Spokane Valley begins comprehensive plan update, flags housing shortfall and wildfire risk

The Spokane Valley Planning Commission on July 10 opened a yearlong update of the city's comprehensive plan that will add a climate element, address state-mandated housing requirements and include a vulnerability assessment that identifies wildfire and smoke as the city's highest climate risks, city planner Steve Roberge said.

The update will guide future zoning and development code changes and will be paired with a State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) environmental impact statement, Roberge told commissioners. He said staff and a consultant team will move through an audit-and-analysis phase into policy development this year, with a draft comprehensive plan assembled in January and a planning commission recommendation expected around March; staff said they are targeting adoption in mid-2026 while noting the state has offered an extension of the statutory deadline.

Why it matters: the update responds to recent state law changes and countywide policy shifts that require local governments to plan for specific housing types and income levels, add a climate resiliency element and bring local codes into compliance. Those changes could require higher residential densities, adjustments to critical-area protections and specific mitigation measures to address wildfire and smoke exposure, city staff said.

Roberge outlined the project schedule and major components. The work is organized into phases: an audit/analysis phase that staff said is nearly…