Residents at Spokane County workshop say outreach was inadequate and trust is low

Several residents who attended Spokane County’s placemaking workshop told planners they had not received clear or timely notice about the event and said outreach should be broader.

"I only found out this was tonight because my friend texted me," one resident said during a public comment period, and multiple attendees said they had signed up for updates previously but did not receive notices. A participant identified as the clerk of the planning commission said the commission is updating a contact list to improve communication with developers and other stakeholders.

County consultants and staff described existing outreach channels — county web pages, QR codes on posters, social media posts and local news outreach — and acknowledged "some weird hiccups" with the project mailing list. A county presenter urged attendees to follow the Spokane County page and share notices on community pages and invited attendees to take QR‑coded flyers to distribute to neighbors.

Workshop attendees suggested additional methods of outreach, including mailed postcards to affected neighborhoods and targeted school messaging. Several residents said weak notification reduces willingness to participate: "It makes people not wanna participate. They don't trust the government," a participant said.

County staff said the placemaking workshops are only one part of a broader public‑engagement program tied to the EIS and comp plan update and that additional public meetings — including rural open houses — and online comment windows are scheduled during the scoping period.