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County to seek renewal of Aquifer Protection Area; City of Spokane poised to rejoin and West Plains options discussed
Summary
Staff recommended the renewal of the county's Aquifer Protection Area (APA) with precinct adjustments and the possible addition of the City of Spokane. The board discussed timetable choices (August vs. November), whether to pursue a separate West Plains APA, and municipal engagement to define boundaries.
Spokane County staff proposed renewing the county’s Aquifer Protection Area (APA) and recommended adding the City of Spokane to the district on a ballot measure as early as August 2025, depending on municipal decisions.
Why it matters: The APA funds water‑related monitoring, planning and infrastructure via a per‑parcel assessment (an equivalent residential unit). Staff said renewing the APA and adding the city could generate roughly $200,000 a year at the indicated per‑parcel rates in a larger West‑Plains expansion scenario but stressed revenue projections change with precinct boundaries and municipal participation.
Staff recommended retaining the existing per‑parcel rate and making limited precinct adjustments on the APA edges (removing about 2,500 parcels that provide little recharge to the aquifer). They also outlined a separate, larger West Plains map that would add about 10,000 parcels including Airway Heights and noted that a West Plains APA could be proposed as a distinct measure; staff advised reaching out to West Plains municipalities (Airway Heights, Spokane Valley, Cheney and others) to determine local interest and jurisdictional inclusion before moving forward.
Timing and process: The county attorney’s office and elections staff advised renewal language may be permissible because the precincts proposed have previously been part of an APA; staff recommended targeting an August ballot to align with municipal calendars but noted the City of Spokane’s and Spokane Valley’s own ballot schedules could create unavoidable overlaps. Staff proposed a notice of public hearing and return to the board with ballot language by the deadlines set by the auditor/elections office.
Ending: Commissioners asked staff to begin municipal outreach on the West Plains option and to proceed with notice and ballot preparation for the APA renewal and City of Spokane addition, keeping flexibility to adjust precinct inclusion as municipalities finalize decisions.
