Council interviews David Ratzen for Plan Commission seat

The Spokane City Council interviewed David Ratzen on his application for a vacancy on the Plan Commission. Ratzen told council he and his wife moved to Spokane in January 2020 and said they ‘‘really had a good chance to explore the city’’ before deciding to retire there.

Ratzen said he supports downtown revitalization and greater neighborhood participation in shaping growth. ‘‘You can see every week in the paper about new development… the older buildings being revitalized,’’ he said, adding that he values neighborhood councils and wants to increase neighborhood input on planning decisions in areas including Grandview-Thorpe and North Spokane.

Council members probed specific priorities. Councilor McCluskey asked about green-space preservation; Ratzen responded that neighborhood input and careful community collaboration are central to preserving parks and open space as development continues. He described learning from other neighborhoods and called for stronger channels for neighborhood chairs and councils to provide input to planning staff.

The council said the administration will review his application and he will ‘‘hear from the administration’’ about next steps.