Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Growth Management Compliance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Growth Management Hearings Board finds Spokane County in compliance; staff mark end of multi‑year litigation
Summary
Planning staff told commissioners the Growth Management Hearings Board dismissed the county's last open case (CPA 16‑04), bringing Spokane County into compliance with the Growth Management Act for the first time in two decades, according to staff.
Spokane County planning staff announced that the Growth Management Hearings Board issued an order this week dismissing the county's last remaining challenge identified in CPA 16‑04, and staff said that result brings the county into compliance with the Growth Management Act for the first time in about 20 years.
Director Scott Chesney told the Planning Commission that the order follows years of work on multiple cases and that planning and legal staff, together with mediation and negotiations, addressed numerous criteria from the 2016 settlement. "For the first time in 20 years, Spokane County is in compliance with the growth management act," Chesney said.
Why it matters: compliance with the Growth Management Act affects the county's authority to adopt and implement its comprehensive plan and related capital facilities plans. Staff said the 2016 settlement involved multiple litigation matters and that the most recent order resolved the final outstanding compliance item after adjustments including linking the county's capital facilities plan to the comprehensive plan.
Details from staff Chesney said that the county addressed items raised in the earlier proceedings, including consistency checks and plan provisions. He identified the case by its internal reference, "CPA 16 o 4," and credited staff and counsel for bringing the county into compliance. Commissioners acknowledged staff work on the multi‑year effort; staff singled out planner Jess (staff member) for leading many of the follow‑up tasks.
Next steps and context Staff said the county will continue work on implementation tasks linked to the comprehensive plan and on the upcoming EIS alternatives and scoping work. The compliance order removes a litigation barrier to advancing the county's comprehensive‑plan process, staff said.
Ending Commissioners and staff characterized the order as an important administrative milestone and said they will continue to coordinate remaining planning steps now that the compliance order is final.
