The Spokane Valley Planning Commission voted to approve findings and recommendations asking the City Council to remove the home-business permit fee exemption from Title 19 of the municipal code while preserving the exemption elsewhere, such as in another code chapter or the master fee schedule.

The recommendation formalizes the commission’s Sept. 11 public-hearing position on code text amendment CTA-2025-0001 and directs staff to forward the approved findings to council. Levi Basinger, a city planner, told the commission staff prepared the draft findings to reflect the commission’s earlier vote and to give council the option of reinstating the exemption outside Title 19.

The action matters because it changes where the city will record the home-business permit fee exemption rather than removing the exemption entirely. The commission’s recommendation asks that the exemption remain available to qualifying home businesses but appear outside the zoning chapter identified in the amendment.

Staff presented the draft findings and recommendations already included in the commission packet and described the amendment as a change to Spokane Valley Municipal Code section 19.65.180(a) tied to CTA-2025-0001. Levi Basinger said the draft formalizes the commission’s prior direction that the exemption be removed from Title 19 but preserved either in another chapter of the municipal code or through the master fee schedule.

Commissioners discussed wording and confirmed the recommendation’s scope. Commissioner Kelly (first reference: Commissioner Kelly) clarified on the record that the commission was recommending removal of the exemption from its current location while asking council to reinstate the exemption elsewhere. The commission moved, seconded and approved the findings and recommendation; the record shows the motion carried following an aye vote.

The planning commission’s vote sends the findings to the City Council for its review and final decision. The council will consider the commission’s recommendation as part of its code-amendment process; no council action was taken at the planning commission meeting.