[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6220677,"mediaKeyId","3616650-d1a7a83de6bbaf64168652fa80e8a483","parentId",3616650,"title","Commission hears update on economic development chapter; rent-control enforcement and outreach remain unresolved","audioSeconds",232,"startMs",2096000,"endMs",2328000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3616650-d1a7a83de6bbaf64168652fa80e8a483&start=2096&end=2328","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3616650-d1a7a83de6bbaf64168652fa80e8a483/thumbnail_2096000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6220677/Liberty-Lake/Spokane-County/Washington/Commission-hears-update-on-economic-development-chapter-rent-control-enforcement-and-outreach-remain-unresolved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220677-8a359a3aa76b86cd60e429bd9e86a859/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150918&Signature=PbjhrFEZNRCYNiZpxaE~Ot~FNp7vppebOpjdSjk4IYQFgXmiEkVlIPv8CDlZh94CsaJ20~GE4AvjYwmJDWMryy5235oU-w1GdZ6EoA1gf2B6p4ef~-g6WUmlDkcjToU3IbJ0l4cpvd7dP55cvjkhMzhKYzvWEaArtszq985pzwTqFqRbRNPIxoxkkEX~-T6E4s5UfMWC-jjTKPwufq3v0sq-z1~em8OHfHUBInzeblcaC0Mpu1WRXhLYZWcEYSW8P4VNrCOxO0lW~AsVRyyy505EqRRE1mWn8zJfEeooxJ7i8MoPMUie9IQyruhkbRLUXZ~ua7mNU2l3N4gM413C8g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Liberty Lake City, WA","date","2025-05-29T17:30:21Z","article","Planning staff told the commission the economic development chapter remains a work in progress and that staff is seeking more data to support a targeted, data-driven strategy. Director Key said she shared a recent Spokane employment analysis prepared by SCJ Alliance and asked the consultant to produce a similar local study for Liberty Lake; she said the city has not set a timetable for how council wants to proceed on economic-development strategy.

Commissioners raised the recent statewide rent-control law during the discussion of living-wage and housing topics. One commissioner asked who would enforce rent-control rules in Liberty Lake; Director Key said the enforcement path is unclear and likely depends on whether local housing authorities or regional entities take on enforcement. “I honestly, I don't know the answer to that,” Director Key said, noting Spokane Housing Authority might play a role but that enforcement likely will involve civil actions and could be resolved in court.

Why it matters: a local economic development strategy would guide investments and incentives; meanwhile, the new statewide rent-control law could affect housing stability and landlord-tenant dynamics in the city but lacks clear enforcement guidance at the local level.

Staff recommended monitoring court outcomes and the next legislative session to see how enforcement and implementation of the rent-control law are clarified. Commissioners did not direct immediate code changes on rent control at this meeting; staff said the housing element and implementation pages will remain under development and that they will bring an economic/employment analysis from SCJ Alliance when available.

The discussion did not produce a formal vote or change in the comp plan schedule.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission - May 28, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Staff updated the commission on an economic development chapter refresh and said SCJ Alliance will produce an employment analysis; commissioners discussed recent state rent-control legislation and uncertainty about who will enforce it locally.","taxTitle","Liberty Lake, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",52172,"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},6220681,"City staff outlines required development-code changes tied to state updates and periodic review",287,1394000,1681000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3616650-d1a7a83de6bbaf64168652fa80e8a483&start=1394&end=1681","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3616650-d1a7a83de6bbaf64168652fa80e8a483/thumbnail_1394000.jpg","/articles/6220681/Liberty-Lake/Spokane-County/Washington/City-staff-outlines-required-development-code-changes-tied-to-state-updates-and-periodic-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220681-cc67ce856fb086fc353fb119ec365f56/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150918&Signature=mHChe0DasmWjNflFrb1xuvaBmm23D~7nyTM~1wwXVRdTYwitc-I42YQs2GN1Vc9KwcxKnPbWT2JKWSo9qc~XolKmOgQajr7tnH~lgxWzFf2PgDQcqsHfVjpC0mEdRF4E4~Ci~UabYOFJUy09Xg1hP9pw3jvA3xCdtEgrTovmXPDpGNQxk2~PxXkhRhlCs75Rce~KihgUAPmvOwBca9pRXWEfKD8x4AweUmcOh5VYCP7qkHfjLryF10eP1PWa2taXPCUa6GeKNK~81FpG1lx2AjNCnQXfR4c3GEs~N1HWwyIhld9UjC64eY5xDjEUyZF35Q10NgxIy4nv5zzRQGuGmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Planning staff told the Liberty Lake Planning Commission that a range of development-code amendments will be required as part of the city’s periodic update work and state-driven changes.

Director Key summarized the checklist as informational: items include revisions to the critical areas ordinance, updated parking standards, limits on local conditions for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), revised standards for manufactured homes, procedures for unit-lot subdivisions, standards for organic-materials management (commercial composting), and impact-fee updates. “We know that we have to amend the limited use standards for ADUs,” Director Key said during the May 28 meeting.

Staff explained several specifics that will shape code updates. Impact-fee rules must offer an option to defer payment of residential impact fees until certificate of occupancy for single-family attached and detached units; staff said this change is driven by state law and is intended to accommodate construction financing practices. The city must also limit impact fees for ADUs to no more than 50% of the fee charged to the principal unit and ensure impact fees reflect proportionate trip-generation impacts by unit size.

Other items on the checklist include: clarifying standards for adequacy of public facilities for subdivisions and short plats; creating an administrative process for de minimis encroachments and expedited boundary-line adjustments; creating an explicit allowance for religious institutions to host people experiencing homelessness (camping or indoor shelter) or confirming existing coverage through shelter rules; and defining an emergency comprehensive-plan amendment process in the code.

Staff also said the city must include transportation concurrency and demand-management language in its transportation element and sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between local governments and tribes to protect tribal resources as part of countywide planning policy coordination. Director Key noted an MOA among tribes, the county and local jurisdictions was already in process at the countywide level.

Why it matters: many of these items are required by state law or periodic-update rules and will affect permit review, housing options, and fee collection. Several changes will require drafting objective standards, updating impact-fee methodology and coordinating with county and tribal partners.

No formal motions were recorded on these items at the meeting; staff presented the checklist as a preview of the code work that will follow adoption of the comprehensive plan updates.","Planning staff summarized a checklist of development-code amendments Liberty Lake must consider under state legislation and the periodic update grant, including ADU rules, impact-fee options, unit-lot subdivisions, composting standards and tribal MOA requirements.",{"_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},6220687,"Liberty Lake planning commission approves removal of redlines, will post updated land-use chapter draft",1128,190000,1318000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3616650-d1a7a83de6bbaf64168652fa80e8a483&start=190&end=1318","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3616650-d1a7a83de6bbaf64168652fa80e8a483/thumbnail_190000.jpg","/articles/6220687/Liberty-Lake/Spokane-County/Washington/Liberty-Lake-planning-commission-approves-removal-of-redlines-will-post-updated-land-use-chapter-draft","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6220687-f94ad83fffe2c5a0c26dd9869620fd26/orig.mp4?Expires=1771150918&Signature=UgYP0nxq8~OQu5YMaDM0FhcxlVhFmmr1Iporp6YKzt4iIQDKLq2AFq2niZpKMRbkBh4jyfuv89U60BczTQccpNO9QcY3qr302~Lx-rmxjga6vWpwz8sSrKZhI8ht3cQ7bSkJSXs1hVoHdiH0g8K~EVe9zutA9~LEgurB2dvKKCAPABPs-5YzeWIe~AHX~9DRpVqXOM3fUyR-ecwYPyzbOrHFGvXVrklDuqyP0c3dk2UA45natD2TtFwv3donKYYK5CqaYfiaPCdoGfkQn0xOkNH0ULDtLUuiJEVaRGFZJ3uSaQJqxI1-AfGgAj64qKEl4DjOVn~T6XTE~h5bSCvwzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Liberty Lake Planning Commission voted to remove redline tracking and post an updated draft of the comprehensive plan’s land-use chapter to the city website following a staff presentation on organizational and content updates.

The action, moved during the May 28 meeting, cleared the way for the city to publish a working draft while staff continues outreach and prepares related subelements for submission to the Washington State Department of Commerce. Director Key framed the update as a reorganization, saying the team “didn't make a lot of huge changes to it” but moved goals and policies into the land-use chapter and updated dated narrative and land-category descriptions.

The commission’s vote followed a 40-minute staff review that described four main edits: relocating goals and policies to be easier to find; updating residential land-use descriptions (including single-family, duplexes and townhomes); recognizing specific area plans (SAPs) as overlay-style guidance the city intends to codify later; and updating annexation history and population projections. Director Key said the land-use map has not been updated since a 2022 rezoning of the Meadowood Technology campus and staff debated whether to change the map date for historical clarity.

Why it matters: the reorganization is intended to make the comp plan easier for residents and reviewers to navigate and to set clearer cross-references between land use, housing, transportation and climate chapters. Posting the working draft begins a public engagement phase that staff said will feed subsequent code amendments and submittals required by state review.

Key next steps identified at the meeting include removing the redline markup and posting the draft online, continuing development-code amendments tied to the periodic update grant, and several public engagement events. Staff outlined a slate of outreach: a sign-code virtual open house in late May/early June, a transportation network analysis virtual town hall on June 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., a greenhouse-gas subelement workshop July 1 and a requested working-draft approval for submission to Commerce on July 15 (Commerce’s review period is 120 days). Staff also said SCJ Alliance is preparing an economic/employment analysis to add to the economic development chapter.

The commission approved the motion to remove redlines and post the draft; the mover was recorded in the transcript as “Dano,” and the motion passed by voice vote. The posting will allow stakeholders — utility providers, emergency services and the school district were listed — to review and comment ahead of formal submittal.

Less urgent details: staff said cross-references will be added to link land-use goals and policies to housing and transportation chapters, and that the city intends to codify design and setback variations for River District and Liberty Village through future zoning work. Staff also noted upcoming hearings and workshops on sign code and cohousing amendments, with a city-council workshop planned for September and a hearing in mid-September.

The commission did not take additional substantive edits at the meeting; staff will proceed with the public posting and the companion outreach schedule.","The Liberty Lake Planning Commission voted to remove redlines and post an updated draft of the comprehensive plan’s land-use chapter after staff outlined organizational and content changes and a public outreach schedule leading to formal submittal of several subelements this summer.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission hears update on economic development chapter; rent-control enforcement and outreach remain unresolved

City staff outlines required development-code changes tied to state updates and periodic review

Liberty Lake planning commission approves removal of redlines, will post updated land-use chapter draft