Spokane Valley planning commission advances rewrite of right-of-way permit rules

The Spokane Valley Planning Commission voted Thursday to send a code-text amendment (CTA) that would remove current right-of-way permit language from Title 22 of the Spokane Valley Municipal Code and advance a replacement set of regulations to the City Council.

The change, discussed during a public hearing, would repeal section 22.1.30.100 of the city code and related language and move right-of-way permit regulations into a different title (staff said Title 9 is the current plan). The commission voted to forward the amendment to council with findings; the roll call indicated six members present and the motion carried unanimously.

The amendment’s sponsors told the commission the goal is to clarify when a right-of-way permit is required, shorten and standardize permit-processing timelines, and remove a vague exemption that city staff said has been invoked by contractors to avoid permitting and traffic control requirements. “We get a lot of [right-of-way permits], as you can expect,” a planning staff member said during the presentation, noting many applications come from utility purveyors and commercial contractors.

Why it matters: Staff and commissioners said the current code contains ambiguous language—specifically a…