PFAS-in-workshop","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6334793-17dbc32828770bd49617c9c47c450bd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1776763192&Signature=M6BU2w7dbdvH7vP5kIxr8QTlR20PMyrz-WSQTIR1wT5xeVQOQe7AHdVX1l6xJqBem~tl1~rGTqwRTU81SfGOldQVg0LGjALtkdV7YKSDcJ3x1lsoO2Xr1u8rUDjxYfe~VeP8yEkq-Kd1ZGIzaKJ1URcxqbQ~kAD4Lm3V0iL2v8kSDdbIOUgwZCQizX3WgfxOmYMDE-wU8sNMHC2tRBm9zIthfGpahdnNOTAyRCSpgqomqGfr9mRzUpF~tWw4CwumazY1SxMemyk4kpC9JKL0NvJMX6u0ak4CX~MX3kPqay327l9w4qG1oLPKnBkoe-wRJ8Hnc9WgqYTW5RSgpKc~Sw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane County, WA","date","2025-02-13T04:26:25Z","article","Residents raised sustained concerns about groundwater contamination, private‑well PFAS impacts and subsurface flooding at a Spokane County placemaking workshop, pressing county planners to recognize discrete aquifer systems and include groundwater protections in the comprehensive plan.

Several attendees described long‑running local problems that they said must be reflected in the county’s planning maps and policies. Julie McHugh, identified as a Palisades neighborhood resident, told the workshop that “we've known about PFAS contamination since 2017,” and urged formal acknowledgement of a distinct shallow aquifer system that she said supplies thousands of private wells. Derek Warren, who described repeated flooding at his home, told staff his property floods “since the day it was built” and questioned why relevant drainage maps have not been available.

Why it matters: Attendees said development approvals, urban growth area boundaries and infrastructure investments have been made without visible accounting for subsurface conditions, leading residents to call for clearer mapping of high‑risk drainage areas, stronger wellhead protection policies and regional stormwater treatment. John Hancock, identified as representing the West Plains Water Coalition, said the coalition represents roughly 300 neighbors and centered its comments on preserving water and place as growth continues.

Multiple residents pointed to a “high‑risk drainage area” for the West Plains that they said originates in past technical studies and is not displayed clearly in county materials. One attendee referenced an earlier 2003 URS study and a 2005 Hangman Management Plan as prior technical work that, residents said, shows groundwater and spring connections to the Spokane River. Several speakers also told planners they have observed basement flooding and groundwater upwelling in summer months tied to subsurface conditions rather than surface runoff.

County staff acknowledged the concerns and asked residents to submit written comments and map annotations for staff to incorporate. Scott Chesney, the county planning director, said staff are aware of environmental and stormwater issues and that these topics will be folded into the plan’s goals and policies; in response to requests for maps, staff replied they “will be looking into that.” The consultant team advised residents that climate and resiliency analysis will use climate projections, hydrology data and public input to inform policy recommendations.

Attendees also criticized past spending and implementation. One resident said a planned regional stormwater treatment site and related investments identified in earlier planning had not materialized, and urged staff to account for that in future capital‑facilities planning. The workshop closed with county staff promising to compile the table maps and comments and present a public summary to the planning commission and the Board of County Commissioners for future action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Placemaking & Resiliency Community Event: West Plains 02.11.2025","oneSentenceSummary","At a Spokane County placemaking workshop, residents and neighborhood representatives urged planners to map and protect local aquifers, address PFAS contamination in private wells, and account for a West Plains high‑risk drainage area in future land‑use decisions.","taxTitle","Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2643,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6334796,"Spokane County opens comprehensive‑plan placemaking workshop; climate element, zoning rewrite on agenda",7113,253000,7366000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2294185-ec1cc47f2ce86864c100be11a8afb82f&start=253&end=7366","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2294185-ec1cc47f2ce86864c100be11a8afb82f/thumbnail_253000.jpg","/articles/6334796/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-County-opens-comprehensiveplan-placemaking-workshop-climate-element-zoning-rewrite-on-agenda","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6334796-5b54f36384c359da9f4f5d0efe35d9c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1776763192&Signature=cKLkg6RHEAlPvpRUO9Z-zCCNz6OErB0Y-696RMyluAa5n~T0mAQ0gGfVlTWxqYtJS95jUw~I8NWtTeo~KrbNQsu0i4AUxvGK4P0zA~aOvZfNbLLH6ld7V1VIM4HMyqn3kWwj1W~ggE0yIzYyqhdl2Hvq9tAjcYgoXh0UQs5WASsG90IkthrKBY0Bhkzm5~OIptWhMyJAvdLhbXW~H8AoiXtHDXGpYxZjD8SoHd5XjXeuSOW2U5BrnZnbsSJJZY8f-jrkDNJD7ZFuVGmkFANH~mRA06Gpb48eiiUbCXr0JA9Md6h-g1GXYaqt9lM8DgjhsQDEDW9oSYACl-vqK57wkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Spokane County planning staff and a consultant team hosted a public “placemaking” workshop to gather community input for the county’s 2026 comprehensive‑plan update that will include a legally required climate element and a major rewrite of development regulations.

The meeting, led by Spokane County Planning Director Scott Chesney and convened while county commissioners were in Olympia, focused on how the county should shape new neighborhoods, integrate climate resiliency and coordinate infrastructure investments as growth continues in and around current urban growth areas.

County staff said the comprehensive plan — last substantially written in 2001 and updated unevenly since — will be treated as a chance for a near “clean sheet” rewrite. “We want to learn how to build neighborhoods instead of just permitting subdivisions,” Chesney told the workshop. The rewrite will address the zoning code, subdivision ordinance, critical areas and shoreline management regulations, staff said.

Why it matters: Washington state law now requires counties that are fully planning under the Growth Management Act to include a climate element, and Spokane County officials said the element will be integrated throughout the plan rather than treated as an add‑on. Meg (Cascadia Consulting), who described her firm’s role, said the climate element will “be informed by data, looking at climate projections” and will aim to make the county more resilient while complying with state requirements. Staff said they are seeking a six‑month statutory extension to complete the work.

Workshop activities included a short presentation of placemaking principles, an interactive visual‑preference survey using photographs and aerial images, and table map exercises where attendees placed green stars on preferred features and red Xs on outcomes to avoid. Consultants and county planners described four focus interchange areas where the most intense development pressure is expected, and asked attendees to prioritize “must‑have” features for future development such as connectivity, stormwater management and neighborhood amenities.

Several consultants and county staff introduced the outreach plan and next steps. Bob Baker (Baker Architecture), Matt Covert (senior planner with FAS|TE), and Tom Parker (communications lead) were among those identified as part of the consultant team helping run the exercises and gather input. Staff said they will summarize the map exercises and survey results for the planning commission and planning groups, and return for follow‑up public sessions. Chesney told attendees the team will brief the Board of County Commissioners and that the first formal board briefing is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 24.

Attendees included residents, neighborhood council members and long‑time county land‑use professionals who were asked to mark priorities for streets, parks, trail connections and design features. The exercise produced a mix of preferences across images of traditional main streets, grid‑based neighborhoods, and more auto‑oriented commercial corridors; county staff said that mix will inform draft policies and the development‑regulation rewrite.

The workshop concluded with staff asking attendees to leave marked maps and promising a public summary and more sessions in the coming weeks. Chesney said staff will take written comments and incorporate them into the next round of plan materials to be presented to decision makers.","Spokane County planning staff and consultants led a community placemaking workshop to gather public input on a 2026 comprehensive‑plan update that will include the county’s first climate element and a rewrite of development regulations, county officials said.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents press Spokane County on West Plains flooding, aquifer protection and PFAS in workshop

Spokane County opens comprehensive‑plan placemaking workshop; climate element, zoning rewrite on agenda