Spokane planners pitch interim ordinance to remove downtown height limits to spur housing

Spencer, a Plan Commission member, told the Spokane Plan Commission on Feb. 12 that city staff and elected leaders are evaluating an interim zoning ordinance that would remove height limits across downtown zoning districts to accelerate housing and private investment.

The proposal would extend existing areas of downtown that currently have no height cap across all downtown zones for a defined interim period while the city’s comprehensive‑plan update considers permanent policy. “The proposal ... to use an interim zoning ordinance to remove height limits in downtown zones for development,” Spencer said.

Supporters argue an interim step could prompt quicker private investment while larger policy work proceeds through the comprehensive‑plan process. “The goal was let's do this as an interim ordinance. We'll let it be in place for a period while we're discussing more permanent, a more permanent solution through the comprehensive plan process,” Spencer said. The presentation emphasized the measure is intended to be temporary and to feed into the longer comprehensive‑plan discussion.

Commissioners asked staff whether removing height limits would affect downtown view protections and special districts. Spencer said the proposal would preserve specific protections such as the courthouse view corridor and other special provisions. “It would not affect those special provisions,” he said. Commissioners also asked whether the change would override special height rules in parts of Main Avenue; staff said they would research whether any special Main‑Street caps remain in effect.

Commissioners discussed whether the change is responding to specific developer interest. Spencer said the ordinance would remove regulatory barriers but that staff were not aware of active developer proposals tied to the change. He also pointed to prior planning work: a separate study considered raising a 100‑foot limit on Spokane Falls Boulevard to higher levels several years ago but the City Council did not act on that recommendation.

Staff mapped the geographic scope as generally south of the river to the freeway and from Division to Maple, including portions of the North Bank and the arena area where downtown zoning applies. The commission heard that any permanent change would require comprehensive‑plan updates and a full review through the plan commission and city council processes, and that timing was the main reason for proposing an interim ordinance.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the interim ordinance at this meeting; Spencer asked members to consider the proposal as part of the comprehensive‑plan discussion and to provide feedback to staff.