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New housing rules force Spokane County to re-check land capacity; alternatives will test zoning, UGA swaps
Summary
Consultants told attendees the county must now plan housing capacity by income band, not just overall units, and that this change requires reassessing future land use maps, urban growth area (UGA) boundaries and zoning. Scoping comments will inform alternatives that test different ways to meet housing, jobs and population targets.
Spokane County consultants told a public webinar that recent Growth Management Act changes mean the county must plan and show capacity for housing by income band, and that requirement is a principal reason the county is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as part of its 2026 comprehensive plan update.
The consultants said the shift from planning only for overall housing or population to planning by income band requires a detailed re-evaluation of the future land use map, urban growth areas (UGAs) and zoning capacity. That work will examine whether UGAs need boundary adjustments, whether targeted rezones are required, and how much realistic development capacity exists inside current urban…
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