Commissioners delay decision on Beacon Avenue/Yale Street vacation after public testimony; engineer recommends vacating Beacon but keeping Yale

The Spokane County Board of Commissioners on April 1 opened a public hearing on a county-engineer petition to vacate Beacon Avenue and a portion of Yale Street (County Engineer’s Road file 2316). County engineering staff recommended vacating the east–west sections of Beacon Avenue while retaining the north–south Yale Street right of way for possible future connectivity.

County engineer Matt Cericore told the board that "it is the recommendation of our office that we keep Yale and vacate Beacon Avenue," citing available alternative access for lots and long‑term circulation planning as the basis for retaining Yale. Cericore also said legal counsel advised that any code violations on private property should be given little weight in the vacation decision.

Several nearby residents opposed vacating Yale and described nuisance conditions and hazardous accumulation of junk and vehicle traffic in the right-of-way. Toby Brewer testified on behalf of neighbors and said, "Please don't vacate Yale Street," adding that family members own parcels that would lose effective access if Yale were vacated. Carol Knowles described diesel smells, piled shipping containers and vehicle wrecking near Beacon and said additional right-of-way would permit further expansion of what she described as an existing junkyard.

After closing public testimony, commissioners and staff discussed an inconsistency between the petition language and the engineer’s recommendation (the petition references "a portion of Yale Street" while staff recommended retaining Yale). To ensure the resolution matches the recommendation and public intent, the commission continued the matter and will take action on April 15. A commissioner said the delay was to ensure "the resolution clearly reflects the intent." No final vacation resolution was adopted on April 1.

County staff noted the right-of-ways in question are largely unopened and not improved as county-maintained roadways; vacating Beacon would typically split title of the vacated area to adjoining property owners per the original plat dedication. Staff also said vacating Beacon would not preclude future private or public access arrangements for development, but retaining Yale preserves a north–south corridor the county might want for future circulation.

The commission invited further review and will return the item to the agenda on April 15 with clarified resolution language.