Planning staff outlines capital facilities and utilities chapters for Plan Spokane update

Heather Kimbrell of the Planning Department briefed the commission on the capital facilities and utilities elements of the comprehensive plan update, explaining how the chapters forecast 20-year needs (capital facilities plan) and feed a six-year capital improvement program (CIP).

Kimbrell said the capital facilities element inventories assets — stormwater, water, fire, police, libraries and parks — and ties service‑level forecasts to land‑use decisions. She told commissioners the utilities element focuses on mapping where water, sewer and other utilities exist and confirming service providers’ capacity to meet projected demand.

Why it matters: Commissioners were reminded that land‑use changes should be evaluated against infrastructure capacity before finalizing future‑land‑use decisions. Kimbrell said added policy language will emphasize monitoring and efficiency and that climate resiliency and sustainability policies have been integrated into the draft chapter.

Commissioner questions focused on whether implementation items belong in the chapter or an implementation appendix, how levels of service would be specified (for example, a policing ratio per 1,000 residents), and the relationship between the capital facilities plan, the CIP and asset‑management work being done by the city’s integrated capital management team.

Next steps: Staff said it will revise goals and policies to reflect feedback, prepare the capital facilities plan once a preferred alternative is settled, and integrate those findings into the comprehensive plan package for future hearings.