Council hears code change to require replacement buildings after demolition in 'centers and corridors'; final vote not recorded in transcript

City historic-preservation staff presented an amendment on Feb. 3 to Spokane's Unified Development Code that would expand review of potentially historic buildings to designated "centers and corridors," require a replacement structure where eligible properties are demolished, and apply objective design standards for replacement buildings in compliance with 2023 Washington House Bill 1293.

Megan Duvall, the city's historic preservation officer, told the council the proposal is intended to reduce speculative demolition that leaves parking lots or vacant sites where historic buildings once stood. "We cannot deny demolition in centers and corridors," Duvall said. "Historically eligible buildings can be demolished but they have to be replaced." She said the ordinance would require permits and financial commitments for the replacement structure before a demolition permit could issue, and it would add objective standards for size and materials where state law requires them.

Duvall walked council members through the areas affected and offered property counts for the downtown boundary and three downtown National Register historic districts. Her inventory, as stated in council discussion, identified roughly 100 properties in the East Downtown district (76 contributing; 37 individually listed), 64 properties in the West Downtown district (49 contributing; 19 individually listed), and 16 properties in the Riverside Avenue district (14 contributing; 12 individually listed). She told the council that only a subset of contributing properties downtown would be subject to the proposed replacement-size cap and other objective limits.

The ordinance would not allow the city to deny demolition but would require building permits and a demonstrated financial commitment for a replacement structure prior to issuing a demolition permit for eligible properties. For downtown historic districts that overlap centers and corridors, the staff proposal initially included size limits intended to align with existing preservation objectives; the Planning Commission recommended changes to remove some of those caps and to modify footprint language. The Landmarks Commission and the Planning Commission offered competing recommendations on two points: the Plan Commission wanted the 200% cap and footprint language removed; the Landmarks Commission recommended keeping them.

Council members offered mostly cautious support while noting competing priorities for infill housing and preservation. One council member said the ordinance "strikes a good balance of protecting historic buildings" and protecting capacity for housing; another called the Plan Commission discussion "deep and good" and said the compromise was reasonable. Public comment included a resident who urged attention to downtown parking and noted that some existing parking lots serve older residents with mobility needs.

The hearing was closed and council discussion continued; however, the transcript excerpt does not record a final recorded roll-call adoption vote on the ordinance. Because a final adoption vote is not recorded in the provided transcript, the ordinance's final status cannot be determined from this record alone.

Clarifying details from staff testimony

- Replacement-permit requirement: staff said demolition permits would not be issued until a building permit and financial commitment for the replacement structure were in hand.

- Objective standards: for centers and corridors outside local historic-district controls the ordinance would limit review to objective standards (size and materials) to comply with state law; in locally regulated historic districts the full design-review process remains.

- Inventory numbers (as presented by staff): East Downtown — 100 properties total; 76 contributing; 37 individually listed on Spokane Register (24 non-historic); West Downtown — 64 properties total; 49 contributing; 19 individually listed (15 non-historic); Riverside Avenue — 16 properties total; 14 contributing; 12 individually listed (4 non-historic). Staff noted roughly 40 contributing historic properties in downtown are subject to the specific downtown provisions she discussed.

What the transcript records and what it does not

The meeting transcript records the staff presentation, public comment, and extended council discussion about the tradeoffs between protecting historic character and enabling infill housing. The transcript shows the public hearing was closed and the council debated Plan Commission and Landmarks Commission recommendations. The transcript excerpt does not include a final adoption vote (yes/no tally) on ordinance C-36-6-33, so this record does not confirm whether the council ultimately adopted the Plan Commission or Landmarks Commission version.

If and when the council records a final vote or posts adopted ordinance text, staff and the Historic Preservation Office should be consulted for the authoritative language, maps of affected centers and corridors, and a list of properties subject to the replacement requirements.

Provenance

This article is drawn from the Feb. 3, 2025 Spokane City Council legislative meeting transcript (presentation by Megan Duvall and the public hearing recorded under item H-2).