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County publishes draft EIS; comment period extended to July 11 as cities and developers flag UGA mapping concerns
Summary
Spokane County issued its draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the comprehensive plan update and extended the public comment period to July 11. City staff and private developers urged careful review of urban growth area (UGA) polygon mappings and raised questions about access and infrastructure assumptions for specific proposed study areas.
County staff announced that the draft EIS tied to the comprehensive plan periodic update was published and that the comment period has been extended to July 11. The EIS will inform urban growth area (UGA) determinations and the county’s preferred growth alternative.
Scott (county staff) said transportation appendices and refined evaluation criteria for UGA polygons are under review; staff plans to meet with the planning commission and the Board of County Commissioners in July to discuss a preferred alternative. "We're narrowing down the UG polygons to those with the highest evaluation for being served by urban services at the most reasonable cost," Scott said.
Developers and public commenters flagged specific mapping and access questions. Eric Low, who identified himself as the developer behind a proposed Cougar Cliffs neighborhood in Latah Valley, said his property already has access to US‑195 and to White Road and is near a studied frontage road; he urged partnership on infrastructure assumptions in the EIS. Elizabeth (public commenter) asked cities to double‑check Joint Planning Area (JPA) and UGA changes in the draft EIS to avoid unintended removal of land jurisdictions have planned for development.
Why it matters: The draft EIS and resulting UGA decisions will shape where the county plans for growth, what infrastructure is prioritized, and how jurisdictions allocate land for housing across multiple income bands. Public comments on the EIS can affect the analysis and the eventual preferred alternative.
What’s next: Written comments on the draft EIS are due July 11. County staff will refine UGA polygons after the comment period, present preferred alternative options to the planning commission in late July and to the Board of County Commissioners in early August, and aim for a final draft in early September.
