Commission discusses Plan Spokane draft EIS, where to steer growth and infrastructure investment
Loading...
Summary
Commissioners reviewed the Plan Spokane draft EIS story map, discussed target acreage and areas for higher-intensity housing, and debated whether to prioritize a few corridors for major city investment or spread zoning changes across transit corridors. Staff urged alignment with available utility capacity and asked commissioners to return site suggestions.
At the Jan. 14 Planning Commission meeting, staff reviewed the Plan Spokane draft Environmental Impact Statement and asked commissioners to identify one or two areas where higher-intensity housing or mixed-use development should be prioritized as part of a preferred alternative.
Staff reminded commissioners that the draft EIS was released Dec. 18, 2025 and that the public comment period closes at 5 p.m. Feb. 18, 2026. A story map and the full draft EIS are available at planspokane.org; staff encouraged use of the story map’s comment function to ensure submissions use the correct subject line.
The presentation described alternatives and staff estimates of acreage needed to meet state-required housing capacity; staff offered rough, back-of-the-envelope figures (200–600 acres) depending on whether commercial uses are allowed in candidate zones. Commissioners debated two approaches: (1) broadly increasing allowable intensity along transit corridors and letting market demand guide where development occurs, and (2) prioritizing one or two places for concentrated investment of city funds (streetscape, water and sewer upsizes) to catalyze development.
Several commissioners said prioritization makes sense where existing infrastructure is near capacity or where previous streetscape and utility investments create ready opportunities (examples cited included North Monroe and Perry District); others favored distributing zoning capacity across transit-rich corridors to avoid singling out neighborhoods. Commissioners repeatedly stressed that limited city dollars make prioritization necessary if the city seeks to pair regulatory changes with capital investments.
Staff said they will return on Feb. 25 with more detailed maps and site-specific information and asked commissioners to email any site suggestions in the interim. The EIS process will continue to incorporate agency and tribal feedback and additional public comments before staff bring a recommended preferred alternative to the commission and to city council.
