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County planning staff back ‘A prime’ methodology and request $350,000 planning grant signature
Summary
Planning staff recommended the steering committee’s ‘A prime’ methodology for housing allocations by income bands and asked the board to accept a Planning Update Grant (PUG) first‑half contract for $350,000; staff also said Spokane County will seek a six‑month extension to the June 30, 2026 comprehensive plan deadline.
Spokane County planning staff briefed the Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 7 about the county’s approach to allocating housing units by income bands under new state guidance and asked the board to accept a first‑half Planning Update Grant contract worth $350,000.
Planning staff said the steering committee recommended a modified version of Method A—referred to in the briefing as “A prime”—which uses Office of Financial Management (OFM) projections and allocates lower‑income bands away from rural areas and into urban growth areas. "This is not the allocation themselves, it is only the methodology," a county planning staff member said; the methodology will be used to calculate per‑community allocations that local jurisdictions must allow by development regulations.
Staff described three earlier approaches (A, B and a Commerce-modified A) and said the steering committee selected A prime because it avoids assigning lower‑income bands to rural communities where the steering committee considered them inappropriate. Staff explained that the methodology does not compel a jurisdiction to build units immediately but requires development regulations that would allow such housing if market and development conditions occur.
Planning staff also said Spokane County will request a six‑month extension—pushed to Dec. 31, 2026—from the June 30, 2026 deadline for comprehensive plan adoption; staff said Commissioner French will lead a multi‑county legislative request and that counties in the same cycle typically receive extensions.
Finally, staff asked the board to authorize the chair to sign the first half of a PUG (Planning Update Grant) contract with the Washington State Department of Commerce for $350,000; staff said consultants have proceeded at risk while the contract process was delayed.
No formal vote was recorded at the briefing; staff asked the board to receive the steering committee’s recommendation and execute the administrative step of signing the grant contract when it reaches the board for formal action.
