Residents urge caution over hillside development, cite fire, evacuation and wildlife concerns

Several residents of the Bella Lago neighborhood used the city’s public-comment period Tuesday to press the City Council and staff to scrutinize a proposed development above their homes, citing fire-safety, evacuation and wildlife concerns and what they described as poor communications with the developer.

"Some of the big overriding issues for our development is the fact that it's one of safety, particularly fire safety and the ability to vacate our neighborhood in a safe manner," said Dave Barker, who identified himself as "one of the many representatives of the Bella Lago Homeowners Association." Barker said the existing subdivision has about 16 lots and that the application before county or city review proposes roughly 21 additional lots.

That combination of lots would push the total over a threshold Barker and other residents cited from Spokane County’s 2018 road-construction standards that, residents said, require a second…