Cannon Hill Park nomination advances amid council questions; Union Block nominated to local register
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Summary
Staff presented the Cannon Hill Park Historic District nomination and overlay ordinance — a neighborhood‑driven application in which 88% of returned ballots supported designation — and discussed Plan Commission concerns about timing and cumulative impacts of future districts.
Planning staff presented the Cannon Hill Park Historic District nomination and overlay ordinance and described the neighborhood‑driven nomination, the design standards and the ballot results from property owners.
Megan (staff) described the proposed overlay as an amendment to the Unified Development Code (zoning chapter 17) that would adopt district‑specific design standards. She said the district includes 191 properties, of which 180 are contributing resources built between about 1909 and 1958. The nomination included property ballots: 154 ballots were returned (80% return rate), 88% of returned ballots favored designation, and staff counted non‑returns and neutral ballots as no votes under the established process.
"We mailed, 191 ballots. We received 154 return ballots. Of those that actually returned ballots, 88% were in favor of creating the district," staff said. Staff said the overlay would review street‑facing exteriors for contributing properties and listed that certificates of appropriateness are not required for detached ADUs or freestanding garages.
Plan Commission and council concerns: Staff said the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission unanimously recommended designation and the Plan Commission recommended approval (with a dissenting opinion in the packet). Council members and staff discussed broader questions raised by the Plan Commission dissent: whether designation of multiple historic districts over time could affect housing supply and whether the city needs a formal process to prioritize which districts move forward and how they enter the Plan Commission work plan. One staff suggestion was to require any future district to be added to the Plan Commission work plan before proceeding.
Union Block nomination: City historic preservation staff also presented the Union Block (218 North Howard) nomination for listing on the Spokane Register of Historic Places. Staff described the building (built 1890), architect Hermann Proust and the building’s significance for post‑fire downtown commercial development. The Landmarks Commission unanimously recommended the Union Block for local listing.
Why it matters: Creation of a local historic district requires an overlay zone and design standards that will influence design review in the neighborhood. Council members asked for clarity about how the district designation process fits into the Plan Commission work plan and whether a pause or new process is needed for future districts.
Follow‑up: Council members and staff suggested preparing code or procedural clarifications to address where district nominations fit in the city’s planning work plan and how to balance preservation goals with housing supply objectives. Staff asked for council’s consideration of the Cannon Hill overlay ordinance and related design standards at a future meeting.
