Spokane County launches placemaking, resiliency charrettes as part of 2026 comprehensive plan update

Spokane County planning staff told the Planning Commission on Jan. • that it will use a series of public charrettes and an updated policy “pattern language” to guide a 2026 rewrite of the county comprehensive plan and associated development regulations.

The planning presentation, led by Scott Chesky of county planning staff, said the effort aims to “build neighborhoods rather than just plat subdivisions” by integrating land use, transportation, infrastructure and public space in three priority areas: the West Plains, the North Mead corridor and the East Valley. Chesky described the charrettes as hands‑on workshops that will inform policy options and later regulatory changes.

Chesky said the county will run three public workshops in February, take public feedback into March and return in April with refined alternatives. The county’s goal is to convert that feedback into a “pattern language” of policies and then draft development regulations in 2026. “When we’re rewriting our regs that have really not been touched in 20 years, 25 years, we want to use that to promote growth, promote quality development in our neighborhoods,” Chesky…