Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transit Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Advocates warn county purchase of Fairgrounds parcel could block future commuter rail staging
Summary
A Spokane Valley transit advocate told commissioners that buying county property adjacent to the Fairgrounds for parking could foreclose future commuter rail staging and maintenance opportunities; he urged prioritizing transit access over additional parking.
During the July 22 open public forum, Eric Lowe, co‑executive director of Spokane Reimagined, urged the county not to purchase a parcel near the Fair and Expo Center for additional parking, arguing the parcel is better reserved for future regional commuter rail staging and maintenance.
Lowe said the Fair and Expo Center advisory board’s visualization showed the parcel as two‑thirds parking and that pursuing parking would “foreclose the opportunity for Spokane Transit Authority to eventually provide commuter rail service” between Cheney and Sandpoint over the long term. He described a cluster of STA‑owned parcels near Union Pacific rights of way and noted the strategic value of a parcel between the Fairgrounds and the rail yard for a staging and maintenance center.
Lowe urged county leaders to prioritize transit service and said the purchase would not be for athletic facilities but would “foreclose that opportunity in the future.” The comment was offered as public testimony; commissioners did not take formal action on the matter during the meeting, and no county staff presentation on the parcel purchase was included in the transcript.
