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Spokane council debates ordinance to set siting rules for inclement‑weather centers and emergency housing
Summary
Council discussion and public testimony focused on a draft ordinance, Ordinance C36692, that would codify siting and “good neighbor” practices for warming centers, emergency and transitional housing; councilmembers diverged on exemptions for small scattered‑site shelters and on how much neighborhood notice and enforcement the city should require.
The Spokane City Council spent extended time debating Ordinance C36692, a proposal described in the meeting as “codifying best practices for siting and activation of inclement weather centers and emergency and transitional housing facilities.” The ordinance would add a new code section and amend multiple Spokane Municipal Code sections to formalize activation triggers and neighborhood engagement for shelters and warming centers.
Council members and dozens of public commenters said the measure matters because it affects where shelters and scattered‑site programs locate in neighborhoods and how nearby residents are notified. Public commenter Derek Azaro said the draft removes a prior 1,000‑foot buffer and “took away the protection for the kids at the school,” adding that the new language could place shelters “within a thousand feet of a school.” Larry Andrews, a resident and business owner, urged temporary tent and housing options on county land, a proposal the council president said had been examined…
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