Spokane council amends code on facade modulation, defers and reschedules ordinances, hears eviction‑prevention subcontract briefing

The Spokane City Council passed a technical amendment to a zoning code proposal that changes facade modulation requirements, approved a technical adjustment to a contract authorization amount, deferred and rescheduled multiple ordinances for future hearings, and heard a staff briefing on an eviction‑prevention subcontract facing timing and staffing challenges.

Policy Advisor Chris Wright told the council the proposed amendment to OPR2025‑0037 on the consent agenda required a technical change to increase the not‑to‑exceed amount from $149,000 to $250,000; the council moved to amend the agenda language and the motion passed after members said “aye.” Wright said the change was a technical correction to the amount listed on the agenda.

City staff briefed the council on eviction‑prevention subcontracts. Carrie Cedarquist reported that Community/Human Services (CHHS) asked to defer a vote on one of three new subcontracts after the subrecipient disclosed its budget had been structured for nine months instead of six and that hiring delays were limiting capacity. Cedarquist said the subrecipient revised its budget, shifting some operational dollars into rental assistance to speed spending, and that staff had offered technical assistance and process support. “I would say a high level of confidence,” Cedarquist told the council when asked whether staff believed the subcontract could proceed if approved and monitored.

The council approved a request from Council Member Navarrete to defer Ordinance 36630 to the February 10 meeting so members could consider an amendment adding translator and interpretation services to city recruiting language. The council also moved the hearing for Ordinance 36633 (historic preservation) to February 3 because that date had already been legally published as a hearing date.

A separate amendment to Ordinance 36629, concerning code language tied to garage standards and facade modulation, passed after staff clarified that the change was largely technical. The council adopted language that reduces the number of modulation features required to one while retaining a 30‑foot modulation trigger; staff said the revision was intended to simplify compliance language and maintain street‑fronting design standards.

The council approved the February 27 agenda and draft agendas for February 3 and February 10. It then entered a 30‑minute executive session for potential litigation; the council reconvened and recorded that no action was taken and the chamber went into recess until 6 p.m.

The record provided does not show roll‑call vote tallies for these motions; for several items the clerk called for “Aye” and the chair recorded the motion as passed or deferred.