[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6227960,"mediaKeyId","3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617","parentId",3478277,"title","Resident seeks changes to Medical Lake critical areas rules; commission defers substantive review to periodic‑update timeline","audioSeconds",4358,"startMs",132000,"endMs",4490000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617&start=132&end=4490","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617/thumbnail_132000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6227960/Medical-Lake/Spokane-County/Washington/Resident-seeks-changes-to-Medical-Lake-critical-areas-rules-commission-defers-substantive-review-to-periodicupdate-timeline","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227960-9c5e6c543b44a873cb0dfba46c51a0f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165471&Signature=kc09UaZAo4sfNBcwcjSmoOCl9IFEje8PgNzVRnQP-eOTLVfnuBsaqarQwkDMTSTwnHCrFc9OlYdezYXuHiswe4V2SnLy1lXH0lSnd~VpJlKdvab2vNoSe8Y~qhqnLTcJdeK5Ogs1TIFdSkSZaQz86yxPvLoV8zBAbWBF8m5EOLhGK4goslP~oGNmza-PC~gvbItOI-EQKZON5Jzp-KmFhplKZRUd9zCj8edkelw6ditPYmvHjBFK7V-W-0klQBcmQ7hPLYGX82RzC7zdHHGWicu6jXB~ESU~92wLtG6WrEl98Z8Y4Hpd2KUFkvQtExlDHW5pIWwfqCG4kSrbHzQgkA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Medical Lake, WA","date","2025-05-24T00:56:59.19Z","article","Tammy Robertson, a resident and frequent participant in planning matters, asked the commission to place eight proposed amendments to the city's critical areas ordinance (CAO) on the June planning‑commission agenda and to revisit language she said would have prevented problems she described in a recent subdivision application.

Robertson said the concern was not the amount of money involved but ‘‘the principle behind it’’ that taxpayers should not subsidize third‑party review costs for private development. She also disputed consultant findings about the function and fragmentation of a wetland near a proposed project and said the city paid $355 of third‑party fees that she argued should have been charged to the applicant.

‘‘This outdated process must be changed so that the city charges actual costs versus perceived costs,’’ Robertson told commissioners. She asked to be placed on the June agenda to present her eight amendments and to have the steering committee include ordinary residents.

Commissioners and staff responded that the city is required to examine critical areas and development regulations as part of the state periodic‑update process and that the current schedule calls for development‑regulation work to begin in June of next year, with final adoption due by the state deadline in December 2026. Staff said the city adopted its most recent CAO amendment in 2023 and that the next comprehensive review will be part of the periodic update process required by the state.

At the meeting commissioners voted to defer detailed work on CAO amendments to the staff timeline tied to the periodic update, with a commitment to readdress the matter as part of the larger update. One commissioner said the commission should follow staff's schedule unless an urgent application or event requires an earlier review.

Procedural dispute: Robertson also said she had evidence the new chair and vice chair were known before the meeting started and suggested that this might raise an open‑meetings concern; commission members said they would look into the claim. Staff and commissioners said they did not intend to violate open‑public‑meeting rules and that appointments and code work would follow established processes.

What happened next: Commissioners approved a motion to readdress CAO and other development regulations under the periodic‑update timeline rather than advance an immediate, stand‑alone amendment package. Staff said they will bring development‑regulation drafts and briefings to the commission as part of the periodic‑update schedule beginning next June.

Taper: Robertson and commissioners agreed to continue the conversation in upcoming meetings as staff finalizes the periodic‑update checklist and land‑capacity analysis required by the state.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission","oneSentenceSummary","Tammy Robertson, a Medical Lake resident, asked the planning commission to place eight proposed amendments to the city's critical areas ordinance on the June agenda, citing disputed wetland findings and taxpayer payments for consultant work.","taxTitle","Medical Lake, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",61153,"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},6227962,"Medical Lake launches comprehensive plan update, wins $125,000 state grant and extends deadline to 2026",694,566000,1260000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617&start=566&end=1260","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617/thumbnail_566000.jpg","/articles/6227962/Medical-Lake/Spokane-County/Washington/Medical-Lake-launches-comprehensive-plan-update-wins-125000-state-grant-and-extends-deadline-to-2026","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227962-abc66f2f95a8ed75af7ddd3b5b37e65e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165471&Signature=G92X8hVKNy2xcI552bAr-G1cr4wk7lUrxa0Xln4bK2uDSIFbickh8~3RW6bmiqBwNowc3p9VEZTBlKAg7lJz-41uVAaSMW-yhbxwSXVx8A1umlXtkxKVbTUTTSPH4loco5GLfXpy-fpgDk6kiUprMQJVSnG0g~ijWODg0vuTLHQMU86VxZ-Cf94onaBz4ve-q23TML-WY9gVcEF8M8OAdBMhZ0Kd1NnT6EJm5rzYt0nvaClHGqUWT5am09hPiwc6LAOeqNk8orGThlDnctvuqPTtV5OtPrdBdH1auN4rafHbmQNhe8ml2iv-X7yFCrzQzHEcM5rnv23gelcbVueL3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Alisa, a city staff member overseeing planning, told the Medical Lake Planning Commission that the city has begun a two‑year update of its comprehensive plan and has been awarded a noncompetitive grant of $125,000 from the state to support the work.

The update will meet new state timelines after recent legislation extended the periodic‑update deadline to the end of 2026, Alisa said. ‘‘We just got an extension for everything to be due at the end of 2026,’’ she said. The work will proceed in phases: initial outreach and visioning, concept and storyboard development, drafting, screening and adoption. Staff must also submit a state checklist and the final land‑capacity analysis by June 13.

The grant is split across two state biennia, Alisa said: ‘‘We first have our 62,500 that we have for this first year, and then we get another 62,500 for the following year.’’ She said some consultant costs for communications and public engagement will come from the grant and that her own staff time will cover additional work.

Why it matters: the comprehensive plan sets policy guidance and informs zoning and development regulations. Alisa said the project will also feed into a separate development‑code update that the city expects to complete later in the process.

Staff outlined a public‑engagement program that includes a steering committee (which includes a planning commission representative), a participation plan, a series of in‑person popups (Founders Day on June 21 was cited as a firm date) and online tools. Two anonymous surveys are already live on the city website, and staff said the city will post a weekly social media question to broaden input. Alisa described the outreach as layered: steering committee review, community engagement, planning commission check‑ins, and iterative revisions.

Alisa said staff hopes for a relatively strong response for a city of Medical Lake's size and offered benchmarks: ‘‘For a community the size of Medical Lake, about 5,000, I think... a hundred responses would be really effective.’’ She also noted the local employment base that draws nonresidents into the city daily: ‘‘There's 1,750 employees rolling in and out of Medical Lake on a daily basis to Eastern State Hospital and Lakeland Village.’’

Alisa explained required technical deliverables: the state checklist (a detailed inventory of statutory requirements), the land‑capacity analysis (which records whether current zoning can accommodate the state‑assigned population growth for the next 20 years) and a two‑part work plan for the plan and development code. ‘‘One of the things I'm required to do by the state is called a checklist... it's due June 13,’’ she said.

Commissioners asked about outreach channels and survey distribution; Alisa said the surveys will appear in the utilities newsletter, on Facebook and on the comprehensive‑plan web page and that the steering‑committee members (school district and major employers) will share the engagement opportunities through their own newsletters and networks.

Alisa added that staff contracted a communications consultant to develop a communications playbook paid in part from grant funds: ‘‘Part of this year's grant funds is covering the cost of our communications plan. We have a communications consultant that's helping the city draw up this plan to really strategize and... create a playbook, toolkit for communications.’’

Next steps: staff will complete required submittals to the Department of Commerce by June 13, continue steering‑committee meetings and public outreach through late 2025 and begin the development‑code drafting that will follow the adopted comprehensive plan. The adoption process will include planning commission recommendation and a city‑council ordinance and hearing schedule.

Alisa said the city intends to aim for adoption of the comprehensive plan before the end of 2026 and to complete development‑code work thereafter. ‘‘I'm relatively confident we can get that development code finished by the end of the year of 2026,’’ she said.

Taper: staff encouraged commissioners and residents to fill out the surveys, attend outreach events and to check the comprehensive‑plan web page for summaries of public input.","Alisa, a city staff member overseeing planning, told the Medical Lake Planning Commission that the city has begun a two‑year update of its comprehensive plan and has been awarded a noncompetitive grant of $125,000 from the state to support the work.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6227951,"Commission begins discussion of design standards; continues item to next meeting",213,3603000,3816000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617&start=3603&end=3816","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617/thumbnail_3603000.jpg","/articles/6227951/Medical-Lake/Spokane-County/Washington/Commission-begins-discussion-of-design-standards-continues-item-to-next-meeting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227951-c9d441e6c8b9e842d9216be61e632d8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165471&Signature=Aj~99Z2GWVQzfYcuIoTTEJVrcJHryf0uzV9nxZ~15WdQp43bbsbFs8X5waogrvQwUqO6QE01isBPGVM-gmTlBgSoG-vuQcMw5Yn0xju7BVi5~nnJ5HC3Bywo7KUSkzMG31Py1T3O2wTdoOcy4LaUpcB-s6baBZXwaBEnCu9dr8MRuKnTw7csrFRh5qYujYL5MwVXIQVDibGSEAQKZHlEbzvXwuZUr6qmb3mOfWXWlm~bmGD38whWHfP9R3rATNIKMVaDf4SyNeLXJZYMFP9dv6jUc47G3MLabszaayORUSPHtyrIvwR1Zy6OY2quh9TixvYM3rfXH6o5UtQR~sjXxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners raised the possibility of introducing design standards for new development and redevelopment in Medical Lake, and they agreed to continue the conversation at the next meeting after additional review.

One commissioner noted many Washington towns already use design standards and suggested the city review model language; another commissioner recommended examining Snohomish and Pilchuck (Snohomish County) examples. ‘‘Very few do not have design standards. I think we're one of those very few,’’ a commissioner said.

Members acknowledged questions about how standards would apply in older neighborhoods and about whether standards should be limited to new development or apply broadly. The commission made a motion to continue the design‑standards discussion at the next meeting and approved that motion.

Taper: Staff and commissioners plan to review sample codes and return with materials to guide a future decision.","Commissioners reviewed the idea of adopting design standards for new development, compared other jurisdictions' approaches and agreed to continue the discussion at the next meeting after additional review of example documents.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6227955,"Planning commission weighs renaming Coney Island Park; parks staff to be consulted",250,3160000,3410000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617&start=3160&end=3410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3478277-b79b5172c654bd2da4253d257b86c617/thumbnail_3160000.jpg","/articles/6227955/Medical-Lake/Spokane-County/Washington/Planning-commission-weighs-renaming-Coney-Island-Park-parks-staff-to-be-consulted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227955-8ebfeb9b7773bc21377dc687764dcc33/orig.mp4?Expires=1771165471&Signature=Btb-nqfV~d43y5X3Wv312aUCehLPbkfRaqT-GmALSKVC74-tGah3zndfQTVA5gYBKhWmtgToO~GLI-KqyXgZ5AyEcapPrZ1auTWi5l2I-rRUpayziW-ftrOW~w6hgyI5JVDp19S3cOGtSVEv89kIYGhwA7p8iljCzs-11jSKLDO3K3UgO5Z2iRh7k9eKuFBKiMr0yu~jNSIr4pVrSrstsfNW542RNIpdaczXxb6DaNFClzDc6CKbib0IujRjw~l5GcjQdTp7CuaMsCGR1GFIOP7OCUnAopi0~rClV8dV4WeDNO6EXZFVp8VqXuB8ADbVD8g6lBbONEefkxGxujC0Og__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners discussed a resident proposal to consider renaming the city's small downtown open space, currently known as Coney Island Park.

One commissioner said the current name felt ‘‘misplaced’’ and suggested alternatives including Downtown Park, Lake Street Park and LaFe Park. Commissioners and staff noted that changing a park name is a larger undertaking involving Parks & Recreation and community sentiment. ‘‘I think it's a lot of work to change the name of a landmark in the city, but, it's not impossible,’’ one commissioner said.

Members asked staff to consult the Parks & Recreation advisory body and return with their views. Commissioners agreed a community survey or discussion with Parks & Recreation would be an appropriate next step rather than advancing a recommendation immediately.

Taper: The item will be carried to a future meeting after staff and Parks & Recreation provide input.","Commissioners discussed whether to recommend renaming Coney Island Park after a commissioner raised alternative names; members agreed to consult Parks & Recreation and report back rather than pursue an immediate change.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident seeks changes to Medical Lake critical areas rules; commission defers substantive review to periodic‑update timeline

Medical Lake launches comprehensive plan update, wins $125,000 state grant and extends deadline to 2026

Commission begins discussion of design standards; continues item to next meeting

Planning commission weighs renaming Coney Island Park; parks staff to be consulted